The Second Resurrection Bible Prophecy part 6 of 7
The Second Resurrection part 6 of 7
The second resurrection includes the resurrection of damnation, the Great White Throne Judgment and the second death. There are several events to the first resurrection, but only one event for the second. As always the truth about these resurrection lies in the study of the Scripture. Not all questions are answered, but some answers are overlooked by many. Through the utilization of the Holy Spirit, prayer and diligent focus can many Scriptures be opened to the true seeker.
The Bible usually speaks of the two resurrections in the same text using opposite terms. Just and unjust, life and damnation, good and evil, etc. John 5: 28 says “all” will be resurrected. And in verse 29 “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
In 1 Cor. Chapter 15, Paul answers questions to the church at Corinth about the resurrections. He re-assured them of many resurrections to come. The question Paul answered here was if the resurrection had already happened or was going to be a future event. The one question not answered here is when. But Paul did enlightened us as to the order of the resurrections.
Both Paul and Peter tell us that the saved will be resurrected first and the unsaved last. 2 Peter 2:9, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” We can deduct from this that the resurrections will occur at different times. Also that the “godly” will be first and before the temptation. The Bible says that all will be resurrected and that all will be judged. And I believe that the judgment begins immediately after resurrection.
The Resurrection of the Damnation, unjust or wicked is found in Dan. 12:2; John 5:28; 2 Peter 2:9; Rev. 20:5-15. It is the last of the resurrections and commonly known as the second resurrection. It’s for all who have not been previously resurrected and judged, now it’s their turn. Remember that God gave all judgment to the Son. John 5:22. And Christ will judge these unsaved on the basis of their works at the last judgment which is called Great White Throne Judgment. Works consist of deeds, words, and thoughts. Notice that you are not judged for sin. That debt has already been paid.
The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20: 11-15). This topic is fairly large and cannot be fully covered here. I will deal with this subject individually at another time, but for now I want to just emphasize some main points.
1. This is the last resurrection event, the Great White Throne Judgment will be for all that have not previously been resurrected and judged. (John 5:28-29)
2. This will take place after the Millennium Age. (Rev. 20:7)
3. This Great White Throne Judgment will be for the unsaved. Remember salvation is by grace not works. But judgment will be based on works. (Rev. 20:12)
4. It will not take place on earth nor in heaven. (Rev. 20:11)
5. Anyone ever born will be here. (1 Thess. 4:17)
6. Christ will be the Judge. (John 5:22)
7. There is a set of books for judgment
8. All who are not found in the “Book of Life” will be cast into the “Lake of Fire” (Rev 20:15).
The Great White Throne is the last judgment which means that the last resurrection has just occurred. We are told by many that the only ones appearing at the Great White Throne will be the sinner. According to the Bible that is not true. Everyone that has ever been born will be there. Of course, the unsaved will be there as they have not been judged yet. Christ will be there since He is the judge, and He was also born. All Saints were born and they will be there, for we are to be ever with the LORD.
But I believe that there will be others at the Great White Throne Judgment that have lived during the Millennium. During those 1000 years many were born and some died. It does not make any sense to me that out of the billions of people that will be present at one time or another during the Millennium that every single one of them will be unsaved.
Lets consider a few things that happened during that 1000 years up to the Great White Throne. First, Who comes into the Millennium? Only the Saints? No! There are going to be many who has survived the Great Tribulation and they will go into the Millennium. Many babies are going to be born, and since Saints cannot be the parents, then there has to be unsaved present. A baby has to be born before he can die at the age of 100 years (Isa. 65:20). These ones born in the Millennium Age still have the first Adam nature as well, the sinful nature and will require salvation. This Millennium is God’s last chance for man to repent and come to Jesus as their Savior.
Second, how many people will be there? Rev. 20:8 tells us that “the number is as the sand of the sea”. Each of the unsaved here is a candidate for salvation.
(1.) With the innumerable amount of Saints there preaching, judging nations even judging angels. Having a glorified body must very impressive to someone who just has a physical body. Surely with all these things going for us, that at least one of the Saints will be able to lead at least one sinner to Christ in 1000 years. And remember that Christ, our Savior is right there ruling the entire world. Think of the multitude of evangelists there trying to win souls, Billy Graham, Billy Sunday, Peter, Paul and millions of other Saints. I will be extremely difficult to convince that not one will be saved.
(2.) Or if perhaps during the entire 1000 years one child may die before they reach the age of accountability? Neither does it make any sense that not any children will be born at the end of the age and still be under the age of accountability at the time Gog and MaGog II.
(3.) what about all the people coming to seek Christ’s paths and ways in Isa. 2:3. “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
It will only take just one person to turning to Christ in any of these three scenarios. Just one, out of all the billions of people there to make sense for the “Book of Life” to be present in Rev. 20:12.
in addition to address another misconception about the Millennium Age. If you think that we are just going to be lying around eating grapes at feasts and parties during the Millennium, then you are getting your information from the wrong book. The great Commission does not end with the great tribulation. Re-read Mt. 28:19-20 and pay particular attention to the very last phrase, “even unto the end of the world.” This means the Great White Throne, for this is where man no longer has any control. Christ will ultimately take over completely. Up until this time Christ has been open to man’s talk and questioning, even during the Millennium, Mt. 7:21-23. Christ is no longer acting as a man, mediator or high priest, or king keeping the peace. Christ is now the ultimate judge, this the finish line for sin. Christ will completely and forever separate good from evil. Amen
Sidebar: I am reasonably sure that there will be a lot of lawyers there at the Great White Throne Judgment. But I do not believe Christ is going to let them yell “Objection, Christ your Honor”. And the lawyer require Christ to prove that He is telling the truth. Showing the Book of Life, and saying, “now you look through all the billions of names and you will see that your name is not there”. And if that didn’t work then they might try filibustering or perhaps question His right to judge, or even to question His authority. And that is definitely not going to happen. Any questioning of God has stopped. Even in Job’s elevated state with God, he was not allow to question God’s judgment. People are not going to be questioning Christ, they are just going to be listening and be on bended knees.
There have been thousands of years that questioning could have and did occur, but here at the Great White Throne man has already expended his last time out it is as if he has died again and can no longer change his mind to be saved or not.
The second death. The eternal state of the wicked. First of all lets discuss what eternal means. What does eternal mean for the Christian? Some words used to describe it is forever, everlasting, without end, etc. Why would eternal mean one thing for a Christian and another for unsaved? So when the Bible tells of those being put into the Lake of Fire “shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.”, why should we think in terms other than eternal.
We have a first death which is the physical death of the physical body because of Adam’s sin. “For as in Adam all die,” 1 Cor. 15:22. And in Rom. 5:12 “and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.”
After death the next thing that happens to the physical body is its resurrection. For the Saved Christ said, once resurrected “neither can they die any more;” Luke 20: 35-36. But for the unsaved, just the opposite, they have a second death. The resurrected body of the unsaved, that which they have while they are going through the judgment will be stripped away and they will be returned to the state of the rich man in Luke 16. All death, hades, and unsaved will be emptied into the lake of fire. Rev. 20: 14-15. The process of taking away the resurrected body, emptying into the lake of fire, and being forever banished from God is known as the second death. The everlasting torment and gnashing of teeth is what we now refer to as hell. It would be like being cast into and confined on the interior of the Sun, the body would burn away quickly, but with no escape the eternal “soulish” body like the rich man had would forever feel the heat.
All will be resurrected, some to life and some to the second death, and all will be judged by Christ as to their works here on earth. It’s your choice where you prefer to spend eternity. But rest assured that it WILL be in heaven or the lake of fire. The Bible tells us that “now is the day of salvation” 2 Cor. 6:2 because now is all you have. The past is gone and the future may not come for you. Repent of your sins, and ask Christ to come into your heart and be your Savior and Lord. Then let someone know about your decision to follow Christ.
