Revelation Now :
Daily Devotional Bible Studies in Revelation
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The First Resurrection of the Dead : Day 75 
(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. When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. In number, they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20.5-10)
The First Resurrection
In "the first resurrection" only those who have died and suffered for the faith are to be raised from the dead. The general resurrection is not to take place until after the thousand year reign of Christ upon earth. There is special privilege for those who have shown special loyalty to Christ.
Gog and Magog
But here we come on a picture which etched itself deeply, if mysteriously, on Jewish thought, the picture of Gog and Magog (1). There, Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and of Tubal, is to launch the great attack upon Israel and is to be in the end utterly destroyed. It may be that originally Gog was connected with the Scythians whose invasions everyone feared. As time went on, in Jewish thought, Gog and Magog came to stand for everything that is against God. The rabbis taught that Gog and Magog would assemble themselves and their forces against Jerusalem, and would fall by the hand of the Messiah.
The hostile armies under the Devil's leadership come up against the camp of God's people and against the beloved city, that is, Jerusalem. The hosts are consumed with fire from heaven, the Devil is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone to share the fate of the beast and of the false prophet, and the triumph of God is complete.
Martyrs and Marked Confessors
Those who are to enjoy this privilege belong to two classes. First, there are those who have been martyred for their loyalty to Christ. The word used for the way in which they were killed means "to behead with an axe", and denotes the most cruel death. Second, there are those who have not worshipped the beast and have not received his mark on their hand or on their forehead. "Those who, although they were not actually martyred, willingly bore suffering, reproach, imprisonment, loss of goods, disruption of their homes and personal relationships for the sake of Christ." (2)
"Martyrs" were those who actually died for their faith; "Confessors" were those who suffered everything short of death for their loyalty to Christ. Both those who die for Christ and those who live for Christ will receive his or her reward.
The Saints Judge the World
Those who have been loyal to Christ are to receive the privilege of judgment. This is an idea which occurs more than once in the New Testament. Jesus said that, when he returns to sit on the throne of his glory, his twelve apostles will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (3). Paul reminds the litigious Corinthians that the destiny of the saints is to judge the world (4). The idea symbolized is that the world to come will redress the balance of this one. In this world, the Christian may be a person under judgment, in the world to come the roles will be reversed and those who thought they were the judges will be the judged.
Words to meditate on
How do our lives reflect the holiness and righteousness of God?
Words to pray
"Holy, holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty Merciful and mighty.
All thy works shall praise thy name, In earth and sky and sea." (5)
Notes
(1) Ezekiel 38 and 39 (2) H. B. Swete (3) Matthew 19:28 (4) 1 Corinthians 6:2 (5)
"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place."
