VERSE 6

(Rev 20:6 KJV) Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

In this verse we will discover what the first resurrection is. The Bible clearly teaches a single, general resurrection and we must seek to understand if the first resurrection is something different from a resurrection of believers.
Let us explore some unique characteristics of the first resurrection. The key to understanding the first resurrection is in the part of this verse which states, "on such the second death has no power." Who is unaffected by the second death, which is a synonym for judgment and hell?

Only the born again Christian is unaffected by judgment because Christ has already paid for our sins. Therefore, our abode will be heaven not hell. Every born again Christian on earth has experienced the first resurrection.

I saw a famous Pre-trib theologian on a talk show mockingly put down this biblical view by saying something has to be dead before it can be resurrected. He offered no alternative teaching but just a pseudo-intellectual put down. I am glad he said it because it is based on truth, whether he knows or not.

Let us look at Ephesians 2:1-3:

(Eph 2:1 KJV) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Let us look at Ephesians 2:1-3:

(Eph 2:2-3 KJV) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: {3} Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

We read in verse 1 that we were dead in our sins. It seems that something was dead, and it was us. Now were we physically dead or spiritually dead? The answer is simple, we were spiritually dead.

Paul tells us that we walked in the deadness of our sins, until something happened. We read in Ephesians 2:5:

(Eph 2:5 KJV) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved ;)

God made us alive or resurrected our dead souls. The phrase "quickened us together" may also be translated "to make alive together." That theologian who mockingly discounted this truth should have done his homework and would have discovered that something was dead, and was made alive.

When you received Christ, did your physical body change? Of course not, but you did receive your resurrected soul, and before you did, you were dead to the things of God, whereas now you are alive to the things of God. Let us look again at Ephesians 2:6:

(Eph 2:6 KJV) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

As a result of being made alive, we are raised up to sit together with Christ in heaven, as if we are already up there reigning with Him.

The rest of Rev. 20:6 tells us that we are on the right track since when a person becomes saved, they become: priests of God and Christ (1 Peter 2:5); blessed (Eph. 1:3); and holy (Eph. 1:4).

So as we see the believer is already reigning with Christ as a result of their position, and since this reigning is in effect at present, it also tells us that the thousand year reign is also in effect at present. The two cannot be separated.

VERSE 7

(Rev 20:7 KJV) And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.

In the final verse of our study of millennium theology, it reveals that right at the end of time Satan will be allowed to continue his deceptions. He may blind the minds of the people of the world on a grander scale. Maybe this is how God will wind down His salvation program by saving less and less toward the last day.

When God saves the last one, then this will usher in the last day, and then the prophetic events will unfold and it will be the end of recorded history.

We are very close to the end as we see the increase in false gospels and New Age philosophies creeping into the church and are being embraced by both clergy and congregations. The church at present is becoming one of the greatest enemies of biblical truth. I need not expound on that.

INVIOLATE BIBLICAL EVIDENCE WHICH REFUTES THE LITERAL THOUSAND YEAR REIGN THEORY!

One of the most crucial hermeneutical principles is the interpretation of the obvious. Many times theologians glance at something and believe they understand something by simply glancing at it. This is totally illogical. We saw, in this study, that the binding of Satan was a past action; yet, theologians insist it will be a future event. This is what I mean by the glance method of interpretation. It sounds future but it is past.

As we continue in our study of the millennium, I wish to introduce some biblical passages which totally refute a literal thousand year reign of Christ on earth. I wish to introduce a biblical phrase which has been totally neglected by proponents of a literal thousand year reign. That phrase is "last days."

We must first establish what the last days are according to the Bible and the time period this represents. This will open our understanding of this important subject.

(Heb 1:1-2 KJV) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, {2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

This verse is the plainest account in the New Testament showing us that we are presently in the last days. Let us dissect the words in bold print and this will give us a foundation for our study: "These"- A demonstrative pronoun - This shows something which is comparatively near at hand in contrast to something which would be in the distance; for example, these rather than those.

It is a specific pointing out of something or someone. "Last"-"Eschatos" which means farthest, uttermost, or last."Days"-"Hemera" which is a day. The writer of Hebrews is making a stern assertion that we are living in the last days. Now, let us use logic. If this verse is telling us that we are in the last days, then, how can there be another period of time to follow. The last days stretch from the time of the cross till judgment day on the last day.

There is no more time after the last day. If the Bible says we are in the last days, which do we believe, the Bible or misguided theologians. Let’s continue to see if we are on the right path.

(1 Cor 10:11 KJV) Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
This verse deals with the sins of Israel and her judgment by God to give us an example of what happens when we are disobedient. The part of this verse I want to focus on is "ends of the world." Here the Bible gives us another indication of what time period we live in, namely, the last days. Again, we are living in the last days with no more time left after Christ’s return.

(Heb 9:26 KJV) For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

This verse is also very obvious in that Christ came to earth the first time to put away sin through His atonement. Notice how God describes the time period when Christ was here as the end of the world. Interesting isn’t it? Looking at verse 28 of the same chapter we read:

(Heb 9:28 KJV) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Look at this verse and see what it is saying. The first time Christ appeared it was for the purpose of saving His people from their sins. The second time He appears it will not be in reference to salvation but to judgment. If there is a thousand year reign, then two things must happen:

1. There will be universal salvation because who in their right mind will not receive Christ when they see Him sitting there in all His royal glory. Atheism will be defunct.

2. There must be a second resurrection at the start of the millennium, which would add up to three resurrections:

A. First, the initial rapture (believers).
B. Secondly, the saved dead who die during the great tribulation will have to be raised to reign with Christ.
C. Thirdly, the unsaved dead on the last day.

If people were becoming saved during the millennium, then Scripture is wrong and the prophecy books are right because the Bible teaches that the second time Christ comes it will have nothing to do with a further salvation plan. He will come to claim His elect as Mark 13:27 plainly states.

The Bible proclaims only one resurrection, and that is on the last day. In Matthew 25, we read about Christ separating the sheep from the goats. If there were separate resurrections, each one dedicated to a certain group of people, namely, one resurrection for the unsaved and one for the saved, then why is Christ separating the sheep from the goats.

The sheep would go to heaven and the goats to the lake of fire. Let me illustrate: If the principal of a school called a general assembly of students, then all students would attend and you would have both boys and girls in that assembly. You would then proceed to separate the boys from the girls, which typifies what Christ will be doing on the last day. If that same principal calls an assembly of only girls or boys, then no separation is needed, each group is a dedicated one.

As I continue to ponder, allow me to add another event which must happen if there is a literal thousand year reign of Christ on this earth. When He returns next time to earth, it will be in His glory and another dilemma will occur. In addition to universal salvation, there will be universal death of all unbelievers living during the thousand year reign. How do I arrive at that conclusion?

Do you recall when Moses wanted to see God’s glory? This episode is written in Exodus 33:19-21:

(Exo 33:19-21 KJV) And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. {20} And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. {21} And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

Read verse 20 carefully and realize if unbelievers will die upon sight of God’s glory, then there can be no universal salvation because there will be universal death instead. God has qualified only the believers to see Him in His glory as stated in 1 John 3:2:

(1 John 3:2 KJV) Beloved, now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Now back to the subject of universal death. The Bible teaches plainly that when Christ returns a second time every eye shall see Him as recorded in Revelation 1:7 and every eye will not see Him by means of television as some deep prophecy teachers tell us. (Lord deliver us from prophecy books and prophecy specialists) Are we on the right path that people will die if we see God in His glory? We sure are!

Let’s look at some verses which detail this line of biblical thought.

(Gen 32:30 KJV) And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Here Jacob is making the statement that he is actually alive after he saw God face to face. Why would he make this type of statement if any person can look at God and live?

(Exo 19:21 KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. God makes no parable here, any unqualified person who sees Him will die.

(Exo 24:17 KJV) And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

This verse tells us that the cloud is what the Israelites saw. If only the cloud is like devouring fire, then can you picture what the full glory of God would do to anyone that looks on it? We must always keep in mind that Christ is the "I AM" of Sinai.

(Deu 5:24-26 KJV) And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. {25} Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die. {26} For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?

These three verses detail for us the experience of the Israelites in seeing the great fire on Horeb and believing that fire would consume them. In the same breath they feared the voice of God in that they believed by hearing His voice they would die. Here the Bible is stating again, that anyone who would behold God in all His glory would perish.

One more verse and we will return to our original study on the biblical impossibility of a literal thousand year reign of Christ.

(Rev 1:17 KJV) And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

John in his apocalyptic vision fell as dead in front of Christ because he saw Him in his glory. Let me summarize this section by saying this. If Christ was to reign in all His regal splendor, do we honestly think because we live in modern times there would be a different effect on people. God is God, Christ is God and no way would we have a different response to God’s glory. We are as human as the Israelites were and as sinful, therefore, God’s glory would consume us in an instance. It is also interesting to note, that if Christ reigned in Jerusalem for 1,000 years, who would He reign over since every eye that saw Him in all His glory would be consumed to the point of death. So we have universal death before universal salvation, without 2 of the resurrections needed to maintain this teaching.

Absurd isn’t it! Let’s return to our study of the phrase ‘Last days" and see its usage in many verses. We have already extracted the fact from Hebrews 1:2 that we are living in the last days by means of the demonstrative pronoun "these" which points out something specific that is near at hand.

The date of the writing of Hebrews is unknown but we do know that it was definitely written after the cross and before the second coming which would place it in the last days, therefore, specifically pointing to the fact we are in the last days. Let us continue.

(Joel 2:28-29 KJV) And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: {29} And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

(Acts 2:17-18 KJV) And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

There are only two major differences between the Joel and Acts passage. In Acts God includes the words "last days" giving further comment on the Joel passage and in Acts 2:18, God calls His servants and handmaiden "my." This gives us further understanding of the Joel passage. God is stating in the last days (cross to second coming) His people will prophesy (declare God’s Word), in other words, they will send forth the gospel until the harvest time. (Matt. 3:24-30)

(2 Tim 3:1 KJV) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

Timothy details in this chapter what surroundings the Christian can expect to encounter. Since there is so much in this chapter, we must continue but keep the phrase in mind, "...in the last days..."

(James 5:3 KJV) Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

This passage speaks of someone heaping treasure for the last days. I do not believe this passage speaks only of money. "Gold and Silver" both speak of facets of God’s salvation plan. But you notice, God says, "Your," it seems He is pointing to the fact there are those in the last days who will concoct their own salvation plan. Whenever man develops a salvation plan of their own, it is like cankered gold and silver (cankered literally means "eaten away") and rust which is evidence of corrosion.

There are about 5,000 cults in the United States alone. Each of these has a cankered and rusted salvation plan. Not only the cults, but there are many self-made salvation plans in the church throughout the world. One such plan is just say a few words and accept Christ and you are in. The biblical truth is that Christ accepts us, we do not accept Him.

(1 Pet 1:5 KJV) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

The word "time" in this passage is the Greek word "kairo" which means a distinct point in time. Placing "eschatos" and "kairo" in the same statement tells us that Peter is looking for the last distinct point in time. This would be judgment day because after judgment day will come eternity, which is not measured in time.

(1 Pet 1:20 KJV) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

The word "times" in this passage is the Greek word "chronon" which denotes a precise time of an event. This passage is telling us there is a last precise time for a certain event. In this case it would be the precise time for the second coming of Christ, since we have, up to this point, have so openly seen that we are in the last days and there is no more time after these days.

(2 Pet 3:3 KJV) Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

Here we see the phrase "last days" which again affirms the fact that last is last. 1 JOHN 2:18(1 John 2:18 KJV) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. The words "last time" may also be translated "last hour" as the Greek word behind time is "hora" which is translated "hour." This passage tells that we, from God’s vantage point, that the time from the cross to the second coming of Christ is literally the last hour.

If it is the last hour, how can there be another one after it? This word "hora" can also be used to designate a period of time as we plainly see that God speaks of the whole New Testament period as the last hour.

(Jude 1:18 KJV) How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. The words "last time" may be translated "the last precise time of an event. It is the Greek word "chronos" which we have already studied. Here again God is telling us that we are in the last time.

Up to this point we have openly seen that God plainly states that we are in the last days. Now many may say, "Yes, they are the last days before the golden reign of Christ." The problem with that is we have looked at many verses and the Bible nowhere adds anything to these verses alluding to a literal 1,000 year reign. If someone chooses to force that doctrine on these verses, they must use a method called "eisegesis" which is placing interpretations into the Bible, especially referring to doctrine or words.

The problem is that many theologians and pastors use interpolation instead of interpretation. In the area of prophecy, there is much false doctrine being spewed, and when these prophecy moguls are proven wrong, they do not retract their statements; they just write another book and sell a million copies. The longer I am saved, the more convinced I am that Christians want to be deceived because deceit is always more comfortable to live in than truth.

Allow me to end this monograph by just stating that if we do not return to true biblical hermeneutics which is laid out for us in 1 Corinthians 2:13, we will continue to abide in the following biblical exhortation which is:

(2 Tim 3:7 KJV) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

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For all who cared enough to take the time to read and study this excellent teaching, I know you are glad you did. This teaching opens so many doors to spiritual understanding and reveals the truth about what the 1000 reign of Christ on earth really is. We are His kings and priests right now in this world and this life, as He rules through us. Satan has been let loose for his short time and is busy gathering all his followers for the final battle.

This is so very important to know, in order for us to realize our responsibility and the power the Lord has given us to fulfill His Great Commission…there are no left behind on the Last Day, and there are NO SECOND CHANCES!!! This is it!! Don’t be lulled into believing that this is all future, as Satan wants you to believe, and has been deluding the churches with for a long time.

I have done my part to share this, I pray that there are those out there that are getting this “meat teaching” and are no longer satisfied with just the “milk”.

With much love, for all my brothers and sisters in Christ,

JESUS IS ALL AND EVERYTHING!!

Patti C.

Hello all,

I know this is a long study,but if you are one that still believes that Jesus is going to rule on earth, for 1000 years, than you need to take the time to read this!!

Nowhere in the Word of God does it tell us this! This is a dispensational lie!

Michael, if you are reading this, you are the reason I am bumping this up. Please take the time to read this study and then get back with me on your thoughts. I think you will be amazed how you ever thought this earthly 1000 reign of Christ was ever taught as doctrine. Yet, if you still believe that it is, please prove it using Scripture and refuting the information provided here.

Bless you brother!!

Patti C.