Is the resurrection of righteous and wicked at the same time?, or two separate events separated by a millenium time period?

When Revelation's information about the resurrection of the dead is combined with what Jesus said in his parable of the angels sent to reap out the weeds from the field of good wheat, the answer presents itself:

There is one harvest, with two reapings - the second one immediately after the first.

This clears everything up, but, of course, those who believe in the interpretation of prophecy that there will be a 'rapture' of believers from Earth, to take them away from a time of tribulation, have a time-gap between both events, and they do not accept that there can be one harvest, with two reapings, with no time gap. That is an a-millennial interpretation.

I am not going to argue the a-millennial case here, but would simply encourage those interested to read Matthew 13:24-30, which deals with "the time of harvest" and a reaping by angels of the tares (weeds) for burning. Then please read Revelation 14:16-17 where a first reaping precedes the one immediately following (that of the fruit of the earth, for the wrath of God.)

Different symbolisms are used (e.g. weeds in one, grapes in the other). There are reasons for that, but it remains clear that, at the end, reaping happens twice, with no time gap indicated, therefore one harvest with two reapings. That fits with Jesus' parable in Matthew 13:24-30.

Whether a six-year period of tribulation, or a one-thousand-year period of millennium is in view, neither fits with the texts used by the O.P. and the two I have given here. Here is a sample from a book that delves deeply into this very matter as depicted in Revelation:

"That another - and distinct - angel of judgment came out of the temple which is in heaven, after 'the earth was reaped', Revelation 14:16; and reaped by one like unto the Son of man as opposed to angels; and that this other angel had in his hand - yet to be employed; another sharp sickle, of the same kind as that with which one like unto the Son of man had already reaped the firstfruits, argues beyond all reasonable doubt another, a further reaping, even in that same day of the Lord." The Revelation of Jesus Christ, John Metcalfe, p. 406 [bold emphasis mine] http://www.johnmetcalfepublishingtrust.co.uk/contact_us.htm

This subject is so complex, a book such as the one I have quoted from, really needs to be examined carefully to arrive at a conclusion.

I am answering to present an alternate view to that presented.

The Amillenial view of end times regards the millennium as being a symbolic long period of time in the church age that the devil is locked up. The devil is released from prison at the end of the millennium and I think probably close to the end of the tribulation since it fits with the pattern of increasing evil in the tribulation and is just before the End ushered in by Christ’s return. The millennium is also a period of time where the saints rule and reign with Christ, healing the sick, winning the lost, making disciples and establishing the kingdom of God upon this world by being good ambassadors of Christ. It is important to establish how the devil being cast out of heaven fits into the sequence of bible events. When was Satan cast out of heaven?

Ezekiel 28:11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “ ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; .... 14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you... and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

Isaiah 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

This casting out of Satan did not occur in ages past. Jesus’s statement in John 12 fixes the time at which this happened was at Calvary. The legal basis for the devil being cast out was the finished work of Christ at Calvary.

John 12:31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

This is further affirmed by Jesus’s prophetic words in Luke 10:18 where Jesus said he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Following Jesus’s death at Calvary he entered the strongman’s house and, He bound Satan, released his captives and took the keys of hell and the grave away from him.

Matthew 12:29 Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

Luke 11:21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

Revelation 1:18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death

Ephesians 4:11 When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to his people.” 9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

Colossians 2:15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him

Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Destroy in Hebrews 2:14 is the Greek word ‘καταργέω’ which can be translated “to render inactive,”“to condemn to inactivity”, “to put out of use” ,“to destroy” or “to remove from the sphere of activity” [Kittel]. This scripture together with Matthew 12:29 indicates that it is likely that Jesus entered the devils house and bound the strongman (devil) following his death and resurrection.

This is linked to Ephesians 4:11 when he led captivity captive and released hostages. We know Jesus took the keys of hell and the grave from the devil [Revelation 1:18]

The King of the bottomless pit ‘Apollyon’ could be another name for the devil. [Revelation 9:11]

Since Christ entered the devils house and bound him to release his captives. The captives are likely to be ‘the righteous dead Jews from paradise, ‘Abrahams bosom’ who like Abraham were made righteous through faith on a system of credit (Romans 4:3 accredited with righteousness through faith), but since the blood of Christ was not shed could not go to heaven, but had to stay in paradise a place of waiting for the righteous dead Jews, and thereafter were taken with Christ to heaven once his blood was shed at Calvary. Hebrews 9:26 says Jesus entered the Holy of Holy’s with his blood once for all time in the fullness of time. So this blood he shed paid for the forgiveness and sin of the Jew in OT period as well as any person saved in NT period i.e. salvation of all people for all time.

Revelation 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

At Calvary Jesus bound Satan and he was cast into the pit. During the church age Satan has ruled the hosts of darkness from the pit.

Revelation 9:11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

The devil therefore rules the hosts of hell from the pit. The devil is not omni-present and it is not rational to use the scripture that Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour as proof that he is not in prison, since with billions of people on the earth he does not personally attack every Christian. I believe he has an upside down pyramid structure and his minions, principalities, powers, wicked spirits in high places, demon spirits carry out his will from the pit.

The millenium period is therefore just a symbolic long period of time in the church age between the first and second coming of Christ when the devil is bound.

If this sequence is accepted then the next event in this time period we live in is the 7 trumpets sounding, 7 bowels of wrath being poured out and 7 seals being opened. We see in Revelation a marking of the righteous and the wicked and we see 7 stages of increased demonic activity which will culminate in the devil himself being released from prison a short period before the second coming of Christ. This is what will accelerate the time of tribulation on the earth. As the sinfulness and rebellion of the wicked increases on the earth, increasing numbers of demons are released from hell upon the earth (e.g. Rev.9:3), and the point is reached where the devil is released from prison.

It is important to understand that for every bowel of wrath, there is a seal and a trumpet, so the glory upon the church increases to match the increasing darkness. The period of tribulation begins and the devil gathers to himself an army at Jerusalem (Armageddon), and at some point the Father calls time, Christ returns and the End takes place. I believe the trumpets are to call God’s people to attention to receive by faith the ministries, mantles and annointings that He is making available to His people at this time. It is really important to prepare the Church for the next event it will need to face i.e. not rapture to heaven but the release of Satan from the pit.

Revelation 21:7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle.

The Church Age is brought to an "end" by the glorious return of Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev 19:11-16).

At His return there is resurrection of the righteous and rapture to join Christ in his army, that immediately defeats the devil & his army. The wicked are then raised in their bodies of sin to face the White throne Judgement, and the righteous the Bhema judgement that rewards believers for fruit with motives that pass the test of fire. The wicked are cast in the Lake of fire with the devil and his angels, and the righteous are ushered into eternal life in the new heavens and new earth.

The Last Day

Basic Hermeneutics
In tackling any biblical topic, it is best to keep the Common Rules of Exegesis in mind. For example, a study of hermeneutics would emphasize:

(1) The wisdom of Mastering Matthew-to-Jude, and understanding the basic teaching of the New Testament Gospel of Christ and His Kingdom.

(2 It is always a wise rule to Let the concrete literal statements take precedent over the symbolic imagery. Symbolism, unless interpreted by the Bible's own authors, leaves a door open to a multitude of fanciful interpretations---as Church history confirms.

(3 The primary teaching of Jesus should be our guide in all matters. After all, Jesus is the Master Teacher in Christianity:

Be ye not called Rabbi (Teacher), for one is your Master, even Christ... (Matthew 23:8)

Especially, if Jesus repeats some teaching, or says, "Verily, I say unto you...", then Christians ought to take heed and accept that teaching.

Resurrection Day
So, first, what does Jesus have to say about the future resurrection of the saints and the sinners?

...the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His (Son of Man) voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28-29)

This is the will of Him who sent Me, that every one which sees the Son and believes on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day.
No man can come to Me, except the Father who has sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up at the Last Day.
Whosoever eats my flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day. (John 6:40, 44, 54)

The enemy that sowed then (tares) is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels.
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.
The Son of Man shall send forth His angels and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them who do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire...then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. (Matthew 13:39-43)

Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind. Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire... (Matthew 13:47-50)

When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon His throne of glory
And before Him shall be gathered all nations, and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides sheep from the goats...
Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Then He shall say also to them on the left hand, "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels... (Matthew 25:31-41)

Jesus said to her, "Your brother shall rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life." (John 11:23-25)

Deductions
What can we glean from all these teachings of Jesus? Basically, there is only one final climax to the world when all will be resurrected, both saint and sinner. There is no statement of a separation of, nor gap of, time; and none of the Darby-Scofield scenarios are mentioned. In fact, Jesus used the "singular wording", LAST DAY, repeatedly in His teachings. (See also Luke 20:34-38)

In the book of Acts, Paul is recorded as saying,

(I) have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow (Pharisees), that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. (Acts 24:15)

That occasion would have been a good opportunity for Paul to speak of a gap, a millennium, a time span between saint and sinner resurrections...but there was no mention of any! And when Paul taught the philosophers in Athens, he preached unto them of Jesus and the resurrection (singular). (Acts 17:18) There was no multiple resurrections mentioned. (The Apostle Peter also limited the End-time scenario to a "Day". 2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12)

Jesus's teaching in Matthew 25:31-46 where He said all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate... is quite definitive as to how the one Judgment Day will occur---without the usual Darby-Scofield scenario mentioned at all! There is One resurrection (harvest, netting, calling forth, awakening, etc.) with two consequences---two eternal consequences, either heaven or hell!

Let me summarize the Bible references to the two resurrections.

1. In these references, the two resurrections of the righteous and the wicked are mentioned but their timing, whether separate or simultaneous is not stated. John 5:28, 29, Dan 12:2, Acts 24:15, Heb 11:35. However, the very fact that two resurrections are mentioned at all, means that they are likely separate events (as distinct from a single general resurrection of all people).

2. It is only in Rev 20:4-6 that we discover that the two resurrections of the righteous and wicked are separated by 1000 years:

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 about Jesus and because of the word of God. They a 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. Blessed and holy are those who share 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.

[Note: Based on John 3 about being born again and the above passage, it has been said that if a person is born twice they only die once; but if one is born once, they die twice.]

3. It is not clear, but it appears that there might be a "special resurrection" of some who were responsible for murdering/executing Christ as recorded in Rev 1:7 when Jesus returns the second time:

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.

However, this is a debated point I do not wish to make too much of it. For example, it might be that Rev 1:7 is discussing the wicked dead seeing Jesus after the 1000 years. However, this might be the subject of another question.

4. 1 Thess 4:15-17 -

According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Note that is NOT discussing the resurrection of the wicked, only the righteous - the "rising" of the righteous is to meet the Lord in the air. The wicked are not discussed.

If Jesus is correct, the righteous (those who believe in Him) will rise on the last day: [Jhn 6:39-40, 44, 54 KJV] 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. ... 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. ... 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Presumably this is the same day the unrighteous are resurrected, as it is the day that they are judged: [Jhn 12:48 KJV] 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. This fits well with the parable of the wheat and the tares, where the harvest and the burning of the weeds both occur at harvest time.

Answer

The resurrections of the righteous and the wicked are not at the same time. These are two different events separated by a Millennium.

Explanation

The Book of Revelation is an orderly compilation with the proper time sequences of most of the Bible prophecies, which are scattered in bits and pieces throughout the Old Testament and New.

An Example:-

In the whole New Testament, both Jesus and His apostles talk about a Trumpet, the last Trumpet at which the dead are resurrected.

But it is only in Revelation that we learn there are 6 more trumpets before the 7th trumpet. We learn from Revelation that the last Trumpet is in fact the 7th Trumpet.

This is the same case with the resurrections of the saints and the wicked. The details we get from Revelation only.

John 5:28-29

“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming in which all those in the tombs will hear His voice. And they will come out, the ones having done good into a resurrection of life; and the ones having practiced evil into a resurrection of judgment”.

[The poor ignorant wicked people who have never in their lifetime heard or understood about the Gospel are not subjected to a resurrection of condemnation but will be raised in a resurrection of judgment (correction)]

Here, an indefinite time is mentioned which also is translated as “a time” is coming.

For the time being, let us consider this to be a single event.

1 Thessalonians 4:16

“Because the Lord Himself shall come down from Heaven with a commanding shout of an archangel's voice, and with God's trumpet. And the dead in Christ will rise again first (proton). Then (epeita) we who remain alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to a meeting with the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord”.

This is one event but there is no mention of any wicked.

Paul explains just in the previous verse:

“For we say this to you in the Word of the Lord, that we the living who remain (the living saints at the 2nd coming) to the coming of the Lord will not at all go before those who have fallen asleep (the dead saints)” (verse 15).

“In a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet; for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised (the dead saints) incorruptible, and we (the living saints at the 2nd coming) shall all be changed” (1 Cor 15:52).

Again, there is no mention of any wicked here. Only the living saints and the dead saints are included.

So, this is a single event.

Acts 24:15

“…having hope toward God, which these themselves also admit, of a resurrection being about to be of the dead, both of just and unjust ones”.

Apparently, it may seem that this is one event in which both the saints and the wicked are raised together.

For the time being, let us consider this to be a single event.

Matthew 13:24-30:-

This is a parable, so we get the message clear. But a parable cannot be considered for accuracy of time.

For the time being, let us consider this to be a single event.

Revelation 20:4-6

Now comes the Revelation details.

Verse 4:

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them. And judgment was given to them”

– these are the Old Testament patriarchs, prophets and saints;

“and the souls of the ones having been beheaded because of the witness of Jesus, and because of the Word of God”

– these are the apostles and saints in the New Testament;

“and who had not worshiped the beast nor its image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand”

– these are the later saints who resisted the Beast power and also the saints from the Great Tribulation (Rev 7:14);

“And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years”.

Verse 5b-6:

“This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy [the wicked can never be a part of this resurrection] is the one having part in the first resurrection. The second death has no authority over these, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years”.

Verse 5a:

“But the rest of the dead [the so called ignorant wicked] did not live again until the thousand years were ended”.

Here the Scripture says 3 times that there is a time gap of 1000 years between the first resurrection of the saints and the second resurrection of the wicked.

Thus, the 2 resurrections are not a single event but 2 different events separated by a Millennium.

Rest of the Dead Resurrected

We see the rest of the dead now standing before the Great White Throne judgment after a 1000 years:

“And I saw the dead, the small and the great, standing before God” (Rev 20:12).

This is the second resurrection for the Judgment of the wicked.

But again, all of them are not thrown into the lake of fire but only those whose names are not added into the opened Book of Life are thrown.

“And IF anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire” (Rev 20:15).

Conclusion

Revelation gives clarification and details of time between the two resurrections of the saints and the wicked.

It talks about “the blessed and holy” “first resurrection”.

It provides a gap of 1000 years between the first resurrection and the resurrection of “the rest of the dead”.

The Gospels appear to not separate the time. For example, Luke 19 says:

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment

Luke 19

We can read above both men were sent to their deed determined destination quite promptly and both men dwelt at the same time in heaven vs hell. We can read how the rich man was in hell while his family on earth were still living.

For more details, see my answer to What is the Order of the Resurrection of the Dead? - Christianity Stack Exchange.

Briefly:

• A small number of people saved during this current age (the elect) will be resurrected as immortal beings at Christ's return.
• In the Kingdom of God, here on Earth, they will rule and teach the survivors of the tribulation about God's way of life.
• At the end of this Millennium, there will be a second, much larger general resurrection including the vast majority of mankind, where everyone that has died without being offered salvation will be resurrected.
• Most people will accept God's way and they too will be reborn as immortal beings.
• Finally, the relatively small number that still reject God's holy spirit (the unpardonable sin), will be destroyed.

The first resurrection will be a very small select number of righteous people.
The second resurrection will be a resurrection of righteous and wicked at the same time. They will be offered salvation for the first time (not a second chance), then judged, then be either reborn or destroyed.

I believe @Dottard has provided a good answer. Here is my take on the timeline:

1. Believers, in this age of God's grace (Eph 3:2), are spiritually "in Christ" now and are eternally secured upon having faith alone.

2. When the last believer believes and 'fills' the body of Christ (when the fulness of the Gentiles has come in), Christ will return "in the clouds". Those who are "dead in Christ" are caught up with Christ first with their new glorified bodies.

3. Those who are "alive and remain" in Christ are caught up in the clouds next with their new glorified bodies.

4. The tribulation then begins and the tribulation saints (the martyred 144k), along with all of believing Israel, are resurrected at the end of the tribulation. This would include Peter and the 11, the "little flock", and all others who become believers during the tribulation and "endured unto the end" of it (refusing "the mark").

5. Christ then physically returns to earth for His millennial reign, (while Satan is bound, later released "for a season", gathers his armies, attacks Christ and Jerusalem, but swiftly defeated at Armageddon).

6. The resurrection of any dead millennial "just" and all unjust occurs (after Armageddon) for the "White Throne Judgement", where they are found to be in the Book of Life or not.

7. The unjust are cast into the lake of fire and everyone else will enter the new heaven and new earth.

This is all certainly open for debate, but I will admit that I do not know when the 'Judgement Seat of Christ' (not to be confused with the White Throne Judgement) will occur for the church, the body of Christ. This is when the gifting of rewards to the church, the body of Christ, will occur, and where salvation is still secured "yet so as by fire", regardless of any "loss of reward". I suspect this is shortly after the time that we are gifted our glorified bodies and are "in the clouds" with the entire church, the body of Christ.

Thankfully, by God's grace, salvation today is not dependent upon our own righteousness, nor on the accuracy of our knowledge in eschatology!