Welcome to Prophecy Q & A with Jimmy DeYoung!
“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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.”
Revelation 20:5-6
This resurrection refers to the wicked dead. In Revelation 20:11-15, John says that what he was seeing was the First Resurrection. Post-Tribulation believers refer to this as proof that the Church will not be raptured before the Tribulation and that no resurrection has taken place prior to this point in fulfillment of God’s prophetic program.
In no sense could this be the number one resurrection, chronologically, because, historically, Christ was the first to rise from the dead with a transformed, resurrected body. There was also the resurrection of many in Matthew 27 when Christ died and resurrected. The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs. After His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
As the context follows, the First Resurrection contrasts with the Last Resurrection in Revelation 20:12-13 which is followed by the Second Death. It is the first in the sense of before all of the righteous, regardless of when they are raised, take part in the resurrection which is the first or before the final resurrection of the wicked or the dead at the end of the Millennium.
This supports the conclusion that the resurrection of the righteous is by stages. Christ was the Firstfruits (1 Corinthians 15:23) which was preceded by the Token Resurrection of a number of saints (Matthew 27). Then the Rapture of the Church occurs which will include the resurrection of dead church saints and the translation of living church saints, all of those who have died after Acts 2 from the Day of Pentecost when the Church began until the Rapture of the Church, the body of Christ. The Rapture will take all of those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
The resurrection of the two witnesses will occur in the Great Tribulation period, after they preach in Jerusalem. They are killed and are lying in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days. They will then rise from the dead, miraculously, and be called up into heaven.
The resurrection of the martyred during the Great Tribulation will occur soon after Christ returns to the earth. To these may be added the resurrection of the Old Testament saints.
This resurrection that is in question is the one before they are brought to the Great White Throne Judgment … before they are sentenced eternally to hell which is the second death.
Jimmy DeYoung was a prophecy teacher and journalist who travelled the country and the world educating the Body of Christ of the future events foretold in God’s prophetic Word. His goal was to equip Christians with the knowledge and understanding of what God’s Word says will happen someday soon, so that they can make better decisions today. Dr. DeYoung went home to be with his Savior on August 15, 2021.
