revelation 20.4-6

Moving now to Re 20.4-6 in my journey toward amillennialism ... while these verses describe a thousand-year period, there is no compelling reason to consider them as a separate thousand years from those described in Re 20.1-3.

Let's analyze this by first asking where are the thrones described in verse 4? Of the 47 times "throne" is used in Revelation, only 3 denote a place other than heaven (Leon Morris, The Revelation of St. John). Given the souls of those beheaded are seen there, it is likely that that verse 4 is consistent with the bulk of other uses of the word throne and John has shifted his focus to heaven. Therefore verses 1-3 are describing activities on earth during this period while versus 4-6 will describe activities in heaven for the same period.

Here we see those who have been persecuted and are now dead, i.e., the martyrs, as reigning with Christ (cf. Dan 7.22; Re 6.9). The last portion of verse 4, "those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands," may be interpreted a couple of ways. One possibility, is that John means all Christians who had remained true to Christ and resisted evil until the end.

Whoever they are, they come to life again (v. 4). But this is not likely a physical resurrection given Re 20.11-13 unless one believes in two bodily resurrections - believers at the beginning of the resurrection and non-believers at the end. I do not believe that (Jn 5.28-29; Acts 24.15) and therefore do not see the resurrection in verse 5 as referring to a physical one. The interpretation I prefer is simply that these are those who have physically died but as believers in Christ they now live and reign with him. Great happiness is theirs (Phil 1.23; 2 Cor 5.8; Rev 3.21).

As for the rest that are raised (v. 5), this is separate. While I believe that this is similar in nature in that it is not a physical resurrection, I believe this applies to the unbelieving dead. These do not live or reign with Christ during this period. In contrast believers who are raised again enjoy a new life in heaven. This is the case throughout the thousand year reign.

Verse 6 tells us that the "second death" has no power over the believing dead. Again, in contrast, the unbelieving dead will taste of it. They will go to a place of everlasting punishment.

Good news - we will rise to enjoy God forever beginning in this age. We will reign with Jesus and not taste death again.

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