Who are they ? Revelation 20:4-6

[Berean Tim]

A question for those who believe the 1000 year reign is past or current. Who are they ? The beheaded ones who came to life and reigned with Christ a 1000 years.


Revelation 20: 4 to 6

4Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years

 

[HTacianas]

A question for those who believe the 1000 year reign is past or current. Who are they ? The beheaded ones who came to life and reigned with Christ a 1000 years.


Revelation 20: 4 to 6

4Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years

Those are all those Christians who were beheaded by the Romans for refusing to worship the image of the emperor.

 

[com7fy8]

Well, if the thousand years are current, then those beheaded ones are reigning, right now . . . with a rod of iron, I would say this would mean. It doesn't look like they are any of the politicians and tyrants who are active on this earth > this world's rulers seem to all be having problems getting what they want. And the ones of Jesus would rule in His unselfish way . . . not what is showing in this world's secular ruling, I would say.

Even so . . . in us, now, we can reign with Jesus, by submitting to God and resisting Satan > James 4:7 > and discover how our Father succeeds in ruling us in His own peace in our "hearts" > Colossians 3:15.

 

[com7fy8]

Those are all those Christians who were beheaded by the Romans for refusing to worship the image of the emperor.

I thought the Romans crucified ones they did not like. Beheading would be maybe too quick, so ones would not suffer enough to make the punishment effective as much as crucifixion would be.

 

[Berean Tim]

Those are all those Christians who were beheaded by the Romans for refusing to worship the image of the emperor.

Ok. Who were they ? What happened to them after the thousand years ? When did that end ? They reigned with Christ , past tense. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years ended. Again past tense. If not a future prophecy there should be endless commentary of " the beheaded ones ruling"

 

[HTacianas]

I thought the Romans crucified ones they did not like. Beheading would be maybe too quick, so ones would not suffer enough to make the punishment effective as much as crucifixion would be.

Generally, the Romans did not crucify Roman citizens. Roman citizens were entitled to death by beheading. Non Roman citizens were subject to most any form of execution at all.

Tradition holds that Paul, as a Roman citizen, see Acts 22:25-27, was beheaded in Rome. Peter, as a subject but without citizenship, was crucified. That the Revelation identifies those saints as being beheaded, it does not rule out those who were executed by other means.

 

[HTacianas]

Ok. Who were they ? What happened to them after the thousand years ? When did that end ? They reigned with Christ , past tense. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years ended. Again past tense. If not a future prophecy there should be endless commentary of " the beheaded ones ruling"

It's not in chronological order. The writer says "I saw...and I saw...and I saw..." But what he saw overlaps, sometimes before, sometimes after, sometimes during the 1000 years.

Christianity has always held that martyrs and righteous saints pass from life directly into the presence of God, and "live and reign with Christ". As reigning with Christ we ask them to intercede for us.

 

[Brian Mcnamee]

the passage is future as it is linked to other ideas at the same time. The beast and false prophet are thrown into the fire at that time. Satan is bound at that time. The nations he deceived will no longer be deceived while he is bound for the 1000 years and then released. This passage shows that in Rev 13 the beast and false prophet persecute the church and Jews for 42 months. in rev 6 we see the beginning of this 9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. So the confusion comes from all the teaching on the church being spiritual Israel and the spiritual kingdom being the real kingdom. A wise man told me to eat the chicken and spit out the bones. You can make a case that the kingdom of heaven is now as all saved will inherit it. All are saved now by the new covenant and Israel is those governed by God that is born again. This does not eliminate the many many future prophecies about the LORD being king over all the earth and reigning from Jerusalem. This is a subject that would need a long book to detail but every passage will integrate completely and the future view is able to do that without twisting the text and it passes the smell test. Would the world if Christ were king be in the state it is today? Passing all the bliss to the new Jerusalem wont work. The fact too is future expectations need Israel and Jerusalem to be the center point of global tension. We need to see the land divided and the return of the sacrifice for the abomination of desolation to occur in. We need to see global morality upside-down and rival that of Sodom and pre flood. We need to see false covetous teachers in most pulpits too. We need to see a global government form and a new system of buying and selling come about. All of these things are happening now which is the greatest evidence that the middle of the Daniels 70th week is the same point that Rev 13 says 42 months to go and Daniels 7 says the pompous one will have a time times and half a time or 42 months. both of these are destroyed at the brightness of His coming and dominion is taken from them and they are given to the flame. This establishes that the 42 month are literal from the abomination of desolation and these events are related to the beginning of the 1000 years which would also be literal.

 

[_Dave_]

A question for those who believe the 1000 year reign is past or current. Who are they ? The beheaded ones who came to life and reigned with Christ a 1000 years. Revelation 20: 4 to 6

4Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years

The previous verses tell us by context who they are. This is the beginning of the Millennium, and they are the ones who were beheaded for Jesus and, very importantly, did not worship the beast nor receive his mark.

It's interesting to note that this text will be available to all those who are left behind after the rapture, and it will probably be devoured by millions experiencing not only God's wrath during the tribulation but the persecutions of the antichrist and his minions as well.

In a sense, then, this is a gospel message encouraging these martyred believers and assuring them that in a very little time they will be resurrected and reigning with Christ.

 

[com7fy8]

Generally, the Romans did not crucify Roman citizens. Roman citizens were entitled to death by beheading. Non Roman citizens were subject to most any form of execution at all.

This makes sense. Thank you for sharing what others, too, might not know.

Tradition holds that Paul, as a Roman citizen, see Acts 22:25-27, was beheaded in Rome. Peter, as a subject but without citizenship, was crucified.

I would say this is consistent with what you shared, above, about there being a difference in legal procedure for citizens, versus non-citizens.

Today, by the way, we see how a native-born American ISIS fighter can be treated in court differently than a captured ISIS fighter from another country, who is in American custody. So, law can apply differently between a citizen and non-citizen, even when both are guilty of the same item.

That the Revelation identifies those saints as being beheaded, it does not rule out those who were executed by other means.

But Jesus doesn't mention other measures. And I think Christianity is to be spread to the whole world . . . a little outside only the Roman Empire zone. And ones doing the beheading, during the great tribulation, might be so vexed by the plagues, that they have no more time than it takes to cut of a Christian's head, before they are fleeing onward from God's wrath judgments.

So, I'm not sure they will have the time for punishments which take more time.

 

[Jonathan Mathews]

Those are all those Christians who were beheaded by the Romans for refusing to worship the image of the emperor.

That can't be because none of them are resurrected.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

A question for those who believe the 1000 year reign is past or current. Who are they ? The beheaded ones who came to life and reigned with Christ a 1000 years.


Revelation 20: 4 to 6

4Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years

John the Baptist was beheaded for Jesus Christ of Nazareth. In the OT the Philistines, Babylonians and Assyrians practiced beheading of those they conquered, presenting the heads to the King as proof. Also, beheading was the only mode of execution which a Jewish king might employ upon his own people. Herod took great pleasure in killing by sword. He wanted to be exalted and popular for his power. He opposed Christianity and killed its leaders while arraying himself with god-like pomp.

 

[HTacianas]

This makes sense. Thank you for sharing what others, too, might not know.

I would say this is consistent with what you shared, above, about there being a difference in legal procedure for citizens, versus non-citizens.

Today, by the way, we see how a native-born American ISIS fighter can be treated in court differently than a captured ISIS fighter from another country, who is in American custody. So, law can apply differently between a citizen and non-citizen, even when both are guilty of the same item.

But Jesus doesn't mention other measures. And I think Christianity is to be spread to the whole world . . . a little outside only the Roman Empire zone. And ones doing the beheading, during the great tribulation, might be so vexed by the plagues, that they have no more time than it takes to cut of a Christian's head, before they are fleeing onward from God's wrath judgments.

So, I'm not sure they will have the time for punishments which take more time.

I believe "the great tribulation" happened a long time ago. And the tribulation the writer spoke about was occurring during his own time. He wrote:

Rev 1:9 - I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation...

He was writing to people who were sharing in that tribulation to encourage them to persevere.

 

[HTacianas]

That can't be because none of them are resurrected.

How do you know that?

 

[Berean Tim]

It's not in chronological order. The writer says "I saw...and I saw...and I saw..." But what he saw overlaps, sometimes before, sometimes after, sometimes during the 1000 years.

Christianity has always held that martyrs and righteous saints pass from life directly into the presence of God, and "live and reign with Christ". As reigning with Christ we ask them to intercede for us.

Chronological order - VS 1 Then I saw an angel... VS 3 After that he must be released ...VS 4 Then I saw the thrones .... VS 7 And when the thousand years are ended ... Seems chronological to me

Jesus is our only intercessor
Romans 8:34 34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Hebrews 7:2525Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermostb those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

 

[Jonathan Mathews]

How do you know that?

Revelation 20:4-5 The only people Jesus Christ starts the 1,000 year reign with are those who are resurrected. "This is the first resurrection". The rest are NOT resurrected until after the 1,000 year.

We are not in the 1,000 year reign because the Word says satan will be locked in Hell during this time, and I have personally met Satan at least 4 times and neither of us were in Hell. Satan is currently roaming the earth. He is not in Hell.

 

[Jonathan Mathews]

Well, if the thousand years are current, then those beheaded ones are reigning, right now . . . with a rod of iron, I would say this would mean. It doesn't look like they are any of the politicians and tyrants who are active on this earth > this world's rulers seem to all be having problems getting what they want. And the ones of Jesus would rule in His unselfish way . . . not what is showing in this world's secular ruling, I would say.

Even so . . . in us, now, we can reign with Jesus, by submitting to God and resisting Satan > James 4:7 > and discover how our Father succeeds in ruling us in His own peace in our "hearts" > Colossians 3:15.

Exactly. This one of the things HTAcianas is wrong about.

 

[HTacianas]

Chronological order - VS 1 Then I saw an angel... VS 3 After that he must be released ...VS 4 Then I saw the thrones .... VS 7 And when the thousand years are ended ... Seems chronological to me

Jesus is our only intercessor
Romans 8:34 34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Hebrews 7:2525Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermostb those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Jes

Revelation 20:4-5 The only people Jesus Christ starts the 1,000 year reign with are those who are resurrected. "This is the first resurrection". The rest are NOT resurrected until after the 1,000 year.

We are not in the 1,000 year reign because the Word says satan will be locked in Hell during this time, and I have personally met Satan at least 4 times and neither of us were in Hell. Satan is currently roaming the earth. He is not in Hell.

So what became of all those Christians who were beheaded for refusing to worship the image of the emperor?

Google "the error of chiliasm".

 

[_Dave_]

Revelation 20:4-5 The only people Jesus Christ starts the 1,000 year reign with are those who are resurrected. "This is the first resurrection". The rest are NOT resurrected until after the 1,000 year.

We are not in the 1,000 year reign because the Word says satan will be locked in Hell during this time, and I have personally met Satan at least 4 times and neither of us were in Hell. Satan is currently roaming the earth. He is not in Hell.

A favorite Bible teacher of mine used to say that if we are currently in the Millennium then Satan's chain must be too long.

What I say is that if we are currently in the Millennium then Satan must have taken leg bail to wreak havoc on the nations; which means God is pretty ineffective at restraining anybody. Hmmm.

 

[Jonathan Mathews]

Jes


So what became of all those Christians who were beheaded for refusing to worship the image of the emperor?

Google "the error of chiliasm".

If they were Born of God, their souls/spirits are in Heaven and their bodies are in the earth. Their bodies will be resurrected and re-united with their souls/spirits at the 2nd coming to reign with Christ for 1,000 years on earth. But that has not come yet. The 1,000 years starts when Jesus Christ comes down from Heaven and stands on the Mount of Olives. Then He reigns from modern-day Jerusalem for 1,000 years.