Will we have babies in the Millennium?

Shayla: Will we have babies during the Millennium?

Meforshim:

Jesus’ glorified body was able to change appearance. Even before His resurrections, at the Mount of Transfiguration, we get a glimpse of the possibilities.

Matthew 17:2 HCSB He was transformed in front of them, and His face shone like the sun. Even His clothes became as white as the light.

We see that immediately after his resurrection, He was able to look like one of us at will and to even make it impossible for those who had known Him his entire human life to recognize him.

Mark 16:9-14 HCSB [Early on the first day of the week, after He had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons. 10 She went and reported to those who had been with Him, as they were mourning and weeping. 11 Yet, when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe it. 12 Then after this, He appeared in a different form to two of them walking on their way into the country. 13 And they went and reported it to the rest, who did not believe them either. 14 Later, He appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw Him after He had been resurrected.
John 20:11-16 HCSB But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus' body had been lying. 13 They said to her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "Because they've taken away my Lord," she told them, "and I don't know where they've put Him." 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus. 15 "Woman," Jesus said to her, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, "Sir, if you've removed Him, tell me where you've put Him, and I will take Him away." 16 Jesus said, "Mary." Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!"--which means "Teacher."
Luke 24:13-16 HCSB Now that same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. 15 And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus Himself came near and began to walk along with them. 16 But they were prevented from recognizing Him.
Luke 24:29-31 HCSB But they urged Him: "Stay with us, because it's almost evening, and now the day is almost over." So He went in to stay with them. 30 It was as He reclined at the table with them that He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him, but He disappeared from their sight.
Luke 24:39-40 HCSB Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself! Touch Me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have." 40 Having said this, He showed them His hands and feet.
John 20:25-28 HCSB So the other disciples kept telling him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "If I don't see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!" 26 After eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, "Peace to you!" 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don't be an unbeliever, but a believer." 28 Thomas responded to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
John 21:4 HCSB When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. However, the disciples did not know it was Jesus.

Note: Take care to note that in every case, regardless of his being recognizable or not, Jesus was always in a masculine body. His gender did not change when He received His glorified body.

Jesus’ body was capable of appearing and disappearing at will, and flying.

Luke 24:36-37 HCSB And as they were saying these things, He Himself stood among them. He said to them, "Peace to you!" 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.

Luke 24:51 HCSB And while He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.

Luke 24:29-31 HCSB But they urged Him: "Stay with us, because it's almost evening, and now the day is almost over." So He went in to stay with them. 30 It was as He reclined at the table with them that He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him, but He disappeared from their sight.
John 20:19 HCSB In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!"
John 20:26 HCSB After eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, "Peace to you!"

The Apostle John gives us a glimpse of what Jesus’ glorified body looks like in its natural state.

Revelation 1:12-17 HCSB I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me. When I turned I saw seven gold lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, and with a gold sash wrapped around His chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool--white as snow, His eyes like a fiery flame, 15 His feet like fine bronze fired in a furnace, and His voice like the sound of cascading waters. 16 In His right hand He had seven stars; from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was shining like the sun at midday. 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me, and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last,

The Apostle Paul was also a witness of the brilliance of Christ’s body. Compare his testimony to that of the other disciples at the Mount of Transfiguration.

Acts 22:6-11 HCSB "As I was traveling and near Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' 8 "I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' "He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting!' 9 Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to me. 10 "Then I said, 'What should I do, Lord?' "And the Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that is assigned for you to do.' 11 "Since I couldn't see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.
Matthew 17:2 HCSB He was transformed in front of them, and His face shone like the sun. Even His clothes became as white as the light.

However, Jesus’ body was still capable of normal biological functions.

Luke 24:41-43 HCSB But while they still could not believe because of their joy and were amazed, He asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, 43 and He took it and ate in their presence.
John 21:12-15 HCSB "Come and have breakfast," Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?" because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead. 15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said to Him, "You know that I love You." "Feed My lambs," He told him.

When Christ returns, we will be given “glorified” bodies.

Philippians 3:20-21 HCSB but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.

Interestingly, the righteous resurrected are also described as “shining”.

Daniel 12:1-3 HCSB At that time Michael the great prince who stands watch over your people will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since nations came into being until that time. But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will escape. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to shame and eternal contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the bright expanse of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Matthew 13:41-43 HCSB The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

Perhaps we should take the title “sons of light” more literally than we thought!

Luke 16:8 HCSB "The master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted astutely. For the sons of this age are more astute than the sons of light in dealing with their own people.
John 12:36 HCSB While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become sons of light." Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.
Romans 13:12 HCSB The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
2 Corinthians 6:13-15 HCSB Now in like response--I speak as to children--you also should be open to us. 14 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
Ephesians 5:8 HCSB For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light--
Colossians 1:12-14 HCSB giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints' inheritance in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 HCSB But you, brothers, are not in the dark, so that this day would overtake you like a thief. 5 For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We're not of the night or of darkness.
1 Peter 2:9-10 HCSB But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 John 2:9-10 HCSB The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

However, we too will still be able to perform basic biological functions

Isaiah 65:17-25 HCSB "For I will create a new heaven and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind. 18 Then be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy, and its people to be a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people. The sound of weeping and crying will no longer be heard in her. 20 In her, a nursing infant will no longer live only a few days, or an old man not live out his days. Indeed, the youth will die at a hundred years, and the one who misses a hundred years will be cursed. 21 People will build houses and live in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They will not build and others live in them; they will not plant and others eat. For My people's lives will be like the lifetime of a tree. My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They will not labor without success or bear children destined for disaster, for they will be a people blessed by the LORD along with their descendants. 24 Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but the serpent's food will be dust! They will not do what is evil or destroy on My entire holy mountain," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 31:27-28 HCSB "The days are coming"--this is the LORD's declaration--"when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and to tear them down, to demolish and to destroy, and to cause disaster, so will I be attentive to build and to plant them," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 33:14-22 HCSB "Look, the days are coming"--this is the LORD's declaration--"when I will fulfill the good promises that I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a Branch of righteousness to sprout up for David, and He will administer justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is what she will be named: The LORD Is Our Righteousness. 17 For this is what the LORD says: David will never fail to have a man sitting on the throne of the house of Israel. 18 The Levitical priests will never fail to have a man always before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices." 19 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 20 "This is what the LORD says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night so that day and night cease to come at their regular time, 21 then also My covenant with My servant David may be broken so that he will not have a son reigning on his throne, and the Levitical priests will not be My ministers. 22 The hosts of heaven cannot be counted; the sand of the sea cannot be measured. So, too, I will make the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister to Me innumerable."

We must remember that when God created Humanity, His first command to us was to be fruitful and multiply. He considered the creation of sexual creatures to be “very good.”

Genesis 1:28-31 HCSB God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth." 29 God also said, "Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This food will be for you, 30 for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth--everything having the breath of life in it. I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. 31 God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. Evening came, and then morning: the sixth day.

In fact, God considered a single gendered, essentially sexless humanity to be bad and He did something to fix the situation.

Genesis 2:18-25 HCSB Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is like him." 19 So the LORD God formed out of the ground each wild animal and each bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man no helper was found who was like him. 21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. 22 Then the LORD God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 And the man said: This one, at last, is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called woman, for she was taken from man. 24 This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

Since the Fall, God has consistently worked to restore Humanity to its original condition and relationship with Himself. His command to have sex was reiterated to Noah.

Genesis 9:1 HCSB God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:7 HCSB But you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it."

Hashem considered successful sexual reproduction to be part of His promised blessing to Abraham.

Genesis 17:1-2 HCSB When Abram was 99 years old, the LORD appeared to him, saying, "I am God Almighty. Live in My presence and be devout. 2 I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you greatly."

Notice that it was in direct association with being “devout”. Sex is not a dirty thing in God’s kingdom. Within its proper marital boundaries, it is holy.

Hebrews 13:4 HCSB Marriage must be respected by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge immoral people and adulterers.

Some may object on the grounds that Jesus said that we would be “like the angels”. What Jesus actually said was that angels are not bound by human marriage traditions and rituals.

Matthew 22:30 HCSB For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.
Mark 12:25 HCSB For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.
Luke 20:34-36 HCSB Jesus told them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are counted worthy to take part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 For they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection.

This does not mean that they are necessarily without gender, however.

Zechariah 5:9 HCSB Then I looked up and saw two women approaching with the wind in their wings. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and sky.

While angels generally appear as men in Scripture, Zechariah 5:9 may suggest this is not always the case. The two women mentioned in this passage are not specifically called angels, but they are clearly agents of God. The fate of the woman (wickedness) is portrayed: She is to be removed from the land. Although some regard the two women as agents of evil (partly because the stork is an unclean bird, Lev 11:19), it seems preferable to regard them as divinely chosen agents because they, along with the wind (also an instrument of God, Ps 104:3-4), would thus demonstrate that the removal was the work of God alone. The simile “wings like those of a stork” is evidently intended to show that the winged women—carried along by the wind—were capable of supporting the woman in the basket over a great distance.

Though Scripture does not clearly identify these two women as angels, we must be careful about making dogmatic statements about angels being without gender or sex. Especially in light of the Nephilim passage in Genesis 6.

Genesis 6:1-4 HCSB When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves. 3 And the LORD said, "My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years." 4 The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterwards, when the sons of God came to the daughters of man, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.

The phrase “sons of God” would seem to be indicative of angelic beings. It is the same phrase used in Job which clearly intends to mean angelic beings.

Job 1:6 HCSB One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.
Job 2:1 HCSB One day the sons of God came again to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before the LORD.

If these “sons of God” were not angelic, why were their progeny consistently characterized by gigantism and why were they so evil and yet so powerful? I’m not sure how but perhaps this may some day shed some light on Paul’s notoriously difficult homily on women and head coverings.

1 Corinthians 11:10 HCSB This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head: because of the angels.

The passages in Isaiah and Jeremiah clearly indicate that children will be born to the godly during the Millennium. We see that come to its logical conclusion in the famous Millennial passage in Revelation. Entire nations are rebuilt – not just Israel – and they apparently are still capable of rebelling to the rightful King.

Revelation 20:1-10 HCSB Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1,000 years. 3 He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it so that he would no longer deceive the nations until the 1,000 years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time. 4 Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of God's word, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with the Messiah for 1,000 years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over these, but they will be priests of God and the Messiah, and they will reign with Him for 1,000 years. 7 When the 1,000 years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 They came up over the surface of the earth and surrounded the encampment of the saints, the beloved city. Then fire came down from heaven and consumed them. 10 The Devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Not only will the godly have children, but we must keep in mind that there will be survivors of the Great Tribulation.

Zechariah 14:16 HCSB Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to celebrate the Festival of Booths.

These will likely remain inwardly rebellious to the rightful King because we see throughout the Great Day of Wrath that they stubbornly refuse to repent, cursing God instead. Even before this last “battle”, if one can call this instantaneous loss a battle, we see some sign of the brewing rebellion.

Zechariah 14:17-18 HCSB Should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, rain will not fall on them. 18 And if the people of Egypt will not go up and enter, then rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague the LORD inflicts on the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths.

Each child born during this time will have a free will and will be given the chance to choose Christ’s rule or Satan’s. Those who decide to cast their lot with the rebels will suffer the same consequences as the rebels do.