Judges for a Thousand Years

8, 9. What does John now tell us about those sitting on thrones, and who are such ones?

⁸ After the thousand years, Satan is released from the abyss for a short while. Why? Before giving the answer, John brings our attention back to the beginning of that time period. We read: “And I saw thrones, and there were those who sat down on them, and power of judging was given them.” (Revelation 20:4a) Who are these ones sitting on thrones and ruling in the heavens with the glorified Jesus?

⁹ They are “the holy ones” that Daniel described as ruling in the Kingdom with the One “like a son of man.” (Daniel 7:13, 14, 18) They are the same as the 24 elders who sit on heavenly thrones in the very presence of Jehovah. (Revelation 4:4) They include the 12 apostles, to whom Jesus gave the promise: “In the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down upon his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also yourselves sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28) They also include Paul, as well as the Corinthian Christians who remained faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:8; 6:2, 3) They would include, too, members of the congregation of Laodicea who conquered.​—Revelation 3:21.

10. (a) How does John now describe the 144,000 kings? (b) From what John earlier told us, whom do the 144,000 kings include?

¹⁰ Thrones​—144,000 of them—​are prepared for these anointed conquerors who are “bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:1, 4)

13. (a) How should we view the thousand years during which the 144,000 rule, and why? (b) How did Papias of Hierapolis view the thousand years? (See footnote.)

¹³ Their reigning and judging will be for a thousand years. Is this a literal thousand years, or should we view it symbolically as being an undefined, long period of time? “Thousands” may mean a large, indefinite number, as at 1 Samuel 21:11. But here the “thousand” is literal, since it appears three times in Revelation 20:5-7 as “the thousand years.” Paul called this time of judgment “a day” when he stated: “He [God] has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness.” (Acts 17:31) Since Peter tells us that one day with Jehovah is as a thousand years, it is appropriate that this Day of Judgment be a literal thousand years.c​—2 Peter 3:8.

As judges for a thousand years, they, with Jesus, will lovingly guide responsive humans toward the goal of everlasting life.​—John 3:16.