Who Populates the Earth?

Q

I have a question about the sheep from the sheep and goat judgments. The sheep are ushered into the Kingdom and eternal life after the judgment. Would these people not be immortal since they have eternal life? I am having trouble figuring out where the mortals who repopulate the millennium come from. Are not all tribulation believers given eternal life and therefore no longer mortal?

A

The fact that you’re having trouble figuring out where the mortals come from is an indication that there’s something wrong with your interpretation of the sheep and goat judgment of Matt. 25:31-46.

Remember, this judgment takes place just after the 2nd Coming and concerns the disposition of people from the nations who will survive the Great Tribulation. They will be separated into sheep (believers) and goats (non-believers). All the goats will be sent off to the eternal fires, leaving only the sheep to enter the kingdom. There’s no mention of a death and resurrection, a rapture, or any other event that would change them from mortal to immortal, so we have to conclude that these believers enter the Millennial Kingdom live and in their natural state. They are the ones who will populate the earth.

There will be death on Earth during the Millennium (Isaiah 65:20) and my guess is that these tribulation believers will die well before the 1,000 years come to an end. The Bible does not give any detail about their translation into eternity, although I’m sure they will join us there, just like believers of other times.