Scripture speaks of two distinct resurrections - that of the just and the unjust. All Bible believers agree that there will be a resurrection of both the believing and unbelieving dead. Resurrection Of The Righteous The resurrection of the righteous is described as follows in Scripture. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2). And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:14). Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28,29). Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35). The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5).
There are a number of passages that seem to call for a separate resurrection of believers. Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its 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 (Revelation 20:4,5).
Resurrection Of The Unrighteous The resurrection of the unrighteous is also described in Scripture by a number of different terms. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2). Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28,29). And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given Me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of My Father, that all who see the Son and believe in Him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day. No one can come to Me unless drawn by the Father who sent Me; and I will raise that person up on the last day (John 6:39,40,44). have a hope in God - a hope that they themselves also accept - that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous (Acts 24:15).
When Will They Occur? Though Bible believers acknowledge that both the righteous and unrighteous dead will be raised, there is no agreement as to the time when they occur. There are those who believe that everyone is resurrected at once, while others believe the different resurrections are spaced out over a period of time. All At Once There are a couple of passages that seem to teach that the righteous and unrighteous dead are all raised at once. The Lord told Daniel. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2).
Jesus said. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and will come out - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28,29).
Response Those whose reject one general resurrection do not think these passages conclusively teach that all will be raised at once. All they are saying is there will be a resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous at the "last hour" or "last day." This, it is argued, is an undetermined period of time and could stretch over a thousand years. Separate Resurrections Here we have the souls of the disembodied waiting for their resurrection. After they are raised from the dead, it is said the remainder of the dead did not live again until a thousand years after this. This means two phases of the resurrection are separated by one thousand years. First Resurrection Limited To Righteous The argument that the first resurrection is limited to the righteous can be seen as follows. Jesus said. But those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage (Luke 20:35).
Paul wrote of himself. and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:11).
If all were to be raised together, then why would Paul work to obtain the inevitable? His statement seems to assume a separate resurrection of believers and unbelievers. He wants to be raised "out from among the dead" with the other believers. Thousand Years Apart The fact that there is a first resurrection implies a second resurrection. The rest of the dead will not raised for another thousand years. 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 (Revelation 20:6). Revelation 20:4 - 6
3.The Tribulation Saints The Tribulation saints will be raised at the Second Coming of Christ. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. And I saw souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years (Revelation 20:4-6).
4. The Old Testament Saints The believers, who lived before the time of Christ, will be raised when Christ returns. The Book of Daniel says. At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of tribulation, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt (See Daniel 12:1-2 and Revelation 20:4-6).
After the tribulation period is over, Jesus Christ returns. He will then resurrect the Old Testament saints. Every believer, from the time of Adam until the Second Coming of Christ, will have been resurrected at this time. Thousand Years When Christ returns, there will be a thousand year period of peace when He rules in righteousness. This is known as the Millennium. 5. Great White Throne At the end of the thousand years, there will be a final resurrection. This will come at the Great White Throne judgment. Then I saw a Great White Throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and the heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
The resurrection of unbelievers will take place after the thousand year reign of Christ upon the earth. All the unbelieving dead who have ever lived will be resurrected and judged at this time. Righteous Judged There will also be some righteous people who will be judged at the Great White Throne. They will consist of children who were born during the Millennium and became believers in Jesus. They will have been born to people who entered the Millennium with mortal, not resurrected bodies. Summary Although some Christians believe there will be only one general resurrection at the end of time, Scripture seems to speak of more than one resurrection. The first resurrection will be that of believers while the second resurrection will be that of unbelievers. The resurrections in Scripture do not all happen at once. The first resurrection refers to the resurrection of all believers, though separated in time. There has been over nineteen hundred and fifty years between the resurrection of Christ, and the rapture of the church - which is still future. After the church is raptured and resurrected, there will be the resurrection of the tribulation saints- those who have died for their testimony of Christ during the Great Tribulation. At that time the Old Testament saints will also be raised. After the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth, the Millennium, there will be one final resurrection. This will be the unrighteous dead from all time as well as the millennial saints - those who have believed in Christ during the Millennium. After the Great White Throne judgment, there will be no more resurrections. | 
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