billy-brown 2

Now, if Christ's Second Coming is "postmillennial" and so on, then that would mean that DEATH is everywhere on earth before He returns. In other words, that's what the "millennium" is about--DEATH.

Indeed, DEATH is the "last" enemy that Christ is currently ruling over as King right NOW during our current age:

I Cor. 15
23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
24then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
26The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

And look at the "last enemy--DEATH" in this verse below:

Rev. 20
5 But the rest . . . of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

. . . the rest (of them) . . the rest of the DEAD . . .

Yep.

In other words, Rev. 20:5 indicates grammatically that Rev. 20:4 deals with DEAD people:

Rev. 20
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.

Indeed, the individuals in bold in Rev. 20: 4 above are DEAD physically.

And so, John sees the souls . . . of DEAD people--that the souls of DEAD people are living and reigning. However, these are still DEAD people physically.

Why?

Because Rev. 20:5 indicates that the first group of DEAD people are NOT the only DEAD people that John saw in the VISION--John saw the rest . . . of them also.

Indeed, John saw . . . the rest . . . of the DEAD . . .

Yep.

And so, this means that all physically DEAD people are awaiting physical resurrection--just like you and I are. And there is only ONE physical resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked--as taught by Paul:

Acts 24 (from the Apostle Paul)
14“But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;
15having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

Thus, the lake of fire is future from now, and is awaiting the rest of the DEAD only.

And the rest of the DEAD do not come alive physically until the thousand years are over. This means that the same is true of the beheaded SAINTS; remember, they are still DEAD physically as well--and during the thousand years. But the beheaded DEAD are not awaiting the lake of fire; why?

Well, because the lake of fire has NO POWER over them; remember that the lake of fire is the second death, yes?

Rev. 20
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.

Thus, the first resurrection is not physical, but is spiritual, yes?