Page 36 - Christ in You - The Hope of Glory

Each in His Own Order

ecause there is almost no knowledge among Christians today concerning the various
Bresurrections from the dead, and the distinctions among them, it seems prudent to lay
a solid foundation regarding this topic. The Scriptures actually have much to say about
the resurrections (plural), but if you were to ask the majority of Christians today of this
topic they would say that they know of only one resurrection. As we have seen in reading
John’s writing in the book of Revelation, it is plainly declared that there are more than one
resurrection.

Revelation 20:4-6
And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of
Yahshua and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the
beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon
their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The
rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This
is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in
the first resurrection...

Some in reading this may think that it is stating that there are two resurrections.
However, this is itself an erroneous conclusion based upon a misunderstanding of these
words. John states “the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were
completed.” What is declared is that there would be a space of a thousand years between the
first resurrection (the number of the firstborn) and any subsequent resurrection. There
would not be any resurrections during the Millennial period where the firstborn are ruling
with Christ. We must look at other Scriptures to determine the total number of
resurrections, for the Scriptures reveal that there will be a total of three resurrections of
men.
It should not be surprising that there are three resurrections, for three is a number
relating to fulness and completion. E.W. Bullinger, in his book Number in Scripture, shares
the following relating to the number three.

Three, therefore, stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and
entire.

All things that are specially complete are stamped with this number three...

When we turn to the Scriptures, this completion becomes Divine, and marks Divine
completeness or perfection.

Three is the first of four perfect numbers.

* Three denotes divine perfection;
* Seven denotes spiritual perfection;
* Ten denotes ordinal perfection; and
* Twelve denotes governmental perfection.