Revelation 20:4 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And I saw thrones — Such as are promised the apostles, Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30. And they — Namely, the saints, whom St. John saw at the same time, Daniel 7:22, sat upon them; and Judgment was given to them. 1 Corinthians 6:2. Who, and how many, these are, is not said. But they are distinguished from the souls, or persons, mentioned immediately after; and from the saints already raised. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded — With the axe: so the original word signifies. One kind of death, which was particularly inflicted at Rome, is mentioned for all. For the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God — The martyrs were sometimes killed for the word of God in general; sometimes particularly for the testimony of Jesus: the one, while they refused to worship idols; the other, while they confessed the name of Christ. And those who had not worshipped the wild beast, nor his image — These seem to be a company distinct from those who appeared, Revelation 15:2. Those overcame, probably, in such contests as these had not. Before the number of the beast was expired, the people were compelled to worship him, by the most dreadful violence. But when the beast "was not," they were only seduced into it by the craft of the false prophet. And they lived — Their souls and bodies being re — united. And reigned with Christ — Not on earth, but in heaven. The "reigning on earth" mentioned, Revelation 11:15, is quite different from this. A thousand years — It must be observed, that two distinct thousand years are mentioned throughout this whole passage. Each is mentioned thrice; the thousand wherein Satan is bound, Revelation 20:2-3, Revelation 20:7; the thousand wherein the saints shall reign, Revelation 20:4-6. The former end before the end of the world; the latter reach to the general resurrection. So that the beginning and end of the former thousand is before the beginning and end of the latter. Therefore as in Revelation 20:2, at the first mention of the former; so in Revelation 20:4, at the first mention of the latter, it is only said, a thousand years; in the other places, "the thousand," Revelation 20:3, Revelation 20:5, Revelation 20:7, that is, the thousand mentioned before. During the former, the promises concerning the flourishing state of the church, Revelation 10:7, shall be fulfilled; during the latter, while the saints reign with Christ in heaven, men on earth will be careless and secure.