Revelation 20:4-6 The Millenial Reign of Christ

Those who had victoriously refused to worship the wildbeast or his image or have his mark carved on their forehead or hand are resurrected in bodily form. They are given thrones symbolizing the authority with which they will co-reign with Christ for the Millennium. It may also be that the martyrs throughout the ages are included in this first resurrection. They will face no further judgment because their lives - faith and deeds - have already been judged and approved. 

          Revelation 20 appears to be the only explicit biblical mention of the thousand year reign of Christ before the final judgment. Other passages describe life in God's kingdom, but they are ambiguous as to whether these descriptions are during the 1,000 years or after the final judgment. A key question is who actually lives on the earth other than the martyrs. All who had rebelled against God were destroyed in the final battle. The wildbeast had hunted down and exterminated (martyred) all believers, so they now return with resurrected bodies. There are a few possibilities for ordinary mortals to populate the earth during the Millenium.

•    The 144,000 who were sealed (Rev. 7:4-8) and their descendants.

•    Perhaps  the wildbeast was unable to find and exterminate every single believer, and some survived in the flesh.

•    Perhaps some remote tribes or survivalist individuals lived apart from the world system and did not receive the mark of the wildbeast.

          Reigning as priests evokes the imagery of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18, Hebrews 7:1-17). What is the difference between priests and shepherds? Jesus carries both offices. (Hebrews 3:1ff; John 10:11 ff) The pastoral office of shepherding God's people connotes guiding, leading, caring, mentoring, advising, etc. The role of performing sacred rites during the millennium suggests that humankind still will need and practice rituals during this era. Ruling as priests implies the authority with which these rituals are practiced. Does this also connote political power? Reigning with Christ likely includes exercising secular authority, although verse 8 suggests there are other political arrangements outside the priestly class of martyrs.