Revelation:  Things Which Must Be Hereafter
	Event	Scripture	Hist. Interp.	Time Of	Historicist	Fut. Interp.	Futurist	Book
Chapter 20	Title	References	Strength	Occurrence	Interpretation	Strength	Interp.	References	Comments
This spreadsheet is meant to be used with the Revelation Puzzle Pieces Series of Articles.  Please go to the Revelation Puzzle Pieces series at http://usaprophet.com/propheticsuperpages.html									INTRODUCTION:  Here we have future events foretold, including the Millenium, The first Resurrection and the General Resurrection at the great white throne.  This is a very pivotal scripture as several doctrines will be seen to rise or fall depending upon the correct interpretation of these events.  Most specifically, verse 4 deserves special focus.
Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.				Future				Elliott, Horae, Vol 4, P130
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,	The Millenium	2  Pet 3:8							20:2   This sounds like an event that is to be interpreted as a literal thousand years.  The expectation that Peter spoke about in his second epistle was understood, from the time of Elijah, to mean that earth would endure for 6,000 years and then enter a 1,000 year period of sabbath rest, just as the earth was created by God in six days and on the seventh day, He rested.
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.		Luke 8:31			20:3   Post Constantine Bible expositors believed they had entered the Millenial reign of Christ.  This caused them to be very slow about recognizing the gradual worsening of the Papacy as a developing Man of Sin/Son of Perdition			Guinness, “History Unveiling Prophecy”, p58
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.	First Re-surrection	Dan 7:9, Dan 7:22, Zech 14:5, John 5:29, 1 Cor 6:23, 1 Cor 15:20-25, 1 Thes 4:17-18, Rev 13:18			20:4   Elliott reports that the earliest fathers of the church, such as Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and others from the second century AD, believed and understood that this first resurrection literally was that of  the departed martyrs and saints who were, then at length, resuscitated in the body from death and the grave....this picture of death by beheading evokes historical scenes from the Roman empire at the time directly following the birth of the Church.			Elliott, Horae, Vol 4, P134	20:4   These righteous souls, if it is to be literally understood, were beheaded by the beast, prior to the earliest resurrection that is referred to in the bible.  This then is, if taken literally, an absolute refutation of the modern pre-tribulational rapture theory.  That  theory posits that all righteous saints will be raptured from earth prior to the rise of the modern anti-christ.  Thus, it would be impossible for the beast to have killed them if he has not yet arisen..................Central to the proper understanding are these words in the center of the verse:  "for the word of God, and which had not worshipped  the beast".  Does this verse refer only to beheaded martyrs, or do these words in the middle add in all other faithful believers in Christ who, though not martyred, did not worship the beast, neither his image, nor received his mark?  If all others in Christ are added in, the entire resurrection unto life happens here, prior to the millenium.  If it is not so, then the non-martyred saints will rise at the end of the millenium, prior to the rise of those whose names are not written in the Book of Life.....Finally, the Greek here in verse 4 is difficult.  The New American Standard Bible may have it right in that the martrys and all others in Christ will live at this time.  All of this contributes to the mystery of Christ's coming, of which no man knoweth the day or the hour.    Read The Article:  "Historicism Versus Futurism
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.	General Re-surrection								20:5   This definitely places the general resurrection at the end of the Millenium
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.		Mat 25:34
Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,		1 Pet 3:19
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.		Isa 65:20, Eze 38:9-16, Eze 39:2, Zech 14:16-19							20:8   There will be nations of people, not in resurrected bodies, living during the millenium.  Presumably, since these are subjected to the deceit of Satan as have been all others who have ever lived, these must be marrying and giving in marriage during the millenium.  Such a conclusion seems imminently logical.....................QUESTION-will these have had the gospel preached to them?  Might they be saved?  If so, this might argue for a resurrection unto life either at their deaths or at the end of the millenium.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.		Zech 8:22							20:9   There will also be saints, living in a camp (kjv), tents (Geneva) and also living in the beloved city, Jerusalem (Zech 8;22), during the millenium.  Some think these to be resurrected saints, others think these to be non-resurrected saints.  My belief is that because some are living in camps or tents, this is speaking of persecuted, non-resurrected saints who will then need a resurrection at the end of the Millenium.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.		Rev 19:20
Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.	White Throne Judgement	Jud 1:6, Mal 4:5
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.	General Re-surrection	John 5:29, 1 Cor 15:20-25 1 Thes 4:17-18			20:12   Elliott believed that Christ would come pre millenially.			Elliott, Horae, Vol 4, P192	20:12   The Book of life is examined here, leaving open the possibility that part of the resurrection unto life may occur at the end of the millenium, but just prior to the resurrection unto damnation.  For my part, I alternate between suspecting that the rapture and coming of Christ is to be pre or post Millenial, but I leave the door open for it to happen prior to the millenium, as the early church fathers agreed with that view.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.		Hos 13:13-14
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.