Although I am not a Dispensationalist, the First Resurrection in Revelation 20 is VERY much a literal, physical resurrection, and is the same "first" resurrection as described in 1 Thess 4:16 which states:
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." (1 Thess 4:16)
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power." (Rev 20:6)
The
First Resurrection, is the
Resurrection of the Righteous at the Second Coming, and when all the saints are raptured and caught up into the clouds to be taken to reign with Christ for 1000 years in the New Jerusalem in heaven.
At the Second Coming, all the wicked are destroyed by Christ's brightness (See 1 Thess 5:2,3). This is the "first death". The wicked die the "first death" by either dying before Jesus Comes, or dying by His brightness if they are still alive when He comes. So if the saints are all raptured into the clouds to be taken to heaven, and all the wicked are destroyed,
that leaves 0 people on the earth, except Satan bound to this desolated, void, earth with no one to tempt or manipulate for 1000 years. Contrary to popular opinion, this earth will be
depopulated during the millennium. The wicked are "left dead" on the earth, while ALL the saints are taken to heaven for 1000 years. These wicked dead are the
"rest of the dead" that
"lived not again until the thousand years are finished" (Rev 20:5)
At the end of the 1000 years, Christ, the New Jerusalem, and all the saints return to the earth. All the wicked that ever lived are "resurrected". This is the
Second Resurrection, or should I say, the
resurrection of the wicked for God to hold the Great White Throne Judgment. Satan deceives these wicked nations to besiege the New Jerusalem, that "beloved city".
When fire comes down from heaven, all the wicked that ever lived (who were resurrected) are "cast in" the lake of fire that is formed by the raining fire that covers the breadth of the earth. This is the "
Second Death". Why is it the "second death"? Because all the wicked
died once before! (prior to the Millennium)
1. First Resurrection = Resurrection of ALL the righteous
2. 1000 years = desolation/emptiness of the earth, the "abussos", or "bottomless pit" (abyss)
3. Second Resurrection = Resurrection of ALL the wicked (to face the "second death")
While the Dispensationalists and Futurists have a strong tendency to "literalize" everything, the Covenantalists (especially Calvinists) swing the pendulum to the
opposite direction (instead of striking a balance) and spiritualize away the First Resurrection.
I believe this is
WRONG. I believe BOTH Dispensationalists and Covenantalists (many Preterists) are wrong.
Both Preterism and Futurism were developed by Catholic Jesuits.
If you guys want balanced theology, that was recognized by ALL our founding Protestant Fathers, including Calvin himself,
look no further than Historicism.
