Introduction
The purpose of this study is to examine what the Bible says about the rapture. Is the Messiah coming secretly? Does the Bible support seven-year tribulation? Is the Messiah coming before or after the great tribulation? What about the second coming of the Messiah in two stages? Will Christians go through the great tribulation? We will likewise look at other popular scriptural passages used to support this theory. Is a pre-tribulation rapture coming, and what does the Bible teach? Be ready to open and study your Bible for the answers.
This study was prepared in form of questions and comments, it is important to study all the scriptural references, make personal notes from them, and then read the comments that followed the question. All scriptural references are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated. The keyword or words in the reference verses are highlighted for you to have words to think and meditate upon.
To gain the knowledge God intends, asked Him to open your understanding to the scriptures you read. Remove your mind from any preconceived opinion and focus on what the scriptures say. Be like the Bereans Christians who studied the scriptures to be sure what they heard were true. Believe the Word of God, prove it and hold fast to it, because it is true.
May your heart be blessed as you study diligently.
Content
1. Where will the believers be after the resurrection? Heaven or Earth?
2. Where has God chosen to be his final place of rest and what connection does it have with the promised land?
3. What is the New Jerusalem?
Where will the believers be after the resurrection? Heaven or Earth?
Read Revelation 11:15-18, Zechariah 14:3-5, 9, Zechariah 14:3-5, 9
Comment:
The rapture doctrine teaches that after the rapture believers will be taken to heaven to be with the Lord for the marriage supper of the lamb. While in heaven, those that are left behind will face a horrific situation under the anti-Christ. The verse they use to support this is John 14:1-4 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” They focused on verse 3. They believe that the Father’s house and a place Jesus talked about will be in heaven, and since they will not be on earth during the great tribulation, the Father’s house with many mansions in heaven is where the Messiah is taking them. I have heard many Christians talk about their mansion in heaven. Moreover, because they believe that the rapture is just the first stage of the Messiah second coming and if Christ must return back to heaven after this stage, then they will be where the Messiah is. They also use verse 17 of I Thessalonians Chapter 4 as supporting scripture, focusing on the part that says “And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
Before we go on to see the true meaning of the John14:1-4, I want to clearly state that the verse did not mention heaven, but it does mention Father’s house, mansions, a place, and that his disciples will be where the Messiah is. To understand what the Messiah told his disciples, it is very important to look at the overall plan of God for man. In it lies our understanding of this scriptural passage.
The purpose of the Messiah’s second coming is to take over the rulership of the kingdoms of this world, to resurrect the dead saints since Adam, to give the saints, both the resurrected and living, immortal, incorruptible, spiritual body, to reward the saints, judge the world and destroy those who destroyed the earth, and to create a new heaven and earth, where the righteous will rule with Him.
This purpose can be found in Revelation 11:15-18. It reads “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
Let’s see how this plan will unfold, that is, from the resurrection of the saints to the creation of a new heaven and earth. And as we look at each step of this plan, you should be asking yourself the question, where is the Messiah? Heaven or earth.
From the resurrection of the believers to the New Heaven and Earth, where will the Messiah be? Heaven or Earth. The following events explain how this plan will unfold.
1. At the sound of the last trumpet, God will officially give the kingdoms of this world to the Messiah.
At the sound of the last trumpet, God will officially hand over the kingdoms of this world to the Messiah, and with this announcement, the Messiah will descend down the earth, with the cloud, from heaven with His angels. The Messiah is now on earth.
Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Daniel 7:22
“Until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.”
2. The Messiah resurrects all dead believers and gives them new body including living believers.
As the Messiah descends from heaven with his angels, He resurrects the dead saints and gives both the resurrected and the living saints a spiritual, immortal, and incorruptible body. Why is this type of body necessary? Because it is the body in which one can enter the kingdom of God, the Messiah is about set up, starting from the millennial reign. It is the body that cannot be affected by disease and sin (incorruptible) or know death (immortal).
I Thessalonians 4:15-17
“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord.”
I Corinthians 15:50-53
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
3. On that day, the Messiah will set his feet on Mount Olives, which is close to Jerusalem
After the saints are given a glorious body, on that very day the Messiah will set his feet on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. The saints and the angels are now with the Messiah, and together they form the army of the Lord, ready to possess the kingdoms of the world. We see here that the Messiah is still on earth on mount olives with saints. He did not take them to heaven.
Zechariah 14:3-5, 9
“Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south. Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus, the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You. And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— “The LORD is one,” And His name one.”
4. The battle of that great day of God Almighty will be fought and the Messiah will conquer
The kings of the earth with their army, and the false prophet, and the beast will resist and fight the Messiah in the battle of that great day of God Almighty (not Armageddon), but they will be defeated. Note, Armageddon is just the name of the place where the armies of kings of this world are gathered. After their defeat, the armies of the kings of this earth will be destroyed with the sword (word of God) that comes out of the Messiah’s mouth. The false prophet and the beast will be taken and destroyed in the lake of fire and brimstone.
Revelation 16:12-16
“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river the Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.”
Revelation 19:11-16
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Zechariah 14:3-5, 9
“Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south. Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus, the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You. And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— “The LORD is one,” And His name one.”
Revelation 19:17-21
“And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.”
Also read Psalm 2:1-9
5. The Messiah and the Saints possess the kingdoms. Satan is captured, the false religions of this world abolished and the millennial reign of the Messiah begins.
With the Messiah’s victory, the saints will possess the kingdoms of the earth, and set a temporary camp on Mount Zion- i.e. Jerusalem, the capital city God has chosen for Himself on earth. The stronghold of false religions (represented by Babylon in the Book of Revelation) of this world will be destroyed. Satan will be captured, chained, and thrown into the bottomless pit for one thousand years. The millennial reign of the Messiah on earth will then begin. At the end of the one thousand years, Satan will be loosed for the last time and he will gather all the nations (represented by Gog and Magog) yet to accept the Messiah as the king during the millennial reign to attack the camp of the saints, but fire will come down from heaven and consume them. Satan will finally be captured and thrown in the lake of fire where the false prophet and the beast were destroyed.
Zechariah 14:3-5, 9
Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Daniel 2:44
“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”
Daniel 7:27
“Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’”
Daniel 7:18
“But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
Daniel 7:22
“Until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.”
Matthew 25:31-34
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Revelation 20:4
“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
Revelation 17:1-6
“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” So, he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.”
Revelation 19:1-2
“After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”
Revelation 20:7-10
“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
6. Israel will possess fully the promised land, the scattered twelve tribes of Israel will be gathered home, and the Messiah will sit on the throne of David.
The Messiah will cause the nation of Israel to finally possess in full, as God promised Abraham, the promised land and the scattered twelve tribes will be brought back home from the nations where they are scattered. The Messiah will then sit on David’s throne as king of kings and Lord of lords ruling the whole earth with the saints from Jerusalem.
Amos 9:11-15
“On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” Says the LORD who does this thing. “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it. I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,” Says the LORD your God.”
Jeremiah 33:17
“For thus says the LORD: ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel;”
Jeremiah 33:19-21, 25-26
“And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers.”
“Thus says the LORD: ‘If My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, then I will cast away the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will cause their captives to return, and will have mercy on them.”
Ezekiel 36:22-28
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.”
Ezekiel 34:12-13
“As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country.”
Ezekiel 39:25-29
“Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name— after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid. When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD.”
Jeremiah 30:10
“Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,’ says the LORD, ‘Nor be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar, And your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, And no one shall make him afraid.”
Jeremiah 16:14-15
“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that it shall no more be said, ‘The LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘The LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.’ For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers.”
Also read: Ezekiel 36:16-38, Jeremiah 16:15, Jeremiah 23:3, Ezekiel 37:21, Jeremiah 46:27
7. The marriage supper of lamb begins and the saints are rewarded
The marriage supper of the lamb begins, and the saints are rewarded. This includes the saints given rulership of cities and nations. They will be given thrones and crowns.
Luke 22:14-16
“When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Revelation 19:6-9
“And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
Revelation 11:18
“The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
Luke 19:15-17
“And so, it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.”
Also read Revelation 3:21, Luke 22:30, Revelation 3:12, 1Peter 5:4, Revelation 3:11, I Thessalonians 2:19, James 1:12, 2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Corinthians 9:25,
8. The rebuilding and renewal of the earth will begin.
After Israel had fully possessed the promised land and the Saints rewarded and crowned, the rebuilding and renewal of the earth from the aftermath of wars, natural and human disasters will begin under the Messiah. The bible says all weapons of war will be turned into instruments of farming and the earth will experience peace for one thousand years.
Amos 9:11-15
“On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” Says the LORD who does this thing. “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it. I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,” Says the LORD your God.”
Ezekiel 36:33-36
“‘Thus, says the Lord GOD: “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. So, they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it. ””
Micah 4:1-4
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.”
9. Second resurrection and white throne judgment.
After the millennial reign, the second resurrection will take place. This is the resurrection of all the wicked that ever lived from Adam. They will face the white throne judgment of the Messiah. They will be judged according to their works, by the word of God, and whether their names are written in the book of life. The verdict of the judgment is that they will be found guilty and will be destroyed in the lake of fire. This is the second death. All the fallen angels (demons) are also judged. After the judgment, death and hell are also cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:11-15
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
10. New heaven and earth formed, the holy city (new Jerusalem) comes down from heaven.
Now that earth has been rid off of all the wicked, and those who destroyed it. This includes Satan, the beast, the false prophet, the fallen angels, death and hell, and the false religions of the world. We saw that they were all destroyed forever in the lake of fire, but the saints are left on earth. It is important to say again that the earth, according to God’s plan belongs to the Messiah and the saints. It is the wicked that will be removed (taken) from it and destroyed. Psalms 119:119: “You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross; Therefore, I love Your testimonies.” Proverbs 10:30: “The righteous will never be removed, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.” Proverbs 2:21-22: “For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it; But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.” Psalms 37:11: “But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Matthew 5:5: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” You may read the whole of Psalm 37 to see the end of the wicked and the righteous. What God promised the righteous is a new earth in which only righteousness shall reign. No wonder Peter said in 2 Peter 3:13, “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
I mentioned that after the Messiah’s victory at the battle of that great day of God Almighty, the Messiah with the saints will move to Mount Zion where the camp of the saints will be. The Lord will then renewal the earth, making it brand new by the power of the Holy Spirit. Psalms 104:30: “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.” After this, the camp of the saints on Mount Zion will be replaced by something glorious: The New Jerusalem (the Holy city, God’s temple, the Father’s house) that will come down from heaven. Revelation 21:1-3, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”
If you truly study this bible study booklet without any preconceived opinion, reading all the scriptural references and allowing the Spirit of God to open your mind to this truth, you will understand that when the Messiah comes the second time, he is not going back to heaven and neither is He taking the saints there. Again, the summary of what the Messiah will be doing can be found in Revelation 11:15-18. There is nowhere in the bible where God promised that the saints will inherit heaven. The scripture says the reward of the saints is rulership with the Messiah on earth not heaven. Psalms 37:11: “But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Matthew 5:5: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Revelation 5:10 “And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth. After Resurrection, the saints will be with the Messiah on earth to rule and reign with Him. If the Messiah will be on earth when He comes back, the Saints will also be on earth.
Where has God chosen to be his final place of rest and what connection does it have with the promised land?
Read Psalms 132:13-14, Zechariah 2:10-13, Revelation 7:14-15, Psalms 48:1-2, Zechariah 8:3, Psalms 76:1-2, Isaiah 24:23, Obadiah 1:17.
Comment:
The place where God has chosen to be His final place of rest is Zion, that is, Jerusalem. Strong’s Concordance defined Zion as a permanent capital, a mountain of Jerusalem. See Strong’s H6726. Jerusalem is the permanent capital of God on earth, where He will dwell among men and reign over them with the Messiah. The divine plan of God was for the children of Israel to occupy Jerusalem and the whole of the promised land till God’s ultimate plan is fulfilled, but they failed in their assignment.
Again, the final resting place of God is Jerusalem, and He will possess it through the Messiah at the fullness of time. At that time, the children of Israel will fully possess the whole of the promised land and fulfill their calling as a peculiar treasure, holy nation, and the kingdom of priests, enjoying the everlasting rest of God in the promised land. After this, the New Jerusalem (Holy City, God’s tabernacle, Father’s House) prepared in heaven will come down and replaced the old city of Jerusalem. When this happens, God will come down and dwell in His House (tabernacle). I believe this is not difficult to understand if all the scriptural references are considered.
Scriptural references
Psalms 132:13-14, “For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”
Zechariah 2:10-13, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the LORD. “Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!”
Revelation 7:14-15, “And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.”
Psalms 48:1-2, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, In His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King.”
Zechariah 8:3, “Thus says the LORD: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the LORD of hosts, The Holy Mountain.”
Psalms 76:1-2, “In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel. In Salem also is His tabernacle, And His dwelling place in Zion.”
Isaiah 24:23, “Then the moon will be disgraced And the sun ashamed; For the LORD of hosts will reign On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem And before His elders, gloriously.”
Obadiah 1:17, “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.”
What is the New Jerusalem?
Read: John 1:1-3, Revelation 21:1-3, John 14:1-4
Comment:
At this moment let’s bring out the important points from Revelation 21:1-3. In the renewed earth, a new capital city (new Jerusalem) which has been pre-constructed in heaven will descend down to the earth replacing the old Jerusalem. It will become the headquarters from where the God of Israel and the Messiah will rule the earth. This Holy city is referred to as the tabernacle of God, that is, the house of God. The moment the house of God comes to the earth, He will come down to live among men and be their God.
Let’s asked a few questions about the New Jerusalem that will come down to earth from heaven. These will help us to understand what the Messiah was talking about with His disciples in John 14:1-4.
1) Who is the maker of this Holy city?
God, through the Messiah (The Word).
John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
John 14:1-4 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
2) What other names are used to describe this Holy city?
New Jerusalem or Tabernacle of God, Read Revelation chapter 21. It can also be referred to as the God’s temple, and that is why there is no temple in that Holy city, Revelation 21:22. Father’s house, the Messiah called the temple at Jerusalem “My father’s house”, John 2:13-17. The father’s house He was referring to in John 14:1-4 is the Holy city, the New Jerusalem, the Tabernacle of God, or God’s temple when He finally comes down to live with us.
3) What is a tabernacle?
Tabernacle means a house or dwelling place, and biblically where God meets with his people. For the main time, let’s say the new Jerusalem is the House of God. Let’s now build on that point. From the beginning, it is God’s plans to live among man. He wants a continuous fellowship with them. In the Garden of Eden, God always comes down to fellowship with Adam. During the time of Moses, God asked him to build a Tabernacle (house) for him, so that he can come down to meet with his people Israel. You can see why the tabernacle or the temple at Jerusalem is so important to the Israelites through their history. The coming of the Messiah is actually the coming of God in the flesh to live among man. That is why the Messiah is called Emmanuel – God with us. The desire of many Christians is to go to heaven to meet God, but instead of us going up to meet Him, He will be coming down to us. The moment His House (tabernacle) comes down to earth, He will come to dwell in it and we will see His face. And again, God will be with us. Now consider, when God told Moses to build a tabernacle for him, God gave him specifications based on the pattern he showed to him- heavenly pattern. In essence, God was telling them of what he will do in the future. He has not changed his plan. May God give you understanding.
4) Did the Messiah promise a place for his disciples in his father’s house (the Holy city)?
Yes. Let’s read John 14:14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
The Messiah promised his disciples that He will prepare a place for them in his Father’s house (Holy city). This place may be a house, or a mansion, or an office (for his disciples to carry out their functions) in the Holy city. An important clue to show that the Messiah was talking about the Holy city can be seen in the description of the Holy city – the foundation of its wall has the name of the twelve disciples. Revelation 21:14, “Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” It is like having a street named after you.
Let’s take a view at this, the old tabernacle or temple at Jerusalem did not only have an area for the general worship. There are rooms (mansions so to speak) built with it, where the priests used as office or house. In the new earth, the new Jerusalem (Holy city) is the Tabernacle of God, and the saints who be priests of God will have offices or houses in it to carry out their role as a royal priesthood. Revelation 1:6 “and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Revelation 5:10
“And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.
The bible says in the kingdom of God, the saints will be made kings and priests and will reign on earth forever, not heaven. When the tabernacle of God comes down from heaven, God will live among man. This makes the whole earth one kingdom, the Bible called the kingdom of God or kingdom of heaven, because it is the God of heaven and the Messiah that will rule it with the saints. This is the kingdom the Messiah promised those who will believe in him, and the kingdom he preached throughout his ministry on earth.
See the prophecy about this in Ezekiel 37:27, then Leviticus 26:11-12, Isaiah 7:14, 8: 6-7, Jeremiah 31:33, 34, 2 Chronicles 6:18
Conclusion
The whole plan of salvation is the restoration of mankind who have been cut off from God back to Him. It also involves the restoration of the earth from its corrupt state to a perfect state before the fall of man. God is taking back the control of the earth from the Satan, who stole it from man and giving it back to man again. As it was in the garden of Eden, man will once again have dominion over God’s creation. On earth, man will rule and reign with the Messiah, they will see God face to face and have continuous fellowship with him. And most importantly, man will live forever with an immortal, incorruptible, spiritual body. With this body, it will be impossible for man to sin against his Maker and his Saviour again. With this body, man cannot die anymore, because they have the very life of God in them.
The rapture theory is a teaching formulated in error and is based on many contradicting human assumptions and imaginations and not in line with the overall plan of God for man. The danger of this theory is that it gives false hope to unsuspecting believers leading to lack of readiness for the times of trouble that is coming on this world. The theory technically teaches third coming of the Messiah contrary to the scripture that teaches only second and final coming. The secret rapture theory may be popular but that does not make it true, it is a human doctrine based on the fear of going through the great tribulation. And like many other human traditions in the church today that have no root in the word of God, the secret rapture theory is one of them. The phrase “caught up” from which the word rapture is coined is not an event on its own, it is a part of the resurrection process of believers which will take place on the last day, at the last trumpet the which is the exact time of the Messiah’s second and final coming.
The whole counsel of the Lord regarding His coming has been declared to you. The question now is, who will you believe? The word of God or the traditions of men. Choose today. May the Lord help you?
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