1. Revelation 20:5 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Who are “the rest of the dead”?

Revelation 20:5 (ESV)

5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.

Everyone dies. This is the just reward from the righteous Judge for every sinner as God had announced in the beginning (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23). But those who were martyred on account of the gospel have distinctly been wronged (see Revelation 6:9–10) and this wrong needs vindication. Those who were not wronged, that is, who died as the inevitable penalty on their sins, are not described here as restored to life so as to reign with Christ. That is to say, those on the thrones to whom authority was given to judge are not mandated to judge ungodly people whose deaths did not require vindication. Their resurrection would wait till the final judgment (John 5:28–29).