InChristAlways
January 9th 2005, 01:16 PM
As we notice in revelation, there are different "types" of resurrections, chapt 12(Christ), chapt 11 chapt("2 witnesses"), chapt 20:4(elect raised up), chapt 20:11-15 the the "dead standing", and the dead "delivered up" from death and hades and the sea. The creeds I believe are in error on the "nature" of Christ's coming and the resurrection, as both happened in the spiritual realm we can't see unless of course eyes are "opened" by God to see it or unless "see" means "perceived". The creeds were written before revelation was studied and interpreted by the early churches, so many doctrines have started within the past 100 yrs that are hard to refute because of the nature of those "creeds".
For example, are those standing in judgement at the "white throne" the living "dead standing"such as shown in the 6th seal of chapt 6 of revelation? Another words, not "sealed" with the living spirit or seal of Christ.
In 1 corin 15 we see no mention of a "1000yr" period and those that teach a "physical reign" of Christ on earth during that time are, in my humble opinion, teaching something that is unbiblical and no where taught in the bible, but that is for a different topic.
For those interested in what Paul was up against concerning the dead being raised "in the air" when he was talking to those in Thessolica can go here, and this is just for interest, not a view I either agree with or not agree with. Paul was preaching many years before the final parousia of Christ in the first century, and since the temple was still standing at that time with judgement and wrath coming later by God using the roman army as His "SERVANTS", he could honestly say the resurrection had not occurred yet.
http://ourworld.cs.com/preteristabcs/id84.htm
1 corin 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits(reve 12:5), afterward those [who are] Christ's at His coming(reve 14:14-16). 24 Then [comes] the END(reve 14:16:20), when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy [that] will be destroyed [is] death.
Understanding the Resurrection
The key to understanding any passage of Scripture in the New Testament has always been a good grasp of the historical setting of what it fulfilled, in the Old Testament.
Revelations 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
In order to get a form grasp on this verse we need to understand Israels concept of the firstfruits and the harvest.
If we are really going to understand the timing of resurrection we have to seriously study the language, history, and culture of ancient Israel.
In order to understand the biblical view of the resurrection you must first understand the concept of the “first fruits” and “the harvest.” Where did this idea of “firstfruits” originate? “On the same general principle that the firstborn of man and beast belonged to the God of Israel and were to be devoted to Him Nehemiah 10:35-39.
The firstfruits including the first grain to ripen each season, were to be brought as an offering to God. Every Israelite who possessed the means of agricultural productivity was under this obligation (Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Numbers 15:17-21; 18:12-13) Speak the to children of Israel, and say to them. When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your, behalf on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it (Leviticus 23:10-11).
The firstfruits were brought in a basket to the sanctuary and presented to the priest, who was to set the basked down before the altar. Then, the offering recited the story of Jacob’s going to Egypt and the deliverance of his posterity from there. He then acknowledged the blessings with which God had visited him (Deuteronomy 26:2-11).
It would be natural for Paul to have thought of Christ as the firstfruits, because the day of Christ’s resurrection was the second day of Passover week on which the first ripe sheaf of the harvest was offered to the Lord (Lev 23:10-11,15).
Paul was also establishing another basic point. While Christ was the firstfruits his people were also significance of the “first ripe sheaf” (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:15; James 1:18). Because they were buried with Christ in baptism into death: and raised in His, resurrection by the glory of the Father they walked in the newness of life (Romans 6:4).
These “New Covenant saints” were the ones who Jesus addressed in verse 25 of John 5. These saints who followed their Lord would never die (John 11:26). Eternal Life, was a gift to those “New Covenant saints” who would finish their days on earth, under the New Covenant. Believers who live until 70 A.D when everything under the Old Covenant was fulfilled by the inauguration of the New Covenant would never die (John 10:28). They would never experience waiting in the place of the dead, the Hadean realm but would be “absent from the body, and present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).
The resurrection began with the resurrection of Jesus. He opened the way. Those saints who died after they followed their Lord. Those collective believers were of the first resurrection-firstfruits to God. These firstfruits were representative of the whole harvest before God (Revelation 14:4). This select group of Christians were purchased from the earth as a FIRST FRUITS offering. The Greek for purchased, means to go to the market. It is a picture of God coming to the earth, to select His FIRST FRUITS from the entire harvest. The term “firstfruits” itself implies, the remainder of the harvest was about ripe.
The firstfruits are related to the harvest as the part is to the whole. Every Jewish Christian understood this Old Testament concept. The second important truth inherent in the firstfruits figure is the readiness of the harvest to be gathered as signified in the offering of the firstfruits. The act of reaping had already begun, and the harvest was ready to be cut (Revelation 14:15).
The harvest was the dead in Christ from the Old Covenant. These were people like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Job, Isaiah, and Daniel, etc, not of a time, still to come in our future for in Christ, the time for death to be abolished had arrived (2 Timothy 1:10). These “Old Covenant saints” were the rest of the harvest, the general resurrection. These were the ones Jesus addressed “though he may die, he shall live (John 11:23). Knowing this, we can appreciate why God said: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38).
Because of the start of the New Covenant at the death of Christ, man now began to pass for death unto life Roman 6:4 and a process of accessing the heavenly realm. For example, when Stephen was stoned he called upon the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” (Acts 7:59).
This is the first resurrection that John mentioned in the last part of verse 5 of chapter 20. These firstfruits believers who died before the Parousia “the Finished work of Christ,” did not go to the place of the dead Abraham’s bosom or the Hadean realm Luke 16:19-31 but instead were under the altar (Revelation 6:9). The first resurrection is considered “blessed and holy” in verse 6 because of their intimate firstfruit relationship with the risen Christ. Their proximity to the Holy Place rendered them priest of God and the Messiah and they became part of that first century symbolic 1000 year reign of Christ.
The harvest, follows the ripening “perfecting and offering of the firstfruits.” With the return of Christ and the destruction of temple, the way into God presence was now opened (Hebrew 9:8). The Hadean realm was emptied, and the Old Covenant saints, who were the harvest were gathered in the general resurrection in A.D.70. This is the second resurrection that John mentioned in the first part of verse 5 of chapter 20.
One way to better understand the teaching of John’s resurrection in Revelation 20:5 is to get a better grasp of the literary devices that are used by the writer to produce the desired results of the revelation he is seeking to unveil. One such device is chiasmas, which is a term that designates a literary figure or principle, which consist of “a placing crosswise” of words in a sentence or writing.
The term is used in rhetoric to designate an inversion of the order of words or phrases which are repeated or subsequently referred to in the sentence or writing.
144000 as being the “firstfruits”
In Revelation 14 we see the 144,000 as being the “firstfruits” if this is still in the future why did the Apostles call the first century Christians the “firstfruits”?
How can there be more than one “firstfruits”?
If so can there be more than one firstborn?
(Holman NT) Revelation 14: 3 They sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
4 These are the ones not defiled with women, for they have kept their virginity. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were redeemed from the human race as the firstfruits for God and the Lamb.
(Holman NT) Romans 8:23 And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits
(KJV) Romans 16:5 Likewise [greet] the church that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
(Holman NT) 1 Corinthians 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, the people of Christ.
(Holman NT) James 1:18 By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the first-fruits of His creatures.
For example, are those standing in judgement at the "white throne" the living "dead standing"such as shown in the 6th seal of chapt 6 of revelation? Another words, not "sealed" with the living spirit or seal of Christ.
In 1 corin 15 we see no mention of a "1000yr" period and those that teach a "physical reign" of Christ on earth during that time are, in my humble opinion, teaching something that is unbiblical and no where taught in the bible, but that is for a different topic.
For those interested in what Paul was up against concerning the dead being raised "in the air" when he was talking to those in Thessolica can go here, and this is just for interest, not a view I either agree with or not agree with. Paul was preaching many years before the final parousia of Christ in the first century, and since the temple was still standing at that time with judgement and wrath coming later by God using the roman army as His "SERVANTS", he could honestly say the resurrection had not occurred yet.
http://ourworld.cs.com/preteristabcs/id84.htm
1 corin 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits(reve 12:5), afterward those [who are] Christ's at His coming(reve 14:14-16). 24 Then [comes] the END(reve 14:16:20), when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy [that] will be destroyed [is] death.
Understanding the Resurrection
The key to understanding any passage of Scripture in the New Testament has always been a good grasp of the historical setting of what it fulfilled, in the Old Testament.
Revelations 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
In order to get a form grasp on this verse we need to understand Israels concept of the firstfruits and the harvest.
If we are really going to understand the timing of resurrection we have to seriously study the language, history, and culture of ancient Israel.
In order to understand the biblical view of the resurrection you must first understand the concept of the “first fruits” and “the harvest.” Where did this idea of “firstfruits” originate? “On the same general principle that the firstborn of man and beast belonged to the God of Israel and were to be devoted to Him Nehemiah 10:35-39.
The firstfruits including the first grain to ripen each season, were to be brought as an offering to God. Every Israelite who possessed the means of agricultural productivity was under this obligation (Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Numbers 15:17-21; 18:12-13) Speak the to children of Israel, and say to them. When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your, behalf on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it (Leviticus 23:10-11).
The firstfruits were brought in a basket to the sanctuary and presented to the priest, who was to set the basked down before the altar. Then, the offering recited the story of Jacob’s going to Egypt and the deliverance of his posterity from there. He then acknowledged the blessings with which God had visited him (Deuteronomy 26:2-11).
It would be natural for Paul to have thought of Christ as the firstfruits, because the day of Christ’s resurrection was the second day of Passover week on which the first ripe sheaf of the harvest was offered to the Lord (Lev 23:10-11,15).
Paul was also establishing another basic point. While Christ was the firstfruits his people were also significance of the “first ripe sheaf” (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:15; James 1:18). Because they were buried with Christ in baptism into death: and raised in His, resurrection by the glory of the Father they walked in the newness of life (Romans 6:4).
These “New Covenant saints” were the ones who Jesus addressed in verse 25 of John 5. These saints who followed their Lord would never die (John 11:26). Eternal Life, was a gift to those “New Covenant saints” who would finish their days on earth, under the New Covenant. Believers who live until 70 A.D when everything under the Old Covenant was fulfilled by the inauguration of the New Covenant would never die (John 10:28). They would never experience waiting in the place of the dead, the Hadean realm but would be “absent from the body, and present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).
The resurrection began with the resurrection of Jesus. He opened the way. Those saints who died after they followed their Lord. Those collective believers were of the first resurrection-firstfruits to God. These firstfruits were representative of the whole harvest before God (Revelation 14:4). This select group of Christians were purchased from the earth as a FIRST FRUITS offering. The Greek for purchased, means to go to the market. It is a picture of God coming to the earth, to select His FIRST FRUITS from the entire harvest. The term “firstfruits” itself implies, the remainder of the harvest was about ripe.
The firstfruits are related to the harvest as the part is to the whole. Every Jewish Christian understood this Old Testament concept. The second important truth inherent in the firstfruits figure is the readiness of the harvest to be gathered as signified in the offering of the firstfruits. The act of reaping had already begun, and the harvest was ready to be cut (Revelation 14:15).
The harvest was the dead in Christ from the Old Covenant. These were people like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Job, Isaiah, and Daniel, etc, not of a time, still to come in our future for in Christ, the time for death to be abolished had arrived (2 Timothy 1:10). These “Old Covenant saints” were the rest of the harvest, the general resurrection. These were the ones Jesus addressed “though he may die, he shall live (John 11:23). Knowing this, we can appreciate why God said: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38).
Because of the start of the New Covenant at the death of Christ, man now began to pass for death unto life Roman 6:4 and a process of accessing the heavenly realm. For example, when Stephen was stoned he called upon the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” (Acts 7:59).
This is the first resurrection that John mentioned in the last part of verse 5 of chapter 20. These firstfruits believers who died before the Parousia “the Finished work of Christ,” did not go to the place of the dead Abraham’s bosom or the Hadean realm Luke 16:19-31 but instead were under the altar (Revelation 6:9). The first resurrection is considered “blessed and holy” in verse 6 because of their intimate firstfruit relationship with the risen Christ. Their proximity to the Holy Place rendered them priest of God and the Messiah and they became part of that first century symbolic 1000 year reign of Christ.
The harvest, follows the ripening “perfecting and offering of the firstfruits.” With the return of Christ and the destruction of temple, the way into God presence was now opened (Hebrew 9:8). The Hadean realm was emptied, and the Old Covenant saints, who were the harvest were gathered in the general resurrection in A.D.70. This is the second resurrection that John mentioned in the first part of verse 5 of chapter 20.
One way to better understand the teaching of John’s resurrection in Revelation 20:5 is to get a better grasp of the literary devices that are used by the writer to produce the desired results of the revelation he is seeking to unveil. One such device is chiasmas, which is a term that designates a literary figure or principle, which consist of “a placing crosswise” of words in a sentence or writing.
The term is used in rhetoric to designate an inversion of the order of words or phrases which are repeated or subsequently referred to in the sentence or writing.
144000 as being the “firstfruits”
In Revelation 14 we see the 144,000 as being the “firstfruits” if this is still in the future why did the Apostles call the first century Christians the “firstfruits”?
How can there be more than one “firstfruits”?
If so can there be more than one firstborn?
(Holman NT) Revelation 14: 3 They sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
4 These are the ones not defiled with women, for they have kept their virginity. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were redeemed from the human race as the firstfruits for God and the Lamb.
(Holman NT) Romans 8:23 And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits
(KJV) Romans 16:5 Likewise [greet] the church that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
(Holman NT) 1 Corinthians 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, the people of Christ.
(Holman NT) James 1:18 By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the first-fruits of His creatures.