THE NATIONS OF THE MILLENNIUM

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE

Next up: the rapture of the church.
After that, a time of preparation for the final “70th Week of Daniel.” This time of preparation includes the first four seals of the Revelation.
After that, seven years of Tribulation, as outlined in Daniel and Revelation.
This period ends with the Battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming.
- The Lord will slay all the enemies of God at the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:20), and those remaining will enter the Kingdom, either as inheritors (Jews) or subjects (Gentiles) of the Kingdom.

THE FACT OF THE NATIONS IN THE MILLENNIUM IS UNDENIABLE

Zechariah 8:20–23 makes the presence of non-Jews clear.
There is nothing in the Bible (though perhaps in the theology books of man) that makes Israel to be the church and Gentile to be the non-Christian.

THE RARELY DISCUSSED PROBLEM: HOW DID THEY GET THERE?

A common answer:

“Jewish believers who survive the Great Tribulation will live in Israel during the Millennium while believing Gentile survivors will populate the nations. They and their children will live on Earth during the Millennium.”

(https://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/whos-on-earth-during-the-millennium/)
The problem with the common answer is that there are no details in the answer, and it doesn’t deal with some difficulties.
The challenge of gentiles inheriting the Kingdom of God is huge. The Kingdom of God belongs to Israel — specifically its believing remnant:
- The Davidic Covenant was made with Israel alone. Second Samuel 7 sets forth an eternal promise to David’s lineage. There is no hint that Gentiles replace Israel’s role. The Messiah’s rightful throne is “over the house of Jacob for ever” (Luke 1:33). That speaks directly of ethnic Israel.
- Israel alone received the covenants and promises. Paul says in Romans 9:4, “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, … and the promises.” The text indicates that even in Paul’s day, those promises still pertained to ethnic Israel. It does not suggest any transference of the literal Davidic kingdom to Gentiles.
- The Gospels show a kingdom offered to Israel. John the Baptist and Jesus both declared, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Their immediate audience was Jewish. Jesus sent His disciples specifically “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). This doesn’t negate Gentile blessings but emphasizes that the Davidic kingdom is Israel’s national inheritance.
- Jesus affirmed a future restoration for Israel. He spoke of a day when the Twelve would “sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). That promise is not diluted into a general promise for Gentiles but preserves Israel’s identity and destiny.
- Romans 11 predicts Israel’s future salvation as a nation. “Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved” (Romans 11:25–26 ). This implies a future, corporate redemption of ethnic Israel that culminates in the fulfillment of her kingdom promises.

PROBLEM #1: THE “JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS” IN MATTHEW 25:31–46

Matthew 25:31–46 is often called “The Judgment of the Nations,” and used to describe how these “believing Gentile survivors” get into the millennium.

Why this interpretation fails:

The passage only has two groups in its outcome: sheep and goats (v. 32).
The sheep inherit the Kingdom (vv. 33–34).
- This makes it impossible that the sheep can be anyone other than faithful Israel, to whom (and only whom) the Kingdom was promised.