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First Resurrection
By the end of the “half-week of times,” when the power of the destroyer of the holy people was brought to an end
The coming of the Ancient of Days
“And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High”
At the same time, these are those times of rest (Sabbath)
from the presence of God the Father, which come with the repentant conversion of Ancient Israel to Christ
State of the People of God before the First ResurrectionBefore the coming of the Ancient of Days, the people of God, the saints of the Most High, are defeated by the small horn of the fourth beast: “they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time” (Dan 7:25).
«A time and times and the dividing of time», «42 months», «1260 days» — all three options mean “half a week of times”, “half of days” — a period of time by the end of which the enemy of the Church brings the People of God to the point of complete exhaustion
24
And the ten horns out of this kingdom
are
ten kings
that
shall arise: and another shall rise after them;
and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Rev 12, 3.
Rev 17, 12.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Dan 11, 36. Rev 12, 14. The coming of the Ancient of Days ends the “half week of times”.
8
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another
little horn,
before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn
were
eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Dan 8, 9.
Rev 13, 5.
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. Rev 4, 2. Dan 7, 22. Ис 6, 1. According to the prophet Daniel the “half-week of times” ends after the power of the holy nation is scattered (Dan 12:7).
6
And
one
said to the man clothed in linen, which
was
upon the waters of the river, How long
shall it be to
the end of these wonders?
Dan 10, 5.
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. Rev 10, 5-6. According to Apostle John in the “half week of times” “as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Rev 13:15).
15
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that
as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Rev 10, 5-6.
To rule the nations with a rod of iron
1
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven;
a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. … 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. Пс 2, 9. 1 Кор 15, 25. Rev 2, 27. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. Rev 11, 3.
The battle of the 2nd half of the 19th chapter of the Apocalypse
11
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse;
and he that sat upon him
was
called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 6, 2.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. Rev 1, 14. Rev 2, 18. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God (καὶ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ). Ис 63, 2. Ин 1, 1. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Rev 7, 9. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Пс 2, 9. Ис 11, 4. Ис 63, 3. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Rev 17, 14. Rev 19, 12. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; Иер 12, 9. Иез 39, 17. 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Rev 20, 10. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
The battle of the 2nd half of the 19th chapter of the Apocalypse
This battle ends “the midst of the week”
Heavenly Angel binds Satan
1
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Лк 8, 31.
Rev 1, 18.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 2 Пет 2, 4. Иуд 1, 6. Rev 12, 9. 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. The Ancient of Days did sit
9
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and
the Ancient of days did sit,
whose garment
was
white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne
was like
the fiery flame,
and
his wheels
as
burning fire.
Rev 4, 2.
Dan 7, 22.
Ис 6, 1.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. Rev 5, 11. Rev 20, 12. 11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. Rev 13, 5. Rev 19, 20. Rev 20, 10.
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
(καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ Χριστοῦ τά χίλια ἔτη).
Dan 7, 9, 22.
Dan 8, 17.
Мф 19, 28.
1 Кор 6, 2.
2 Тим 2, 12.
Rev 6, 11.
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 hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Ис 61, 6. Rev 1, 6. Rev 21, 7. Restoring Life to God's People
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
(καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ Χριστοῦ τά χίλια ἔτη).
Dan 7, 9, 22.
Dan 8, 17.
Мф 19, 28.
1 Кор 6, 2.
2 Тим 2, 12.
Rev 6, 11.
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 hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Ис 61, 6. Rev 1, 6. Rev 21, 7.
“It shall come to pass in the last days,
14
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all
ye
that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: Ис 44, 3. Зах 12, 10. Ин 7, 39. Деян 11, 28. Деян 16, 9. Деян 21, 9. 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Иоил 2, 28-32. Рим 10, 13.
There is the eternally real existence of God, and around — only nothing. When the Lord creates, out of this nothingness He creates the world. The creative action of God is creation out of nothing. This symbol (1000 years = a day before the Lord) indicates that Christianity is suffering a terrible destruction, that the Church has to be recreated as if from nothing. A terrible crisis, but behind this crisis are the greatest victories, the greatest triumph. The special closeness of the afterlife to us during the millennium
The “first resurrection” means
the practically living
participation of the dead in the earthly destinies of mankind: “lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years”
So, all these souls are said to have “lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This
is
the first resurrection.”
For participants in the “first resurrection”, earthly life is combined with life after death.
Of course, one general question remains here, which in similar cases arose before us and above: will this event — the first resurrection of the saints — be known to those who are on earth? We obviously cannot give a confident answer to this question due to the lack of data of revelation and corresponding human experience. However, a number of suggestive reflections incline us to a positive answer regarding that special, exclusive image of the “communio sanctorum”, which is the “first resurrection”. If in the experience of the Church regarding the life of the saints we recognize a tangible closeness to us of the afterlife, all the more so here it manifests itself in the spiritual transparency of the world, in which — let's not forget — there is no poisonous breath of Satan, and at the same time, Christ approached with His “lived” saints. This signifies a completely new epoch in the life of the Church, insofar as a partial overcoming of death takes place here. That is why it is called “the first resurrection.” This signifies a completely new epoch in the life of the Church, insofar as a partial overcoming of death takes place here. That is why it is called “the first resurrection.” Between the mortal life of this world and the future age of resurrection, a certain intermediate state finds a place for itself, in which earthly life is united — at least for the elect — with life after death, so that on the basis of this state a new life arises, unknown to us now. Judging by the fact that it comes after the overthrow of Satan, this very possibility is connected with the beneficent consequences for the world with which it accompanies. The action of Satan in the world hitherto, obviously, prevented this connection, established the border between both worlds, the earthly and the afterlife. The intermediate state of the first resurrection, obviously, differs from the universal, hence, the second resurrection. The latter expression does not appear directly in Revelation, but is suggested by the parallel expression: “the second death.” The “first” resurrection is absent from other New Testament books. This expression constitutes the exclusive property of Revelation, together with its other features. This, of course, should not detract from the prophetic power and authenticity of this insight, since it is contained in one of the last, final chapters of the last New Testament book, as well as all its significance. It cannot be passed in silence and unnoticed, or else be lost in some kind of bewildered muttering, but must be accepted in all its force and dogmatic content with inclusion in the general system of Christian doctrine.
The coming of the Kingdom of Christ in the world is preceded by the thousand-year reign of the saints on earth: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits;
afterward
they that are Christ's at his coming”
According to the text of
Revelation,
this first, and in this sense, anticipatory resurrection is inextricably linked with the participation of those “who came to life” in the reign with Christ for a thousand years. Just as the first resurrection precedes the general resurrection, so the coming of the Kingdom of Christ in the world is preceded by the thousand-year reign of the saints on earth. And this last, inasmuch as it is connected with the first resurrection, is thereby also assimilated a certain intermediate, afterlife-terrestrial character. Similarly, in the case of the Apostle Paul
During the “first resurrection,” the wall separating the world of the living from the world of the dead disappears, as it were, precisely for the souls who have come back to life and who reign with Christ for a thousand years. Through the souls who came to life at the “first resurrection,” Christ himself reigns with them on earth.
The enthronement of Christ on earth for His one-thousand-year reign will become perfectly evident, as evident as His enthronement was during His royal entry into Jerusalem. The curve of history, with upward and downward fluctuations, goes upward at this point and meets heaven; but then it falls sharply downward in the final revolt of Gog and Magog, beyond which one can see the end and the interruption of the curve, the transcensus. This prophecy — contrary to the prevailing doctrine, which it would be erroneous to consider as the dogmatic definition of the Church — refers to the as-yet-unactualized future, so that it is impossible to conceive it concretely. According to the content of this prophecy, one can in any case establish that, during the “first resurrection,” the wall separating the world of the living from the world of the dead disappears, as it were, precisely for the souls who have come back to life and who reign with Christ for a thousand years. It is through these souls that Christ Himself reigns on earth. This event, connected also with the enchainment of Satan for a thousand years, represents an important step on the path of Christ's enthronement; and in general it belongs to His royal ministry. Participation of spiritually resurrected souls in the human history
What are the main features of the story of the thousand-year kingdom?
This kingdom begins in the spiritual world: Coming down from heaven, an casts the devil into a bottomless pit and chains him, that “he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled;
and after that he must be loosed a little season”
The main feature of this event is a temporary paralysis of the evil power, which leads to a general change in the spiritual atmosphere, a palpable manifestation of the victorious power of good. But this is accompanied by what Revelation calls the «first resurrection»,
ἡ ἀνάστασις ή πρώτη
(a
terminus technicus
with an article). As a special form of resurrection, it must be distinguished, first of all, from the universal resurrection in the flesh, about which the Gospels and the apostolic epistles speak.
… Here it is a question of their participation in history, which is, according to aforesaid, the institution of Christ's reign in the world, by virtue of His «royal ministry». Of course, their
participation
in continuing history is different from the fullness of life of the generations that live on earth during this time. Those who come back to life acquire a special activity not possessed by others who «repose in the Lord», to whom it is said «that they should
rest
yet for a little season»
We believe in the efficacy of the prayer of the saints, offered for us here and there, and — heart trembling — we entrust our life to the care of the love and prayer of those close to us. The Apocalypse reveals in all its profundity this active participation of the deceased in our life through their prayers; and the priceless symbol of the «first resurrection» and of the thousand-year kingdom speaks to us of something even greater. Those who have «come back to life» in the first resurrection, that is, those abiding now with a soul but without a body, are called … to reign with Christ for a thousand years. What will their reception be, but resurection from the dead!
Have the Jews fallen forever, or have they just stumbled?
Obviously they have not fallen forever. But by their fall, salvation has com to the gentiles … For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their reception be, but resurection from the dead!
History then will take a spectacular turn, unforeseeable and bewildering. Truly there will be new times. Is this being heralded by Garabandal for the near future? Can the end of the times, which is predicted to follow John XXlII's third successor, be the consummation of the times of the nations, that will pave the way for Israel's great new epoch in the service of God and mankind?
I would be inclined to say yes,[34]
if it were not for a serious difficulty: the prediction that the third successor of John XXIII would be the
last pope.
It is hard to understand how the Church could exist without a head or a ruler. If there were no head, would not Our Lord have to appear to us, to achieve by His second coming the work which began with His first?
That would be the
Parousia.[35]
[34] Perhaps the fact of presenting herself at Garabandal as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, apart from its theological and mystical meaning (see the Ascent of Mount Carmel by St. John of the Cross), has also a mysterious reference to the nearness of eschatological times. Mount Carmel has been closely associated with devotion to the Virgin from the remotest times; but it is also closely associated with the history of Israel (in the decisive hours of the Alliance) and with the activities of the great prophet of the old testament, Elias. By appearing under her ancient title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in these modern times of the world, does the Virgin want to indicate that she will take decisive action so that the mass conversion of the Jews — that has been waiting for almost two millennia now — will be accomplished, fulfilling that way the times of the nations?
Does she want to point out the imminence of the final times when, according to the Apocalypse
There are times in which I think I find a certain mimetic likeness between the sound of the word Garabandal and the sound of the Hebrew or Arab word for Carmel. It is almost as if there were two Carmels: one from the east, and one from the west, both chosen as locations for salvation by the presence of the Virgin. [35] Parousia is a biblical and theological term to designate the solemn manifestation of Christ at the end of time. Or would He proceed to the great consummation supposed by the Last Universal Judgment, in which case, the end of the times would be practically the same thing as the end of the world. Or would He only change the present state of things in such a way as to prepare the final path for the great consummation. Perhaps St. Paul refers to this when he says:
For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. And when all things shall be subdued under Him, then the Son Himself must be subject also to Him that pnt all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
There is also another possibility: in speaking of the three last popes, this could refer to their reigning in Rome like their predecessors. Only in this would they be the last, since perhaps there could later be some extra-Roman pontiffs. Can this possibility be excluded? The more I think about it, the more I favor the last hypothesis. The Catholic Church originated in Jerusalem where Saint Peter had his seat. Following the falling away of Israel after the Jews put the Messiah to death and violently rejected his works, Saint Peter went to find a place among the nations, the gentile people, and his seat was established in Rome which was then the undeniable head of the gentile world. The succession of Saint Peter was then perpetuated in the Bishop of Rome who was the Pope of the Church and the Head of the Episcopal College. From that time the same person was both Bishop of Rome and Head of the Church. But if Rome would perish or disappear, there would be no more bishops belonging to it. And if Jerusalem would become a converted Israel, a Christian one, a Holy City as had so often been predicted by the biblical prophecies, it would become the city of the great King. Here the word of the Lord would save all peoples and the successor of Saint Peter, the Vicar of Christ, would situate himself. The center of the Church would thus return to its origin.
Rome is called
Babylon
in passages of the New Testament
Concise and explicit is the final paragraph of the famous prophecy of Saint Malachy on the popes: In the last persecution of the Holy Roman Church the throne will be held by Peter the Roman, who will tend his sheep in the midst of tribulations. When these have passed, the City of the Seven Hills will be destroyed, and the terrible judge will judge his people. Mysteries! Mysteries! Mysteries! But we should not ignore that Garabandal, from the days of 1963, has proclaimed that we are entering into decisive times, perhaps the last that will be marked by the arms of the great clock of history.
Eusebio García de Pesquera O.F.M.
She Went in Haste to the Mountain Bk.III. Ch.7d. Only Three Popes Remain Первое Воскресение, совершающееся в мире загробномСогласно Сергию Булгакову «Первое Воскресение» начинается в мире загробном. Те из умерших, “которые не поклонились зверю, ни образу его, и не приняли начертания на чело свое и на руку свою. Они ожили и царствовали со Христом тысячу лет.” Он считает, что здесь говорится о неком возвращении умершим силы жизни, дарующей им способность прямого участия в истории, однако не сопровождающейся оживлением тел.
Прежде всего, к какому миру относятся видения, относящиеся к первому воскресению?
Приходится сказать, что они не относятся к нашему земному миру, но остаются ему запредельны,
совершаются в мире загробном,
притом ранее всеобщего воскресения мертвых. «И увидел я престолы и сидящих на них, которым дано было судить, и души обезглавленных за свидетельство Иисуса и за слово Божие»
Но в отношении к христофаниям на земле первое воскресение и тысячелетнее царство Христово на земле со святыми открывает еще новый образ пришествия Христа и мире до Парусии, отличающийся от вышеявленных. Усопшие «ожили и царствовали со Христом тысячу лет», это означает таинственное не только явление, но и пришествие и пребывание Христа в мире, однако чрез посредство мира загробного, в первом воскресении. Таким образом, здесь имеется еще особое действие Христа в мире, хотя лишь со стороны загробного мира. Напрашивается при этом на сопоставление сошествие Христа во ад и проповедь «во аде» как определенное Его действие или же, вернее, ряд действии, продолжающихся и в первом воскресении, причем «ад», конечно, не означает здесь адского состояния грешников, но вообще состояние смерти как отделение души от тела, которое распространяется вообще на всех умерших.
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