Revelation 20:12

“And I saw the dead, etc.] An account being given of the Judge, next the persons to be judged are described, and in this clause, by the state and condition in which they had been; for it cannot be thought they were dead when they stood before the throne, but were raised from the dead; for this character is not descriptive of them as dead in trespasses and sins, though they are such as die in their sins, and rise in them, who are meant, but as having been corporeally dead; these are the rest of the dead, the wicked, who lived not again until the thousand years were ended, (<662005>Revelation 20:5) as for the righteous, they will be judged upon their resurrection from the dead in the beginning…”

“the dead--"the rest of the dead" who did not share the first resurrection, and those who died during the millennium. small and great--B has "the small and the great." A, Vulgate, Syriac, and ANDREAS have "the great and the small." The wicked who had died from the time of Adam to Christ's second advent, and all the righteous and wicked who had died during and after the millennium, shall then have their eternal portion assigned to them. The godly who were transfigured and reigned with Christ during it, shall also be present, not indeed to have their portion assigned as if for the first time (for that shall have been fixed long before, Joh 5:24), but to have it confirmed for ever, and that…”

“And I saw the dead, small and great - All the dead - for this language would express that - the whole race being composed of the “small and great.” Thus, in other language, the same idea might be expressed by saying, the young and old; the rich and poor; the bond and free; the sick and well; the happy and the unhappy; the righteous and the wicked; for all the human family might, in these respects, be considered as thus divided. The fair meaning in this place therefore is, that all the dead would be there, and of course this would preclude the idea of a “previous” resurrection of any part of the dead, as of the saints, at the beginning of the millennium. There is no intimation here that it is…”

“And I saw the dead, great and small - Of every age and condition. This includes, also, those who undergo a change equivalent to death, Co1 15:51. And the books - Human judges have their books written with pen and ink: how different is the nature of these books! Were opened - O how many hidden things will then come to light; and how many will have quite another appearance than they had before in the sight of men! With the book of God's omniscience, that of conscience will then exactly tally. The book of natural law, as well as of revealed, will then also be displayed. It is not said, The books will be read: the light of that day will make them visible to all. Then, particularly, shall every…”

“20:12 books were opened: See Ps 56:8; Dan 7:10. • The Book of Life holds the names of faithful people who have experienced God’s saving power (Mal 3:16; see Rev 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:15); they are probably the same ones as those who experience the “first resurrection” (20:5-6). • And the dead were judged: The works of both the redeemed and the unredeemed will be judged (see 22:12; Matt 16:27; 25:31-46).”

“I saw: Rev 20:11; Dan 12:2; Joh 5:28, Joh 5:29, Joh 11:25, Joh 11:26; Act 24:15; Co1 15:21-23; Th1 4:15-17 small: Rev 19:5 stand: Rom 14:10-12; Co1 4:5; Co2 5:10 the books: Dan 7:10 and another: Rev 3:5, Rev 13:8, Rev 17:8, Rev 21:27; Psa 69:28; Dan 12:1; Luk 10:20; Phi 4:3 according: Rev 20:13, Rev 2:23, Rev 22:12; Psa 28:4, Psa 62:12; Pro 24:12, Pro 24:29; Ecc 12:14; Jer 17:10; Jer 32:19; Mat 16:27; Rom 2:6; Co2 5:10 Revelation 20:13”