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Chapter 35: When Will The First Resurrection
Take Place?
There are many different views by various people and denominations as to when the first resurrection will take place. We will take a brief look at the six most common views of the larger denominations, and then take a look at an alternative viewpoint. The following 3 charts are all pre-millennial viewpoints, meaning that the resurrection will occur before the Millennium begins. The Millennium is the time of one thousand years of peace that will begin when Jesus Christ returns to Earth. The differences of opinion are caused by disagreement on when the "wrath of God" actually begins. The church has been promised to be spared from the "wrath of God," but not from the wrath of Satan, the Antichrist, or the wrath of unregenerate men. (1 Th 5:9 NIV) For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The term "Great Tribulation," or "the Tribulation" refers to all or part of the last seven years of human history before the return of Christ. The asterisks with the abbreviation (F*R) show the point where each group believes the first resurrection will take place. The Pre-Tribulation First Resurrection
(F*R) <---------7 YEARS OF TRIBULATION---------> RETURN This point of view is the official position of most Baptist and Pentecostal churches. They believe that the church will be taken out of the world for the entire seven year tribulation period, and celebrate the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven for seven years. They base this on the supposition that the seven seals and the seven trumpet judgments are a part of the wrath of God that the church will be protected from. The Mid-Tribulation First Resurrection
<----3 1/2 YEARS---->(F*R)<-----3 1/2 YEARS----->RETURN This viewpoint is also pre-millennial, but it is sometimes called mid-trib, for short. Mid-tribulationists believe that only the second half of the seven year period is the "Great Tribulation," and the wrath of God. They believe that the church will be taken out of the world in the middle of the seven year period, after 3 1/2 years of persecution. This view is popular among many of the lay members of the organizations mentioned above, and by some of the smaller independent churches. The Pre-Millennial Pre-Wrath First Resurrection
<--7 SEALS--><--7 TRUMPETS-->(F*R)<-7 BOWLS->RETURN This viewpoint is sometimes called the "pre-wrath" resurrection concept. The difference between pre-wrath and the others is that the last seven years are divided into three equal time period segments, rather than one or two. There is a segment for each of the three sets of judgments, the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls. Each segment would be about two years and four months long, meaning that the church would be taken out of the world about four years and eight months after Antichrist signs his peace pact with Israel. The Post-Tribulation First Resurrection
<----------7 YEARS OF TRIBULATION---------->(F*R) RETURN Some denominations teach that the first resurrection will not occur until after the entire seven year period has been completed, and Christ returns to Earth. They believe that at that time the saved of all ages will be raised from the dead and live with Jesus Christ ruling over the Earth during the Millennium. The Post-Millennial First Resurrection
<-THE TRIBULATION & RETURN-><-THE MILLENNIUM->(F*R) Some denominations teach there will be no resurrection until after the Millennium has been completed. They believe that Christ will return and rule for 1000 years and then raise all of the dead, both saved and lost, and convene the final judgment. The Amillennial First Resurrection
Amillennial means "no Millennium". Some churches teach the book of Revelation and all Old Testament prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled has no future prophetic significance. They teach that it is simply an allegory (like a parable) about the conflict between the forces of good and evil that the church has endured down through the centuries. They teach that there will be no visible signs or events that will precede the second coming of Christ, but that at some unknown day in the future Christ will return and judge both the living and the dead In all of the last three scenarios the church would have to endure the entire time of the "Great Tribulation", and suffer the wrath of God. Now that we have examined the six most common opinions concerning when the first resurrection will take place, we will look at a seventh opinion. |