An honest Bible student knows that the Bible teaches of two resurrections. The Bible calls them the “First Resurrection” and the “Second Resurrection” Jesus called them “resurrection of life” and the “resurrection of condemnation.” But did you know, there is also a “Special Resurrection?

First Resurrection

Point 1: Jesus said that every person who has lived will come up in one of the resurrections.

Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.  John 5: 28, 29 (NKJV)

Two very different resurrections marked by the different outcomes. The person who comes up in the “good” Resurrection is blessed and will receive eternal life. Those coming up in the second resurrection end in eternal death.

Point #2: The person who comes up in the good or “first” resurrection are blessed and escape the “second death.” Further, they hold a spiritual office as a priest of God for one thousand years. (For more information on this one thousand years, click here; One Thousand Years)

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 20:6

Point #3: Those are resurrected when Jesus comes and He takes us to where He is now:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:3

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18

Point #4: After time in the New Jerusalem, the saved from all ages come back from a long honeymoon with Jesus via transport in the Holy City. It will become the capital of the New Heavens and the New Earth

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2

Second Resurrection

Point #1: The rest of the dead (those not in the first resurrection) are resurrected one thousand years after the first resurrection. Then Satan deceives those of the second resurrection into attacking the Holy City as described above in Revelation 21: 2

And they (those of the second resurrection) 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. Revelation 20:9

Point 2: The fires from God “devour” those who came up in the second resurrection and are “devoured” leaving neither root nor branch.”

“For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch. ” Malachi 4:1

This “second death” is easy to understand. All of us are destined to die the first death. Some will come forth to eternal life. The others come to life too, but they face judgment, bow in acknowledgment that Jesus is Lord. Then to eternal death (second death) . Someone has said, “if you have been born once, you will die twice, but if you have been born twice, you will die once.

for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Romans 14: 10,11

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished…And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,…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. Revelation 20:5, 7, 9

Safely inside the city, the saved for eternity watch as God makes a new heaven and a new earth. All that is on the earth is burned up as God creates and place to live. An eternity with no sin in the universe, where God’s dwelling place is on the new earth:

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up 2 Peter 3:10

For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isaiah 65: 17

“The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.” Great Controversy page 678.

Special Resurrection:

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7.

“They also which pierced him” (Revelation 1:7), those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.

At His trial, Caiaphas, raising his right hand toward heaven, addressed Jesus in the form of a solemn oath: “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” …

Every ear was bent to listen, and every eye was fixed on His face as He answered, “Thou hast said.” A heavenly light seemed to illuminate His pale countenance as He added, “Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

For a moment the divinity of Christ flashed through His guise of humanity. The high priest quailed before the penetrating eyes of the Saviour…. For a moment he felt as if standing before the eternal Judge, whose eye, which sees all things, was reading his soul, bringing to light mysteries supposed to be hidden with the dead.

The scene passed from the priest’s vision…. Rending his robe, … he demanded that … the prisoner be condemned for blasphemy. “What further need have we of witnesses?” he said; “behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?” And they all condemned Him.^{2The Desire of Ages, 706-708.}

Thus the Jewish leaders made their choice. Their decision was registered in the book which John saw in the hand of Him that sat upon the throne, the book which no man could open. In all its vindictiveness this decision will appear before them in the day when this book is unsealed by the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

When Christ comes the second time, not as a prisoner surrounded by a rabble will they see Him. They will see Him as heaven’s King… Then the priests and rulers will remember distinctly the scene in the judgment hall. Every circumstance will appear before them as if written in letters of fire.