The First Resurrection and None Flew Away – and God Never Said We Would

Continuing: Thus says the LORD, This is “the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of God’s people.”

The quote is from Revelation 7:4 speaking of the elect remnant being the first sealed into life from among the dead. We know these truths from the understand given us in what is said in prior verses, and seeing their meaning written in chapters before and after.

This is the first resurrection when only this small group, the elect remnant, is raised to life as the first-fruits. These are those who follow the Lamb in His sacrificial work, they as One giving themselves to bring the words of life to the inhabitants of the world.

Revelation 7
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should [would] not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

In the prior verses we are told these are sealed before the “hurt” is released upon the earth. The “hurt” is explained in Revelation 2:11 where we are told, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches; He that overcomes shall not be ‘hurt’ of the second death.”

We also know from Revelation 20:4 thru 6 these are those who have given their lives to witnessing of the LORD, and the Word of God. There we are also told these are those who haven’t worshiped the beast, neither have they bowed to his image. This is telling of the degrade of the God’s people as they fell way from his truth, led there by the ever-increasing corruption of those leading and teaching them, and of the faithful while outside the gates of the HOLY city.

Revelation 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.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

When this “hurt” is told of in Revelation 2 it comes just prior to the LORD beginning His address to the church at Pergamos. Therein we are also told it is where Satan’s seat is. In this and the first address to the church in Smyrna we read of the Nicolaitanes, who we are first told of the LORD hating, and then of His hating their doctrine. In the latter address we see the Nicolaitanes’ doctrine in the church, where the seat of Satan is, and there we read it is a doctrine the LORD hates.

Revelation 2
12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos [per-gomos; meaning thoroughly filled (with the hidden manna later mentioned)] write; These things says he which has the sharp sword with two edges [used for rightly dividing the word;]
13 I know your works, and where you dwell, even where Satan’s seat is: and you hold fast my name, and have not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication [led astray after false gods.]
15 So have you also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
16 Repent; or else I will come unto you quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it.

The Greek word per is a shortened verse of the word peran, meaning to pierce through (as in piercing the darkness). Of the twenty-three times it is used it is almost always used in telling of a crossing over to the other side (here meaning crossing over to the other side of death, into life.)

Our understanding the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, a people said to be unknown, comes from a deeper exploration of the Hebrew name Necho, and seeing his words and the name’s meaning. Necho is an Egyptian king first mentioned in 2 Chronicles 35:20 as coming to battle at Meggido (Armageddon). Necho said he had received orders to come from the mouth of God. Necho is from the Hebrew word nekeh, literally meaning to smite, and figuratively meaning a traducer. The definition of traducer is: to speak maliciously or falsely of; to slander or defame someone’s character.

The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes is to say “God says” when he hasn’t said anything to them. It is how the God hating Satan types work their way into conquering God’s people. This is what is further alluded to in the Greek rendering of the name; nikos, meaning conquest, and laos, meaning the people, as a generalized term, here for all the people of the world. It is telling of a doctrine that assigned their own meaning to God’s authorship, falsely claiming He said it, motivated by hate, and as with Necho to enrich themselves by plunder.

2 Chronicles 35
20 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.
21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with you, you king of Judah? I come not against you this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear you from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy you not.
22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

This hate for God, and its defamatory product are what we read of in the prior post as we saw it told of in Psalms 81:15. Here is how Young’s Literal Translation renders it, “Those hating Jehovah feign obedience to Him, But their time is — to the age.” It is speaking of those falsely claiming obedience, while in fact it is found to be hate. The latter part of the sentence actually tells of this ending with the age.

Psalm 81
1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder: I proved you at the waters of Meribah [where the waters/God’s Word flowed from the Rock/Christ. There the people questioned/tempted the LORD saying, “Is the LORD truly among us, or not?”] Selah.
8 [And the ROCK said unto them:] Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto you: O Israel, if you will hearken unto me;
9 There shall no strange god be in you; neither shall you worship any strange god.
10 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
14 I should [would] soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
15 The haters of the LORD should [would] have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should [would] have endured for ever.
16 He should [would] have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the ROCK should [would] I have satisfied you [speaking of the counsel of the LORD and His eternal wisdom.]

This brings us back to the elect remnant and their being further described in Revelation 14 as those who haven’t been defile by this false doctrine, and are following the Lamb/the Truth.

Revelation 14
1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters [the pure word of God flowing down as water,] and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth [by receiving the word/report deliver.]
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters [the gospel as it has been preached here and heard in the prior post.]
8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city [of confusion,] because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD from henceforth: Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest [in peace] from their labors; and their works do follow them.
14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in your sickle, and reap: for the time is come for you to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city [outside of the gate,] and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

2 Corinthians 11
1 Would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.
7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knows.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Philippians 3
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my LORD: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an ensample.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the LORD Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Our mission is to now bring the way out to those in the tribulation (commotion), which is caused by these false lights saying God says when he hasn’t said anything to them. We are sent to preach to them saying: “1 The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.”

Revelation 7
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sits on the throne shall dwell among them.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.