In this part of our study, we will look even closer at what life will be like in the age(s) to come, in the new heavens and earth, for all its occupants. Who are those beings who will be present?
First, redeemed and resurrected believers from the time of Adam to the time of Christ's return will be present. They will have glorified bodies and will no longer marry, nor have conjugal relations, nor have children. About the nature of these glorified bodies we will have much to say later. What has been said about that nature has been preliminary to a larger discussion. Since I am, and I hope the reader is, among this number of people, I want to know all about what life will be like in the Millennial Age, and in the ceaseless ages that follow.
Second, the meek, and they of the surviving nations, the sheep nations, who become believers in Christ when they see him descend to heaven and assemble all the nations so he can divide them, and who are thus of the saved nations. These new believers, who Seiss well called "the church of the after or later born" (in contradistinction to "the church of the firstborn ones"), are designated as "the sheep nations." Upon that we hope to expand later or to include it in an appendix to this series. These people will not become immortal or immutable in a glorified and immortal state, at least not in the millennial age. They will live a thousand years or more and have children. But, that raises a number of questions, some difficult to answer.
How many children can a woman have who lives a thousand years and whose youth is in the hundreds of years? And, how many births in view of the fact that there will no longer be pain in childbirth? For, travailing in birth is part of the curse on women because of sin. (Gen. 3: 17-19) How will life be like for them? How will it be different than the lives of the resurrected saints of the church of the firstborn ones?
Third, there will be those meek unsaved souls who 1) survived the day of destruction (Apocalypse), and who 2) see Christ destroy the Antichrist and his followers and submit to his authority (though not with all the heart, not loving or adoring him, but feigning allegiance so as to remain) until the end of the thousand years when this group will align in rebellion with Satan when he is released and goes out to the nations of the world to once again deceive them. This group will in large part be made up of those born during the Millennium and who do not unite in heart with Christ the King.
Fourth, there will be angels mingling with glorified saints and with the meek sheep nations.
Fifth, there will of course be God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit who will specially dwell with the new inhabitants of the new heavens and earth.
We have also raised the question that is often discussed by those who study these things deeply, i.e. "how will these groups and individuals interact with each other?" Is this a society with several social classes of beings? In fact, though the bible gives a lot of information about life in eternity, in the new heavens and earth, yet it does not reveal many things, so much so that we often end up with far more questions needing answers than when we started.
Questions Raised
1. Where on earth will each believer live?
2. What will each do?
3. Will there be private property?
4. Will there still be male and female?
5. Does the inheritance of resurrected saints include a private estate on earth?
6. Will the resurrected bodies eat and drink, and need to go to the toilet?
7. What is entailed in resurrected believers acting as kings, priests, judges, and lords?
8. Will they regret having no longer certain pleasures, as sexual intercourse?
9. How will they travel?
10. Will they have a daily, weekly, monthly, schedule?
11. How much of their time and pursuits will be left to free choice?
12. How will glorified believers choose to occupy their free time?
13. How will they relate to "the nations" who are not of the resurrected class?
14. Will they watch over the human race in much the same way angels do now?
15. How will they interact with the myriads of holy angels?
16. Will they have their circles of interpersonal groups?
17. If they live on earth, why not in the New Jerusalem?
18. Will they be able to spend lots of time with a prophet or apostle?
19. How can I spend time with Christ, or get close to him, if all want to do so?
20. What abilities will glorified saints possess?
21. What insures that they cannot sin?
22. Will they be increasing in wisdom and knowledge?
23. Will they regret the fun things of former lives, such as through sports?
24. Will they ever get bored?
25. Will they feel pity for the lost, for those in hell or who are struck dead?
26. Will they enjoy watching the expansion of the human race?
27. Will they be anticipating the end of the Millennium?
28. Etc.
First, let us think about what the scriptures say of the eternal residence of the resurrected and glorified believers. We have already seen that resurrected believers will enter the Millennial Kingdom in immortal bodies and receive their eternal inheritance and have contended that they will then become immutably holy in their eternal state (a point we plan to enlarge upon once we discuss the nature of the resurrection body).
Of course, the scriptures also speak of "new heavens and new earth." Our home will always be on earth and in its heavens. The destiny of the earth is connected with the destiny of redeemed mankind. In the next chapter we will look more closely at the New Jerusalem and of the mansions and abodes of the resurrected believers within its boundaries.
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