Who lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years in Revelation 20:4?
The souls of those beheaded for the witness of Jesus and the word of God—martyrs who did not worship the beast, his image, or receive his mark—lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Thrones were set, and judgment, meaning rule, was given to them.
Les explains that Revelation 20:4 shows thrones and those who sat on them, with judgment or rule given to them. He identifies the ones who lived and reigned with Christ for the thousand years as the souls beheaded for the witness of Jesus and the word of God, the martyrs, who had not worshipped the beast, his image, nor received his mark. The rest of the dead, the lost, do not live again until the thousand years are finished. Les also emphasizes that in the kingdom believers will have activity and responsibility, not sit on a cloud strumming a harp.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.