Millennial Reign Realities

1.1         Populations in the Millennium

We have thus far estimated that approximately one million saints will return with the Lord Jesus to reign with Him during the millennium. There are several reasons why this number fits well within the scriptural narrative. Earlier, we estimated that at the battle of Armageddon the Antichrist’s army would number approximately 1.5 million men. Throughout Scripture, the Lord consistently fields a smaller army than His enemies, thereby receiving greater glory when His forces overcome a larger opponent.

It is therefore fitting that one million saints would stand in opposition to an Antichrist army of 1.5 million on that day. There is also the practical consideration of spatial constraints, as the Valley of Megiddo cannot accommodate opposing armies any larger than this when arrayed for battle.

Another important question concerns the size of the global population during the millennium. It is estimated that the world’s population will reach approximately 9.5 billion by the year 2050. However, before the Lord returns, two events will drastically reduce that number. The first is a global nuclear conflict that will reduce the earth’s population by approximately one third. This event falls outside the scope of this teaching and will therefore not be addressed here. The second event, as noted earlier, is that an additional one third of humanity will perish during the three years of God’s wrath.

The combined effect of these two events will reduce the earth’s population to approximately 4.5 billion during the millennium. In other words, the ratio of unbelievers to saints during this period will be approximately 4,500 to 1. These are the people over whom Christ and His saints will reign for one thousand years.

1.2        Israel’s borders in the Millennium

On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates-

(Genesis 15:18)

The Lord made two distinct promises concerning the borders of Israel. The first set of promised borders was given to Israel after the flesh—that is, natural Israel—as recorded in Numbers 34:1–12 and Ezekiel 47:13–21. At the present time, Israel has not yet fully inherited these promised borders, occupying less than half of the territory that was allotted. However, when Israel’s borders are finally restored, they will encompass an area of approximately 22 million acres.

The current global Jewish population is estimated at approximately 16 million. Scripture indicates that roughly two thirds of the Jewish population will be destroyed in a future global conflict (Zechariah 13:8–9), leaving an estimated 5.5 million Jews to inherit their promised land. This would equate to approximately four acres per person—an allocation that, agriculturally speaking, can comfortably sustain a population of 5.5 million.

The second set of promised borders was given to the Israel of God—that is, the church. These borders are described in the passage quoted above. The church will inherit its promised territory during the Lord’s millennial reign, which will encompass approximately 50 million acres.

Because the number of saints returning with the Lord Jesus will be approximately one million, and because each saint will have an estimated four servants working their land (Isaiah 14:1–2; 31:8; 61:5–6), the total population dwelling within the territory of the saints will be approximately five million. This results in roughly ten acres per person—an allocation that, agriculturally speaking, can more than comfortably sustain a population of five million.

1.3        Children in the Millennium

So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

(Genesis 20:17-18)

There is one final aspect concerning unbelievers during the Lord’s millennial reign that must be addressed. During this period, the population of the earth will remain static—neither increasing nor decreasing. Why will this be the case? The primary reason is that no children will be born during the millennium. This point will be explored in greater detail in the next section.

The passage above records that, because of Abimelech’s transgression, God closed all the wombs in his household. In a similar manner, God will close the wombs of unbelievers during the millennium, preventing any births throughout that entire period.

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

(Genesis 6:1-3)

If God does not permit children to be born during the millennium, He must also prevent people from dying; otherwise, the earth’s population would rapidly diminish early in the thousand-year period. The passage above shows that after the flood, God sovereignly limited the lifespan of mankind to one hundred and twenty years.

Prior to this divine decree, men lived for nearly a thousand years. God accomplished this by slowing the aging process, allowing lifespans that approached a millennium. Afterward, He accelerated aging to conform to the new limit of one hundred and twenty years.

During the millennial reign of Christ, God will once again slow the aging process, enabling humanity to live the full thousand years. Just as He will prevent births during that time, He will also prevent deaths. As a result, the earth’s population will remain unchanged throughout the millennium.

Michael E.B. Maher

Resurrection of the Dead

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