«　WEEK 46　DAY 2　»

　　Rev. 20:4-6 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them…This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

　　Revelation 20:4-6 reveals that Christ as the Establisher of the kingdom will reign with the overcoming saints. Because the overcomers bring in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Lord will reign for a thousand years, and the overcomers will also reign with Christ for a thousand years…To have the authority to judge means to have the kingdom (cf. Dan. 7:10, 18, 22). Therefore,…verse 4 in Revelation 20 indicates that the overcomers have received and are enjoying the kingdom.

　　Verse 4 also says, “I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and of those who had not worshipped the beast nor his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Those who have been “beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God” are the martyrs throughout the church age, as mentioned in 6:9. Undoubtedly, Peter, Paul, James, Stephen, and the many others slain throughout the centuries will be included in this group. These saints, martyred for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, will be resurrected to be co-kings of Christ. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 4353-4354)

　　The overcomers become qualified to reign with Christ by the humanity of Jesus being worked into them. Christ who is the unique proper man dwells in our spirit as the Spirit of Jesus. Such a One with all the proper human virtues is in us to be our humanity. When we have His humanity, we will put Satan to shame and be the kingdom of God.

　　Revelation 20:6 speaks of “the first resurrection.” The Greek word translated “first” is the same word translated “best” in Luke 15:22, where the father says in relation to the returned prodigal, “Bring out quickly the best robe and put it on him.”…The overcomers will enjoy this resurrection.

　　The first resurrection is also the “out-resurrection,” that is, the extraordinary resurrection for which the apostle Paul sought (Phil. 3:11)…It is the resurrection set apart from the common resurrection, the resurrection with honor, comparable to graduation with honors. This resurrection is a resurrection of kingship as a reward to the overcomers that they may reign as co-kings with Christ in the millennial kingdom. Hence, “blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:6). Not only the resurrected overcomers, such as the man-child in 12:5 and the later martyrs in 15:2, but also the raptured living ones, such as the firstfruits in 14:1-5, have part in this resurrection.

　　Revelation 20:6 says, “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.” This must be the highest blessing—to inherit the kingdom manifested on earth and even to be the kings within it.

　　Verse 6 also says that the overcomers…will be priests to contact God and co-kings with Christ to reign over the nations in the millennium (2:26-27; 12:5). As priests they will bring man in his need to God and minister God to man, and as kings they will bring God in His authority to man and represent God to shepherd man. This is a reward to them.

　　Through our priesthood and kingship both God and man will be fully satisfied…The overcomers will be priests to contact God and co-kings with Christ to reign over the nations in the millennium. In this realm, there will be no weakness, no sickness, no trouble, and no hardship. Christ's kingdom will be for His reigning with His overcomers. How wonderful this will be! (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 4355-4356, 4359)

　　Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 427