And He said, to what shall we compare the kingdom of God? Or by what parable shall we compare it? [It is] like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth. But when it has been sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches, so as to enable the birds of the air to roost under its shade.Mark 4:30-32

He put out another parable to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat and went his way. But when the blade had sprung up and had produced fruit, then the darnel also appeared. So the servants of the householder came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where have the darnel come from? He said to them, An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, Then do you want us to go and gather them up? But he said, No, lest while you gather up the darnel you also root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather together the darnel and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my granary. Matthew 13:24-30

Then sending the crowds away, Jesus went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the darnel of the field. He answered and said to them, He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom; but the darnel are the sons of the evil [one]. The enemy who sowed them is the Devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the darnel are gathered and burned in the fire, so it shall be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send out His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous shall shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.Matthew 13:36-43

He spoke another parable to them: The kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened.Matthew 13: 33

It is apparent from these parables, that the kingdom was to be established over time, not with military might, but peaceably through the sowing of the Word and the patient waiting for spiritual fruit. The wicked would remain in the world until the end and then would be separated from the righteous and destroyed. The kingdom was to have a small beginning, like a mustard seed, but it would grow into a great and remarkable entity that would affect the whole world.

And speak to him, saying, So speaks the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the Man whose name [is] The BRANCH! And He shall spring up out of His place, and He shall build the temple of the LORD. Even He shall build the temple of the LORD; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne. And He shall be a priest on His throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. And the crowns shall be for a memorial in the temple of the LORD to Helem and to Tobijah and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah. And the distant ones shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And [this] shall be, if you will carefully obey the voice of the LORD your God.Zechariah 6:12-15

Compare this prophecy with:But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ......And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone]; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: Ephesians 2:13,20-21 Notice the similarities between the passages and the fact that Jesus is the chief cornerstone of the temple. The Greek word for temple is the same that is used of the temple in Jerusalem.

Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have practiced evil to the resurrection of condemnation. John 5:29 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.Matt 25:46 And I have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of [the] dead, both of the just and unjust.Acts 24:15 Let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather together the darnel and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my granary. Matthew 13:30 The enemy who sowed them is the Devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the darnel are gathered and burned in the fire, so it shall be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send out His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire.Matthew 13:39-42

These passages all have the resurrection of the just and unjust occurring at the same time and in Matthew 13 it specifically says that this will occur at the end of the world. It also says that the evil ones will be removed first.

Since Scripture cannot contradict Scripture, there must be another meaning to the first resurrection in Revelation. I believe it is the New Birth. Before we are born again, we are dead in sins and trespasses, after we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are raised with him. This suits the first resurrection perfectly.

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