Joe said:<br><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]What about your exposition of Rev. 20:1-6?</font><hr></blockquote><p><br><br>Here is John F. Walvood's commentary on V.5:<br><br>Rev. 20:5<br>John was also informed that the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. this refers to the resurrection of the wicked dead, discussed later (vv. 11-15).<br><br>John stated that what he was seeing is the first resurrection. Posttribulationists refer to this as proof that the church will not be raptured before the Tribulation and that no resurrection has taken place prior to this point in fulfillment of God's prophetic program. It should be obvious, however, that in no sense could this be the number-one resurrection chronologically because historically Christ was the first to rise from the dead with a transformed, resurrected body. There was also the resurrection "of many" (Matt. 27:52-53) which took place when Christ died. In what sense then can this resurrection in Revelation 20:5 be "first"?<br><br>As the contest which follows indicates, "the first resurrection" (vv. 5-6) contrasts with the last resurrection (vv. 12-13), which is followed by "the second death" (vv. 6, 14). It is first in the sense of before. All the righteous, regardless of when they are raised, take part in the resurrection which is first or before the final resurrection (of the wicked dead) at the end of the Millennium. This supports the conclusion that the resurrection of the righteous is by stages. Christ was "the Firstfruits" (1 Cor. 15:23), which was preceded by the token resurrection of a number of saints (Matt. 27:52-53). Then will occur the Rapture of the church, which will include the resurrection of dead church saints and the translation of living church saints (1 Thes. 4:13-18). The resurrection of the two witnesses will occur in the Great Tribulation (Rev. 11:3, 11). Then the resurrection of the martyred dead of the Great Tribulation will occur soon after Christ returns to earth (20:4-5). To these may be added the resurrection of the Old Testament saints which apparantly will also occur at this time, though it is not mentioned in this text (cf. Isa.. 26:19-21; Ezek. 37:12-14; Dan. 12:2-3).