What a wonderful book this is. Paul tells how many of the righteous elders in the Old Testament through their faith over came many trials and tribulations. All having died holding to their faith. In verse 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, recieved not the promise; In verse 40 Paul writes, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. What a powerful verse. I believe Paul is telling us all though these were all righteous people they still died in sin because Christ had not come yet and paid the ransom. But they will be resurrected at Jesus coming and will be brought to perfection by Jesus and and those took in the first resurrection as told in Revelation 20 during Christ 1000 year reign. How very precious the blood of our lord and saviour is. And truly how high the heavenly calling is.
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For ever running, but losing the race. If it were not for grace.
But they will be resurrected at Jesus coming and will be brought to perfection by Jesus and and those took in the first resurrection as told in Revelation 20 during Christ 1000 year reign.
I agree that Hebrews 11 being a great chapter, and that those folks were awesome! What does this statement that I quoted from your post mean? I don't get it? The part about the "first resurrection" gets me, never heard it that way before? I've heard of the 1000 year reign before but never seen very good evidence for it. And Paul may not have written the book of Hebrews, I think he did also, but cannot be proven, it's better to say "the writer" cause we don't know for sure. Tell me about this resurrection, thanks!
Trae
Goose 11 I wrote the post about Hebrews 11, because I've been trying to study the book of revelations and the last two verses correspond with what I think I'm learning. In Rev20 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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. 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 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. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell F32 delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
In the first 3 verses satan is bound and thrown into the pit but must be let loose for a short season towards the end of the 1000 years. In verse 4 and 6 tells of those in the first resurrection that they will rule with Christ and the power of judgement was given to them. It also says the second death have no hold upon them. So these took in the first resurrection have gained eternal life. In verse 5 says the rest of the dead did not live til the end of the 1000 years. In Gods eyes we are all dead til we gain eternal life. Those resurrected in verse 5 are all the people God deemed worthy of being resurrected but not part of the first resurrection. They will be taught how to gain eternal life by Christ and those took in the first resurrection. For most of the 1000 years satan is locked up and will not be able to influence them. So they should be able to become well grounded in the knowledge of the lord. Then toward the end of Christ reign satan will be turned loose one more time to tempt the people and those that are not decieved by satan shall have there names wrote in the book of life the rest shall be destroyed.
Biscuit Eater, (Your name is awesome!)
I believe in Revelation with all my heart, I just believe much of it is figurative. The main point is clear, Jesus and His people win the victory! I believe it!
Because this passage in Revelation 20 that everyone points to for this teaching, is the ONLY place I have every been shown to teach about this doctrine. But it really doesn't say all the things that the good folks tried to tell me it said.
(1) For a major theological doctrine to have only one reference to it in all of scripture makes it kinda shakey in the first place.
(2) Revelation 20 lacks all of the major ingredients for the millenial dogma. There is no mention of Christ's return to earth, no allusion to David's throne, no mention of Jerusalem, no reference to the kingdom.
(3) The term "thousand" is found nineteen times in the book of Revelation; not once is it employed in a literal sense.
(4) The "millennial" doctrine contradicts the general teaching of the Bible on a number of Bible subjects.
------- The false idea that Christ came to the earth in the first place to re-establish David's kingdom but suprisingly was rejected by the Jews! God is NEVER suprised! Psalm 118:22 "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." and Isaiah 53:1-5 "Who has believed what they heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed."
------- False idea built on the other false idea - Because of the rejection of the Jews then God had to "postpone the kingdom" but Mark 9:1 "And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power."
also consider: Matthew 16:19, Colossians 1:13, Revelation 1:6 & 9 all teach the kingdom WAS established, the church and the kingdom are the same!
------- The false idea that because of the rejection by the Jews, the kingdom had to be "post-poned" and the church was set up as an afterthought of God. Ephesians 3:10-11 "so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,"
------- The false idea that Jesus is going to start His millennial reign when He returns. 1 Corinthians 15:24-25 "Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet."
Those are my major reasons to reject this teaching. The most likely correct view of the "thousand years" is that it reflects a picture of the "complete" victory of the church over her enemies. This is in harmony with the theme of the book of Revelation, "Christ and His people overcome Satan and his forces."
Hebrews Chapter 11
