The Thousand Years...

Dizzo_dizzo

ok.. well was readin through Rev. today, and and rev 20:4-5 i sorta got confused when i read the bit in the bracets.

i thought.. that all the people would be r esurrected during the thousand yrs not after? someone please help!

xxxxx

The Revelation scenario clearly implies resurrection after the millenium. To put it during the millenium the WT has to change the meaning of the expression "coming to life" (ezèsan) between v. 4 and 5, which is ludicrous.

Gopher

The phrase "the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended" is inside parentheses in the New World Translation. The only other translation that I could find that sets it apart like that is the "New Living Translation" (I never heard of that version before).

The JW's teach that the phrase "come to life" actually doesn't refer to the resurrection, but that they pass judgment and become perfected, and so are not subject to death inherited from Adam.

That's the only way they could make that verse fit their theology.

Narkissos

The phrase "the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended" is inside parentheses in the New World Translation. The only other translation that I could find that sets it apart like that is the "New Living Translation" (I never heard of that version before).

The NRSV also puts it inside parentheses.

This is not necessary a textual judgement: parentheses (or another typographical device, such as -- or § break) are required because the sentence breaks the narrative flow. The next phrase, "This is the first resurrection," refers back to v. 4 (before the "parenthesis").

But the sentence may have been a scribal addition, as it is missing in some manuscripts (e.g. Sinaiticus). However, it is in line with the narrative logic of Revelation 20, since the "general resurrection" is only described in v. 11ff, after the millenium and the final judgement of Satan.

truth about the last days

According to the KJV, it says "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years have finished." Rev 20:5. Seeing that everyone since Adam have been born unrightous, we are determined if we are rightous in Gods eyes in our period of time on the day we die. Seeing that not all that have lived have been given an oppertunity to know the Most High God and his purposes for the future, these ones will be included in the ressurection of the "unrighteous" ones- which takes place AFTER the thousand years during when Satan has been "let loosed for a little while". Rev 20:7 Then these ones will have an oppertunity to know that both Satan and the Most High God exists and they have to choose- just like us today- as to whom they want to worship. If they have been proved righteous in the Most High God eyes, they too will go in the book of life.Everyone that is written in the book of life are now dead.-See 1 Cor 15:35-42 and See Rev 20:12+13.1 Cor 15:25+26 tells us that the "last enemy" is death, itself- not Satan. Satan is probebly the second last enemy to be destroyed just before Jesus hands back the earthly kingdom back to his father.-1 Cor 15:26. Once Satan and death has been compleatly destroyed, then the Most high will use his Holy Spirit to ressurect the "righteous" ones that has been compiled and written in the book of life. And it is ONLY at this point that ones can have everlasting life, due to the fact that since death itself has been compleatly destroyed. Rev 20:14+15. Another point to concider is that the scripture in Matt 24:14 does say that that "this good news will be preached in ALL the INHABITED earth for a witness to ALL the nations". Seeing that millions have not been told of the Most High God and the chance of everlasting life (seeing that they have died since Adam), the "end" will have to come AFTER the ressurection of the "unrighteous" ones and have been tested at the end of the "little while". And when it speaks of the "end"- this means the end of Satans existance and after "death is no more". What we have been told by the WTBTS is basicly EVERYTHING will happen during the "thousand years". But the scriptures do not support this way of thinking.

greendawn

Their idea that the dead will be resurrected during the 1000 years is therefore transparently wrong though they try to bypass it with a convoluted reasoning.

Those having a part in the first resurrection are very lucky because it will happen 1000 years earlier and they will be immortal. The second resurrection is clearly second class and comes much later.

So those JWs expecting to see their dead relatives soon after the arrival of the new system were hoping in vain.

Narkissos

TatLD,

The whole Russellite/JW idea of resurrection as an opportunity to do what was not done during one's lifetime for the lack of knowledge, or for "testing," is unscriptural imo. Resurrection as depicted in Revelation 20:11ff (after the final judgement of Satan) is a resurrection of judgement for what the dead have already done (before they died, as already written in the books) according to whatever they knew (their "conscience" according to Paul, what they unknowingly did or did not for the Son of Man's "brothers" according to Matthew).

Star Moore

i thought.. that all the people would be r esurrected during the thousand yrs not after? someone please help!

I'll type it out, out of the NAV

Rev. 20:4 & 5 "Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were entrusted with judgement. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness for Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshipped the beast or it's image nor had accepted it's mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over. (This talking about being completely alive in God's eyes, another words, alive physically but not yet in the book of life.) This is the 1st ressurection.

So all the deserving people will be ressurected during the thousand years but only the 144,000 or the ones who conquer will be in the book of life.. the rest will have to wait for the final test at the end of the thousand years to be put in the book of life or considered alive in God's eyes.

The Thousand Years...

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