By Grace Kemp
gracekemp@aol.com
Question: I heard that Jesus is going to make his
kingdom here on earth in Jerusalem to be with the people. If Jesus is here
on the new earth, who is going to be in the New Heaven?
Answer: Here is the lineup of future events
according to Bible prophecy, as I understand it:
1. Rapture of
the Church. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 says,
“14 For
we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will
bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are
left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have
fallen asleep.
16
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the
voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ
will rise first.
17After
that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord
forever.
18
Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
2. Seven year
Tribulation on earth. See Matthew 24.
3. Second Coming
of Christ "in power and great glory" See Matthew 24:30 and Revelation
19:11-16.
"At that time the sign of
the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will
mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power
and great glory.”
4.
Christ, as "King of the Jews," reigns over earth from Jerusalem
for 1,000 years. Revelation 20: 5, 6 says,
”5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
”5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
“6
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second
death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and
will reign with him for a thousand years.”
5. Great White
Throne Judgment for unbelievers See Revelation 20:11-15.
“11
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the
heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were
opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were
judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
13
The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead
that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.
14
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the
second death.
15
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the
lake of fire.”
6. Destruction of earth
and the cosmos. See 11 Peter 3:7-12.
“7
But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for
fire, being kept until the Day of Judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day
is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but
is patient toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that
all should reach repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens
will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned
up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be
exposed.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people
ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness.
12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which
the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will
melt as they burn!”
7. Creation of a
"new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness". See 11
Peter 3: 3-18.
13
But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in
which righteousness dwells.
8. New Jerusalem,
the city that God has prepared for his bride, the
church, descends to earth from Heaven. All of the Godhead
resides in it. See John 14:1-3 and Revelation 21.
“1
Do not let your hearts be troubled; You believe in God; believe also in me.
2 My
Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that
I am going there to prepare a place for you?
3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be
with me that you also may be where I am.“
Thus begins the
eternal state.
