What Is the First Resurrection and the Second Death? Why Does It Matter?
Bible Study Guide
This Bible study will delve into what separates the first resurrection from the second death and which one is the better path to take.
There’s an old saying that goes, “It’s better to be born twice and die once, than to be born once and die twice.” As we explore this passage, this phrase will make more sense to you. By the way, this saying is true. It is better to be born twice. Let’s explore why.
In the previous bible study, we watched John record his vision of the angel binding Satan with chains and casting him into the Abyss. The unholy trinity is fully bound up and cast away. The other two were cast into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Their eternal home.
This will mark the beginning of the Millennium, 1000 year rule of Christ. It’ll also end the temptation by Satan upon mankind. He will not have any influence over those who live in the flesh during Christ’ reign on earth.
Will this be the end of sin. Will the heart of mankind be free from sin that is born in the flesh? Absolutely not! We’ll talk more on that a little later.
When God brought His people out of slavery in Egypt, He brought them into the desert. There He gave them His law. He created an order for all the things that He decreed for them. All the rituals, sacrifices, and the festivals all had an order to them.
God is not a random God. He’s a God of order and a God that doesn’t change. God likes order and He wants His people to follow the order that He establishes for them. Sometimes, we may not understand the order. But it’s all for a reason.
The Order of the Rapture
Paul, the apostle of Christ was faced with concerning questions about the rapture from his brothers and sisters in Thessalonica. They asked Paul what would happen to their brothers and sisters in Christ at the rapture who had already fallen asleep (passed away).
Under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God, Paul gave them the order of things to happen at the rapture for both the living and those asleep (dead). Those who are true Christians are considered not dead but rather have fallen asleep until the first resurrection.
Paul beautifully sums up his answer to their questions on the rapture.
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
What’s the Order of the First Resurrection?
Paul explains that at the time of the rapture, it’ll be those who have fallen asleep (passed away) believing in Christ that will rise first. They will ascend to Christ as He receives them. They will be given their glorified bodies. Then, those still alive at the rapture will be taken up after them.
Those believers who are resurrected at the rapture will be those of the first resurrection. Notice carefully what Paul says. He tells them that Christ died and rose again. This had to occur to make a way for us to follow. This makes Christ the first fruits of the resurrection. We who are believers and have fallen asleep will follow in the same path of the resurrection of Jesus.
Since Christ was resurrected there has not been a single soul that has experienced resurrection on this earth. This is why the rapture will produce the first resurrection of the dead believers in Christ.
Resurrection of the Old Testament Saints
The Bible is clear as to what group of people will be resurrected when except when it comes to the Old Testament Saints.
Those believers in Christ who’ve passed away who’ll be resurrected at the rapture will not include those who believed in God before Christ came to earth the first time. See the order?
The Old Testament Saints didn’t know Christ since He hadn’t been born yet. It’s believed that they’ll be resurrected at the end of the Tribulation Period with those who came to believe in Christ during this terrible time on earth.
These are the ones that were beheaded that verse 4 speaks of that we’ll explore next.
“I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They[a] had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4)
Who Are These People Sitting On the Thrones?
(Verse 4) John’s vision continues to a scene filled with thrones. This is not John’s first visit to a throne in heaven. On the thrones are those who have been given authority to judge. You might be asking yourself, “Doesn’t God judge the nations through Jesus?” The answer to your question would be, yes He does. Then who are these sitting on thrones with authority to judge.
Those sitting on thrones are those who’ve accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior and have been raptured or resurrected as part of the first resurrection (see above). Surely, you must’ve known that if we are to rule with Christ in the Millennium, we will also judge with Him.
The words of Christ to His disciples state that we will judge with Him in the Millennium.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28)
Paul, under the influence of the Holy Spirit reaffirms this truth.
“Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)
Jesus again states this same truth to John while revealing to him the book of Revelation.
“To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)
Let us not be surprised by these words of Christ, but rather comfort one another in knowing we will be with Christ always. This is according to what He taught us.
Who Are These People Who Have Been Beheaded?
In John’s vision, he sees two groups of people. Let’s take a look at this second group. He sees the souls of those beheaded for holding firmly to their testimony of Jesus Christ.
These are the souls of those who have died during the seven year Tribulation period. They did not fall for the deception of Satan. They refused to worship the beast (Antichrist) or accept his mark on their hand or forehead.
The unfortunate reality for them is that they didn’t accept Christ in time to be raptured before the wrath of God fell upon the earth. They had to live through the worse days known to mankind and the earth. They also had to endure the suffering of persecution and death for their belief.
Good news! They too will be resurrected and will reign with Christ during His 1000 year kingship on earth ruling from Jerusalem.
(Verse 5) The Bible is not entirely clear as to when the Old Testament believers will be resurrected. We understand that it’ll not be as part of the first resurrection at the time of the rapture.
It’s possible that they could be resurrected in the second part of the first resurrection at the end of the Tribulation along with those who were martyred during this horrific period on earth. This is according to Jeremiah.
‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,
‘I will break the yoke off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;
no longer will foreigners enslave them.
9 Instead, they will serve the Lord their God
and David their king,
whom I will raise up for them. (Jeremiah 30:8-9)
Beyond that, it’s best to leave it at that. We will not attempt to make up what the Bible does not fully teach us. Refer to Deuteronomy 29:29.
The Blessing of the First Resurrection
(Verse 6) We’ve learned that the book of Revelation is the only book of the Bible that begins with a blessing from God and ends with a blessing from God. We also know that there are threads of blessings that run throughout this book.
John records of one of these blessings here in this passage.
“Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6)
Jesus spoke to His disciples of those who would be part of the first resurrection in John 14.
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:3)
Christ will very soon return to come and gather (rapture) the believers and those who’ve fallen asleep (first resurrection) to be with Him forever. This is that blessing. To be among those who Christ will gather to Himself so that one day in the Millennium, they will sit on thrones with Christ to judge and rule the nations.
Who Will Be Resurrected and When?
| PEOPLE GROUP | RESURRECTED WHEN | WHICH RESURRECTION |
| People who died believing in Christ. | At the Rapture | First Resurrection |
| People alive believing in Christ before Tribulation. | At the Rapture | First Resurrection |
| People Who Came to Believe in Christ during the Tribulation. | End of the Tribulation | First Resurrection |
| Old Testament Saints who never knew Christ but loved God. | End of the Tribulation | First Resurrection |
| All those who never believed in God or Jesus Christ from creation. | End of the 1000 year reign of Christ | Second Resurrection |
What Is the Second Death In the Bible?
Notice, with this blessing comes the removal of the power of the second death. Remember the saying I shared with you in the beginning of this Bible study about dying twice. It’s better to be born twice than to die twice. The second death is the eternal placement into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
The first birth is by water through the womb. This is something everyone experiences, no exceptions. The second birth is being born again in the Holy Spirit. This happens by choice when we wholeheartedly choose to believe and follow Christ. By choosing the second birth, to be born again in the Holy Spirit we’re blessed to avoid the second death.
No one can avoid the first birth. Just as no one can avoid the final resurrection. We will all be resurrected to face judgment. It doesn’t matter whether you believe or not. Your unbelief does not exempt you from the final resurrection toward to eternity. Either to damnation or glorification.
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28-29)
“and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” (Acts 24:15)
Imagine if more people understood this truth. There would be more people who would come to Christ knowing that this life is temporal, but the next after the resurrection of all is eternal.
Further Study: What Is the Second Death in the Bible?
What Is a Priest of God and of Christ?
This blessing of the first resurrection avoids the second death. It also makes us priests of God and Christ. What exactly does that mean?
It does not mean that you’ll be entering the Holy of Holies in the temple to perform sacrificial rituals. The age for that has ended and Christ is now in the temple ruling all nations and all creation.
The Bible teaches us that prophets were sent out to the people as representatives of God and His word. Priests, on the other hand, were representatives of the people to God. Since we (believers) will rule and judge with Christ, we will also be a part of Christ’ government, if you will. This means, whatever town, province, city, county, or region we oversee, we will also teach these people about Christ. Not only that, but we’ll represent these people to Christ. Christ will have final authority over all.
This will occur for a thousand years.
Who Will Enter the Millennium Age (1000 Year Reign of Christ)?
It would be most fitting to look at those who will enter the Millennium after the end of the terrible Tribulation period.
Through the book of Revelation, it’s estimated that somewhere between two-thirds and three-quarters of the earths population will perish in the seven year Tribulation. This means there will be survivors. These will be one of the first groups of people that will enter the 1000 year reign of Christ. They will all be in the flesh.
Then, the Bible teaches us that one-third of the Jews, which are called the Remnant, will survive the worse of the Great Tribulation as decreed by God. They will also enter the Tribulation in the flesh.
All of those that are part of Christ’ government will enter the Millennium. They’ll be much different than all those who enter in the flesh. All of these will have their glorified bodies. They will be like Christ after His resurrection when He returned to earth to visit His disciples and others He appeared in front of.
It will be very different for those in the flesh and those who rule in their glorified bodies. The glorified will all have come through the first resurrection.
Faith Comes By Hearing the Word of God
At times, it seems like all of this is a bit much for the mind to comprehend. It’s understandable since we’re exploring the combination of heavenly things among worldly things. But at this time, it’ll be a much different world with Christ as the King of kings and Lord of Lords.
What a glorious time to behold and anticipate. Let us always edify and comfort one another with all these teachings of this new and soon to come Millennium age as we look forward to the coming of our Savior.
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.
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