First Rapture is Included in the First Resurrection
The First Rapture is Included in the First Resurrection
1 Cor. 15.20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order Christ the firstfruits: afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
While the throne is in heaven (Rev. 4.1-2), the Lord will descend from heaven to the air (1 Cor. 15.23, 1 Thess. 4.15-17). Just as He left, so shall He return (Acts. 1.11, Rev. 1.7). I Corinthians 15.23, say some, only mentions “they that are Christ’s” and that nothing is said about works. But let us be aware that this verse does not speak of rapture, it speaks of resurrection. We are all going to be resurrected, but the timing of rapture is not the same, since the body is a figure of speech which signifies one life. If the body is taken literally, then there is already division today because the Lord is now in heaven, Paul has already died, we remain living on earth, and some believers are yet to be born. Moreover, the previous raptures that have taken place would be dividing the body. So in 1 Cor. 15.23,24 we see firstfruits (those first believers who receive the Holy Spirit indwelling) which do not include OT saints (OT saints are resurrected at the last trumpet and may be included in the first resurrection rewards of reigning during the millennium), last trumpet resurrection of the saints (not speaking on the timing of rapture), and the end of the millennium where there needs be another rapture AND resurrection. If you would like proof of this 3rd item, just ask.
Do you see how you are making the mistake in confusing the timing of rapture with the timing of resurrection (they need not be at the same time)? While we, indeed, are all going to be resurrected, the rapture timing shall not be the same, for there will be those who are raptured alive (not resurrected) at the first rapture according to readiness (Rev. 3.10, Luke 21.36) for keeping the Word of His patience. Those who are watchful, prayerful, keep the conduct of Matt. 5-7, fill up with the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit, and abide in God's works set for us, will be accounted worthy to escape these things which shall come upon the whole world in the time or hour of trial of the Tribulation at the end of this dispensation age of grace. If you have said you don't want this (by altering the Word), so you shan't receive this blessing (Rev. 1.3). By overlooking other verses, it will cause you to take away the hope of the church. All Scripture is for study, not just the verses that are for your biased brand of teaching.
Rev. 6.11 “White robe”—This shows that God has justified them because they were accepted by Him. The justification here is different from that of salvation since this is the verdict of God who on the throne is announcing that the saints have won the case, they only waiting for the verdict to be executed.
“Rest yet for a little time”—This word alone may prove that the church cannot be raptured all at once, because this waiting implies a long and protracted persecution. Those raptured alive at the first rapture (Rev. 3.10, Luke 21.36) and the martyrs raptured at first rapture will wait for those yet to be raptured as they are raptured 3.5 days individually after they go to rest like the Two Witnesses.
“Until their fellow-servants also and their brethren”—During the Great Tribulation there will be great slaughter. In 7.13-15 political persecution is spoken of, but 17.6 refers to religious persecution. The way for the church is through death.
The Bible ONLY seems to imply that at the first rapture there is no resurrection. The phrase “underneath the altar” does not refer to death as a result of a sin-offering, rather it alludes to death as a consequence of a burnt-offering (Ex. 40.6,10,29; Lev. 4.7,10,18; 1 Chron. 6.49, 16.40, 21.29; 2 Chron. 29.18).
What men take note of is the sin-offering, but that which God sees first is the burnt-offering. Although without the Lord Jesus ever being the sin-offering we would none of us have life, nevertheless God will not accept anything without Christ being the burnt-offering—that is to say, His offering His all to God in obeying and doing God’s will. Here do we see that even His death on the cross is according to the will of God. In that same spirit of Christ Paul too offered himself as a burnt-offering (Phil. 2.17; 2 Tim. 4.6). Throughout his life he was a living sacrifice.
All the martyrs shall enter the kingdom to reign. Three classes of people will reign with Christ (20.4): (1) “thrones, and they sat upon them”—this refers to those people such as are cited in 3.21; (2) “them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God” (they are resurrected at the first rapture before the trumpets of the Tribulation)—here it is a reference to those people as are found mentioned in 6.11 (to be raptured at the first rapture); and (3) “such as worshiped not the beast, neither his image”—this is referring to those fellow-servants and their brethren mentioned in 6.11 (they also are resurrected individually in the Tribulation, raised 3.5 days after they go to rest). Therefore, what we see is a first rapture according to readiness of those saints who are alive at the time, as well as the rapture and resurrection of the martyrs in past centuries. The OT saints would be resurrected at the last trumpet; they have not been raptured yet. First rapture is for the church. When Christ died, the few that came out of the grave were not all the OT saints, rather it only showed Christ had power over the grave in Matt. 27.52. Don't overassume more than this. These are not considered firstfruits who came out of the grave at that time. The firstfruits were the apostles and disciples who received the Holy Spirit indwelling.
Therefore Rev. 20.4 is speaking about a best out resurrection from the general raptures and resurrections. This agrees...
Rev 20.3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 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
20.4 Three classes of people will reign with Christ:
(1) The overcomers will sit on thrones, and judgment will be given to them (20.4a). This shows that they have inherited the kingdom (see also Dan. 7.10,18,22—“Saints of the Most High”). This includes OT saints.
(2) The martyrs throughout the 20 centuries (“them that had been beheaded”—20.4b). These are the souls under the altar as shown in the fifth seal (6.9f.). It is for “the testimony of Jesus” that they are killed.
(3) The martyrs during the Great Tribulation. These are those who do not worship the beast nor his image, and upon whose foreheads and hands no mark of the beast is received (20.4c).
“They lived”—Let us notice two things:
(1) These people are not resurrected at the time of 20.4. Their resurrection is merely retraced here as an accomplished fact. John does not see them resurrected at that moment; he only acknowledges that they live.
(2) Those here who live include not only the resurrected but also those who are raptured alive; for we cannot assert that only those who are resurrected reign here with Christ; since even though the number of people who are raptured alive may not be great they nevertheless shall reign with Christ too.
20.5 “The first resurrection”—This does not necessarily mean that there is only one resurrection, nor does it denote that there are many resurrections. It simply signifies this as being the “best” resurrection.
The word “the” includes the two things mentioned in the last clause of 20.4:
(1) “Lived” and (2) “reigned”: The best resurrection means to live and to reign. Such a resurrection is a reward, for there is a reigning with Christ for a thousand years as well as a being resurrected.
“The second death” of 20.6 is in contrast with “the first resurrection”, because the latter means to enjoy glory while the former means to suffer eternally. Hence the first resurrection is none other than the time of recompense (Luke 14.14, 20.34-36).
What Paul says in Philippians 3.11 is not an expecting to be raised from the dead (for all the dead shall be resurrected), nor an anticipating the resurrection of the spirit (for the resurrection of the spirit is already accomplished at the time of new birth). No, what Paul is looking forward to is the “out-resurrection” from among the dead, which is this “best” resurrection spoken of here in 20.5, even a reigning with the Lord.
“Over these the second death hath no power”—The second death is the lake of fire. Those who have no part in the first resurrection may yet be hurt by the second death. Some Christians will be disciplined in the future (see Matt. 18.34,35). He who wrongs his brother will be punished by the Lord (1 Thess. 4.5,6). We believers are exhorted to fear Him who has authority to cast into hell (Greek, gehenna), thus implying that over some Christians hell still has its threat (Luke 12.4,5). If a branch does not abide in Christ, he, like a branch, is liable to be cast off, withered, cast into the fire and burned (John 15.6).
Some, though, may ask, Does not the Bible teach that once a person is saved he will never perish? Why then do you say here that Christians may appear as though to perish? This is due none other than to a misunderstanding of some Scripture verses such as the following:
“He shall never see death” (John 8.51,52) is actually “he shall not forever see death” in the original, and “he shall never taste of death” is “he shall not forever taste death” in the original.
“They shall never perish” (John 10.28) is “they shall not forever perish” in the original.
“Shall never die” (John 11.25,26) is “shall not forever die” in the original.
Rev. 20.11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
At the end of the millennium is a resurrection of the saved from the dispensation of grace and may include some of the saved prior to the millennial kingdom possibly.
So you can see your view is in direct contrast with the Word of God when you say the first resurrection includes all the saved (this makes no distinction between overcomer believers and non-overcomer believers, accountability and God's use of outer darkness for believers that prefer to remainly fleshly). Therefore, what can God do but cast you into outer darkness (which is not hell) where you will not be included in the first resurrection rewards of reigning during the millennium?
