Blessing 5: Blessed is the one who shares in the first resurrection
Revelation 20:6 (ESV) Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
The first resurrection began with Christ, who is the firstfruits of those who have risen from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:20 (NKJV) But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Jesus is the prototype, the firstborn from the dead so that all the resurrected saints will be like Him.
Colossians 1:18 (NKJV) And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the pre-eminence.
So, the first resurrection began with Christ and continued with the resurrected Church. But the Bible speaks of two resurrections. The second resurrection is for non-believers. They are the ‘dead’ who will be raised to appear before God’s great white throne for judgement.
Revelation 20:11-15 (NKJV) Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Those who are part of the first resurrection do not have to worry about the great white throne judgment of God. The first resurrection, then, is the raising of all believers. It corresponds with Jesus’ teaching of the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of life.
Luke 14:14 (ESV) and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
John 5:29 (ESV) and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
I conclude with John 11:25-26 (MSG) “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?”