Verse 5: “The rest of the dead did not rise to life until the end of the thousand years. For this is the first resurrection.”

This group of (dead) people will not be part of the millennial Kingdom. These people will be those who are punished with the beast and false prophet. The second thing we learn about this Kingdom is that there will be a second resurrection. The people who take part in the first resurrection are the same ones who will take part in the millennial Kingdom.

Verse 6: “Blessed isthe man, and holy is he, who has his portion in the first resurrection. On these, the second death should not have any power. For they shall be priests to God and His Messiah, and they shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

Those who are going to be ruling and reigning with Messiah will be those who were faithful and received Messiah prior to the rapture.

Verse 7: “And after the thousand years have finished, satan will be released from his prison.”

Why would satan be released when it was good for him to be locked up in the abyss? The people born in the millennial Kingdom are going to be of a new dispensation. They will not have faith in Yeshua, as defined by Hebrews 11v1, as He will be right there for them to see – ruling and reigning over them. His rule will be absolute. He is going to enforce righteousness. Justice is going to be maintained and metered out immediately. For any sin there will be an immediate consequence.

The way that these people, from the fourth group, manifest their faith and trust in God is to offer up a sacrifice (Zechariah 14v16-21, Isaiah 60). All the sacrifices in the Old Testament pointed to the cross, the all sufficient sacrifice. All the sacrifices in the millennial Kingdom do the same thing as those offered prior to Messiah – but instead of pointing forwards to the cross, they point backwards to it. What brings about the atonement for sins?

Only the sacrifice of Messiah. In the millennial Kingdom, to demonstrate faith in Messiah, they have to go up to Jerusalem and, in
obedience to the Torah, offer sacrifices as a testimony and as an act of faith. These people are going to be born into a Kingdom of righteousness and justice. Because these people are forced to live under these conditions they haven’t had the opportunity to exercise
free will in regard to Messiah. They are pressured to do the right thing.