Risen from the Dust

Children in the Millennium

We've established that the millennium will be a purely spiritual time of teaching and enlightenment.
If there will no longer be any flesh and blood at this time, then why does the bible clearly describe children in the world during the millennium?
Will there be marriage in the millennium, and if not, where do these children of the millennium come from?

The children of the millennium will not be children of flesh and blood, but rather they will be millennium converts.

One of the most commonly held beliefs about the millennium is that there will be flesh children born during this period. However, this is clearly inconsistent with the idea of a purely spiritual millennium, in which the intangible things replace the tangible things of the world.

Jesus himself speaks directly to this issue, when he is asked a question about marriage in the resurrection, "There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless...Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she?...And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world [eon] marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world [eon], and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection" (Luke 20.29-36 KJV bible).

Here Jesus makes several things clear about marriage in the millennium. We know that the children of this age (or eon) partake in marriage, because it is the age of flesh man. However, he tells us that the ones who are counted worthy to partake in the resurrection of the righteous, will not be giving or taking in marriage. Now, if we know for a fact that the first resurrection occurs before the millennium, (see ch.19 Seventh Trumpet), then there cannot be any marriage in the millennium.

The saints will not be giving and taking in marriage after the resurrection, because they will become like the angels, having everlasting spiritual bodies. These spiritual bodies are not made male and female, but rather exist on a higher level, without a desire or purpose for marriage. We can also rule out the rest of humanity as giving and taking in marriage during the millennium, because they will be spiritually captive to Hades, or the dust of the earth. They will not have any kind of body to speak of, either flesh or spiritual, and will therefore not be able to rear children. Lastly, there will be no need for children to be born in the millennium, because all people from all generations will already be in the world (see ch.24 Millennium People).

If we assume that this reasoning is correct, and that there will be no children in the millennium, then we have an apparent contradiction. There are a number of Old Testament passages that clearly describe children in the world during the millennium. For example Isaiah 11 says, "The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD. As the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11.8-9 NASB bible). How can this prophecy be fulfilled if there will not be any flesh people during the millennium?

To understand the deeper meaning of this, and similar millennium passages, we must first reevaluate the nature of children in scripture. In the bible, there are of course children that are offspring according to the flesh, but there is also another kind of offspring; children after the spirit. For example, we know that Paul was never married or had children (1st Corinthians 7.9), yet in his letter to the Corinthians, he describes himself as their father in Christ, "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel" (1st Corinthians 4.15 KJV bible) (see also 2nd Timothy 1.2). Paul addresses them as his children in Christ because he fathered them, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.

In fact, all Christians are the spiritual descendants of Christ, born again, not according to flesh, but according to the spirit (John 3.5). That Christ would father spiritual offspring is prophesied in Isaiah, "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand" (Isaiah 53.10 KJV bible). Christians are the spiritual descendents of Christ, and as they bring new people into the fold those ones become their sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters in the gospel.

All true Christians are related to one another in spirit, being brethren of the same family. This is why Jesus says, "And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it" (Luke 8.20-21 KJV bible). Only those who hear the Word of God, and do it, are part of the spiritual family of Christ. Jesus says, "Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions" (Mark 10.29-30 KJV bible). Those who give up natural families for the sake of the gospel will receive much more at this time (in terms of their extended spiritual families), along with persecutions.

We already know that the millennium will be a time of teaching and wisdom, when the multitudes will go up to Jerusalem to learn the ways and knowledge of the Lord (see ch.26 Millennium Nations). As these ones go up and seek the Lord, they will become as little children in the spiritual sense, because they will grow and mature in him. Therefore, the so-called millennial children are actually references to these converts from the nations (nonbelievers), who will become spiritual progeny as they are nurtured in God's wisdom and love.

Thus, we can better understand the nature of the millennium children written of in Isaiah 65, "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed" (Isaiah 65.20 KJV bible). There will no longer be an infant or old man who dies prematurely, because there will no longer be any flesh. However, the spiritual child will die at an age of one hundred in the sense that he or she will pass into adulthood. In contrast, the sinner who hasn't learned anything after a hundred years, and still abides in their old ways, will be thought accursed. So there is a process of spiritual maturation that will take place in the millennium, as the multitudes are initiated into the ways and knowledge of the Lord.

These spiritual children of the millennium will not be birthed by the flesh, but rather converted in spirit. This is why they are described as being carried to Jerusalem by the nations, "Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders" (Isaiah 49.22 KJV bible), "Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God" (Isaiah 60.9 KJV bible). However, in Isaiah 66, instead of being described as sons and daughters, these same converts are described as brothers and sisters, "And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem" (Isaiah 66.20 KJV bible).

What these passages have in common, is that they describe the millennium converts becoming part of the family of God's children. They will be spiritually taken into the fold of his nation. This is why concerning God's elect in the millennium it says, "A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time" (Isaiah 60.22 KJV bible), (see also Isaiah 61.9). As God's servants teach and lead the nations, they will gather in and multiply spiritual children to themselves, becoming the leaders of large families.

However, keep in mind that these millennium children will remain in their sins, and be held captive to the dust of the earth throughout the thousand year period. They will be taught and led, because there will be no stumbling blocks or satanic strongholds in the world (see ch.26 Millennium Nations). However, they will have to wait until Judgment Day, for Christ to both forgive their sins and personally reconcile them to himself, as Sons of God (see ch.18 Second Resurrection).

Comments

rezfamilies 12 Nov 2009, 18:30

In case anyone is still reading, a positive (though possibly speculative) case can be made that male-female relationships similar to marital bonds can continue between the redeemed into the next life. This may then also imply a romantic, physical or even sexual aspect in such a relationship.

Below are some websites that make this positive case (across Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant strands of Christianity). Each website does deal with the marriage pericope of Mt 22 to a lesser or greater degree -
1. http://rezfamilies.googlepages.com
2. http://www.ewtn.org/library/Marriage/zmarrheavn.htm
3. http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&id=YSSCUO1tonkC&dq=meyendorff+marria ge%20&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=5NSzvkqo5M&sig%20=hBJchN5_JtqohBFE y0xFHYABFJI#PPA15,M1
Whether you find these arguments convincing is ultimately up to you.

Doug Buckley 13 Nov 2009, 14:31

Unfortunately, the bare bones comment script I use here does not do links.

The essay about marriage in the millennium is quite a study, offering various arguments in favor of post resurrection marriage and children, and also recognizing some of their limitations. Alot of the Old Testament passages that are cited, I would consider as having been already fulfilled in Christ, which is to say, we as flesh and blood people are living in the Messianic Age, but the millennium is yet to come (ch.17 goes into this a bit).

Carl 17 Sep 2011, 12:21

My wife passed away five years ago. Missed sorely. Has she been reserected?
If so, has her millinneum begun or does she wait for a single millinneum?
If hers has begun, what is she doing, searching for a new mate?

Doug Buckley 18 Sep 2011, 01:40

Hi Carl, sorry about your loss. There are two paths people go when they die. The souls of the faithful go to heaven with Jesus, and the unbelievers go to Hades, which is the underworld. The resurrection of the dead and the millennium haven't happened yet because they are in the future, after Jesus returns. Jesus makes clear in Luke 20.29-36 that there will be no marriage in the resurrection of the dead and millennium. Thus, once a person dies they will never marry or have children again.

Carl 18 Sep 2011, 20:54

Doug,
Thank you for your reply. May I continue,
If she is with Jesus of which I am certain, and
has not yet been resurrected nor entered the
millennium, where do you believe she is and
doing what? I understand that there is no
marriage nor children however I also understand
that we will be matched in some manner during the millennium. Please comment.

Doug Buckley 19 Sep 2011, 02:16

Jesus is in heaven, so she would be in heaven with Jesus. The dead in heaven are in a state of peace, and joy, and relief, as Lazarus experiences in Luke 16. However, they are disembodied souls and so aren't conscious the way that we are. Revelation 5.9, 6.9, and 7.9 and the surrounding verses all depict souls in heaven. IMO being in heaven is like being in a sweet dream, and the souls do have some idea of what's going on here on earth. I'm not sure about being "matched" in the millennium, but souls in heaven would be reunited, and also be together during the millennium and beyond. However, no flesh marriage or children.

Carl 19 Sep 2011, 12:03

Thanks Doug,
Again your opinion. I note that you say the souls in Heaven have some idea as to what is going on down here and I have read elsewhere that it was thought they could see us. Do
you agree and what do you think is the purpose.

Doug Buckley 20 Sep 2011, 01:24

Check out Revelation 6.9-11. It depicts souls in heaven during the tribulation, and they seem somewhat aware of what's going on in the world, and the Lord comforts them. Anything beyond this would be speculation on my part.

mickeyadams 06 Feb 2012, 13:35

doug, u answered carl with a few of his questions, but pls answer me this, my wife has been gone 3 years and she didnt know about being saved or Jesus forgiveness for she was catholic, in 2001, i told her about the Lord and salvation and she told me she wanted to be saved well i told her, around a sinners prayer, telling her to repent and ask GOD for mercy and accepting his Son, in a saving way, well she had tagged my whole bible in the 8 years, but we both were backsliders, now if she was to be sent to Hades, would she have a chance in the millenium if she really didnt know much, for few stripes is given for those who know little? I hope and trust she is with the LORD, but do people who die non believers who go to hades get a chance in the millenium to come back to the LORD or once u die that is it, no other chance

Doug Buckley 07 Feb 2012, 02:49

Hi Mick, Yes she will be around in the millennium. If she is saved, then she is in heaven with Jesus and will reign during the millennium. Otherwise, she is in Hades and will be one of the millennium dead.

The ones in Hades can never be the bride of the Lamb. This is reserved for the saints, who are called chosen and faithful. However, the dead who are forgiven at the white throne judgment will be part of the nations in the eternity (read Revelation 21.24-27). This is how the vast majority of people will be forgiven in the end.

Alot of Christians and pastors who tell people that nonbelievers are doomed to eternal hell are gonna be real glad that this is not true, because they themselves will need a millennium to smarten up.

mick 07 Feb 2012, 06:13

doug, i read u alot and i just want to thank u, u kind of brought tears to my eyes, for 3 years not a day less, i have prayed to the LORD to have mercy and compassion on her cause she didnt have much of a biblical upbringing, i thank u, it really gives me hope that i will really see her again, may ur word of mouth have come directly from the LORD to me.
bless u doug

Doug Buckley 09 Feb 2012, 03:55

Thanks Mick, God is merciful.

debbi 31 Mar 2012, 15:17

You have got to be kidding me. This is another example of people going to the wrong person for answers. People read your Bibles. Read what God has to say. No one in in hell at this time as there is no hell at this time. Satan himself is locked behind Micheal in heaven until the Tribulation. As far as souls in heaven during the tribulation, Jesus clearly teaches that those that are asleep in Christ will not precede those that are alive. All Gods children that have passed that were saved, will be brought back with Jesus in the millenuim. I know i mispelled that terribly. I would ask you all to please read and learn.

debbi 31 Mar 2012, 15:20

Correction to above. I meant to say, those that are asleep WILL precede those that are alive during this time.

mick 19 Apr 2012, 19:38

so what is debbie saying? Going to Doug is wrong? He get info from the bible, i guess what he talks about everyone should read about to, there was a group i forgot there names but Paul admired them becuase they even checked his work for surety after he preached to them, funny i was just thinking about the people who lived around 200bc-when Christ came, alot didnt have the chance to learn of Christ but i guess the prophets were the one's preparing the ways from God himself, right? So the millenium will show them who he was and for them to accept him or not, am i write on this?

Doug Buckley 20 Apr 2012, 11:42

Hi Mick, yea that's right, alot of people never hear the gospel, and these people will get to know the truth in the millennium. God will spare nonbelivers unless they are tares.

Lynda from Maine 19 Oct 2012, 13:07

Hi Doug,
Great teaching. I have a question, I assume becuse of my studies of our spiritual bodies we receive at physical death. that when a baby dies, it steps into it's adult spiritual body,(so to speak). I lost a baby boy a three weeks old when I was much younger. I know I will see him again in his spiritual body. I trust Father God and I know however he handles it. It will be fair and right. I pray to God to be able to help my unbelieving relatives who have died in their sins.

Doug Buckley 21 Oct 2012, 15:15

Hi Lynda, sorry for your loss and good to hear from you. You will likely be reunited with lost loved ones in the millennium. Most of our loved ones will only be spirits in the millennium, unless they are one of God's elect. Then after the resurrection of the dead our loved ones will be changed into spiritual bodies and if they are good people they will live forever in the Kingdom. (btw, I haven't been sending update emails but there are a couple new writings in the articles section).

Robert 09 Mar 2013, 21:42

The Millennium refers to a 1000 year period during which Christ Reigns with All Born Again Believers in Heaven over the Purified Nations on the Earth (People who were kind to God's people during the Great Tribulation ie the sheep) and a select 144000 Jews (God's People) who repopulate the Earth during the Millennium (Yes with childern)
The Millennium fulfills Old Testament and New Testament Prophesy before all of God's people are brought together for Eternity
The Millennium follows the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ
After the Millennium is over, the devil is thrown into the lake of fire, the Kingdom is handed back to the Father and God makes all things new
All believers who were Born Again under the Old and the New Covenant (Circumcised or Baptized) will be combined into one New Jerusalem after the Millennium where God will dwell with them for Eternity and they will be able to freely partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life
Jesus gives the answer to the disciples about the destruction of the temple and the signs before the end. Read all about it in Matthews chapter 24 & 25 His judgment: Olivet discours 24:1–25:46,, Signs of the present age 24:5–14
Signs of the Great Tribulation 24:15–28,,Signs of the coming Son of Man 24:29–42,,The parable of the two servants 24:43–51,,The parable of the 10 virgins 25:1–13,,The parable of the talents 25:14–30,,The judgment of the nations,,(Be sure and read the last verse Mat 25:46). Its all in the Bible.
This 1000 year period will be the same as when Adam and Eve was in Paradise, before the fall.

Doug Buckley 12 Mar 2013, 01:55

I don't believe that there will be any marriage or flesh children in the millennium. Scripture teaches against literal children being born in the millennium because it says that there will be no flesh in the resurrection of the dead.

We know from many scriptures that the first resurrection happens at the twinkling of an eye when Jesus returns, (1st Corinthians 15.51-52). We can positively say this is before the millennium (see Revelation 20.4).

So then we have to consider what will be the state of the believers in the first resurrection? Will they be in flesh or spiritual bodies? Paul tells us the saints will have spiritual bodies, like the angels.

"It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:44-47 KJV bible).

Here Paul is only confirming what Jesus teaches us about the resurrection. The Sadducees believed that the resurrection will be into flesh bodies and there will be marriage in the millennium or Kingdom period. Then Jesus corrects them,

"For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven" (Mark 12:25 KJV bible).

Therefore we see that because the saints are resurrected into spiritual bodies like the angels there can't be any marriage or procreation or literal children in the millennium. Angels (in heaven) do not procreate within or outside of marriage. They don't marry.

If you have the saints being resurrected into flesh bodies or bodies that bear children, this creates a serious problem. For the saints, nothing changes between the millennium and the eternity (Revelation 20). Therefore you'd have children being born past the millennium and forever into the eternity.

There is a lot of carnal thinking in the church, and this is part of the reason for the mainstream teaching of millennium children. People in general aren't willing to move past their fleshly lusts and into the eternal spiritual glory of Christ. We must (myself included) accept that Jesus' crucifixion is itself a condemnation of the flesh and lusts thereof, and the resurrection of a new spiritual man that is above such things.

"Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:46-47 KJV bible).

Doug Buckley 12 Mar 2013, 02:27

correction: the sadducees denied any resurrection or marriage after death and were trying to tempt Jesus in Mark 12.25.

Silvana 15 May 2013, 23:35

OK, I am floored at how many people comment here and quote Scripture they don't understand. There WILL be children in the Millennium and they will be married and having babies. That said, it will not be so with the Saints. We will actually, together with Jesus rule over people that are flesh and blood. There is no scripture that supports the people left on earth at the end of tribulation as being transformed as we do. They are the ones that will be tested at the end of a 1000 years, they will be the ones that can still die, NOT US. So they will have babies born to them during the millennium. So.......this means we have, us and the risen saints with our super bodies and we have those left alive with human bodies. There is no scripture that says the earth will be void of ALL humans at the end of the tribulation, as a matter of fact, it specifically talks about children and people living VERY LONG lives. How are we living long lives in our forever bodies? does that make any sense? It says a person dying at 100 will be like a child dying. WHO IS DYING at 100 if we and the risen saints have been translated?

Doug Buckley 17 May 2013, 19:54

Hi Silvana, To understand issue of children in the millennium, a good place to start is with what Jesus says about marriage in the resurrection. The saints will be resurrected into spiritual bodies and therefore will not be having children in the millennium, which you seem to accept.

But then taking the millennium passages literally and applying them to the unresurrected nations doesn't work either. A big part of understanding prophecy is the context. Notice who's being addressed in Isaiah 65, its the people and servants of God.

"But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days...They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them" (Isaiah 65:18-20,23 KJV bible).

We know that the saints will rule over the nations, and there will be a camp of the saints in Jerusalem (Revelation 20.9). Yet a lot of places describe the saints or God's people living flesh lives and having children during this time, like Isaiah 66.22 and Ezekiel 44.

This is partly why the Sadducees denied the resurrection, because they knew these prophecies and believed that generation after generation would possess the land and pass it on to their children. They didn't really understand the real spiritual nature of the prophecies and Messianic period.

These prophecies and the millennium children should be understood spiritually, within the context of the resurrection. This is how Jesus understood them. The Old Testament often expresses spiritual truths through worldly things. This is how millennium children should be understood, and the explanation I've given above is along these lines.

No one can really prove one way or another where the nations in the millennium come from. But according to Jesus, they're not "new" people, "But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out" (Luke 13:27-28 KJV bible).

This scene can't be the white throne judgment and only fits in the millennium context. The millennium is part of the Day of the Lord and the "last day" and Judgment Day. Its a prejudgment when the saints rule over all souls and everything is restored to God (see 1st Corinthians 15.23-27). These aren't milk topics and issues like millennium children are partly why many deny the millennium itself. (as far as who the millennium people are, see ch.24 on the right).

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