Perhaps it failed to register (on you) that Ellen White failed to provide any biblical evidence for an idea drawn out of thin air (EGW, 1SG 193.1).

On the other hand, Jesus speaks of those who will be better off not having been born:

• JUDAS: "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born." (Mark 14:21)
   
• PEDOPHILES: "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." (Luke 17:2)

And, Jesus (and Paul) also speaks about the resurrection of EVERYONE.

• See John 5:28, "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which ALL WHO ARE IN THE GRAVES will hear His voice ..."
   
• See Rom. 14:10-12, "For WE SHALL ALL stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: 'As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.' So then EACH OF US shall give account of himself to God."

According to Jesus Christ (and Paul) then, ALL who are in the graves, we shall ALL (EACH ONE of us) be raised, bow and confess. Therefore, the "STRANGE" idea that only some will be raised (EGW, 1SG 193.1) is false, misleading and beguiling.

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No, Elle, I didn't find where you replied. But the above was to green as he thought I was replying to him.

No -- I believe that ALL that are raised at the 1st resurrection will be "beheaded"[spiritually speaking]. For sure some will had suffered a literal form of beheaded death before the grave, but most not. I do not believe that a literal beheading before death is a requirement to attain the 1st resurrection like James is proposing. To me it just doesn't add up with many other scriptures. If that would be so then that would means many like David, Joseph, Jacob, Moses, Paul, John, etc... won't make it just because they didn't die with a physical literal head chopping?

Well at least, that's my view... and I think our Church doesn't holds James view on this text either -- well at least I've never heard of it before. Actually I had never paid any reflection on this "beheaded" words in that verse before. So I'm grateful James brought it up. I had found myself agreeing with James many times, as I have seen him say some pretty profound things; but I'm not agreeing with this one.

But like all things...everyone needs to chew on this, look what other scriptures says, and go to the Holy Spirit with this and let Him tell you His interpretation.

James, SDAs believe everyone will be raised. I (& I think Adventist) don't agree with Green's 3 resurrections theory, but putting Green's pre-1st resurrection aside, my understanding is SDAs believe that the 1st resurrection is for only the ones that did "good" and the 2nd resurrection is for the "evil" which constitute everyone else that is raised and end up annihilated.

Actually, I believe in FOUR general resurrections--but three of those are future.

The very first one was the one that occurred at Jesus' resurrection. Others were resurrected in a "special group" of first-fruits that, in my understanding, have become the elders in heaven spoken of in Revelation. They join Moses, Elijah, and Enoch as witnesses in Heaven for all of humanity that what God has done is fair and good.

Could it be possible that you do not understand all these verses? That there's more to it than what you read superficially?

Rev 20:5,6 repeats twice that the FIRST(not the 3rd or 2nd) resurrection takes place before the Millennium at Jesus 2nd coming. And then the bible tells us there's another resurrection after the Millennium. To me these verses tells me there's 2 resurrections.

Is one who rejects truth trying to instruct someone else to do likewise?

I have it on good authority

that people were raised with Jesus and taken to heaven as first-fruits of His work of redemption here on earth.

Furthermore, consider when Revelation was written. If the author were looking forward in time, there would have been no need to consider this first special resurrection.

In fact, there are two "mass" resurrections and two special resurrections.

B4. The 1st Resurrection of the Overcomers : The day of Trumpet was known by the Jewish circle as “the day of the Awakening Blast”. My view is the first resurrection happens at the Feast of trumpet. However, those that are alive are only changed at the 1st day of the Feast of Tabernacle. So there's a 14 days gap of time before these two groups of Overcomers get’s unified. The Day of Atonement is in between these two events. The purpose of the 1st resurr. event is to prepare the hearts of all the believers for the day of Atonement. It is important because it will bring much repentance amongst the Church leaders and members. I think Joel 2:12-18 indicates that the Church leaders will blow the Jubilee trumpet on that day.

But for this subject at hand, it is important to note that the 1st resurrection is a restrictive resurrection that calls only the Leaders of the Kingdom as Rev 20:4-6 indicates.

Rev 20:4-6 “And I saw the thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the soul of those who had been beheaded…who had not worshipped the beast…; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 This is the first resurrection. 6. Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection;….they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. ”

Law: The command given to Moses to construct two trumpets(Num 10:4) which suggest two resurrection. The blowing of one trumpet summoned the priests and leaders (Num 10:4); whereas two trumpets blown summoned the whole congregation(Num 10:3).

Scriptures : 1Thes 4:16(notice trumpet is in singular form); Rev 20:4-6; 1Kg 17:17-24; Joel 2:1-11;
Literal : Only the leaders[Overcomers] are raised. Those that are alive are changed 14 days later at the 1st day of Tabernacle.

C8. The 2nd Resurrection :

The first resurrection is described as a selective resurrection of those who will rule with Christ during the Millennium in Rev 20:4 (see event #B4). Only one trumpet was blown in 1 Thes 4:16 and 1Cor 15:52 by which in Num 10:4 says it summons only the Leaders. And again consistently, Jesus also associated the sound of “a trumpet” to “gather together his elect ” in Mat 24:31.

All the texts associated with the 2nd resurrection have no mentions of trumpet or trumpets; however it describes the group in some way as “all” or “the rest” :

-Rev 20:5 : “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. ”

-John 5:28 : “ ALL who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, 29 and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds…, those who commited the evil deeds…”. John 5 says it is ALL who are in the tombs hear His voice. Contrasting this verse with the 1st resurr. in 1 Thes 4:16 worded as “the dead in Christ”; that does not mean all is in this resurrection but only those in Christ

-Rev 20:12 : ““the dead, the great and the small”. This implies ALL.

-Acts 24:15 : “that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. ” Paul says there’s A(one or a certain) resurrection for both “the just and unjust”. This is a similar text as John 5.


Law: The two trumpets Moses commanded to build. One trumpet sound
Scriptures : 1st: 1Thes 4:16; Rev 20:4,6; Mat 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; 2nd: John 5:28,28; Acts 24:15; Rev 20:5;
Literal : All who remains in the graves (those that does good deeds and those that does evil deeds) resurrect.

Each of the special resurrections may include only a small, select group--one for saints, one for the lost. Again, with the mass resurrections, one is for saints, one is for the lost.

The Bible is clear on the two mass resurrections as to who each is for and at what point they occur in relation to earth's history.

Christ arose from the dead as the first fruits of those that slept. He was the antitype of the wave sheaf, and His resurrection took place on the very day when the wave sheaf was to be presented before the Lord. For more than a thousand years this symbolic ceremony had been performed. From the harvest fields the first heads of ripened grain were gathered, and when the people went up to Jerusalem to the Passover, the sheaf of first fruits was waved as a thank offering before the Lord. Not until this was presented could the sickle be put to the grain, and it be gathered into sheaves. The sheaf dedicated to God represented the harvest. So Christ the first fruits represented the great spiritual harvest to be gathered for the kingdom of God. His resurrection is the type and pledge of the resurrection of all the righteous dead. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." 1 Thessalonians 4:14. {DA 785.4}

As Christ arose, He brought from the grave a multitude of captives. The earthquake at His death had rent open their graves, and when He arose, they came forth with Him. They were those who had been co-laborers with God, and who at the cost of their lives had borne testimony to the truth. Now they were to be witnesses for Him who had raised them from the dead. {DA 786.1}

During His ministry, Jesus had raised the dead to life. He had raised the son of the widow of Nain, and the ruler's daughter and Lazarus. But these were not clothed with immortality. After they were raised, they were still subject to death. But those who came forth from the grave at Christ's resurrection were raised to everlasting life. They ascended with Him as trophies of His victory over death and the grave. These, said Christ, are no longer the captives of Satan; I have redeemed them. I have brought them from the grave as the first fruits of My power, to be with Me where I am, nevermore to see death or experience sorrow. {DA 786.2}

These went into the city, and appeared unto many, declaring, Christ has risen from the dead, and we be risen with Him. Thus was immortalized the sacred truth of the resurrection. The risen saints bore witness to the truth of the words, "Thy dead men shall live, together with My dead body shall they arise." Their resurrection was an illustration of the fulfillment of the prophecy, "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Isaiah 26:19. {DA 786.3}

Another witness...

That is not a witness, it's a commentary that need to be tested.

1. I hear that the Desired of Ages is one of the book that was made clear that Ellen White didn't write. It was her secretary that wrote it. However, it seems that Ellen did approve it and put her name on it. I say "it seems" as history is known to be distorted by the Jesuit. Regardless, all things has to be tested with scriptures.

2. No where in scripture does it say that those that was raise were raised to immortality.

3. No where in scripture does it say that they were the firstfruits. Actually that goes against what Paul said. He said they were the firstfruits and no one of them got changed to immortality yet and they all died.

4. If this was the raising of the firstfruits and a group raised to immortality -- at least one of the other disciples and apostles would of commented on it. That would of been a huge event. No one comments on it because these people wasn't raised to immortality and weren't firstfruits.

5. Jesus was the wave sheaf -- the firstfruits of the Barley harvest. When a firstfruits was presented at the temple, it blessed the harvest and everyone went to harvest their entire field. The harvest was not a partial harvest as what you are suggesting. So right there, it is not speaking according to the law. It was the whole field that was harvested.

Jesus was the HEAD of the first Harvest of Barley. The Barley Harvest represents the Leaders- the overcomers at the 1st resurrection. They constitute the BODY of the first harvest. And the Barley Harvest (those raised at 1st resurr. + those alive) will be unified together as a group just before Jesus 2nd coming when the HEAD will be attached to the BODY together representing the Barley Firstfruits Harvest.

Their's 3 harvests, the next one is the Wheat harvest that represents the Church people that still have some leaven in them. The Wheat harvest is Pentecost which the main sacrifice was two loaves of leaven bread. They will gain their immortality robe once they are tested by fire and receives their lashing (whatever this means in a literal fulfilment).

The third harvest is the Grapes that represents the unbelievers. They are those whose name are not in the book of life and are cast in the lake of fire which is the execution their judgment is some form of servitude until the Great Jubilee comes. Then they will be return to their lost inheritance which is the glorified immortal body.

Our evidence established two points: 1. The fact that the sanctuary should be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days, and that they should terminate in the seventh month, 1844. 2. The types in the example and shadow of heavenly things, set before us the work of the high priest in the seventh month, viz.: his act of passing from the holy place to the holiest of all, to cleanse the sanctuary. We reasoned, that as the paschal lamb, which was slain on the fourteenth day of the first month, met its antitype in the death of the Lamb of God, on that day (Ex. 12:3-6, 46; 1 Cor. 5:7; John 18:23; 19:36); and the offering of the first-fruits on the sixteenth day of that month, met its antitype in the resurrection of Christ, on that day, the first fruits of them that slept (Lev. 28:10, 15; 1 Cor. 15:20, 23; Matt. 28:1, 2); and the feast of Pentecost met its antitype on the day of its occurrence {1872 JNA, S23D 94.3}

This text is clear, emphatic, and repeated; which distinctly teaches Christ the first fruits of them that slept; afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming, when both the dead and living will be the first fruits to God and the lamb conjointly. To harmonize the type, the saints at Christ's second coming are the next or second fruits to God at the second or last harvest in the 7th month, the revolution, or ingathering of the year, the feast of Tabernacles. Another writer J.Porter, states, that Jesus took these saints that arose at Jerusalem right up to his Father, and then received his power, and returned the same day; and he might also have added, travelled with the two to Emmaus, seven and a half miles; and as others will have it, was back time enough to keep the whole day with his disciples, for the first Sabbath after his resurrection. If we really want the truth, God will give it to us, but not by rejecting other truths. {1848 JB, SC3 219.1}
Now let us see whether the description of character given in these five verses of the 144,000, will apply to the saints that arose in Jerusalem at the resurrection. In the first place, these were never numbered. Second - The record is entirely silent about their being united in their trials and experience, so sing a peculiar song of their own. Third - These were not redeemed form among men, on the earth, but out from among the dead. Fourth - They could not be the first fruit before the harvest, for Paul says, "Christ the first fruits, afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming," (second coming,) not them that were his at his going away at his first advent, - first harvest. That would be a clear perversion of the text; we must wait for the second harvest for the next fruit, 7th month. Fifth - To say that they were virgins, and not defiled with women, is only admitting what we know nothing about. Sixth - John saw the messenger that sealed, and says the number was 144,000; all this, was sixty years what transpired at Jerusalem. This is out of the limits of his vision; and what will, and does forever, destroy this erroneous view is, that the four winds are to be holden by the four Angel nations, until the whole number were sealed, and they have not let go yet; unless it can be proved that it was done 1800 years ago. That old Jerusalem was called a holy place; see Exo.9:8; Acts 6:13; also the testimony of Jesus, Matt.24:15 {1848 JB, SC3 219.2}

The priest did not enter the temple with only one head of grain, he waved a handful before the Lord; neither did Jesus come forth from the grave alone, for "many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection." 4 While the Jews were preparing to perform the empty service of the offering of first-fruits in the temple, and the Roman soldiers were telling the people that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus, these resurrected saints went through the streets of the city, proclaiming that Christ had indeed risen. 5 {1914 SNH, CIS 110.1}
It is a sad fact that even the disciples who loved their Lord were so blinded that they could not recognize the fact that
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the time had come for the appearance of the great Antitype of the service they had yearly celebrated all their lives; and even when they listened to the announcement of His resurrection, it seemed to them as an idle tale, and they believed it not. 6 But God never lacks for agents. When living human beings are dumb, He awakens sleeping saints to perform his appointed work. In the type the grain was waved in the temple, and to fulfil the antitype Christ must present Himself and the company who had risen with Him before God in the first apartment of the heavenly temple. {1914 SNH, CIS 110.2}
In the early morning of the resurrection day, when Jesus appeared to Mary, she fell at His feet to worship Him, but Jesus said to her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God." 7 In these words Jesus notified His followers of the great event to take place in heaven, hoping that on earth there might be an answering chord to the wonderful rejoicing in heaven; but just as they had slept in the garden on the night of Christ's agony, and failed to give Him their sympathy, 8 so now, blinded by unbelief, they failed to share the joy of the Saviour's great triumph. Later on the same day Jesus appeared to His followers, and allowed them to hold Him by the feet and worship Him, 9 showing that in the meantime He had ascended to His Father. {1914 SNH, CIS 111.1}
Paul tells us that when Christ ascended up on high, "He led a multitude of captives." 10 In speaking of them in Rom. 8:29,30, he tells how this company of resurrected saints, who came forth from their graves with Christ, were chosen. They were "predestinated," then called, "and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also
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glorified". This was done that "He might be the first-born among many brethren." This company was composed of individuals chosen from every age, from that of Adam down to the time of Christ. They were no longer subject to death, but ascended with Christ as trophies of His power to awaken all that sleep in their graves. As the handful of grain in the typical service was a pledge of the coming harvest, so these saints were a pledge of the innumerable company that Christ will awaken from the dust of the earth when He comes the second time as King of kings and Lord of lords. 11 {1914 SNH, CIS 111.2}
Little did the inhabitants of earth dream of the wonderful antitypical offering of first-fruits that was being celebrated in the heavenly temple at the time the Jews were carrying out the empty forms in the temple on earth. {1914 SNH, CIS 112.1}

Now, what next becomes of these? In his resurrection from the dead, Christ was "the first fruits of them that slept." 1 Cor. 15:20. In connection with his resurrection also "many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." Matt. 27:50-53. This "multitude of captives" Jesus led when he ascended up on high. Eph. 4:8, margin. In this resurrection of the saints he "spoiled" the "principalities and powers" that were at enmity with God. And when he led these saints "up on high," this was his triumph over these principalities and powers. Col. 2:15. {January 30, 1900 ATJ, ARSH 72.3}
This resurrection of Christ and the saints was the antitype of the wave offering of "the first fruits" of the harvest, which, annually, on the sixteenth day of the first month, was waved before the Lord. Lev. 23:10-12. That wave sheaf of the first fruits offered to the Lord was a sample of the whole harvest. Accordingly, Christ and these saints rising fro the dead, "the first fruits of them that slept," as the antitype of that wave sheaf of the first fruits in the Levitical law, were a sample of the whole harvest of saints that should be gathered from all the earth, in all ages. As with these, so with all the others. And as these ascended up on high with Christ when he ascended, so will all the other saints from this world ascend up on high with Christ when he ascends again. {January 30, 1900 ATJ, ARSH 72.4}
Those who ascended to heaven with Jesus in triumph, after his resurrection, were seen by John in heaven. "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests." Rev. 5:9, 10. {January 30, 1900 ATJ, ARSH 72.5}

Are they all Jesuits, Elle, who would understand things differently than you?

There is an old picture from the 1888 conference having all the men(5 of them) sitting next to Ellen in the front row doing the masson's secret hidden hand symbol. There is an interesting discussion here on this forum about this. Only from the picture there's a large possibility that the SDA Church was infiltrated as early as 1888 or even sooner. So to me those that suspect any writings beyond 1881 is not that far fetch.