Conflicting Kingdoms Book 8 – First resurrection

The leaders of the Reformation of the 16th to 18th centuries were unified in their fervent teaching declaring the Pope to be the Antichrist. As a result of the teaching of the Reformers, millions of people who were being brought to Christ, left the false Roman Catholic system. In an effort to bring these people back into their church, the Roman Pontiff instructed a Jesuit priest, Francisco Ribera, to undermine the prevailing Reform teaching by means of a false counter-teaching. This doctrine would present the Antichrist as a singular infidel who would make his appearance in the future after a so-called rapture, and who would rule the world once Jesus had come to take His saints away into heaven. This doctrine would effectively remove the accusing Protestant finger from the false Roman Papal system. This Jesuit teaching published in 1591, formed the foundation of the doctrine we now know as the futurist interpretation of Bible prophecy.

Before we look at the beautiful promises related to the first resurrection, we need to understand the heart of the teaching about the return of Jesus back to earth as King, the victorious event which will precipitate the first resurrection. Naturally, then, we would need to expose the many false teachings that have their root in the futurist Roman doctrine. This futurist teaching has caused so much confusion among believers that many refuse to even discuss the subject. Yet the promise of the return of Jesus and the resurrection of the just forms the central core of our future hope.

Again, we see the conflicting kingdom of darkness busy bringing confusion among the believers to weaken their resistance by particularly removing their Christian hope. The Scripture teaches us clearly that without hope there can be no faith. Faith is based on hope. It is therefore vital that our faith and hope is firmly founded on the truth of the Word.

So let us start this teaching by laying some of the foundations of faith and hope which has been stolen from us through false teachings about the end times.