They encompass the camp of the saints, and the beloved city—showing that the city descends at the commencement of the thousand years—but there is no battle: before they are permitted to harm the saints, fire from heaven devours them; and the devil that thought to lead them against the holy city, is cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and false prophet were cast at the commencement of the millennium. In connection with the resurrection of the wicked, is their judgment—not following necessarily in the precise order of the record. The “small and great” who stand before God, are not small and large persons, but those from all stations and ranks in society. The king and the beggar equally receive according to their deserts: They are the bond and the free, the high and the low, the rich and the poor, including those who fought against the Lamb, and were overcome by Him, 19:18. The open books symbolize the record of their evil deeds, for which they are to be judged. And the “book of Life” is opened to symbolize that the names of those who are judged are not there recorded, and that consequently they are justly condemned. To “him that overcometh,” the Saviour promised “I will not blot his name out of this book of life,” 3:3. The sea, death, and hell giving up their dead, indicates that all of the “rest of the dead” are here resurrected, and that none are left out from among whom these are raised, as these were, from whom came forth the subjects of the first resurrection. The casting of death and hell into the lake of fire, symbolizes the casting in of those who were within their domains; and “the lake of fire,” symbolizes the place into which—the impenitent are consigned—which is the “second death.” The New Creation. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven, from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.” Rev. 21:1, 2.