Could you give your understanding of the expression "one thousand years". When does this period start and finish. So according to you these faithful have already been resurrected and are with Jesus as kings and priests now.
It seems that you have read a good number of WPM's posts and of my posts as well. How are you still not familiar with how we understand the thousand years? Do you not know what Amillennialists like us believe? If not, why do you try to debate us? It makes no sense to debate against something you don't even understand. But, at least it looks like you're finally trying to understand what we believe better now.
In scripture, the word "thousand" sometimes is used figuratively. Here are just a couple of examples...
Deuteronomy 7:9 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He
is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for
a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;
Psalm 50:10 For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on
a thousand hills.
Obviously, the first verse there is not saying that God only keeps covenant and mercy for literally "a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments" and then no longer does so once the 1001st generation comes along. The word "thousand" is used there figuratively to refer to all generations, however many there may be. The word "thousand" symbolically represents a large, undetermined number there.
In the second verse, it's obviously not saying that God only owns the cattle on a thousand hills, but not the rest of the hills. Again, it figuratively uses the word "thousand" to represent a large, undetermined number. And that's what I believe is the case in relation to the thousand years as well.
What is the case during the thousand years? According to Revelation 20:6, Jesus reigns and His people are His priests in His kingdom during the thousand years, right? Well, scripture says that He reigns now (Matt 28:18, Col 1:12-13, Eph 1:19-22, Rev 1:5) and that His people are His priests now (1 Peter 2:9, Rev 1:6). Also, it says the second death has no power over those who have part in the first resurrection and the second death has no power over anyone who belongs to Christ right now. These are things that you have to take into consideration when interpreting Revelation 20.
As for your question about when the thousand years starts and finishes, I believe it started with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He said after His resurrection that all power in heaven and earth had been given to Him (Matt 28:18). It ends when Satan's little season begins and I associate what Paul talked about in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 with Satan's little season. It's marked by a time of increased deception, wickedness and apostasy because of the removal on the restraint on wickedness, as Paul talked about. I think that time period likely has already begun.
As for those faithful already being resurrected, I don't believe they have been bodily resurrected. I explained how I understand the first resurrection and having part in the first resurrection in post #2,324. I'll repeat what I said there in case you missed it.
Scripture teaches that Christ's resurrection is the first resurrection and believers have all had part in it.
The first resurrection:
Acts 26:23 that
the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the
Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
1 Corinthians 15:20 But
now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man
came death, by Man also
came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But
each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
Having part in the first resurrection:
Colossians 2:12 buried with Him in baptism, in which
you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
Romans 6:3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore
we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life..... 10 For
the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but
the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
