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Coming now to Rev. 20: 4 we learn further details concerning those who constitute
the first resurrection and the royal priesthood:--
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, and
the souls of them that had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus, and because
of the Word of God, and whosoever had not worshipped the Beast, nor yet his image, and
did not receive his mark on their foreheads and on their hands, both lived again and
reigned with Christ a thousand years."
These are essentially the overcomers of the Apocalypse. That such do not exclude
others of like precious faith we may learn from Matt. 19: 27, 28:--
"We have forsaken all, and followed Thee: what shall we have therefore? And Jesus
said unto them, `Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me, in the
regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit
upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel'."
Or we may remember chapter 6: where we read of those who had been slain for the
Word of God, to whom white robes were given, and the information that they were to rest
a little season until their fellow-servants should be killed even as they had been (6: 9-11).
In Rev. 20: there is an evident reference to the great prophecy of Dan. 7:, as we can
see when we come to compare the passages together.
Daniel 7:
Revelation 1: and 20:
"I saw in the night visions, and behold,
"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and
one like the Son of man came with the
every eye shall see Him" (1: 7).
clouds of heaven" (13).
"I beheld till the thrones were set . . . . .
"I saw a great white throne, and Him
the judgment was set" (9).
that sat on it" (20: 11).
"The books were opened" (10).
"The books were opened" (20: 12).
"And judgment was given to the saints of
"And judgment was given unto them"
the Most High" (22).
(20: 4).
"And the time came that the saints
"And they lived and reigned with Christ
possessed the kingdom. And the kingdom
a thousand years. This is the first
and dominion, and the greatness of the
resurrection. They shall be priests of God
kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be
and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a
given to the people of the saints of the
thousand years" (20: 4-6).
Most High" (22-27).
There are several other items of importance we must consider together before we can
come to a true conclusion as to the character of the millennium; these we must reserve for
another article. In this one we have seen:--
1. That the millennial kingdom ends in revolt and is therefore like all preceding
dispensations.
2. It is the fulfillment of the promises originally made at Sinai unto all Israel.
3. It is administered by those who have "overcome".
4. Israel's position in this kingdom is that of a nation of priests for the nations
outside.