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Also remember, John of Zebedee was exactly what Rev 20 considered the souls:
Rev 20:6 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.
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Are those that believe in Christ not already taking part in the First Resurrection through Christ? Does the lake of fire (second death) have any power over those that are saved through Christ's atoning work?
The first resurrection has redeemed us already. It happened when we came to Christ. I believe it began during Christ's ministry and has been going on since then for all those that come to God our Father through His Son. Why must the resurrection be physical? It isn't, it is spiritual or what we call Born Again. Believers partake in this now.
I am a Full Preterist, so you may get a little gist of my views when I answer these questions, but it seems from your post and answers, that you may be on that path, or at least partially there.
Personally, the first resurrection was ongoing, from the time just after Christ's resurrection to the Parousia, a spritual present indwelling of Christ in all of us at the realisation of the New Covenant on Earth. This transpired towards the end of the decade 60's in the first century.
You are correct, when we receive Christ, we are resurrected in spirit, and given our incorruptible glorified bodies, that all the saints of the OT and first century apostles including Paul, eragerly awaited, and recieved when Christ removed the mapstand from Old Israel and gave it to the church when the marraige took place. These things were all spiritual, not of the flesh, like the law was and was cursed into from the beginning.
You are right, we all partake in this resurrection now, and this blessing is perpetual till the end of the end of the end, which is a world without end.
We are living in Zion now. We are the New Jerusalem.
Isa 9:7 Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
I hope I have helped you in some ways, if not, I can be more detailed
This helps alot! I actually was indirectly thinking of the first ressurrection as I was doing this post. However, this is the most important factor of this scripture. It was more confirmation of where Christ's was reigning and confirmation of the scripture being symbolic or literal.
Thanks a million! The only reason I was asking was because so many people believe Christ's 1000 year reign is himself walking upon the earth and scripture was telling me different. So I needed the added scripture and clarity. Love Isaiah 66.
Isaiah should remove any notion that Christ's reign is an earthly one. Even logically (using no scripture) it does not make sense to me that Christ would reign in a form less then Himself. If Christ would reign on earth in all His glory, the earth would collapse in a second. Earth cannot contain our Lord Almighty in all His fullness.
Heaven is where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. We through His work are heirs of His Kingdom. Also, even though I can't fully comprehend it, Christ calls us brothers.
Did you get the first part Satan was cast into the abyss SO HE WOULDN'T DECEIVE THE NATIONS ANYMORE. The world is deceived including the Christians, Satan is a great puppeteer. What is funny Christians think they are not fooled by him when he deceived thousands of angels who were created perfect super intelligence beings given everything in life they wanted and they were deceived by Satan. We as humans can not hold a candle to the dumbest angel even Einstein!!!!
Christ will reign as human by having himself come down to earth as human. He added human to his infinite characteristics. The Lord Jesus Christ will reign forever. Lord is the deity(GOD) Jesus is the humanity Christ is the anointed one.
mercy you are mistaken we are not in Zion this is still Satan's world he hasn't even been kicked out of heaven but he wants us to think that way. Satan is on bail from the throne room of God. He hasn't been judged because of the Angelic Conflict we in turn are the evidence to prove Gods decision as Jesus stated was just and fair to throw Satan and fallen angels in lake of fire as in Mathew 25:42 hell was made for Satan and his demons not for humans.
1And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had beenbeheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the wordof God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had notreceived his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to lifeand reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousandyears.
Please, tell me if I am missing something? Is this symbolic of those who do not worship satan in their life or literally those who do not take the mark of the beast.
Also, I'm looking at this as symbolic or figuratively, because as we, believers are marked with the Holy Spirit, (the invisible quality of God), the unbeliever perhaps, be marked with the seal of satan?
Also, I checked the footnotes and not one of them says Jesus reigns on earth.
All scripture is so welcomed!
God Bless!
Sorry I'm in a hurry in my response - not a lot of time and don't have my bible with me right now! but I saw your post and wanted to help.
(also scrolled through some of the responses and so what I found there also complelled me to speak up.)
Too many people dismiss the literal meaning of prophecy anymore. I firmly believe we will see a literal reign with Christ on earth. Literal in the flesh, literal on earth and notice I said with him. We reign with him in this future kingdom. Yes, I also said future, because although we are part of the everlasting kingdom of God, he has not overthrown all worldly powers yet. Take a look around you if you don't believe me. So long as I'm talking with a person who believe Christ is their saviour, then I'll be right there with you, ruling whatever portion he gives to you and I.
This is such a long topic to discuss and I'm sorry to rush off. I'll try to pop back on soon and explain better. To all readers, I know there are strong views among us Christians, I've read through th various views for years, but please be careful to not miss the intent of prophecy. We need to keep it pure to preach through the world, regardless of what you call yourself. There is a wrong way and a right way to believe on this. This forum is filled with misleading information.
But with Jesus Christ as my lord and saviour, who lived and died to save me from my sins, I claim the truth in Christ.
If you want to understand the notion of Christ reigining physically on earth then you have to first get past the denial of his worth in flesh. It is wrong and bordering on demonic heresy.
Flesh was worthy enough for Christ for his birth and his life and his death and his ressurection. Tell me where it says that he will not be physically reigning and tell me where it says in heaven alone.
The Isaiah passages are all talking about how God has no need for a building to be his temple... it's a precursor for his physical self to dwell as Immanuel "God with us".
Paul wrote about how "the mortal will put on immortality and the corruptible incorruption." This does not mean to say we will end up as some whispy spirit floating aorund! It means our bodies will no longer see decay or death! We are still physical. We are still flesh! We are made to be perfect!!! Spiritual!!! Spritual is not invisible and it is not non-physical. it is very literal.
Revelation said Christ is seen coming down from heaven in power and glory, to where???? some other planet?? come on people.... what else is there?
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