I would like to interject regarding this topic. Let's look a little closer at this. A little about me; my beliefs are closer to Amil than any other end time beliefs, but I do propose that the 42 month reign of the beast (Rev 13:5) does occur after Satan is loosed from the pit and after the thousand years, but I do propose the saints were all martyred spanning from the time Jesus ascended into heaven until the end of the 1000 year period. I cannot find a single reference of any saints being killed between (Rev 13:7) and (Rev 20:4). I believe both occurrences are the same event.
I will make a few points. If you compare the language of (Rev 20:4) closely with that of (Rev 13:7), notice the saints were overcome by the 2nd beast (false profit) and they did not worship it (Rev 13:7). Only those that did worship the 2nd beast (false profit), were "all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life (Rev 13:8)".
This is the same language as written in (Rev 20:4), "which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands". The reason they did not worship it, is because he killed and beheaded the last of the martyrs as soon as he ascended from the pit. This sets the clock for the 42 months (Satan's little season). We do know that their were some saints that did escaped the reach of the beast (Rev 14:12-13), but not killed by him nor the great harlot.
Rev 13
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 20:4
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.
Another passage to look at (Rev 17:7-11). It says here that the beast, which hath the seven heads and ten horns "shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition". We can read (2 Thess 2:3-9) where Paul discusses the man of sin, son of perdition. He is destroyed by the brightness of the coming of the Lord. But the 2nd beast (false profit) was of the 1st beast with 7 heads. It went into perdition once it ascended out of the pit (Rev 13:8 & 11). The head with the deadly wound that was headed, is the 2nd beast (the false profit). The head was wounded when Christ was crucified. The head was healed when Satan was loosed from the pit. Satan (the dragon) gave his power to the seat of the beast with 7 heads (Rev 13:4). The beast with 7 heads gave his power to the 2nd beast (false profit) with 2 horns (Rev 13:11). They both received all power from the dragon (Satan).
Rev 17
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
Something to look closely at; Notice (Rev 16:13-14) when the (3) unclean spirits came out of the mouth of the dragon, beast, and false profit. The mouth of the false profit is 1st introduced (Rev 13:5). But look at what the mouth belonged to, "the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed".
This is what killed the beheaded saints of Rev 20:4 and Rev 13:7
Rev 13
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 16
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
If your curious about the mouth of the dragon, review (Rev 12:15 & 16).
I'm thinking you and I are both members of another board, except I go by a different user name on this other board I'm meaning. SG is also a member of this other board except he has been prevented from being able to post in a certain section of it for the past cpl of years now. So I am familiar with both of you and have engaged both of you on this other board I'm meaning. That aside, let's try and reason through some of this, nonetheless.
The following is something I posted on that other board just today, so I guess we can discuss it in here as well.
Revelation 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
What has to happen on earth during this little season is the following....their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
So now we need to start looking for Scriptures showing when this might be occurring.
Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
I would say after satan sees he has been cast to the earth, that it is after that when the little season meant in Rev 6:11 takes place. Clearly then, what precedes the little season meant in Revelation 6:11 can't be the thousand years. How can we know for certain? Simple. Until satan is cast out of heaven this means he still had access to heaven in some sense or another, and that the bottomless pit that he is cast into, this would not be in heaven somewhere, it is clearly inside of the earth. Revelation 9, for one proves it, since the perspective is that of what is taking place on the earth at the time, and that things are coming up from the pit onto the surface of the earth, therefore undeniably placing the bottomless pit inside of the earth.
for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. I would think this short time that is meant, this is meaning this same little season meant in Revelation 6:11. Keeping in mind, the thousand years precedes the little season.
According to Revelation 12, where is there even a place to fit a thousand years? It can't be before satan is cast to the earth, as my arguments above demonstrate. And it can't be when satan is cast to the earth if this short time meant in Revelation 12:12 is meaning this same little season meant in Revelation 6:11. The thousand years and satan's little season are not referring to the same time period, the thousand years precedes the little season, and that there is no place for the thousand years to fit according Revelation 12.
As to comparing to the little season in Revelation 20, what I submitted above already proves they can't be the same little season. How? Simple. The thousand years has to precede the little season, and according to Revelation 12 there is no place to fit the thousand years prior to the little season meant in Revelation 6:11.
And I haven't even brought Revelation 20:4 into this post yet. So maybe I should do that now.
and I saw the souls of them....which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands.
Clearly, when these get martyred, they are martyred during the little season meant in Revelation 6:11. And that they are already martyred during this little season before satan is ever loosed from the pit after the thousand years, keeping in mind, that when satan is loosed from the pit, that too is called a little season, except it obviously can't be meaning the little season meant in Revelation 6:11 if that little season precedes the thousand years, and that the little season in Revelation 20 follows the thousand years.
What we all should at least be agreeing on for the time being while we are trying to get some of these other differences sorted out, no one is being martyred during the thousand years while satan is bound in the pit. That alone destroys typical Amil, meaning Amils who have the thousand years meaning from the time of the cross to now. Clearly there have been martyrs during the past 2000 years, this same 2000 years Amils are claiming satan is bound in the pit.
