Since many of the principles of heathenism were copied by the church of Rome, it may be difficult for some to understand at first why it is said that the dragon no longer deceived the nations after being cast down by primitive Christianity; but this becomes clear when we consider what the dragon really was and what the church of Rome was understood to be.  A time came when the entire civilized world knew that heathenism as such was wrong and rejected the very idea of a plurality of gods; but they were led to believe that they could adapt many of their former rites and ceremonies to the worship of the one true God in whom they believed and thereby render acceptable service to him, and were sure that the Romish church was the one true apostolic church.  It was not the dragon, or heathenism, that then deceived them; it was Christianity—­a false Christianity.  The manner in which the people were deceived during the time following the casting down of heathenism in the beginning has already been considered in chapters XII, XIII, XVII, XVIII, etc., covering the same period of time included in the one thousand years in the vision before us.

We can not apply this period specified as literally one thousand years without varying from every principle of time prophecy in the Revelation, for they are all symbolic; neither can we apply it according to the usual year-day method, which, signifying three hundred and sixty thousand years, would throw this series of events out of harmony with the time-periods allotted to the other themes of truth running over the same ground and terminating at the same point—­the general judgment.  Therefore, to be consistent, we shall have to apply it as (so far as human knowledge of the exact dates is concerned) an indefinite length of time, on the same principle that “the hour of temptation” in chapter 3:10, the three and one-half days in chapter 11:9, and the “hour” in which the ten kingdoms receive power with the beast (chap. 17:12), etc., are applied.

4.  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.

    5.  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand
    years were finished.  This is the first resurrection.

6.  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:  on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

We have in this description another division of the subject introduced—­a history of God’s people, or one phase of the church, during the same thousand years following the casting down of the dragon.