***Joe**** I want to make clear at the start: I don’t believe those who rule with Christ for the 1000 years, during the restoration of Paradise on the earth, will go to heaven. I believe Christ’s eternal Kingdom and rule is here on earth. (Rev 21:1-4)
Hence Jesus told the evildoer killed alongside him he would be with them in paradise (Luke 23:39-43) and that he wouldn’t drink wine again until he drank it new with his friends in the kingdom of his Father. (Mat 26:29) I don’t imagine there is wine in heaven!
***Joe**** consider all these scriptures again and organize without leaving any out. If any are ommited they answer is wrong and must be redone.
I am Bob.
1) All the dead are to be resurrected [this happens after Armageddon]
John 5:28-29
“28 …all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
29 and shall come forth…”
Acts 24:15
“15 …there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”
2) Those who reign with Christ are specifically identified
Revelation 20:4-6
“4 …they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 …This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection…they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”
Revelation 20:6
“6 …they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
3) The ruling group is distinct from “the rest of the dead”
Revelation 20:5
“5 The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years were finished…”
Personal thought: That some of the dead, those who rule with Christ are alive during the thousand years and the rest fo not live until after may reflect the judgment. Everyone is dead until they are judged alive by God.
4) The ruling group is described as chosen from among mankind
Revelation 5:9-10
“9 …you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign…”
5) Those who reign are faithful and enduring
2 Timothy 2:12
“12 If we endure, we will also reign with him…”
6) The group can include both resurrected and living faithful ones
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
“16 …the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive…will be caught up together with them…”
Some believe that scripture means those who rule with Christ are taken to heaven. It may simply mean they are joined to him in helping direct the earth during the 1000 years.
•John 5:28-29 and Acts 24:15 show a resurrection of the dead, including the just.
•Revelation 20:4-6 and Revelation 20:6 identify the ones who reign: those in the first resurrection.
•Revelation 20:5 distinguishes them from “the rest of the dead.”
•Revelation 5:9-10 shows the rulers are a group taken from among mankind.
•2 Timothy 2:12 shows they are faithful ones who endure.
•1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 shows the group may include both resurrected ones and living faithful ones.
The Scriptures say all the dead are resurrected, but the ones who rule with Christ for the thousand years are the defined group in the first resurrection, described as priests, faithful, and taken from among mankind.
***Joe**** Scriptures that reference the end of days and the 1000 year reign of Christ. ***********
Now, please go back and give a final answer to my previous questioin
I am Bob.
Revelation 20:1-7 (World English Bible)
“1 I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
2 He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,
3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.
4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as didn’t worship the beast or his image, and didn’t receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.
7 After the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison,”
Revelation 5:9-10 (Berean Standard Bible)
“9 And they sang a new song: ‘Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.’”
2 Timothy 2:12 (Open English Bible)
“12 If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.”
1 Corinthians 6:2-3 (Bible in Basic English)
“2 Is it not clear to you that the saints will be judges of the world? and if the world is judged by you, are you not good enough to give decisions in small things?
3 Do you not see that we are to be judges of angels? how much more then of the things of this life?”
Daniel 7:18 (World English Bible)
“18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.”
Daniel 7:27 (Bible in Basic English)
“27 And the kingdom and the rule and the power of the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and all rulers will be under his authority and will obey him.”
•Revelation 20:1-7 is the only passage that explicitly describes the 1000-year reign
•The other scriptures confirm:
•Who reigns (faithful, chosen, enduring)
•What they do (rule, judge, serve as priests)
✔ Together, these are all the Scriptures that refer to the 1000-year reign of Christ, either directly or by describing those who share in it.
***Joe**** Questions for clarification: ***** Hey Bob, will all the faithful who have died be resurrected to rule with Christ?
I am Bob.
The Bible does not say that all the faithful who have died will be resurrected to rule with Christ. It shows two groups:
1.a specific group who rule with Christ, and
2.others who are resurrected but not described as rulers.
Revelation 20:6 (ASV)
“6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: over these the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
***Joe**** Bob thinks [stated below] that the people of the first resurrection might not all be faithful, but the Bible says the second death [eternal death] has no power over them. So, it does seem theymust or at least may all be faithful...
This shows:
•Only those in the first resurrection reign with Christ
•It is a defined group, not stated as all faithful [???]
Revelation 5:9-10 (ASV)
“9 …for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,
10 and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth.”
Again, a group chosen from among mankind is made kings and priests.
Revelation 20:5 (ASV)
“5 The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished…”
This shows:
•There are “the rest of the dead” separate from those who reign
•So not all are in the ruling group
John 5:28-29 (ASV)
“28 …all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
29 and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life…”
This shows:
•Many are resurrected to life
•It does not say all rule
•A limited group of faithful ones are resurrected to rule with Christ
•Others are resurrected to life, but are not described as rulers
•Therefore, not all faithful who have died will rule with Christ
This distinction is consistently maintained in Scripture.
***Joe**** short answers
I am Bob.
No.
Only a specific group of the faithful are resurrected to rule with Christ.
Revelation 20:6
“6 …they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
Others are resurrected, but not to rule.
John 5:28-29
“28 …all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
29 and shall come forth…”
***Joe**** So you don't really know [the Scrptures don’t say] whether part or all of them will be resurrected to rule?
I am Bob.
No—Scripture shows it is not all.
Revelation 20:6
“6 …they…shall reign with him a thousand years.”
A defined group reigns.
Revelation 20:5
“5 The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years were finished…”
There are others not in that group.
Conclusion: Only some, not all, of the faithful are resurrected to rule with Christ.
***Joe**** How do you know it is not all the faithful. The Bible doesn't say that?
I am Bob.
You’re right to press that—the Bible does not explicitly say “not all the faithful will rule.”
What it does show clearly is:
•A specific group is chosen to reign.
Revelation 20:6
“6 …they…shall reign with him a thousand years.”
•That group is described as taken from among people, not all.
Revelation 5:9-10
“9 …you ransomed people for God from every tribe…
10 …and they shall reign…”
“From” (or “out of”) indicates a selection, not the whole.
The Bible doesn’t say it in one sentence, but it indicates a selected group, not all the faithful.
***Joe**** that is not necessarily talking about resurrected ones. Some of them might be alive at the time.
I am Bob.
Yes—you are correct. The Bible allows for that.
It does not say all who reign are resurrected ones only.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
“16 …the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive…will be caught up together with them…”
This shows:
•Some are raised (dead)
•Some are alive at the time
The Bible shows:
•Rulers with Christ include resurrected ones
•And possibly those alive at that time
It does not clearly state that all rulers are resurrected, nor that all faithful become rulers.
***Joe**** So the Bible doesn't say all the faithful dead will not be resurrected?
I am Bob.
Correct—the Bible does not say that all the faithful dead will not be resurrected.
In fact, it teaches the opposite:
John 5:28-29
“28 …all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
29 and shall come forth…”
Also:
Acts 24:15
“15 …there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”
The Bible indicates all the dead (including the faithful) will be resurrected.
What it does not say is that all of them will rule with Christ.
***Joe**** OK. Answer again about who will be ruling with Christ for the 1000 years with scriptures.
I am Bob.
1) Those in the “first resurrection”
Revelation 20:4-6
“4 …they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 …This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed…is the one who shares in the first resurrection…they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”
2) A chosen group from among mankind
Revelation 5:9-10
“9 …you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign…”
3) Those who faithfully endure and are approved
2 Timothy 2:12
“12 If we endure, we will also reign with him…”
•Those who rule are the ones in the first resurrection
•They are a chosen group from among mankind
•They are faithful and approved by God