All Saints Day is really on November 1st, part of a three day season including All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Day and All Souls Day. It’s no coincidence that we celebrate the Reformation on October 31steither. Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg that day because the next day, All Saint’s Day, would see the church’s extensive collection of relics of the saints on display there. The 95 Theses had much to do with the veneration of the saints that goes on even to this day in the Catholic church. They taught that these special objects from special Christians of the past would impart some spiritual blessing. But what is a saint? Are they just the most super special faithful Christians who have died? That is not how Scripture uses the word. In fact because of the confusion surrounding the word saint, up-to-date modern translations of the Bible like the 2011 NIV have a tendency to just use a different word and avoid causing confusion. But saint is a wonderful Christian word. On All Saint’s day we celebrate and commemorate the Saints in heaven who have died. We learn from Jesus in his Revleation to John that they reign with Christ.

The reading from Revelation 20 contains some things that may be confusing without the context of the book of Revelation. One thing to remember is that Revelation is a vision given by Jesus to John with a lot of symbolism. It speaks about what will happen, but not only the future; also the present time is spoken about. Perhaps most important of all is that it is written to comfort the church militant, the church at war with the beast, as Revelation describes the nature of our struggle here on earth. It does that by picturing the utter and total victory of the church through Christ.

I’ll read a few of the verses immediately before the ones we already read: “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven. He had the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, bound him for a thousand years, 3 threw him into the abyss, locked it, and set a seal on it, so that he could no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years come to an end. After this he must be released for a short time.” The time period we are considering is 1000 years, when Satan is bound. Numbers in Revelation, and in the Bible in general, are often highly symbolic. 10 is the number for fullness and completeness. 10 cubed is 1000- a total complete, time period decided by God. This millenium is the time of Satan’s binding through the Gospel. This is not a future or past time period of literal 1000 years, but the time we are in right now- the time when Satan is bound by the proclamation of the Gospel, prevented from deceiving the nations. There is no 1000 year earthly reign of Christ described in the Bible whatsoever.

The vision continues: “Then I saw thrones and those sitting on them were given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast and his image, and they did not receive his mark on their forehead and on their hand.” Two groups of people are seen on the thrones: the martyrs killed for their testimony and those who did not receive the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast marks those who worship the beast. In Revelation 13 two beasts are pictured, which symbolize together all anti-Christian forces here on earth, whether through government, false teaching, or whatever other kind of opposition the church faces.

Consider how the original hearers of John’s Revelation would hear this. The very early church faced opposition from synagogues, already in Acts we see accounts of the Jews attacking and stoning Christians. Later, the Roman government gets directly involved. Most of the church probably knew people personally who had been beheaded, or brought into the colosseum to be torn apart. Even for us, while it may be rare in our immediate circles to be persecuted like that, you know family, friends, who have died. There is nothing dignified, or nice, or anything good about that, no matter how it happens. John sees them- their souls sitting on thrones. Judgment was given to them. Those who have died before us in faith are there with Christ, ruling and judging. What else can that mean than that their will and discernment is brought into line with Christ’s? What can these judges say other than “yes” and “Amen” to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ?

John says they lived and reigned with Christ for 1000 years. It is so important to reject the various types of millennialism so common in our world for many reasons, the first of which is that it is not Biblical. Another reason is that it turns the comfort and hope we have for eternity into an earthly, carnal hope of life on this earth. The Gospel becomes a means to a better world, not the spiritual cure for eternal death. But they live now. The beast had put them to death thinking it had won a victory. But the saints in heaven live and reign with Christ.

What does living mean? For most in our world its simply sucking down air for another day. Perhaps some earthly pursuits can increase the feeling of being alive. Some look for thrills, some find meaning in travel, many in politics or some other cause. Some find life in sports or entertainment, or drugs. The life of a Christian must be different. Those things come to an end when you go to judgment. The life we have now is the life that continues in glory. True life is reigning with Christ through the Gospel. Life is receiving the grace of God through the forgiveness of our sins. Where there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation -so says our confession in the Small Catechism about the blessings of the Lord’s Supper.

All saint’s day commemorates the church triumphant. But let us not forget that there are not two churches but one church. The death of a Christian transfers him from walking by faith to walking by sight. What a contrast verse 5 has for us- “The rest of the dead did not live until the 1000 years were ended. This is the first resurrection.” This first resurrection begins even now in this life- it is a resurrection from spiritual death to spiritual life through faith. Christ puts his own mark on you at your baptism and brings you to life. And those who die in faith do not die but live. And the rest? Those who worship the beast? Dead already, condemned to be judged and cast into the lake of fire with their master.

The dead in Christ are blessed and Holy – Truly Saints. Here is the Biblical definition of a saint- whoever has a share in the first resurrection through faith in Christ. When we think of the dead in Christ, what can we say? He’s in a better place? He isn’t suffering anymore? True enough, but we have so much more than the paltry comfort of the world. Blessed and Holy- They reign with Christ. They are not asleep, or idle, but busy serving God as priests. Nothing is more blessed than to serve the one true God in eternity. The same can even be said of us today- that we are true priests of Christ, but priests living by faith and not by sight. The dead in Christ enjoy the blessedness and holiness of God’s presence without the veil of sin. How do we mourn those who came before? With tears, because death is always painful. But not without hope- not without the joy of faith, and with true knowledge of their continuing life.

This should affect how you see your own death as well. First, you are living by faith not by sight. Your own death is not something to be terrified of. Fear God only. Fear God who has destroyed death by his own death. But death is always near. The first death, the death of the body and the separation of the soul will touch all of us. The second death however has no authority over Christians.