Or is it that everyone is resurrected - the elect first in spiritual bodies but the wicked second in physical bodies who then go on to experience judgement/the lake of fire during the kingdom age, and they then receive their spiritual bodies when they repent or at the end of the kingdom age?
Hi Farlsbotough,
What you said here is what I believe the Scripture say.
Rev 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
v. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
v. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
Here you can see this is speaking of Christ and He is coming to judge and make war, but also He has an army with Him.
Rev 19:14 And the armies in heaven,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
Who is this army? It says they are "clothed in fine linen." So I need to jump around in Revelations a bit to gather the Scripture that shows who they are.
Rev 7:3 saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."
I believe that this is speaking of the elect being prepared and sealed with the Holy Spirit down through this age. But I believe the key is in their cleansed and purified "robes,"
Rev 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
Rev 7:13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in
white robes, and where did they come from?"
v. 14 And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
v. 8 And to her it was granted
to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
So in those Scriptures it makes it quite clear who the elect and the symbolism of their wearing fine white robes and they are the army coming with Christ to rule the nations.
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and
judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
This is speaking of the elect ruling with Christ for 1000 years (symbolic number, just mean as long as it takes). But it is in the next verse 5 where the confusion lies. But a very significant thing is that Ray found there to be a list of spurious passages, sentences, and words compiled by Dr. Tischendorf, based on his careful and analytical study of the Sinaitic manuscript.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_SinaiticusUntil the discovery by Constantin von Tischendorf of the Sinaiticus text, the Codex Vaticanus was unrivaled.[4]
The Codex Sinaiticus came to the attention of scholars in the 19th century at the Saint Catherine's Monastery, with further material discovered in the 20th and 21st centuries. Although parts of the Codex are scattered across four libraries around the world, most of the manuscript today resides within the British Library.[3][5] Since its discovery, study of the Codex Sinaiticus has proven to be extremely useful to scholars for critical studies of biblical text.
v
The codex was written in the 4th century. It could not have been written before 325 because it contains the Eusebian Canons, which is a terminus post quem. It could not have been written after 360 because of certain references to Church fathers in the margin.
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The list compiles only the words or phrases which materially change the meaning of the texts in which they appear. Though many of the spurious passages have already been corrected in modern versions of the Bible, at this point it seems to be wise to delete any of these found in your Bible and I find it a good idea to use several translations in my study. Here is a link to the list we have here
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6638.0.htmlSo getting back to the verse in question, it is verse 5 in Revelation 20 where to first part in considered spurious.
Rev 20:5
But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Now when you put verses 4 and 5 together without the spurious part it clears of the confusion.
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
v. 5 This is the first resurrection.
The elect are raised up in the first resurrection, maybe meaning the first part of the resurrection, as they are gathered united with Christ "in the air" (1 Thess 4:16-17). Now you can see how the elect are with Christ and will descend to the earth with Christ and that begins rule over the nations for the thousand years. But first He must raise them up.
Rev 20:11 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.
v. 12 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.
v. 13 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.
v. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
v. 15
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Here you can see are all the nations raised up, the elect are already raised up and are there with Christ, as He has them separated His sheep from the rest "not in the book of life", the goats.
Mat 25:32
All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
There are so many Scripture which speak of ruling - judging the nations in the next age, here are a few.
Rev 19:15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike
the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
v. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Oba 1:15 "For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head.
Jer 25:30 "Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: 'The LORD will roar from on high, And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes, Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
v. 31 A noise will come to the ends of the earth— For the LORD has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,' says the LORD."
Isa 52:6 Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day That I am He who speaks: 'Behold, it is I.' "
v. 7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
v. 8 Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; For they shall see eye to eye When the LORD brings back Zion.
v. 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.
v. 10 The LORD has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God.
v. 11 Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the LORD.
v. 12 For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
v. 13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.
v. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men;
v. 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.
Jer 10:10 But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.
Jer 3:17 "At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.
Rev 22:2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
Isa 26:9 With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Hope this is helpful.
mercy, peace and love
Kat