The Reign of the Saints

Satan’s work in the world is evident in how he influences unbelievers (Ephesians 2:2; 2 Timothy 2:26) and blinds them from understanding the truth of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). But that manipulation—and all his other schemes—will be completely halted before the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:1–3).

Yet this great arrest of Satan and his malignity merely sets the stage for the kingdom, where Christ will reign on earth with his saints. This is described in Revelation 20:4–6,

Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

With Satan, his demon hosts, and all God-rejecting sinners out of the way, the millennial kingdom of peace and righteousness will be established. The supreme ruler in that kingdom will be, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (19:16), and “the Lord God will give Him [alone] the throne of His father David” (Luke 1:32). Yet He has graciously promised that His saints will reign with Him. They will rule subordinately over every aspect of life in the kingdom, and, being glorified and perfected, they will perfectly carry out His will.

In this vision, John sees the panorama of God’s people resurrected, rewarded, and reigning with Christ. He “saw thrones” (Revelation 20:4), symbolizing both judicial and regal authority, and God’s people “sat on them, and judgment was given to them.” The glorified saints will both enforce God’s will and adjudicate disputes.

Several suggestions have been offered concerning the identity of the saints on the thrones, but they can best be identified by determining who God promised would reign. Daniel 7:27 promises that the Old Testament saints will reign in the millennial kingdom: “Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.” Jesus promised the apostles that “you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). New Testament believers are also promised that they will reign with Christ. In 1 Corinthians 6:2 Paul wrote, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” while 2 Timothy 2:12 declares, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him” (see also Revelation 2:26; 3:21; 5:10).

The present passage introduces the last group of saints who will reign with Christ in His kingdom. As his vision continued, John “saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand” (Revelation 20:4). These are the martyred believers from the Tribulation (6:9; 7:9–17; 12:11). The Greek term for “beheaded” literally means “to cut off with an axe” and is a figure of speech meaning “to put to death” or “to execute.” The empire of Antichrist exterminated Tribulation saints because of their testimony of Jesus (cf. 1:9; 12:17; 19:10), because they faithfully proclaimed the Word of God (cf. 1:2; 6:9), and because they had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand (cf. 13:16–17; 14:9–11; 16:2; 19:20).

The First Resurrection

Because the Tribulation saints were faithful to death, evidencing their true salvation (cf. Matthew 24:13; Hebrews 3:14), John saw them also “[come] to life and [reign] with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4). The Greek word ezēsan (“they came to life”) cannot refer to a spiritual resurrection (regeneration or the new birth), since the Tribulation martyrs were already spiritually alive. When used in connection with physical death, the root form of ezēsan is used throughout the New Testament to describe physical, bodily resurrection (cf. 1:18; 2:8; 13:14; 20:5; Matthew 9:18; John 11:25).

Then John adds the parenthetical footnote that “the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed” (Revelation 20:5). These are the unbelieving dead of all ages, whose resurrection to judgment and damnation is described in verses 11–15. John calls the resurrection of the saints from all ages “the first resurrection.” Scripture also calls that resurrection the “resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:14; Acts 24:15), the “resurrection of life” (John 5:29), the resurrection of “those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Corinthians 15:23), and the “better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35). The use of anastasis here for “resurrection” offers further evidence that verse 4 refers to a physical resurrection. That word is used forty-two times in the New Testament, always of a physical resurrection (except in Luke 2:34, where the context clearly demands another meaning).

The phrase “blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:6) introduces the fifth of seven beatitudes in Revelation (cf. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 22:7, 14). Those who have a part in the first resurrection are blessed first of all because “the second death has no power [over them].” “The second death,” identified in verse 14 as “the lake of fire,” is eternal hell. The comforting truth is that no genuine child of God will ever face His eternal wrath. “Having now been justified by His blood,” Paul wrote, “we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:9).

Those who participate in the first resurrection are also blessed because “they will be priests of God and of Christ” (Revelation 20:6; cf. 1:6; 5:10). Believers are already “a royal priesthood,” called to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called [them] out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Believers now serve as priests by worshiping God and leading others to the knowledge of Him, and will continue in that capacity during the millennial kingdom.

A final blessing for the participants in the first resurrection is that they “will reign with [the Lord Jesus Christ] for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6), along with believers who survive the Tribulation. Politically and socially, the rule of Christ and His saints will be universal (Psalm 2:6–8; Daniel 2:35), absolute (Psalm 2:9; Isaiah 11:4), and righteous (Isaiah 11:3–5). Spiritually, their rule will be a time when the believing remnant of Israel is converted (Jeremiah 31:2–8; Romans 11:26) and the nation is restored to the land God promised to Abraham (Genesis 13:14–15; 15:18). It will be a time when the Gentile nations also will worship the King (Isaiah 11:9; Micah 4:2; Zechariah 14:16). The millennial rule of Christ and the saints will also be marked by the presence of righteousness, peace (Isaiah 32:17), and joy (Isaiah 12:3–4; 61:3, 7). Physically, it will be a time when the Curse is lifted (Isaiah 11:7–9; 30:23–24; 35:1–2, 7), when food will be plentiful (Joel 2:21–27), and when there will be physical health and well-being (Isaiah 33:24; 35:5–6), leading to long life (Isaiah 65:20).

As wonderful as the millennial kingdom will be, there are still more events to follow it on God’s eschatological timeline. Next time, we’ll answer the question, What happens after the millennium?