The complete body of believers in the first resurrection—Christ, Church Age saints, and tribulation believers—will reign with Christ for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:6 says those who have part in the first resurrection are blessed and holy, priests of God and of Christ, and reign with Him a thousand years. Les Feldick teaches that this first resurrection gathers all believers in their orders: Christ as the firstfruits, Church Age saints as the main harvest at the Rapture, and Old Testament and tribulation believers as the corners and gleanings.
Revelation 20:4 — John sees resurrected believers sitting on thrones and reigning with Christ for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:6 — This verse explicitly ties having part in the first resurrection to reigning with Christ as priests of God.
In Revelation 20:4, John records what he saw: "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." Verse 6 adds: "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." The Bible thus makes participation in the first resurrection the qualification for ruling with Christ. Paul describes an ordered resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:23: "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." Daniel 12:13 likewise points to the just standing "in thy lot at the end of the days." Revelation 20:7 then notes that this thousand-year reign ends: "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison."
Les Feldick teaches that the complete gathering of believers in the first resurrection will reign with Christ for a thousand years. He pictures it from the harvest: Christ is the firstfruits at His own resurrection, the Church Age body of believers is the main harvest raised at what we call the Rapture, and Old Testament and tribulation believers are the corners and gleanings left in the field. When the firstfruits, the main harvest, and the gleanings have all been gathered, the field is completely cleared—that completed gathering is the first resurrection (Clip 0, Clip 6).
Les explains that the first resurrection is not a single event where everyone rises at once. He points to Daniel 12:13, where the word 'lot' is almost identical to the New Testament word 'order,' showing that all the just are resurrected in their particular lot, or order, at separate times. Christ is the firstfruits at His resurrection; Church Age believers are resurrected at the Rapture as the main harvest; and Old Testament and tribulation believers are the corners and gleanings, raised at a slightly different time. Together they make up the completed first resurrection of Revelation 20:6, and all of them reign with Christ for a thousand years.
Les acknowledges that verse 4 begins by listing tribulation saints—those beheaded for the witness of Jesus, the martyrs, and those who did not worship the beast or receive his mark. But he is 'quite convinced' that all these resurrected believers are grouped together in the passage: Old Testament, Church Age, and Tribulation believers alike. The text then says they 'lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years' (Clip 2, Clip 3).
Les explains that the thousand-year limit is connected to the Tribulation's aftermath. Most of the world's population loses its life during those seven years; the believers who come out of the Tribulation are martyred and resurrected later, but there are also survivors—Gentiles who believed under the preaching of the 144,000 and a remnant of Israel who fled into the mountains—and they become the seed stock of the nations entering the Kingdom. The Millennium itself, though glorious and sinless, remains a time of testing, because new generations are born with the Adamic nature and must eventually make a choice. After the thousand years expire, Satan is released, and then the Kingdom continues forever on the same basis, with Christ ruling and reigning, in Les's view, from the New Jerusalem (Clip 4, Clip 5, Clip 7).
The Resurrection in Separate Lots or Orders
Here you learn that Daniel's word 'lot' matches the New Testament word 'order,' showing that the just are raised separately—Christ as the firstfruits, the Church Age at the Rapture, and tribulation believers as the corners and gleanings.
The First Resurrection and the Thousand-Year Reign
Here you learn that Revelation 20:6 includes Old Testament, Church Age, and Tribulation believers in the first resurrection, and that they reign with Christ a thousand years as priests of God.
The Thrones of Revelation 20:4
Here you learn that thrones and rule are given to the resurrected believers, and that the martyrs who refused the beast's mark 'lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.'
All Resurrected Believers Grouped Together
Here you see that although Revelation 20:4 begins with tribulation martyrs, Les is 'quite convinced' all resurrected believers are grouped together to reign with Christ a thousand years.
Survivors Become the Seed Stock of the Nations
Here you learn why the reign is a thousand years: tribulation survivors and the believing remnant of Israel become the seed stock of the nations entering the Kingdom.
The Millennium as a Time of Testing
Here you learn that although the thousand-year reign is glorious and sinless, it remains a time of testing, because new generations are born with the Adamic nature and must make a choice.
The Main Harvest and the Gleanings
Here you learn how 1 Corinthians 15:23's 'every man in his own order' places Christ as the firstfruits, the body of Christ as the main harvest, and Old Testament saints as the corners and gleanings, raised at a slightly different time.
The Kingdom Forever, Beyond the Thousand Years
Here you learn that the millennial reign ends but the Kingdom continues forever on the same basis, with Christ ruling and reigning, in Les's view, from the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 20:4: 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.
John sees the resurrected believers given thrones and judgment, reigning with Christ for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:6: 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.
This verse explicitly makes reigning with Christ the privilege of everyone who has part in the first resurrection.
Revelation 20:7: And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
The close of the thousand-year reign marks the release of Satan.
1 Corinthians 15:23: But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Paul reveals that resurrection happens in an order, beginning with Christ as the firstfruits.
Daniel 12:13: But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
Daniel is told he will stand in his lot at the end of the days, which Les connects to the New Testament 'order' of resurrection.
Matthew 24:16: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Jesus describes the remnant of Israel fleeing to the mountains, which Les says occurs at the midpoint of the Tribulation.
The complete gathering of believers in the first resurrection: Christ as the firstfruits, Church Age believers raised at the Rapture (the main harvest), and Old Testament and tribulation believers (the corners and gleanings). Revelation 20:6 says they are blessed and holy, priests of God and of Christ, and they reign with Him a thousand years.
The verse introduces thrones given to resurrected believers and lists tribulation martyrs who refused the beast's mark. In Les's teaching, all these resurrected believers are grouped together in the passage, and they all 'lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.'
Les explains that the Tribulation removes most of the world's population, so survivors and the believing remnant of Israel become the seed stock of the Kingdom. Because new generations are still born with the Adamic nature, the Millennium remains a time of testing, and after the thousand years expire, Satan is released before the Kingdom continues forever.
Les teaches that when the thousand years end there is a complete change in the creation and the universe, but eternity continues on the same basis as the Kingdom. There will be nations again, and Christ will rule and reign—Les believes from the New Jerusalem. The Kingdom, he emphasizes, was always meant to be forever.
Watch the Teaching: What Does "First Resurrection" Really Mean? Bible Study