Who are the nations in the Millennial rule of Jesus and how are they allowed entry?

Hi Abraham,

Nice to hear from you again and I hope things are going well. Concerning your question:

Are their nations in the kingdom age?

Yeah there are certainly different nations during Jesus' millennial rule. There are verses that speak of 'nations' in general and some that give specific names of nations. For example, here are some 'general' verses that show that nations still exist in that time:

Isa 2:1-4  This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:  (2)  In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.  (3)  Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.  (4)  He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

Or your reference to Zech 8:

Zec 8:20-23  This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come,  (21)  and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, 'Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.'  (22)  And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him."  (23)  This is what the LORD Almighty says: "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.' "

Even when Satan is released at the end of the Millennial Kingdom, he goes out to deceive the nations once more and lead them in revolt against the Lord: 

Rev 20:7-8  When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison  (8)  and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.

Does scripture name any nations that exist in the Messianic Kingdom?

Scripture does refer to some nations by name in the Messianic Kingdom age. Egypt is given a warning in that time:

Zec 14:16-18  Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.  (17)  If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain.  (18)  If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

But is also included in a blessing along with Assyria:

Isa 19:23-25  In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.  (24)  In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth.  (25)  The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance."

During that time the nations will sing praise to God, including Egypt and Cush...

Psa 68:31-35  Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God.  (32)  Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, Selah  (33)  to him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice.  (34)  Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies.  (35)  You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

Isaiah 60:1-3 also speaks of the nations and kings coming to the Lord during the Kingdom age and it goes on to speak of specific nations like Midian, Ephah, Sheba (vs 6), Kedah (vs7), Tarshish (vs 9) and Lebanon (vs 13). 

Who among the nations is allowed into the Kingdom age?

Now going back to Zech 14:16 you will see that it says:

'Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King.'

This tells us that there are survivors from among the nations but they really have to survive two things. Firstly, they have to survive the Tribulation period. Secondly they have to survive the judgment that follows when Jesus returns. 'Who' this is is described by both Jesus and the prophet Joel. Jesus told us that there is a judgment when He comes to divide the people from the nations into two groups - the 'sheep' and the 'goats':

Mat 25:31-32  When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.  (32)  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

The prophet Joel gives us detail on this as well:

Joe 3:2  I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.

You will see from Joel that the basis of the judgment of the nations concerns their treatment of His people Israel. This will come to the fore all the more in the Tribulation period where 'the dragon' (Satan) will seek to devour 'the woman' (Israel) as Revelation 12 tells us. 

So in short, not everyone that survives the tribulation is allowed into His Kingdom. They must pass through the Sheep & Goats judgment when Jesus returns. And the big question here is did they show concern and give help to God's people (especially the Jewish people but I'd extend this to any of His people) that will be severely persecuted during this time. In that sense the 'sheep' show their faith through their actions - probably putting their own lives at risk by helping God's own. This will be rewarded with entrance into the Kingdom age in their existing bodies. The fact that there are nations shows that this might be more people than we sometimes expect.

Hope this helps!

Iain.