The "FIRST resurrection" - THE Focus of the NT saints?

[Eliyahu]

Read REv 20:4-5 once again.

Verse 4 clearly specifies the 3 groups, then verse 5 says the rest of the dead will not live again( be resurrected).

GE:

No 'groups', but one 'group' - the saved, the living, who reigned with Christ on thrones either by having been beheaded ('martyred/tortured'), or, not worshipping the beast - the 'witnesses'.

Eli:

Verse 4 tells us 3 groups of AA) Special Saints of Judges, BB) Martyrs, CC) Protestors to the Anti-
Christ.

GE:
Can't I read? No 'groups'; but the 'witnesses for the faith of Jesus. They reigned with Christ, and DIED being witnesses for Him.
Then John further sees, "... the rest of the dead ...". (They) lived NOT the Thousand Years", but, remained dead in their sins, and DIED in their sins, "this the Thousand Years" of Christ's and the saint's reign.

The Thousand Years - the First Resurrection : this the era of Christ's Kingdom upon the earth, the age of the Christian Church, the Kingdom of heaven.

So, do you think the Robber at the Cross will go to the Hell? Didn't he believe in Jesus? Which group does he belong to? You cannot answer this question, can you?

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

Eliyahu:

"Rest of the people which include those who are Christ's but are not coming at His coming, but are to be resurrected later."

GE:

"Rest of the people" (not 'people', but "dead"), does NOT "include those who are Christ's";

Eliyahu:

That's your definition, not the Bible itself.

GE:

I beg your pardon! Rv20:5a "But the rest of THE DEAD ..."

 

[Eliyahu]

GE,
You better answer this question:

Rev 20

You have not interpretted Rev 20:4-5 but you cannot change the trurth by evading those verses:

Rev 20
4 And I saw thrones; and AA) they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them; and BB) the souls of those beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus, and on account of the word of God; and CC) those who had not done homage to the beast nor to his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and hand;and they lived and reigned with the Christ a thousand years: 5 DD) the rest of the dead did not live till the thousand years had been completed. This [is] the first resurrection.

Which group does the Robber at the Cross belong to?

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

So, do you think the Robber at the Cross will go to the Hell? Didn't he believe in Jesus? Which group does he belong to? You cannot answer this question, can you?

GE:

Were we not discussing Rv20 and 1Thess4? From where 'the robber'?
Haven't you read what I have said about 'the robber'? No you could not. So why should I say it if you won't read it in any case?

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

GE,
You better answer this question:

Rev 20

You have not interpretted Rev 20:4-5 but you cannot change the trurth by evading those verses:

Rev 20
4 And I saw thrones; and AA) they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them; and BB) the souls of those beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus, and on account of the word of God; and CC) those who had not done homage to the beast nor to his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and hand;and they lived and reigned with the Christ a thousand years: 5 DD) the rest of the dead did not live till the thousand years had been completed. This [is] the first resurrection.

Which group does the Robber at the Cross belong to?

GE:

Johns saw 'groups'? No, John "saw, THRONES AND THEY THAT SAT UPON THEM". In other words, John saw ONE 'group' - a group constituted of MANY AND ALL such as "ruled with Christ the Thousand Years".

Who are these: As one (group or kind): those who "lived and reigned with the Christ a thousand years", that included all 'witnesses', naturally -- 'witnesses' who were "beheaded for the faith of Jesus"; "those who had not done homage to the beast nor to his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and hand".

And we may add, ALL such as were NOT the, NOR of, "the REST (that) lived not the Thousand Years, lived not this the First Resurrection". ALL such as "lived not" - "came not to life" - "were not resurrected", "the Thousand Years", such as "lived not" - "came not to life" - "were not resurrected", "this the First Resurrection".

 

[Eliyahu]

GE:

Johns saw 'groups'? No, John "saw, THRONES AND THEY THAT SAT UPON THEM". In other words, John saw ONE 'group' - a group constituted of MANY AND ALL such as "ruled with Christ the Thousand Years".

Who are these: As one (group or kind): those who "lived and reigned with the Christ a thousand years", that included all 'witnesses', naturally -- 'witnesses' who were "beheaded for the faith of Jesus"; "those who had not done homage to the beast nor to his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and hand".

And we may add, ALL such as were NOT the, NOR of, "the REST (that) lived not the Thousand Years, lived not this the First Resurrection".

The main problem is that you don't know how to read the Bible.

Rev 20:4 clearly states 3 categories who will be resurrected. You cannot understand it.
If all 3 statements are for one group, did Paul refuse the homage to the Beast ( though he would refuse it if he lived the end times)? Then Paul wouldn't be resurrected at the first resurrection.
You are too much far away from the Bible. Read the Bible Rev 20.
verse 4 clearly states 3 cateogries of the Believers who are going to be resurrected at the time of First Resurrection, then verse 5 says the rest of the Dead will not be resurrected.
So, A+B+C will be the forerunners for the Kingdom, then the rest will be resurrected in verse 12. Read the Bible, then find out where the Robber at the Cross went to since he went to the Paradise along with Jesus Christ.

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

The main problem is that you don't know how to read the Bible.

Rev 20:4 clearly states 3 categories who will be resurrected. You cannot understand it.
If all 3 statements are for one group, did Paul refuse the homage to the Beast ( though he would refuse it if he lived the end times)? Then Paul wouldn't be resurrected at the first resurrection.
You are too much far away from the Bible. Read the Bible Rev 20.
verse 4 clearly states 3 cateogries of the Believers who are going to be resurrected at the time of First Resurrection, then verse 5 says the rest of the Dead will not be resurrected.
So, A+B+C will be the forerunners for the Kingdom, then the rest will be resurrected in verse 12. Read the Bible, then find out where the Robber at the Cross went to since he went to the Paradise along with Jesus Christ.

GE:

My 'main problem' is that I'm so impatient!

I don't know how to read the Bible? Maybe, yes, sometimes by far not. But maybe I can read words correctly sometimes, like when reading in Rv20:5, "the rest of the dead" and not, "the rest of the people".

And maybe I also understand the Bible that Rev 20:4 clearly states 3 categories who will be resurrected.

"If all 3 statements are for one group, did Paul refuse the homage to the Beast", you ask? Sorry for my defect; I cannot understand Eliyahu no way. Because I never realised Paul said something about the beast? Sorry man, is it because I don't know how to read Paul?

Is it because I don't know how to read the Bible that I read in Rv20 verse 5, where it says", "the rest of the Dead lived not" -- "lived not again" -- "had not been resurrected" -- where Eliyahu manages to read: "(they) will not be resurrected"?

So yes, A+B+C -- the witnesses who paid with their lives, all them that "died" and at present are "the dead" (the 'first of the dead'), will have lived in the Kingdom, with their Forerunner, even Christ, on thrones.

Then "the rest of the dead" - having been THOSE who had no part in the First Resurrection, the lost - together with the 'witnesses' who had partaken in the First Resurrection, the saved -- not "until the Thousand Years were finished" -- will all be resurrected together in verse 12.

 

[Eliyahu]

GE:



Is it because I don't know how to read the Bible that I read in Rv20 verse 5, where it says", "the rest of the Dead lived not" -- "lived not again" -- "had not been resurrected" -- where Eliyahu manages to read: "(they) will not be resurrected"?

Both Verse 4 and 5 have the verb εζησαν which was used in Re 2:8
All 3 are related to the Resurrection, meaning come to life. No one except you has argued on this.

So yes, A+B+C -- the witnesses who paid with their lives, all them that "died" and at present are "the dead" (the 'first of the dead'), will have lived in the Kingdom, with their Forerunner, even Christ, on thrones.

Then "the rest of the dead" - having been THOSE who had no part in the First Resurrection, the lost - together with the 'witnesses' who had partaken in the First Resurrection, the saved -- not "until the Thousand Years were finished" -- will all be resurrected together in verse 12.

If you are stuck with the preconception, you have no way to accept the Truth and to understand what the Holy Spirit tells you.

Your preconception is this:

First Resurrection = the Saved, the Good people

Second Resurrection = the Unsaved.

The Dead in verse 5 doesn't mean the spritual dead as it talks about the Resurrection.

Again you are trying to avoid the answer the question,

1) Which category does the Robber at the Cross belong to since he went to the Paradise along with Jesus Christ?

2) Are all Christian believers mentioned in verse 4 of Rev 20?

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

Both Verse 4 and 5 have the verb εζησαν which was used in Re 2:8
All 3 are related to the Resurrection, meaning come to life. No one except you has argued on this.

GE:

Have I not? I gave you any possibilities the word may mean in context. I, gave the Past Tense; You, disregarded the Past Tense, and made it Future Tense. Yet no one, except I, 'argued on this'? You, have paid no attention to the word at all!

Eliyahu:

If you are stuck with the preconception, you have no way to accept the Truth and to understand what the Holy Spirit tells you.

GE:
Implying, what Eliyahu, tells GE?

Eliyahu:

Your preconception is this:

First Resurrection = the Saved, the Good people

GE:
Right!


Eliyahu:
(Your preconception is this:)
Second Resurrection = the Unsaved.

GE:

Wrong! You haven't read my posts, or paid no attention! The Scriptures never speak of a 'second resurrection'. It only speaks of a "second death". (We may suppose, a 'second' resurrection of the saved though - the first their 'new birth'; the 'second', their resurrection in the last day -- together with "ALL the dead" Rv20:12f.)
My 'preconception', is, 'Second DEATH' = the Unsaved. Right!


Eliyahu:
(Your preconception is this:)
The Dead in verse 5 doesn't mean the spritual dead as it talks about the Resurrection.

GE:

No! My understanding is the Dead in verse 5 means the spritual dead of during the Thousand Years : "They lived NOT". My understanding is it talks not, 'about the Resurrection' of the verse 12f, but summarises the status quo during and of the "thousand years". In immediate proximity to the words "Thousand Years", it says, "... this the First Resurrection" - making of the two concepts, one : the one (symbolic) period of the the saints' regeneration (or 'First Resurrection') in the reign of "the Thousand Years with Christ". In which age "the rest of the dead (the ungodly) LIVED NOT".

Eliyahu:


Again you are trying to avoid the answer to the question,

1) Which category does the Robber at the Cross belong to since he went to the Paradise along with Jesus Christ?

GE:

I did answer you. I'll expand a bit. After that he on the cross had become a witness for the faith of Jesus (Rv20:4), the robber's life became "hidden in Christ in God". As from that very moment on he would "never see death" -- "the second death" of Rv20:5 -- as from the mouth of Christ Himself.

Eliyahu:

(Again you are trying to avoid the answer to the question,)

2) Are all Christian believers mentioned in verse 4 of Rev 20?

GE:

Again, I did answer you, properly! And the answer is, Yes! In fact, all believers of all times.

 

[Eliyahu]

GE,
You didn't answer my question. Because you never said where the Robber find the resurrection in Re 20.

Repeatedly I said to you verse 4 specifies 3 categories of the believers who will participate in the First Resurrection.

REpeatedly, Repeatedly, Repeatedly, Repeatedly, I said to you only 3 categories of Re 20:4 will be resurrected, then the rest of the Dead will not be resurrected until 1000 years.

Do those of Re 20:4 include all the Christin believers?
They don't cover all the Christians ! Read the verse again!

If you cannot understand my question, I have no way to help you to understand.

Let's see some other posters understand my questions.

 

[BobRyan]

Matt 27:
52: And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53: And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54: Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Everyone just skips over this like it did not happen!! It is skipped over because it does not fit into your literal earthly reign of which the church didn't accept until around the ninetenth century. I think it was John Darby, followed by D.L. Moody that resurrected this doctrine which was rejected beginning with St. Agustine until around the 19th Century.

I beg to differ.

I do not see the Bible teaching an "earthly reign" for 1000 years -- since no mention of "reign on earth" is given in Rev 20 WHERE the 1000 years IS specified.

So the 1000 years is REAL and future

The 2nd coming event of Rev 19 and 20 "REAL and future"

The Saints "RAISED FIRST" as the blessed and holy -- REAL and future

This all happens in the future and AT the 2nd coming according to Rev 20.

But that is not a "reign on earth" it is Christ "taking the saints" to His fathers house "that WHERE I am there you may be also" -- the church caught up in the air - raptured to heaven.

The FIRST resurrecition event of Rev 20 happens at the time of the 2nd coming event of Rev 19. The two chapters are in fact - one.

The resurrection of Christ AND those of Matt 27 are not mentioned because NONE of them were future events that WOULD happen at the time of the Rev 19 event.

John has being shown key future events that WOULD come to pass.

in Christ,

Bob

 

[Eric B]

The thing to do now is to look at the passage verse by verse:

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 (o. logos) 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.
20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again UNTIL the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
20:6 Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on 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.

This first resurrection is of these souls who were physically killed in the tribulation, yet now live again, as priests and kings. It excludes "the rest of the dead". So what happens to them?

20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to
gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the
beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the
false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away; and there was found no place for them.
20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book
was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in
the books, according to their works.
20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in
them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So here is another group, also pictured as being delivered out of a state of physical death, after the thousand years separating it from the first resurrection.

There are no saints who were spiritually dead (yet still saints) just now gaining spiritual life, and no spiritual life ever given to those who physically died spiritually dead. All we see here is physical death followed by renewing of physical life of two separate groups.

 

[BobRyan]

Let me reiterate my interpretation:

1) Christ
2) Christ's at His Coming
3) Rest of the people which include those who are Christ's but are not coming at His coming, but are to be resurrected later.

No other doctrine challenges me but the Word-to-Word interpretation.

then it would appear that 1Cor 15 denies your third group exists.

So also does 1Thess 4 deny your third group. "The dead in Christ rise FIRST" missing the key text "and then some OTHER dead in Christ will rise second".

So also does John 14:1-3 "I will come again and RECEIVE YOU" deny "and also receive some others after that"

So also does John 5 declaring "A resurrection of life" and then only one for the wiced "a resurrection of death"

Dan 7 and Dan 8 and Matt 24 and 2Thess 1 ALL point to the saints in all ages as PERSECUTED for the sake of Christ. The Rev 20:4-5 are the same group of saints seen all through scripture - persecuted and raised at the 2nd coming.

You have not interpretted Rev 20:4-5 but you cannot change the trurth by evading those verses:

4 And I saw thrones; and AA) they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them; and BB) the souls of those beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus, and on account of the word of God; and CC) those who had not done homage to the beast nor to his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and hand;and they lived and reigned with the Christ a thousand years: 5 DD) the rest of the dead did not live till the thousand years had been completed. This [is] the first resurrection.

Which group does the Robber at the Cross belong to?

The FIRST group: He is now among "the DEAD in Christ"

His prayer at his crucifixion with Christ was --

"Lord remember Me WHEN you come into your KINGDOM"

It all just works!! Why fight it??

What do you lose by simply going with what the text says?

in Christ,

Bob

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

GE,
You didn't answer my question. Because you never said where the Robber find the resurrection in Re 20.

GE:

He found his 'first resurrection' in vers 4, having been a witness for the faith of Jesus; and he found the resurrection of the righteous in Rv20:12f, having been justified by his faith in Jesus.

Eliyahu:

Repeatedly I said to you verse 4 specifies 3 categories of the believers who will participate in the First Resurrection.

REpeatedly, Repeatedly, Repeatedly, Repeatedly, I said to you only 3 categories of Re 20:4 will be resurrected, then the rest of the Dead will not be resurrected until 1000 years.

GE;

This is getting tedious. Read my answers!



Eliyahu:

Do those of Re 20:4 include all the Christin believers?
They don't cover all the Christians ! Read the verse again!

No matter how many times you read it it stays the same. No one saved cannot be 'fitted' into one at least of your 'categories'.

GE:

Eli:

If you cannot understand my question, I have no way to help you to understand.

GE:

I understand - 100%; it's not as if your thoughts are as higher than mine as God's. We're both just men.

Eliyahu:


Let's see some other posters understand my questions.

GE:

I'm sure they will be able to understand. But will they agree? I know of many who will not and of many who would not. Many, all witnesses for the faith of Jesus. You may recognise them by their witness --and suffering-- "Solus Christus; sola gratia; sola Scriptura; sole Deo gloria" -- 'Protestants' they were called; 'Reformed', and for long, 'Evangelical'.

 

[Eliyahu]

then it would appear that 1Cor 15 denies your third group exists.

So also does 1Thess 4 deny your third group. "The dead in Christ rise FIRST" missing the key text "and then some OTHER dead in Christ will rise second".

So also does John 14:1-3 "I will come again and RECEIVE YOU" deny "and also receive some others after that"

Not necessarily at one time! 1 Cor 15 tells us the ORDER which already implies the partial resurrection
1 Thess 4 doesn't say ALL first. There will be the first group.

So also does John 5 declaring "A resurrection of life" and then only one for the wiced "a resurrection of death"

they don't say any time sequence.

Dan 7 and Dan 8 and Matt 24 and 2Thess 1 ALL point to the saints in all ages as PERSECUTED for the sake of Christ. The Rev 20:4-5 are the same group of saints seen all through scripture - persecuted and raised at the 2nd coming.




The FIRST group: He is now among "the DEAD in Christ"

His prayer at his crucifixion with Christ was --

"Lord remember Me WHEN you come into your KINGDOM"

It all just works!! Why fight it??

What do you lose by simply going with what the text says?

in Christ,

Bob

YOu didn't answer which group for the Robber yet.

Does he belong to the Judges? to the Martyrs? to the End-time believers?

Tell me your idea.

 

[Brother Bob]

I beg to differ.

I do not see the Bible teaching an "earthly reign" for 1000 years -- since no mention of "reign on earth" is given in Rev 20 WHERE the 1000 years IS specified.

So the 1000 years is REAL and future

I don't see where the souls were resurrected either? How can "souls" be resurrected?

I do see where the rest of the dead were resurrected after the 1000 years and "this was the First resurrection".

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 (o. logos) 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.
20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again UNTIL the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

I also see where the souls were the sames ones who worshipped not the beast. KJV I don't see where it was talking about all the saints who had ever been, Where did that come from.

 

[BobRyan]

Eliyahu
Which group does the Robber at the Cross belong to?

Bob said --

The FIRST group - those RAISED FIRST not those raised AFTER the 1000 years (the REST of the dead")

: He is now among "the DEAD in Christ"

His prayer at his crucifixion with Christ was --

"Lord remember Me WHEN you come into your KINGDOM"

It all just works!! Why fight it??

What do you lose by simply going with what the text says?
[/quote]

YOu didn't answer which group for the Robber yet.

Does he belong to the Judges? to the Martyrs? to the End-time believers?

Tell me your idea.

REv 20 gives us TWO groups

1. Those raised AT the Rev 19 appearing of Christ for his Church - the 2nd coming.

2. THE REST of the DEAD - raised AFTER the 1000 years.

The thief is in the FIRST group -- known in ALL of scripture as the "persectuted saints" (See Dan 7:20-25)

This GROUP is the SAME group that we see PERSECUTED in Heb 11.

Rev 13 shows them as ALL being persected by the COMPOSITE of ALL beasts in Dan 7.

The saints are the ONLY ONES about whom it is said "OVER THESE the second death has NO POWER".

Just as Heb 11 only mentions the persecuted points of the OT age - so Rev 20:4 highlights the persecuted nature of the saints ..

As does Paul in 2Thess 1


5 This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.
6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,
8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction[/b], away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed for our testimony to you was believed.

Notice that those "persecuted" are "ALL WHO HAVE BELIEVED"

 

[BobRyan]

I don't see where the souls were resurrected either? How can "souls" be resurrected?

I do see where the rest of the dead were resurrected after the 1000 years and "this was the First resurrection".

"The souls CAME TO LIFE" and "THIS IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION" are both found there - how can you possibly ignore it??

 

[BobRyan]

I also see where the souls were the sames ones who worshipped not the beast. KJV I don't see where it was talking about all the saints who had ever been, Where did that come from.

Key point - who is "THE BEAST"??

Why not agree that it is the one in Rev 13?

Why not agree that in Rev 13 John describes a COMPOSITE of ALL 4 beast of Dan 7?

Why not agree that in BOTH Dan 7 AND in Rev the SAINTS are said to be persecuted UNTIL Christ comes and rescues them?

It is the SAME story - the same focus over and over and over again in scripture. How in the world can this be confusing?

in Chirst,

Bob

 

[BobRyan]

Rev 20
4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, [b] and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark[/b] on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Key Points:

• Rev 19 and 20 are one story – about the return of Christ “I will come again and receive you unto Myself”.
• Dan 7 and Rev 19-20 are the SAME story about the persecuted saints – not delivered UNTIL Christ comes
• Rev 20 refers to “What beast”?? The COMPOSITE beast of Rev 13 – a composite of all beasts in Dan 7!!
• John is looking at the FUTURE event (the coming of Christ Rev 19-20) not PAST events.

This is all future to John’s day. “They will be priests”, “They will reign”, “And then I saw – they came to life”

Question – WHO are the saints of Rev 20:1-5 who participate in the general resurrection of the saints?

1Thess 4: - the Dead in Christ rise FIRST
Rev 20:4-5 The “Holy And Blessed” raised in the “FIRST resurrection” over these 2nd death has NO p;ower.
1Peter 1:6-13 – this resurrection is THE focus of the entire NT church

#1. The souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony.
#2. those who of those who died for Word of God
#3. AND Those who had not worship the beast or his image
#4. AND Those who had not received the mark of the beast

This “persecuted saints” image the view of ALL saints since the fall of Adam?

Gen 3 – “I will put war and hatred between the seed of the woman and the seed of the snake”
Heb 11:4-40 – All the saints in all ages – persecuted and died without receiving the promise
Rev 6:9-11 Souls under the altar and their persecuted brethren on earth – dying
1 Peter 4; 12-14 – After you have endured persecution – then heaven.
Matt 24 – you will be persecuted – he who endures to the end – saved.
Dan 7:17-27 Saints persecuted in all ages until second coming ends it. No coasting

2Thess 1
5 This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.
6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when theLord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,
8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction[/b], away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed for our testimony to you was believed.

Notice that those "persecuted" are "ALL WHO HAVE BELIEVED"