Hi, I just found your site this morning. I was reading through some of the Q and As. Very helpful. I just have one question that has always bagged me. When the bible speaks of “ruling and reigning” WHO is being ruled and reigned? If the nations, in the Millennium, who are these people?? Those who survive the tribulation? Are new people being born during the millennium?? Can we know anything about this?? Thx, Laura
Hi Laura,
yeah you are onto it! When Jesus comes at the 2nd coming, one of the first events is the Sheep and Goat judgment as spoken of in Matt 25:31-46.
Mat 25:31-34 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. (32) All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (33) He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (34) Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
This is a separation of 'the nations' to see who is allowed into His Kingdom - that is the Messianic Kingdom. This is not of the Church but of those within all the nations still alive through the tribulation. The 'sheep' in this judgment are allowed to carry on into Jesus' kingdom on earth in their natural bodies. They will then continue to marry and give birth, repopulating the world. And the perfect conditions on earth will see many born, to great ages, and few die. Those that die during this 1000 years will be judged for sin.
I have written a bit more on this side of the question here:
https://jesusplusnothing.com/series/post/will-people-die-during-jesus-millennial-kingdom
Speaking of the Kingdom age, the Bible specifically notes this about bearing children:
Isa 65:20 Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.
Isa 65:21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
Isa 65:22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands.
Isa 65:23 They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them.
Isa 65:24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.
Isa 65:25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD.
So you will note from this that not only will babies be born but they will live a long time! And I love how it says the people in this age will not bear children doomed to misfortune. In this current day especially so many children are born into this world with health defects. And even those with good health face so many pressures and problems that this world places upon them. No more in the Messianic Kingdom! Perfect peace. Perfect harmony within creation. Perfect environment to grow and learn about the King.
If interested further, a few years back I did a short series on the Messianic Kingdom:
https://jesusplusnothing.com/series/posts/Study-Messianic-Kingdom
Hope this helps - it is really just confirmation of what you were thinking!
God Bless,
Iain.