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Rev. 20:4-6: The First Resurrection and The Thousand-Year Reign of Christ!
The First Resurrection
Chapter 20, Verse 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 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.
Verse 4a And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them:
After witnessing the binding and imprisonment of the enemy of our souls, John studied more of the scenes unfolding before him, whereupon, he saw two distinct groups of people, each distinguished from the other by a specific criterion: That is, whereas one group sat upon thrones and were granted the privilege and responsibility to judge, the other group was recognizable as victims who lost their lives at the hands of the beast, having been killed for their faith in Christ, on account of which faith they refused to worship the beast. Looking forward to the day of the group sitting upon the thrones, Paul, in his exasperation with the un-Christian like conduct of the saints among the Corinthians is known to have exclaimed: “…do you not know that saints will one day judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). Jesus promised the apostles that they would be seated upon twelve thrones, next to Him ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel, in His Kingdom. The churches (specifically, but not exclusively, Thyatira) were guaranteed “…power over the nations: and he will rule over them with a rod of iron, so that like a potter’s vessels, they will be broken to pieces, just as I will be permitted to do by God My Father” (2:26, 27). Moreover, in response to His salutation and opening remarks to the churches, at the beginning of the Apocalypse, John returned praise and adoration, acknowledging that “…all whom He (the Lord Jesus) loves, He has washed clean from all their (our) sins by His blood, and has made us to be kings and priests to God, who is also His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1:5, 6). This same theme is repeated by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders when the Lamb, having been identified and singled out as the only One worthy, came and took the Scroll out of the hand of His Father, seated upon the throne, at which sight they fell down and worshipped before Him, each with a harp and bowls of incense (representing the prayers of all the saints), singing to Him a new song: “…You are worthy to take the Scroll and to open its seals; for, having been slain You have redeemed us by Your blood from all the nations and people and language groups all around the world; and, You have made us to be kings and priests, in which case we shall rule on the earth” (5:1-10).
For these reasons, then, we can safely conclude that those whom John saw seated upon the thrones ready to do judgment are, on the one hand, none other than the pre-Apocalypse saints, the ones who rode, or, will ride back to earth with Him into the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:4, 10, 14; it will be kind of difficult to attend a Heavenly banquet, etc., and come back with the Lord, if we are not and have not been there already, to begin with!).
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By Alvin MitchellThe First Resurrection
Chapter 20, Verse 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 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.
Verse 4a And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them:
After witnessing the binding and imprisonment of the enemy of our souls, John studied more of the scenes unfolding before him, whereupon, he saw two distinct groups of people, each distinguished from the other by a specific criterion: That is, whereas one group sat upon thrones and were granted the privilege and responsibility to judge, the other group was recognizable as victims who lost their lives at the hands of the beast, having been killed for their faith in Christ, on account of which faith they refused to worship the beast. Looking forward to the day of the group sitting upon the thrones, Paul, in his exasperation with the un-Christian like conduct of the saints among the Corinthians is known to have exclaimed: “…do you not know that saints will one day judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). Jesus promised the apostles that they would be seated upon twelve thrones, next to Him ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel, in His Kingdom. The churches (specifically, but not exclusively, Thyatira) were guaranteed “…power over the nations: and he will rule over them with a rod of iron, so that like a potter’s vessels, they will be broken to pieces, just as I will be permitted to do by God My Father” (2:26, 27). Moreover, in response to His salutation and opening remarks to the churches, at the beginning of the Apocalypse, John returned praise and adoration, acknowledging that “…all whom He (the Lord Jesus) loves, He has washed clean from all their (our) sins by His blood, and has made us to be kings and priests to God, who is also His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1:5, 6). This same theme is repeated by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders when the Lamb, having been identified and singled out as the only One worthy, came and took the Scroll out of the hand of His Father, seated upon the throne, at which sight they fell down and worshipped before Him, each with a harp and bowls of incense (representing the prayers of all the saints), singing to Him a new song: “…You are worthy to take the Scroll and to open its seals; for, having been slain You have redeemed us by Your blood from all the nations and people and language groups all around the world; and, You have made us to be kings and priests, in which case we shall rule on the earth” (5:1-10).
For these reasons, then, we can safely conclude that those whom John saw seated upon the thrones ready to do judgment are, on the one hand, none other than the pre-Apocalypse saints, the ones who rode, or, will ride back to earth with Him into the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:4, 10, 14; it will be kind of difficult to attend a Heavenly banquet, etc., and come back with the Lord, if we are not and have not been there already, to begin with!).