Jesus said to them: “The children of this system of things marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who have been counted worthy of gaining that system of things and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 In fact, neither can they die anymore, for they are like the angels, and they are God’s children by being children of the resurrection. (Luke 20:34-36)
This statement of Jesus indicates a resurrection to immortality and seems to parallel the statement about those in the first resurrection of Revelation chapter 20:
Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:6)
Those taking part in the first resurrection are described as those executed for witnessing about Jesus and for speaking about God. (Rev. 20:4) Further we are specifically told that they will rule with Christ for the millennium. It is not clear whether this group is comprised of only Christians or that ancient faithful Jewish prophets who also spoke about God and were martyred are also included. (Heb. 11:13-16,35-40)
The next verse contains a parenthetical statement:
(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:5)
It has been noted that this parenthetical statement does not appear in the oldest manuscripts, the 5th century Codex Alexandrinus, Jerome’s Latin Vulgate of the 5th century, Codex Sinaiticus of the 4th century as well as the Syriac Peshitta of the 4th century. However, without it we still end up with a first and second resurrection.
Many commentators link this statement with what John describes in verses 11-15:
And I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. 14 And death and the Grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. 15 Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)
But is this a description of a second resurrection that takes place after the millenium? Are we to understand the words about the sea, death and hades giving up their dead as happening at that time? Or does it mean that at that time God will survey those that have survived Armageddon and arrived at the end of the 1,000 years and pronounce them worthy of receiving everlasting life similar to the way he declared Christians to be righteous for life although they were dead in their trespasses and sins. (Eph. 2:1,5; Col 2:13)
A note on this phrase in the NKJV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible states:
The resurrection of the righteous is parallel to and contrasted with the rest of the dead returning to life after the thousand years (Rev. 20:4-6), suggesting a bodily rather than symbolic resurrection. (NKJV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)
The parenthetical statement the rest of the dead do not come to life until the thousand years have ended must then apply to a general resurrection of judgment before the great white throne. This would seem to indicate a resurrection not to life but to condemnation. But is that the case?
Will the Rest of the Dead Receive an Adverse Judgment?
Judgment [κρίσις stongs 2920]
Thayer Definition:
1) a separating, sundering, separation
1a) a trial, contest
2) selection
3) judgment
3a) opinion or decision given concerning anything
3a1) especially concerning justice and injustice, right or wrong
3b) sentence of condemnation, damnatory judgment, condemnation and punishment
4) the college of judges (a tribunal of seven men in the several cities of Palestine; as distinguished from the Sanhedrin, which had its seat at Jerusalem)
5) right, justice
Note that condemnation is only one aspect of the Greek word krisis. Judgment can be either condemnatory or merciful. (2 Thess. 1:5; James 2:13) It is difficult to reconcile a God who always acts in justice with raising individuals solely to read them their evil deeds and then consign them to everlasting destruction. What possible good purpose could that serve? If then this is a description of a second bodily resurrection, it is reasonable to conclude that those raised would be given opportunity to repent.
However, will they be judged on deeds performed before or after coming to life? Two scriptures may help to answer this question:
“During that time Miʹcha·el will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book. 2 And many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:1, 2) Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28, 29)
If Daniel’s words were indeed fulfilled in the first century then there would be many that had already been judged everlastingly and not qualify for a resurrection at the end of the millenium. (Dan. 12:2)
But in John 5:28-29 Jesus is definitely speaking about a future resurrection. Does that mean those unrighteous ones resurrected whose names were not already written in the scroll of life will be automatically condemned after a review of their past deeds?
Αs noted above, according to Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon, condemnation is only one definition, and not the first, of krisis the Greek word for judgment. The first is that of separating or selection. This reminds us of Jesus parable of the sheep and goats in which his judgment, at the end of the current system of things, involves just that. (Matt. 25:31-46)
Paul reminded Christians that they too can expect to stand before the judgment seat of God. (Romans 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10) This certainly does not mean they will be condemned.
It is important to note that unlike Daniel’s prophecy, which had its fulfillment in the first century, Jesus words about the future resurrection are associated with not condemnation but with judgment. This indicates that there is the possibility of either a favorable or unfavorable outcome. We also need to keep in mind that the judge has been authorized by God, the righteous judge of all the earth. (Gen. 18:25)
We have an example of this in how God dealt with King David after he willfully committed both adultery and murder:
David then said to Nathan: “I have sinned against Jehovah.” Nathan replied to David: “Jehovah, in turn, forgives your sin. You will not die. (2 Samuel 12:13)
It would not be unreasonable therefore to expect that those alive at the end of the millenium at the time of the great white throne judgment will be dealt with in a similar manner by God as judge.
Other statements by Jesus lead to this same conclusion:
“Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” Mat 10:15
“But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.” Mat 11:22
“But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you.”” Mat 11:24
It would appear from Jesus words that those who died before Christ will receive a resurrection and an opportunity to know him and learn of the ransom provision. Rather than being condemned, they will be judged based on whether or not they repent and accept him at that time, for how else could it be more tolerable for the inhabitants of Sodom, Gomorrah, Tyre, Sidon and Nineveh than for Jesus contemporaries on that day?
Thereafter any resurrected ones that refuse to repent and turn around from practicing their former deeds that have been revealed by the books will be cast into the second death from which there is no resurrection. (Rev. 20:15; 21:8; 21:27; Ex. 32:33)
Now we know that God’s judgment is in harmony with truth, against those who practice such things. 3 But do you suppose, O man, that while you judge those who practice such things and yet you do them, you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, because you do not know that God in his kindness is trying to lead you to repentance? 5 But according to your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and of the revealing of God’s righteous judgment. 6 And he will pay back to each one according to his works: 7 everlasting life to those who are seeking glory and honor and incorruptibleness by endurance in work that is good; 8 however, for those who are contentious and who disobey the truth but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be tribulation and distress on every person who works what is harmful, on the Jew first and also on the Greek; 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who works what is good, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For all those who sinned without law will also perish without law; but all those who sinned under law will be judged by law. 13 For the hearers of law are not the ones righteous before God, but the doers of law will be declared righteous. 14 For when people of the nations, who do not have law, do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves. 15 They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them, and by their own thoughts they are being accused or even excused. 16 This will take place in the day when God through Christ Jesus judges the secret things of mankind, according to the good news I declare. (Romans 2:2-16)
Thus it appears that there are two judgement periods described in Revelation chapter 20. One by Christ and his chosen ones during the thousand years and a final pronouncement by him at the end.
Afterwards, we would expect, according to Paul’s words, that he hands the kingdom back to his God and Father so that God may become all things to everyone.
Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. 25 For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. 26 And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing. 27 For God “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him. 28 But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28)