Rev. 20:4
    "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."

Who are "they"
    In explaining the meaning of the missing antecedent, I said that the readers should understand it as the time when judgment was given to the saints as recorded by Daniel. The text in Daniel is often given a different meaning from what I have suggested so it deserves a closer look. Tracing back in Daniel 7, we find a judgment earlier in the chapter. "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." (Dan. 7:9:10)
    Reading on through verses 11 and 12, we find that the beast (from which the little horn grew) is destroyed while other beasts continued on. This beast we identify as pagan Rome. We won't take time to explain this here but whoever the beast represents, it is, in the lineup of the chapter, a nation on earth (Dan. 7:23). This places the judgment of verses 9 and 10 before or during the time the beasts (nations of earth) are in power. This is confirmed by Dan. 2:44 (as I understand the verse).
    In other words, this judgment of verses 9 and 10 is before the time Christ comes (Rev. 1:7) and takes over the nations of earth (11:15). This takeover marks the beginning of the thousand years. This judgment is what we have referred to as the preadvent judgment 1406b. The vision in Daniel which follows the one we just described explains this same preadvent judgment. It is the time when the Son of Man comes close to the Ancient of Days in heaven and the saints are given to the Son of Man (Christ) as His kingdom. This happens because they have given Him their total trust and He becomes their king on a love basis.

Judgment of the thousand years
   Now back to the idea of a postadvent judgment. Look at the context of verse 22: "I beheld, and the same horn [which grew up out of the head of the dreadful beast] made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom." (Dan. 7:21, 22).
    The war against the saints continues until the saints are given judgment. We see this explained in different symbols in the latter part of chapter 8: "And in the latter time of their kingdom [of the break-up of Greece], when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance [the little horn power of Papal Rome], and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power [he enlists the sword of the state]: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand." (8:23-25).
    So it is when the king is broken without hand [human power] that the horn power is stopped. In Rev. 19:19, 20 we see this end of the horn power [this time under symbols of beast and false prophet who works with him]. This is the time in Revelation when the angel takes the key and throws the dragon into the abyss. It is at the second coming of Christ and the beginning of the thousand years.
    So we see that Daniel agrees. The saints are given the task of judgment at this time. In the earlier judgment (Dan. 7:9, 10, 14) they were judged. Now, proven to have been overcomers, they sit with Christ on His throne (Rev. 3:21) reigning a thousand years as kings and judges with Him.
 

Thrones imply judgment
   "Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD." (Ps. 122:5). Also Ps. 9:7 is quoted in the explanation. "But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment."