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I Saw Those Who Had Been Beheaded
Because of Their Testimony for Jesus
20: 4

Not only will there be a resurrection of the righteous of the TaNaKh, but a resurrection of Tribulation martyrs will also occur during the seventy-five day interval (to see link click Ey – The Seventy-Five Day Interval). In this section, John sees two groups who will reign with Christ during the messianic Kingdom.

First, there will be thrones on which were seated believers (Dani’el 7:27; Matthew 19:28; First Corinthians 6:2) who had been given authority to judge (20:4a) from the Lord Himself at the judgment seat of Christ (Second Corinthians 5:10). When John saw them, they had already received their crowns to cast at the Lord’s feet (see Cc – For We Must All Appear Before the Judgment Seat of Christ). Resurrected at the rapture, they had received their rewards and were reigning with the Messiah in heaven.

The second group, however, were the Tribulation martyrs (see Cp – The Fifth Seal: I Saw Under the Altar Those Who Had Been Slain). We saw them earlier under the golden altar of incense in heaven (Hebrews 9:4). They had been beheaded because they refused to worship the antichrist or his image, nor were they willing to accept his mark. They will be resurrected at that time. And John saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years during the Messianic Kingdom (20:4b).

Dear Awesome Heavenly Father, How wonderful You are! You take what Satan means for evil and you use it for good. The martyrs who worshipped you will now be rewarded by reigning with You. What a pleasure and joy it is that You can always be trusted! Even when all looks bleak and evil appears to be winning, You have every detail all figured out and Yourname is already to be exalted for winning the final battle of the ages (Revelation 20:7-9)!  You are totally powerful over every other power that sets itself up against You – whether earthly or demonic. You always have been the greatest and most powerful; You are now and You will be the greatest and most powerful in the future. You will reign eternally! We love and worship You! In the holy name of Your Son and His power of resurrection. Amen