Smyrna 20
There is an interesting statement made in Revelation 20:6 in connection with the second death which is the first resurrection. This implies that there is a second resurrection, just like there is a second death. The question is, when is the first resurrection and what is it?
The second death has no power over those who partake in the first resurrection. I have never considered this before so here is my take on it.
I believe the first resurrection was, and is, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day after His death and burial. There is a strange event that took place at this time recorded in Matthew 25, in which the bodies of the Old Testament saints came to life and they were seen by many people in the city. Few preachers preach on this mysterious resurrection from the dead! 😊 These saints were raised to life in Christ Jesus and so were all those who would still come into His family.
Don’t confuse eternal realities with earthly ones. The kingdom of heaven is not governed by time and space, it is eternal, where the beginning and the end are the same. In heaven your resurrection from the dead is a done deal. And we get to live in this reality now, if we want to.
The second resurrection, to me, would be the physical resurrection of our bodies at the end of the age which would be when the saints have conquered the works of the devil and sin and death have finally been brought under our feet. It is important to never separate the Lord from His church. He is the head and we are His body. We function under His authority and He functions through us. We are one united entity – forever!
Ephesians 2:6 And God raised (resurrected) us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus …
Your resurrection from the dead is a heavenly, eternal reality. This is why Scripture says you have, past tense, been raised with Him and you have been seated with Him in heavenly places. You are a spirit and as such live in and have access to everything that is of and from heaven. The power of the resurrection is that you now have the ability to ascend through the heavens and enter the very throne room of God. What a glorious and majestic privilege!
Jesus ascended through the heavens, effectively opening the heavens for all of us. I do not believe the heavens are closed and that they need to be opened. The problem is with our own minds that we have closed to the reality of what Jesus has done for us. Our unbelief is what hinders our access to heaven, not God.
The second resurrection, or the physical resurrection of the body, is an event that still has to take place. No one knows when this will happen, not even Jesus. The time of the second resurrection is not in God’s hand, it is in ours. Personally, I think the church still has some growing up to do. But that is for another blog.
The resurrection from the dead, is the foundation upon which the entire Christian faith is built upon. If there is no resurrection from the dead, then neither was Jesus raised from the dead, and if He was not raised our whole religion is in vain and Paul says we are to be pitied more than all men.
The second resurrection, or the resurrection of our physical bodies from the dead is often called “the Rapture.” This is the culminating and wonderful glorious hope that awaits every believer. It is the hope of our salvation. The mystery of this great event is the revelation of Christ within you, the hope of glory. The resurrection is not a fearful or dreadful event, it is the coming of the Lord in glory and power, in and through the saints.
The resurrection from the dead is a foundational doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ and one that we as His children should know really well. It is this hope that strengthened the saints in Smyrna and gave them courage in the face of death. It is this hope that strengthens every believer and every martyr that has sacrificed their life on the altar of satanic hatred.
When you go to bed tonight, close your eyes and think about what this glorious hope we have looks and feels like. Go to sleep in ecstasy! The second death has no power over you! 😊 😊 😊
Scripture References: 1 Cor 15:15-26; 1 Thes 4:16-18
To Jesus Christ be all glory and honour and power and praise! ✨👏🙌
Yvonne
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Amen. So much to learn. Glory to God and blessed be His servant.