The Blessed Taken

Introduction

Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”

Revelation 20 is one of the most hotly debated chapters in the entire Bible

regardless of viewpoints, chapter appears to be focused on future events

Jesus is coming back

This is the first resurrection.

It’s a promise to those who belong to Jesus

Jesus will raise up the bodies of those who have died in Christ, along with those who are alive at his return, and all believers

John 14:1–3 “1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 “51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

Revelation 1:7 “7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.”

Hebrews 9:27–28 “27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 “13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Matthew 24:26–31

Mt 24:36-44

Lk 21:25-28

1 Thess 5:1-3

Leads to question: Since there’s a first resurrection, is there a second?

Yes. The Great White Throne Judgment

Also referred to as these second death

This is a warning for those who refuse Jesus.

but not for everyone

The unrighteous dead are raised and stand before Christ in judgment

Revelation 20:5 “5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.”

Revelation 20:11–15 “11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

God wants no one left out

2 Peter 3:9 “9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Jesus keeps us close to him

Precisely what this means is a mystery. What it does tell us is that we will be close to Jesus

minister unto God

Revelation 1:6 “6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Revelation 5:10 “10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.””

Exodus 19:6 “6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.””

Conclusion