Our Prophecy Q/A Series continues with this question from a Prophecy Pros podcast listener.

Q: During the thousand year reign Rev 20:5 when it says, “the rest of the dead did not live again” —who is that? Right before that verse it says the people who didn’t take the mark and were beheaded reign with Christ.

During the thousand year reign will there be non-believers who survive after the rapture and all the judgements and wars? Will they be a part of the thousand year reign and get to see truth and have a chance to accept Jesus?

Are those the people who will be deceived by Satan Rev 20:7?

Why do you think God gives Satan another chance after the thousand years? Does Satan have another chance and then God gives everyone free will again?

A: Great questions! The “rest of the dead” are the unbelieving dead. They are/will be in Hell/Hades/Place of Torment (Luke 16:23) in spirit form. But after the Millennial Kingdom, they will be raised to face The Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). Basically they are raised to be judged according to their works (vs 13), as opposed to those of us who know Christ and had our sins judged on the cross.

All non-believers at the end of the tribulation are those who took the mark of the beast and are gathered against Christ. They will all be killed (19:21) at Christ’s return and will go in spirit form to Hell/Hades (as described above).

Early in the tribulation period there will be millions who turn to Christ for salvation. Most of them will be martyred though except for a remnant of Jewish believers protected in Bozrah and perhaps some others who somehow survive till the end.

I think one of the reasons Satan is released at the end of the 1000 years is to show that even with Satan bound for 1000 years, mankind (unbelieving descendants of the initial believers who entered the Kingdom Age) will still give in to their sin nature and rebel against God if given the chance. I think it is also part of a legal process of sorts that is part of the nature of the unseen realm (for example how Satan could still attend council meetings in the book of Job even though he had rebelled/was fallen etc.).

I talk about this at length in my book on Spiritual Warfare: The Non-Prophet’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare.

Here’s an 18 part class on it as well: View the Course