How many people on the earth at the 2nd Coming of Christ?

[Ready1]

How many will survive until the coming of the Lord? Any ideas?

Rev 6:16 And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.
Rev 6:17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?"

Rev 7:9 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. ..."These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

Rev 8:11 The name of the star was Bitterness. It made one-third of the water bitter, and many people died from drinking the bitter water.

Rev_6:8 I looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green. Its rider was named Death, and his companion was the Grave. These two were given authority over one-fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword and famine and disease and wild animals.

Rev 9:15 Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth.
Rev 9:18 One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues—by the fire and smoke and burning sulfur that came from the mouths of the horses.

Rev 11:13 At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake,

Rev 16:19 The great city of Babylon split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble. So God remembered all of Babylon's sins, and He made her drink the cup that was filled with the wine of His fierce wrath.
Rev 16:20 And every island disappeared, and all the mountains were leveled.
Rev 16:21 There was a terrible hailstorm, and hailstones weighing as much as seventy-five pounds fell from the sky onto the people below. They cursed God because of the terrible plague of the hailstorm.

It seems that in just two plagues, 1/2 of the earth dies. But there are a multitude of other judgments and plagues which kill people. Is there any indication how many people will ultimately survive the judgments of the seven final years immediately preceding the return of our Lord?

[GodsStudent]

I don't have the scriptures handy, but I remember that when I researched this in the past, it was that 2/3 of the earth perishes before Christ returns. Sure wish I was a good teacher and better student!

[Ready1]

Looks pretty slim in numbers.

Isa 24:1 Look! The LORD is about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland. He devastates the surface of the earth and scatters the people.
Isa 24:2 Priests and laypeople, servants and masters, maids and mistresses, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, bankers and debtors—none will be spared.
Isa 24:3 The earth will be completely emptied and looted. The LORD has spoken!

Isa 24:6 Therefore, a curse consumes the earth. Its people must pay the price for their sin. They are destroyed by fire, and only a few are left alive.

Isa 24:13 Throughout the earth the story is the same—only a remnant is left, like the stray olives left on the tree or the few grapes left on the vine after harvest.

[sacredcowbasher]

Hi Ready1, safe to say that it will be one third less populated after the 'plagues'. Then you look at the verses in Zechariah, the plague is mentioned. Men's and cattle's tongues and eyes will be melted before they hit the ground. This can only, imo, be nuclear in nature. It will be a horrible time in many aspects.

[kirthril]

Certain extra-biblical prophecies state 75% of humanity wiped out at the end of this age. The Bible, speaking of God's wrath on a wicked earth says that earth will become desolate, humanity will become scarce upon the surface.

After a period of intense rebellion and war, the fall of and abandonment of the Catholic church, the removal of communion/Eucharist, declaration of victory over Christianity by its enemies, after massive global events such as earthquakes, a comet that smashes into the ocean destroying all coastal cities and submerging entire nations, spread of diseases so great because of the bloodshed and corpses everywhere, will come a period of brief respite. After the Germans are contained. The empire of Mohammad broken up and the Asian hordes pushed back to asia. At that time, people will say peace and safety, but sudden destruction comes. Gods intense wrath will befall the earth after some warnings, the sun will not shine, the stars and moon invisible. Torrents of lightning and intense darkness will cover the earth. The sky will rain down hurricanes of fire and anyone caught outside will not be spared.

The prophecy goes on, but it says 75% of humanity (that is those who remain after the tribulations of the great war) will perish. Those who survive will establish the Church of God across the earth and all the earth will worship God.
(feel free to believe or not as with all extra biblical prophecies, I myself am unsure as to the exact sequence and how to matches up to Revelation and such)

[Ready1]

This appears to be the destruction of the "Southern Confederation" by war at the time of the Day of the Lord.

Eze 30:2 "Son of man, prophesy and give this message from the Sovereign LORD: "Weep and wail for that day,
Eze 30:3 for the terrible day is almost here—the day of the LORD! It is a day of clouds and gloom, a day of despair for the nations.
Eze 30:4 A sword will come against Egypt, and those who are slaughtered will cover the ground. Its wealth will be carried away and its foundations destroyed. The land of Ethiopia will be ravished.
Eze 30:5 Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all Arabia, and all their other allies will be destroyed in that war.
Eze 30:6 "For this is what the LORD says: All of Egypt's allies will fall, and the pride of her power will end. From Migdol to Aswan they will be slaughtered by the sword, says the Sovereign LORD.
Eze 30:7 Egypt will be desolate, surrounded by desolate nations, and its cities will be in ruins, surrounded by other ruined cities.
Eze 30:8 And the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD when I have set Egypt on fire and destroyed all their allies.
Eze 30:9 At that time I will send swift messengers in ships to terrify the complacent Ethiopians. Great panic will come upon them on that day of Egypt's certain destruction. Watch for it! It is sure to come!

Combined population of these nations approaches 300 million people.

[kirthril]

This appears to be the destruction of the "Southern Confederation" by war at the time of the Day of the Lord.

Eze 30:2 "Son of man, prophesy and give this message from the Sovereign LORD: "Weep and wail for that day,
Eze 30:3 for the terrible day is almost here—the day of the LORD! It is a day of clouds and gloom, a day of despair for the nations.
Eze 30:4 A sword will come against Egypt, and those who are slaughtered will cover the ground. Its wealth will be carried away and its foundations destroyed. The land of Ethiopia will be ravished.
Eze 30:5 Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all Arabia, and all their other allies will be destroyed in that war.
Eze 30:6 "For this is what the LORD says: All of Egypt's allies will fall, and the pride of her power will end. From Migdol to Aswan they will be slaughtered by the sword, says the Sovereign LORD.
Eze 30:7 Egypt will be desolate, surrounded by desolate nations, and its cities will be in ruins, surrounded by other ruined cities.
Eze 30:8 And the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD when I have set Egypt on fire and destroyed all their allies.
Eze 30:9 At that time I will send swift messengers in ships to terrify the complacent Ethiopians. Great panic will come upon them on that day of Egypt's certain destruction. Watch for it! It is sure to come!

Combined population of these nations approaches 300 million people.

The "southern confederation" is Egypt, Sudan, Libya led by "the king of the south" who is the AC's chief initial opponent in the middle east. Once defeated he turns his attention on Israel, the west, the north, the east.

Lydia is Turkey. Its land is part of the "northern kingdom" referenced in Daniel 11. Ezekiel 30 here, is essentially foretelling the absolute destruction of the final Mohammadean Caliphate, a united muslim world. When? On the day of the Lord. Another confirmation Islam is not defeated in some pre-trib Magog war.

[keithareilly]

Isaiah 13:9-12
9Behold, the day of the LORD comes,
cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,
to make the land a desolation
and to destroy its sinners from it.
10For the stars of the heavens and their constellations
will not give their light;
the sun will be dark at its rising,
and the moon will not shed its light.
11I will punish the world for its evil,
and the wicked for their iniquity;
I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant,
and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.
12I will make people more rare than fine gold,
and mankind than the gold of Ophir.

People shall be rarer than fine gold.

Keith

[Ready1]

Hi Ready1, safe to say that it will be one third less populated after the 'plagues'. Then you look at the verses in Zechariah, the plague is mentioned. Men's and cattle's tongues and eyes will be melted before they hit the ground. This can only, imo, be nuclear in nature. It will be a horrible time in many aspects.

Here is the quote from Zechariah:

Zec 14:9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one LORD—His name alone will be worshiped.
Zec 14:10 All the land from Geba, north of Judah, to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become one vast plain. But Jerusalem will be raised up in its original place and will be inhabited all the way from the Benjamin Gate over to the site of the old gate, then to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses.
Zec 14:11 And Jerusalem will be filled, safe at last, never again to be cursed and destroyed.
Zec 14:12 And the LORD will send a plague on all the nations that fought against Jerusalem. Their people will become like walking corpses, their flesh rotting away. Their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.
Zec 14:13 On that day they will be terrified, stricken by the LORD with great panic. They will fight their neighbors hand to hand.
Zec 14:14 Judah, too, will be fighting at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the neighboring nations will be captured—great quantities of gold and silver and fine clothing.
Zec 14:15 This same plague will strike the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the other animals in the enemy camps.
Zec 14:16 In the end, the enemies of Jerusalem who survive the plague will go up to Jerusalem each year to worship the King, the LORD of Heaven's Armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Shelters.

Looks like this passage is referencing a time after the Lord returns (if we look at it chronologically). My guess is that this really is a plague sent upon the nations which went to war with Jerusalem. (As it says)

But there is this passage

Zec 13:8 Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die," says the LORD. "But one-third will be left in the land.
Zec 13:9 I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are My people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"

[sacredcowbasher]

Hi Ready1, I looked up the passages in the NKJV and it gives a different take then the version you noted, and I think it supports the idea that it could be nuclear in nature. As follows:

Zech 14:10 All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be raised up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin's Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses.
11. The people shall dwell in it: and no longer shall there be utter destruction. But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
12. And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.
13. Such also shall be the plague on the horse and the mule. On the camel and the donkey, and on all the cattle that will be in those camps. So shall this plague be.

[Ready1]

Hi scbasher:

I think that you missed my point so I will restate it. As I understand this passage, prior to the appearance of this plague, the Lord is present on the earth and the plague is a punishment upon all the nations who fought against Jerusalem. Verse 9, which you did not include, indicates that Jesus is present on the earth. Here is the passage in the KJV:

Zec 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
Zec 14:10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.
Zec 14:11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

Zec 14:12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
Zec 14:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
Zec 14:14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
Zec 14:15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ***, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague.

I used the NLT because it makes it a little more understandable...

Zec 14:9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one LORD—His name alone will be worshiped.

[Ready1]

Anyone have thoughts on this passage? Does it mean the whole earth or just the area of the land of Israel?

Zec 13:8 Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die," says the LORD. "But one-third will be left in the land.
Zec 13:9 I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are My people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"

[Jay Ross]

or in

Anyone have thoughts on this passage? Does it mean the whole earth or just the area of the land of Israel?

Zec 13:8 Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die," says the LORD. "But one-third will be left in the land.
Zec 13:9 I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are My people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"

That is a very good question. Without being able to do a proper search for all of the occurrence of the Hebrew word used in Zec 13:8 " הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ " from the Hebrew Root " אָ֫רֶץ " it is difficult to determine whether or not the meaning should be "land" or "earth." The other difficulty is whether or not the BHS or Westminster Hebrew Text is used to sort all of the Hebrew words derived from the Hebrew Root H:0776.

If we consider Genesis 15, God Promises Abraham that he/his descendants will inherit the whole earth and then God gives Abraham a solemn "sign" covenant that when they see that they have received a "portion of the earth" described in Genesis 15:17-21 that they can be assured that they will at a later time inherit the whole earth. However, in all cases the translation renders the Hebrew words for H:0776 in Genesis 15 simply as "Land", and as such the significance of this chapter is lost on us when we consider the English Translations.

The other occurrence of H:0776 in Genesis 15 is used in the context of being " in a foreign country." or "in a land that is not theirs."

Since there is over 2,500 occurrences of the Hebrew Root H:0776 in the Old Testament, there is a lot of work to do to sort each of these occurrences into their respective embedded Hebrew words with all of the associated OT references.

Without having the tools to search the OT easily, it is my guess that in this occurrence of H:0776 that the reference is referring to the "whole earth" and not just to the land of Israel.

It is becoming my understanding that all of Israel will not be brought back to the "land" until the time of the "ends of the earth" has occurred because if God is entering into a covenantal "Holy Priesthood" with the Israelites in the near future, then for their fulfilment of the renewal of this Priestly covenant, Israel will need to be still scattered up and until the time of the final judgement of all of the people of the earth.

A quick comparison of Gen 15:7 and Zec 13:8 would suggest that the BHS Hebrew texts uses the same Hebrew word in both instances but that their is a slight difference between these two occurrences within the Westminster Hebrew Text which may be of some significance which I cannot/do not comprehend at this present time with such a brief consideration of the question that you posed in the post above.

Shalom

[sacredcowbasher]

Hi Ready1, I think I knew that you had referred to something about the timing of the Lord's reign, but I didn't give that a lot of thought. I was looking at an event without knowing much about the setting of what came before or after. I can assume that you have studied this out well and are convinced that the Lord is reigning at this time in His kingdom. I haven't studied it out to know so I will defer to you and agree until I have time to check into it.

[Ready1]

Isa 17:3 The fortified towns of Israel will also be destroyed, and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria will share the fate of Israel's departed glory," declares the LORD of Heaven's Armies.
Isa 17:4 "In that day Israel's glory will grow dim; its robust body will waste away.
Isa 17:5 The whole land will look like a grainfield after the harvesters have gathered the grain. It will be desolate, like the fields in the valley of Rephaim after the harvest.
Isa 17:6 Only a few of its people will be left, like stray olives left on a tree after the harvest. Only two or three remain in the highest branches, four or five scattered here and there on the limbs," declares the LORD, the God of Israel.
Isa 17:7 Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 17:8 They will no longer look to their idols for help or worship what their own hands have made. They will never again bow down to their Asherah poles or worship at the pagan shrines they have built.
Isa 17:9 Their largest cities will be like a deserted forest, like the land the Hivites and Amorites abandoned when the Israelites came here so long ago. It will be utterly desolate.

Just came across this passage.... This appears to take place after the destruction of Damascus.