In Zechariah 14:16-18 it says, “Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain.”
I have thought that all unbelievers would be removed and held for judgment after the Tribulation when Jesus comes the second time, but this seems to be saying different. Will there still be unbelievers who have fought against Jerusalem on this earth during the Millennial reign?
The 2nd Coming judgments, explained in Matt. 24:45 – Matt. 25:46, take place just after the 2nd Coming. As a result, there will be no unbelievers left on Earth when the Millennium begins. Believers who will have survived the Great Tribulation will go into the Millennium in their natural states and begin repopulating the Earth. Some of their offspring will grow up to become believers while others won’t.
Zechariah 14:16-18 is referring to the ones who won’t. Their numbers will continue to grow throughout the Millennium until by the time Satan is set free they will be as numerous as grains of sand on the sea shore (Rev. 20:7-8).