Hello Joseph,
JC,
There is no such thing as a second resurrection. There is only resurrection period. Not everyone is considered as having come to life during their resurrection, this much is true as they must undergo further training and pass a test. The ones that are Justified then are spoken of having participated in a first resurrection, over which the second death has no authority but that is simply a description of their status in the Kingdom not when or how they are actually raised.
Joseph
The first resurrection, Joseph, occurs before the millennium takes place. It is of the "saints" anointed in Christ who had died. These are the ones that clearly rule with Christ as king-priests for a 1000 years. There is no doubt about that. But whom do they rule over? Many others. As you said, they had been tested early and "come to life" before the others, who do not "come to life" until the 1000 years are ended. But note, what happens after the 1000 years. Satan is left loose to test mankind. That means they are not all yet perfected in their faith and obedience. In fact, Satan inspires some to rebel. They rebel against Christ and his associated king-priests and then are destroyed in the lake of fire. After that, the Bible speaks of the resurrection of the dead, the both the righteous and the unrighteous. The righteous get life, the unrighteous undergo a "second death", this time not in Hades (man's common grave) but in Gehenna (the lake of fire), representing a permanent death from which there is no return.
So I agree, in the every end, there may be the sense of equality, everyone having come to life and having perfect bodies, but there is definitely a difference between those of the first resurrection and the second. Those of the first resurrection are all considered righteous already. Those of the second are a mixture of righteous and unrighteous. Those of the first resurrection are granted everylasting life when they are resurrected. Those of the second resurrection may or may not get everlasting life, depending upon whether they are righteous or unrighteous. So the end result may be considered the same or similar, but there are differences in detail with respect to the first and second resurrection.
JC
