You Only Live Twice

"they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." (Revelation 20:4-5 KJV)

"And when the thousand years are expired ... I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works" (Revelation 20:7,12-13 KJV)

"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment"

The Holy Bible plainly describes two major Resurrections (see also What Happens When You Die?) of all humanity that are coming, the first resurrection at the time of The Return Of Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), the second resurrection 1,000 years later (Revelation 20:5), after Christ has ruled the earth during the "millennium" along with those of the first resurrection (Revelation 20:6). The time of the two major resurrections is not their only difference, or their most significant difference. Those in the first resurrection will be to spirit life, while those in the second resurrection will be back to physical life, which means that their time of Judgment is also different.

The purpose of each individual's Judgment is to decide whether they will be granted eternal spirit life (only the proven righteous and obedient will be granted spirit life - there will be no more "Satans"), or whether they will be cast, physically, into the lake of fire where they will be completely obliterated to ashes forever (Malachi 4:3, see also Planet On Fire!).

Those of the first resurrection will have made it at that instant, based on the Judgment of how they responded to the Truth during whenever it was in human history that they lived their lives - their Judgment will have been made prior to their resurrection, otherwise they would not be resurrected as spirit. Those of the second resurrection will awaken to physical life, and face their judgment after that time.

The first resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ, to spirit, over whom "the second death has no power" i.e. they can no longer be condemned:

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God [see also The Feast Of Trumpets]: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 KJV).

"This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Revelation 20:5-6 KJV)

The second resurrection 1,000 years after the return of Jesus Christ, in which the Spirit of God will bring them back to physical life:

"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:5 KJV)

"the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them ... the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet ... ye shall know that I am The Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves" (Ezekiel 37:7-8,10,13 KJV)

The obedient from all times, from both resurrections, will be granted glorious eternal spirit life, while the disobedient from all times (including those who could have been awakened at the first resurrection but weren't because they refused to repent when they had the knowledge and opportunity to do so), will be cast into the lake of fire where they will be completely destroyed forever:

"And I saw a great white throne [see also The Throne Of God, From Heaven To Earth], and him that 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, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven [see The City To Come], prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." (Revelation 20:11-21:5 KJV)

Fact Finder: (a) Who will be in the first resurrection? (b) How does someone become a genuine Believer?
(a) See Believers
(b) See The Process Of Conversion

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