This wonderful chapter is subjected to many fantastic interpretations by those who sadly insist that the Scriptures must bear out their view of how this age will end. The events that this chapter relates are in the past, some would tell us. But the fact that we have the resurrection of those who were "beheaded for the witness of Jesus . . . which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands" would surely indicate that its events are yet future. An attempt to get round this conclusion is put forward by it being claimed that the "first resurrection" is the new birth whereby the believer is enabled to live and reign with Christ. However, this can not be accepted since the living and reigning with Christ is for a period of 1000 years and also it is stated that the "rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished," verse 5. Whatever type of resurrection this refers to will be experienced eventually by all mankind! It cannot refer therefore to a spiritual resurrection since all men will not be regenerated. In truth, it refers to the resurrection from the grave of the saved and then 1000 years later, the unsaved. The 1000 years is the reign of the Lord Jesus of which the prophets spoke so much. A very important feature of that reign is the confinement of the devil and the suspension of his wicked deceptions. He whom Peter called a roaring lion and who presently is walking about will be caged during that glorious period. Let us learn from this passage some important facts about our chief enemy.