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Group five:

Saints upon the Golden Altar (Rev 8:3-4)

The fifth group is in In chapter 8. The smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the Saints upon the golden altar, ascended up before God.

(Rev 8:3-4 KJV) "And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. {4} And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand."

I believe those Saints who are prayed for (Rev 5:8) upon the golden altar (Rom 12:1) represent the same fellow servants and brethren mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11, like the souls of them under the altar, who will be "...slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held" (Rev 6:9 KJV), according to how it is perceived, after the revelation to John until the First Resurrection or just during the Great Tribulation.

Group six:

Two Witnesses (Rev 11:3-13)

In Revelation chapter 11, there are two characters that many would love to identify, which will be in the Great Tribulation.

(Rev 11:3-4 KJV) "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. {4} These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."

Two Olive Trees and Candlesticks

The two olive trees and two candlesticks seem to be the same two olive branches in Zechariah 4:2-4, 11-14 which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves to the seven candlesticks, which are the seven churches in Revelation 1-3. The two anointed ones and witnesses are possibly two prophets of the churches, one could be Enoch (Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5-6), representing Gentile (Rom 11:13, 17), and the other Elijah (2 Ki 2:11-12; Mal 4:5-6), representing Israel (Jer 11:16-17; Hosea 14:5-6), or two other prophets. If they are types of Enoch, Elijah, Moses or John the Baptist (Isa 40:3 ¹⁷), who was Elias (Mat 17:10-13), then they could have those prophets (Mal 4:5-6) same anointing (Zec 4:14), spirit and power (Luke 1:17, 76).

Some may try adding John the Beloved to the choices. Jesus said about John to Peter, "...If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee..." (John 21:20-24 KJV)? He put forth a statement perceived by some that John would not die. He would have to if he is one of two witnesses who will be killed three and one half days prior their ascending up (Rev 11:11-12). That would not entirely eliminate John from being alive and seeing Jesus come. In Revelation 1:10-20, he was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day when he saw the Lord. He was told to come up to see the hereafter; immediately he was in the spirit (Rev 4:1-2) and all of a sudden in heaven receiving (more of) the revelation. In essence he saw the Lord that Day and saw Him come in His various roles as shown in some passages in Revelation. ²⁴

One or both witnesses could be alive today and are being prepared for their mission. Their story being placed right before the seventh angel sounds the seventh trumpet may throw a casual reader. If you have noticed, the various picture pieces in Revelation do not necessarily follow a chronological order. The pieces have to be placed in the proper perspective and order to get the bigger picture the Lord desires to convey.

The two will have part in the First Resurrection. The following will help us to understand that. The three woes in Revelation 8:13 ²⁵ are in reference to the voices of the trumpets of the last three angels, which are yet to sound. The two witnesses in Revelation 11:3-12 will be prophesying, turning waters to blood and smiting the earth with plagues during the sounding of the first six trumpets (Rev 8:1-9:21; 10:7; 11:14-15), before the seventh angel sounds the seventh trumpet and the seven (last plagues) vials of the wrath of God (Rev 15-16:17) are poured out. Near the end of the Tribulation, they will be killed, and resurrected three and a half days later with the rest of the Saints. The ascending up of the witnesses will be just before the third woe, after the seventh angel sounds the seventh trumpet.

They Ascended Up to Heaven (Rev 11:12-13)

(Rev 11:12-13 KJV KJV) "And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. {13} And the same hour was there a great earthquake...."

To better understand that, just before the third woe is declared, in the same hour when they are resurrected, there will be a great earthquake (Rev 11:11-13 ³⁶), possibly the same one that occurs before the Mount of Olives cleave in the midst in Zechariah 14:3-5 where the Lord's feet stand; the one in Revelation 6:12-17 when the six seal is opened and Jesus comes; and the one in Revelation 16:18-21 when Jesus comes, before the seven vials (Rev 15-16:17) are poured out, when the great city Babylon divides into three parts and about to receive the wrath of God.

If you believe that Jesus is coming only one more time -- and he appears just before the seventh angel sounds the seventh trumpet (Rev 10:7; 11:15) after the Great Tribulation (Mat 24:29; Mark 13:24-25) -- this picture of the two witnesses ascending up in the First Resurrection will be more apparent. Then too, if you believe that there was only one resurrection for Christ (Acts 2:30-31), then also believe that there will be only one resurrection for the body of Christ (1 Cor 10:16-17; 12:27).

Without a doubt the two witnesses will be prophesying during the Tribulation and both will have part in the First Resurrection.

Group seven:

Woman Clothed with the Sun (Rev 12:1-2)

(Rev 12:1-2 KJV) "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."

(Rev 12:5-6 KJV) "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. {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."

Seventh is in chapter 12. The woman brought forth a man child -- who took on the seed of Abraham (Heb 2:16 ²⁶ and made of the seed of David according to the flesh (Rom 1:3). The man child who rules the nations with a rod of iron is Jesus Christ. To understand why I can say that, read Revelation 19:15 that supports 12:5. And to understand why the woman is Israel and not Mary who many assume, compare Joseph's dream in Genesis 37:9-10 with Revelation 12:1-2.

(Gen 37:9-10 KJV) "And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. {10} And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?"

(Rev 12:14 KJV) "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, ¹⁸ from the face of the serpent."

The woman, possibly Orthodox and Hasidic Israelites who are now being brought back to their land, will flee into the wilderness (some believe to the city of Petra) from the face of the serpent (Rev 12:14), saved out of Jacob's trouble (Jer 30:7), and will be feed for 1260 days (Rev 12:6), the same amount of days the two witnesses will prophesy (Rev 11:3), and will be nourished for three and a half years (Dan 7:25 ¹⁸), the period of the Tribulation (Deu 4:30 ²⁸).

The Remnant of Her Seed (Rev 12:17)

(Rev 12:17 KJV) "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

"The remnant of her seed (Rom 9:27-29 ²⁷), which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," is possibly Messianic Jews and Gentile believers (Rom 11:16-25) who through faith in Christ Jesus received the promise of the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:14, 28-29 ²⁹) and who are persecuted from Pentecost until the first resurrection. As a group, they could represent the Spirit filled Church with its diversified works (Rev 1-3).

Group eight:

An Hundred Forty-four Thousand (Rev 14:1-5)

(Rev 14:1 KJV) "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."

The 144,000 in 14:1-5, which will go through the Great Tribulation, at first, was a little difficult for me to figure out, because of their attributes in verse 4, until I considered the number of them.

(Rev 14:3-5 KJV) "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. {4} These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits 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."

I believe this 144,000 are the same 144,000 in Revelation 7:1-8 who will be sealed in their foreheads so not to be hurt with plagues (Rev 7:3; 9:3-4) and who may not die but changed and stand with Jesus on Mount Sion when He returns. Zechariah 14:1-5 is a similar account with more or less details.

(Zec 14:1-5 KJV) "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. {2} For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. {3} Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. {4} And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. {5} And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints ²² with thee."

On the Day of the LORD, all His (Yehovah) Saints come with Him, and His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. As a group, the 144, 000 could represent all Israel (Rom 11:26) who have the first fruits ²⁰ of the Spirit (Rom 8:22-23). They are virgins and faultless (unblemished) who have not been defiled with women ^R and follow the Lamb wherever He goes, which helps me to understand the type of people He will have with Him throughout all eternity.

Note: If you understand how Revelation is written, not necessarily following a chronological order and in part (1 Cor 13:9-10), the seventh trumpet (Rev 10:7; 11:15), the last trumpet (1 Cor 15:51-52) has already sounded, the dead in Christ have been raised incorruptible, and those that remain have been changed; and according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, have been "...caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord...."

We will meet the Lord in the air, which means to meet the Lord in the air and not remain there. Because if we will be with Him forever and reign (Rev 5:9-10 ³⁰) with Him (Rev 2:27 ³¹), along with the 144,000 (Rev 14:1-5), we will need to come to the earth after the wrath (Rev 11:14-18 ²¹) and plagues (Rev 15:4- 16:17).

Group nine:

Beheaded for the Witness of Jesus (Rev 20:4-6)

The next and final group or groups in 20:4-6 are they who sat upon thrones and the souls of them (Saints) who were beheaded during the forty-two month (Rev 13:5 ¹⁸) Tribulation (Deu 4:30 ²⁸) when the beast in Revelation 13:1-8 received power over all kindred, tongues and nations.

Lived and Reigned with Christ

(Rev 20:4-6 KJV) "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 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 ³⁰ with him a thousand years." ^NIV

Daniel 7:9, 10 and 18 have various details possibly of the same period. John "...saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them" (1 Cor 6:2). And he "saw the souls of them that were beheaded...and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years... This is the first resurrection. 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" (Rev 20:4-6 KJV).

They who sat upon thrones and the souls of them (Saints) who were beheaded during the Great Tribulation represent all who will be in the First Resurrection and will reign with Christ for a thousand years.

Note: "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished...." The books were opened, and anther book was opened, and whoever's name was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire which is the second death (Rev 20:5, 12-15).

Conclusion:

To sum it up, let us look in brief at the various groups of Saints that will have part in the coming First Resurrection.

First group: The four beasts represent Saints and formerly dispersed and lost sheep of the house of Israel from the beginning of time until the resurrection of Christ. The twenty-four elders represent elders during the same period, and some believe could represent the twelve patriarchs or tribes of Israel and twelve disciples of Jesus, which add up to twenty-four.

Second group: The souls of them under the altar represent prophets and Saints who were slain, according to how it is perceived, before the resurrection of Christ until the revelation to John, and/or during the first century church martyrdom until the Great Tribulation, including those mentioned in the Fox's Book of Martyrs.

Third group: The 144,000 Israelites will be sealed in their foreheads before the plagues come during the Great Tribulation.

Fourth group: The great multitude is an early picture of all the Saints who came out of the Great Tribulation and are about the throne worshipping God.

Fifth group: The Saints upon the golden altar represent those killed (like the souls of them under the altar), according to how it is perceived, after the revelation to John until the First Resurrection or just during the Great Tribulation.

Sixth group: The two witnesses could possibly be Enoch and Elijah or two others, or types who have the same Spirit and anointing, who will be killed near the end of the Great Tribulation and resurrected three and a half days later.

Seventh group: The woman represents Israel who will be saved out of Jacob's trouble. And the remnant of her seed is possibly Holy Spirit filled believers who are persecuted from Pentecost until the First Resurrection. As a group, they could represent the Spirit filled Church.

Eighth group: The 144,000 are the same 144,000 Israelites who were sealed in their foreheads and who may not die but changed and stand with Jesus on mount Sion when He returns. As a group, they could represent all Israel.

Ninth group: They who sat upon thrones and the souls of them (Saints) who were beheaded during the Great Tribulation represent all who will be in the First Resur-rection and will reign with Christ for a thousand years.

We will either be of the ones that will die before or during the Great Tribulation, or be of the ones that will overcome (1 John 5:1-5 ²³), be sealed in the forehead and/or endure until the end (Mat 24:12-14; Mark 13:13-14), and alive when Jesus calls forth the "First Resurrection" (which we call the rapture) at the sound of the "Last Trump." Either dead or alive, all Saints will be changed.

Obtain a Better Resurrection (Heb 11:35)

If you would like to know how to obtain (Luke 20:34-36) a better resurrection, read Hebrews 11:35 in the faith chapter where it says, "...and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection." So, if you are alive during the Great Tribulation, Rejoice! ³⁷ As for now, "...think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you" (1 Pet 4:12 KJV).

Additional Truths

As you study more of Revelation, additional truths will unfold. Go by what the Holy Spirit reveals (John 16:12-15) to you. Do you remember the "mysteries of the kingdom of God" in Mark 4:11-20 in which sowing is mentioned? First thing that needs to happen, the seed has to be received on (into) good moist (Luke 8:6) ground (Mat 13:23). If you have the right heart and grounded in God's Word, it can take root, grow and bare fruit (Luke 8:8, 15) until harvest (Rev 14:14-16).

Like to Be Included

If you would like to be included in the First Resurrection number, you can be by accepting the salvation God has to offer. Trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, be truly repentant -- for it was initially preached by John the Baptist (Mat 3:1-3) and Jesus (Mat 4:17). Mean business with the LORD.

Note: If you have read enough of the Bible, you should realize that there's only one first resurrection (and rapture) that occurs at a great sound of a trumpet after Jesus appears (Mat 24:29-31), following the Great Tribulation (Mark 13:24-25).

References:

Third day:

Mat 16:21; Mark 8:31-33; 9:31-32; Luke 9:21-22; 13:31-32; John 2:18-22; Mat 17:22-23; 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34; Mat 27:61-28:20; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20; Acts 10:39-41; 1 Cor 15:3-8; Hosea 6:2

Resurrection:

Dan 12:1-3; Isa 26:19; Acts 24:15; Heb 11:35; Rev 20:4-6, 11-15; John 11:24-26; 6:37-40; Luke 20:34-38; Psa 17:15; 2 Sam 12:22-23; Job 14:10-15; 19:25-27; 1 Th 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:51-54; 1 Cor 15; 1 John 3:2-3; Rom 6:3-6; Col 2:12

1) Mat 3:11-12; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16-17; John 1:33; Acts 1:4-5; 11:16; 2:1-4, 2:16-18; Joel 2:28-29; Isa 32:15; Ezek 36:27; Acts 4:7-9, 30-31; 9:17-18; 10:44-48
2) 1 Cor 10:16-17; 12:12-13; Rom 12:5; Eph 5:29-30; 1 Cor 6:15
3) Rom 6:3-6; Col 2:12; Eph 2:4-9; 1 Pet 3:21
4) Acts 15:7-9; 26:15-18; Rom 1:16-17; Hab 2:4; Rom 3:19-31; 4:3-5; Gen 15:6; Rom 5:1-2; 9:29-33; 10:13-17; 11:16-25; 12:3-6; 2 Cor 1:24; 5:7; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:1-3, 10-14, 22-27; 5:2-6; Eph 2:8-10; Phil 3:9; Heb 10:38-12:2; James 2:14-26
5) 1 Th 4:16-17; 1 Cor 15:51-52
6) Rev 4:9-11; 5:11-14
7) Exo 19:5-6; 1 Pet 2:5, 9; Rev 1:5-6; 5:10; 20:6
8) 2 Chr 16:9; Prov 15:3; Zec 4:10; 1 Pet 3:12; Rev 5:6
9) Isa 11:10-11; 54:7-8; Jer 31:7-8; Ezek 11:17; Jer 30:3-4; Psa 14:7; Isa 27:12-13; 11:12-13; Jer 23:7-8; Deu 30:3-6; Jer 29:14; 43:5; Zec 2:6; Psa 107:2-3; Isa 43:5-7; 49:12; Jer 3:17-18; 16:14-15; Zec 8:7-8; Jer 23:1-4; John 11:51-52
10) Acts 7:59-60; 12:1-3; 2 Tim 1:1; 4:5-8
11) Psa 116:15; Rev 16:6-7; 17:6; 18:24
12) Luke 21:24
13) Mat 22:37; 16:26; Mark 8:36-37; 1 Th 5:23; Heb 4:12
14) Lev 23:40
15) Mat 24:21, 29; Mark 13:24; Rev 2:22; 7:14
16) Gen 16:10; 32:12; Deu 1:10; Gal 3:16
17) Isa 40:3; Luke 1:17, 76; Mal 4:5-6; Mat 3:1-3; Mark 1:1-4; Luke 3:4-6; 7:24-28; John 1:19-23; Mat 11:7-15; 17:10-13; Mark 9:11-13
18) Dan 7:25; 12:7; Rev 12:14; Dan 12:11-13; Rev 11:2; 13:5; 11:3; 12:6
19) Rev 7:1-8; John 6:27; 2 Cor 1:21-22; Eph 1:13-14; 4:30; 2 Tim 2:19
20) Rom 8:22-23; 1 Cor 15:23-24; James 1:18; Rev 14:4
21) Rev 11:14-18; 6:15-17; 14:9-11, 17-20; Joel 3:11-14

First resurrection (NIV):

(Rev 20:4-6 NIV) "I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years."

22) Deu 33:1-3; Psa 37:28-29; 50:1-6; 149:1-9; Dan 7:18, 22, 27; Zec 14:5; 1 Cor 6:2; Jude 1:14-15; Col 1:12-14; 1 Th 3:12-13; 2 Th 1:8-10; Rev 11:18
23) 1 John 5:1-5; Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21
24) Rev 6:12-17; ;14:1, 14-16; 19:11-16
25) Rev 8:13; 9:1, 12-13; 11:13-15
26) Gen 13:15-16; 15:5; Rom 1:3; Heb 2:16; Gal 3:16, 29
27) Rom 9:27-29; Isa 10:20-23; 1:9; 37:31-32
28) Deu 4:30; Jer 30:7; Dan 12:1; Luke 21:24; Dan 9:27
29) Gen 12:1-3; 18:18; 22:18; Gal 3:8-9, 14, 28-29
30) Rev 2:26-29; 5:9-10; 20:4-6; 22:5
31) Psa 2:6-9; Rev 2:27; 12:5; 19:11-16
32) 1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14; 19:14-16
33) Psa 17:15; 2 Sam 12:22-23; Job 19:25-27
34) Isa 59:20-21; Rom 11:25-27; Luke 1:68-69; Gal 3:13; 4:4-5; Titus 2:13-14; Rev 5:9-10; 14:1-5
35) Four Beasts (living things) of Revelation study
36) Great Earthquake study
37) Mat 5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23; 10:18-20; John 4:35-38; 16:22; Acts 5:40-41; Rom 12:12; 2 Cor 1:14; Phil 2:16; 4:3-5; 1 Th 2:19; 1 Pet 1:6-9; 4:12-14