Those Who Reign With Christ

"Then 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 for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed 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." (Revelation 20:4-6 - English Standard Version)

John tells us that there is a group of people who will reign with Christ during these thousand years. This group is made up of those who were beheaded for Christ, those who did not worship the beast and those who have a part in the first resurrection. If we only had this passage to help us identify who this group is, we might conclude that they are the Tribulation saints who were martyred. However, we must consider other passages as well.

Jesus told the twelve, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28 – New American Standard) The Apostles will reign with Jesus during the thousand years.

The Apostle Paul told Timothy, “If we endure, we will also reign with him.” (2 Timothy 2:12a)

This promise would apply to all saved of all times. The Tribulation saints will reign with Christ. The Apostles will reign with Christ. New Testament saints will reign with Christ. Old Testament saints will reign with Christ. All believers, who have died up to that time, will reign with Jesus in their glorified perfect bodies.

At the beginning of the thousand year reign, Jesus will judge all those still alive on the earth. Those who are saved will enter into the thousand year kingdom in their physical mortal bodies. Those who rejected Jesus will be cast into hell to await final judgment. At the beginning of his reign, Jesus will be ruling from Jerusalem. Glorified saints will be serving him and ruling with him. We will be ruling over an initially small population of saved people. It will be earth's golden age.

Some Old Testament passages that describe this coming kingdom are:

Haggai 2:6-9
Micah 4:1-7
Joel 3:18
Amos 9:11-15
Daniel 7:13,14
Zechariah 2:10-12; 14:9-11
Isaiah 2:1-5; 11:1-9; 35:1-10; 65:17-25