But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
The other people who died won't come back to life until those thousand years are completely over. This whole thing we just talked about? That's what we call the first resurrection.
There's a first resurrection, and then everyone else has to wait their turn.
📚 Historical Context
Revelation was written by the Apostle John around AD 90-95 during intense Roman persecution of early Christians, serving as a prophetic vision to encourage believers facing hardship. In Chapter 20, John describes a millennial reign of Christ on earth, where the "first resurrection" refers to the rising of the faithful to reign with Him, while the rest of the dead are raised only after this period ends. This fits into the broader biblical theme of God's ultimate victory and justice in the end times.
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