Being Born Twice

Day 363: Revelation 20:1-15

“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” - Revelation 20:6 ESV

This chapter in Revelation (like many others) has had many interpretations, but the main point in all of them rings true: All of us will one day be judged by our Creator. Everything we are currently doing is being noticed and recorded (see verse 12).

SIDE NOTE: It is interesting to compare Ezekiel 37-48 to Revelation 20-22. Also, the four main views on the 1,000-year reign of Jesus (and the rapture) are Premillennialism, Amillennialism, Postmillennialism, and Dispensational Premillennialism. Revelation 20 is the only place in the Bible we see this 1,000-year reign mentioned.

John records that the prayer of the Christian martyrs in the throne room will finally be answered: “How long?” (see Revelation 6:9-11) Here, we see that they are honored with a “first resurrection.”

Many authors and teachers have said the following: "Those who are born once will die twice, but those who are born twice will die only once."

When we decide to confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, when we repent of our sins, when we get baptized, and lock in for a lifelong faith commitment to Jesus -- we are crying out to God for Him to regenerate our souls. That is, we are re-born (see John 3:1-5). At this point, we have "put on" Christ (Romans 13:14) and are not intimidated or afraid to come face-to-face with our Creator in judgment.

Jesus will be there advocating for us.

As we said yesterday, it is His blood that prepares us by washing us white as snow. Jesus is saying the same to us as He did to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” (John 3:7)

“The supreme joy of the blessed ones is that they are associated with Christ in priesthood and royalty.” - Leon Morris