Below is a brief explanation of the difference between those going to heaven and those who will remain on the earth after Armageddon. There are many scriptures on these two subjects and takes time to understand the difference. This is in response to a previous comment on this forum thread.
(John 6:48-58) 48 “I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness and yet they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and for a fact, the bread that I will give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world.” 52 Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me, and I in union with him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. It is not as when your forefathers ate and yet died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
This was an intimate invitation to a small group of Jews probably at a Synagog to enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus to be co-rulers with him in heaven. The symbolism used here is very similar to the eating of the bread and wine that Jesus instituted during the passover season a short time later. Entering this new covenant with Jesus would assure them of everlasting life upon death and would go straight to heaven. And what will they be doing in heaven? Strolling on roads of gold and playing a harp? No, but to RULE AS KINGS AND PRIESTS for the 1,000 years (Revelation chapter 20). The end of verse 4 of chapter 20 says "....they came to life and ruled as Kings with the Christ for 1,000 years. The rest of the dead (those on the earth) did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.) They came to everlasting life immediately upon being resurrected and the second death has no authority over them. Revelation 5:10 says clearly "and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God and they are to rule as Kings over the earth." THAT is the purpose for going to heaven and the only purpose. People were created to live on the earth, not to go to heaven. Had Adam and Eve not sinned they would have lived on earth FOREVER. Just because they sinned didn't change God's plan. He still plans to have faithful men and women to live forever on earth, but first the issue of Sovereignty and sin must be dealt with in God's way. Part of that plan to deal with sin is to allow a relatively small number of people to go to heaven to rule with Jesus for the purpose of FULLY dealing with sin via the Ransom sacrifice of Jesus.
In contrast are the vast majority of those who will either survive the great tribulation and Armageddon or be resurrected to the 1,000 year Kingdom on earth referred to as the great crowd at Revelation 7:9 who survived the great tribulation and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They do not come to life (everlasting life) until the end of the 1,000 year reign. Notice what happens at Revelation 20:7 and 8? Basically says Satan will be released from the prison he was in for the past almost 1,000 years and now is going to try to mislead all who will follow him in one last rebellion against God. Satan, his demons and all who follow them will be destroyed. Those who remain faithful and who have exercised faith in Jesus and his shed blood will live on forever after that. After that final test the "second death" will have no authority over them ever again. Remember, Adam and Eve were perfect in the garden of Eden and had no need of Jesus redemptive provisions and yet they disobeyed God and lost their perfection and lost their everlasting life. Adam lived "only" 930 years and died with no hope of a resurrection due to his willful disobedience. 930 years is a short time compared to everlasting life. By the end of the future 1,000 years all on earth will have also reached perfection in God's eyes by virtue of Jesus shed blood and even so many will choose to follow Satan just as Adam and Eve also chose to follow Satan so long ago in the garden.
Going forward I may or may not respond to those who choose to criticize. I will however respond to all who genuinely want to have a Bible discussion and compare scriptures and to let the scriptures together with an explanation. Notice what the apostle Paul had to say about debates.
(2 Timothy 2:23-26) 23 Further, reject foolish and ignorant debates, knowing that they produce fights. 24 For a slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach, showing restraint when wronged, 25 instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed. Perhaps God may give them repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the Devil, seeing that they have been caught alive by him to do his will.
To learn more on many Bible topics feel free to go to jw.org for more Bible based teachings or request a free home Bible Study.
