The First Resurrection

Another major argument used by those who teach that the Church will go through the Great Tribulation centers around Revelation 20:4-5. John said, "I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given upon 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 worshipped 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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection."

The argument presented is that "first resurrection" means there was no resurrection prior to it. First means first, and nothing could be before it. However, if you try to make the first resurrection all take place in Revelation 20 after Satan is bound and cast into the abusso for a thousand years, you must somehow explain why Jesus was called the "firstfruits of those who rise from the dead." Did not Jesus already rise?

Also, there's a great multitude in Heaven in Revelation 7 crying, "Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." When the elder asked John, "Who are these arrayed in white robes? And where did they come from?" John answered that he didn't know. The elder responded, "These age they which have come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. " Here in chapter 7 is a multitude in Heaven who have come out of the Great Tribulation, thus resurrected before Revelation 20.

In Revelation 15 we see another company in Heaven. John describes the sea of glass mingled with fire, and he sees those who had gained victory over the beast, over his image, over his mark, and over the number of his name. They're standing on the sea of glass having the harps of God. They're singing the song of Moses, the servant of God. So, these would be the redeemed of Israel who had gained victory over the beast. John sees them in Heaven before the seven final vials of God's wrath are poured out.

Here are two resurrected companies in Heaven who have had a part in the first resurrection - prior to Revelation 20 when John sees those who had been beheaded for their witness of Jesus and refers to the "first resurrection."

In Revelation 20:4 John sees different companies. First of all, he sees thrones and those who sat upon them. Judgment was given to them. No doubt, this is the Church. The Lord made a promise to those who would overcome in the church of Laodicea. He promised to grant to them that they should sit with Him in His throne, even as He also overcame and has sat down with His Father in His throne. John sees a second company in Revelation 20:4. They're the souls of those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, who hadn't worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on their foreheads. These are definite, separate companies. One is sitting upon its thrones; the other came up out of the Great Tribulation, having been delivered from the power of the Antichrist and not yielding to his rule.

The first resurrection takes place over a period of time. Those who advocate that the Church will go through this time of God's wrath say that the first resurrection is the resurrection of the last day. They insist on a literal 24-hour day. The Scriptures say that a day is as a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years as a day. We know that the day of the Lord isn't a 24-hour day, but an indefinite period of time. The first resurrection actually covers a period of time and encompasses many different events. There are those who rose when Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 27:52); those coming back with Christ when He comes to catch us away to meet Him in the air (I Thessalonians 4:14), and those who are martyred for their testimony of Jesus Christ and who will rise during the period of the Great Tribulation.

They all have a part in the first resurrection. The first resurrection exists in contradistinction to the second resurrection, the resurrection of the unjust to stand before the Great White Throne judgment of God.