Patti, I've read through this and agree with you about when the first resurrection occurred: when Jesus arose and the saints arose with him. The second resurrection being when Jesus comes for his bride. Is that what you mean?
I believe that at Pentecost his followers began to rule and reign with him on earth until he comes again. That timing is now almost 2,000 years.
The first believers were Jews. When he comes again it will constitute believers from all tribes of the earth; Jew and Gentile.
That second resurrection is the Rapture. We will all be changed. This corruptible body will slough off the physical and received a new body to live in the New Jerusalem, which is not this earth. God's kingdom is not of this world. God is a spirit: Holy Spirit. Jesus was his earthly form called Emmanuel, or God with us.
1 Cor. 15:52-54 "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
I believe that many think there is more than one resurrection at the end of time or 6,000 years. No one gets a second chance. You have faith to believe before you receive: That's the blessed hope. Once you've seen what else is there to believe?
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
I've answered in red below. jfh
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THE FIRST AND SECOND RESURRECTIONS
The most important thing to understand is that the First and Second Resurrections are not events, but rather categories with a 1,000 years between them. Actually, the resurrections have nothing to do with the Rapture, other than the raptured Church will be part of the First Resurrection. Jesus was the first fruits of the First Resurrection, but the First Resurrection also includes the Old Testament saints that rose with Him, His Bride the raptured Church, the Two Witnesses, the 144,000 and the Tribulation saints. These groups make up the category of the First Resurrection and will rule with Christ 1,000 years.
As stated in Daniel 12:1 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." we can see that the timing is the ending days of the Great Tribulation and what happens at the second coming of Christ. And then in Daniel 12:2 we see the division of the two categories. They may seem to be happening at the same time, but there is 1,000 years between them.
Dan 12:2 "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt."
It is all related to the first and second deaths as stated in Rev. 20:6
" 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."
The first death is a physical death, when the soul is separated from the body. The second death is when the soul is separated from God. [I concur] Those who are part of the First Resurrection cannot be separated from God, so the second death has no power over them. They will reign with Him for 1,000 years. Those who are raised to life after the 1,000 years will experience the second death and be separated from God for eternity.
I think this has something to do with the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. The first horse is white and I believe it was the white horse going out after John's death in the Holy Spirit. "Not by might nor by Power"
The Red horse went out when with the Crusaders taking the sword to recapture Jerusalem.
The Black and Pale horses were the result of using their weapons of warfare.
Rapture of the Bride, the Church, is the next event....it is an event and also a category. All born again Christians from the beginning of the Church until it happens, will be caught up with Jesus in the air. They will be part of the First [2nd] Resurrection.
Also, you mentioned the wise and foolish virgins, I see it very differently than you.
The wise virgins are the born again Christians who have given their lives to Christ and therefore have the oil of the Holy Spirit. These wise virgins were Jews, everyone of them. They were commanded to take the Good News to the Gentiles. Paul, a Jew and a Pharisee was the first.
The foolish virgins are the Jews, who worshiped the One true God, but did not accept Christ as their Messiah, therefore not being filled with the Holy Spirit, as the only way to be filled with the Holy Spirit is through Christ. They will go into the Tribulation, but they will be saved, if they become believers and are born again. This applies to everyone that goes through tribulation at any time. When they receive Christ as Lord and Savior and ask to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit and believe they do receive by Faith.
You remember John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb.God, in the old testament filled certain ones to be scribes, priests, prophets and judges. They weren't continually filled but at certain times.
I hope I have not offended you in anyway, JFH. Thank you once again for helping me clarify my own thoughts on the matter. You are forgiven before you even ask by me. You just presented a challenge for me again to respond and exhort. May we all be blessed by the reading of HIS WORD. jfh
Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life!!!
YSIC
Patti C.