Where Will the Saved Live When Resurrected?
The Bible clearly show that Jesus will return here to earth and rule the nations with His saints.
But where will the family of God reside? What will its members be doing? Is there any biblical basis for the common idea that they will be playing harps somewhere in heaven for eternity?
What did Jesus say about the reward of the righteous?
“In My Father’s house are many [rooms]; 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” (John 14:2-3).
The crucial question is where will Christ be? Several scriptural passages clearly show that Jesus will return here to earth and rule the nations with His saints (compare Revelation 19; 20:1-6).
Where will the righteous rule?
“You [Jesus Christ] are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10, New International Version).
The righteous saints will assist Jesus Christ in reigning over the nations during His millennial rule. As a specific example, we saw earlier that Jesus said that the 12 apostles will reign over the descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; compare Luke 22:28-30). Scripture even reveals that King David will preside over the reunited tribes of Israel (Jeremiah 30:4, 9; Ezekiel 37:21-25). Others will oversee the administration of several cities (Luke 19:16-19). This is a sorely neglected biblical truth.
The crucial question is where will Christ be? Several scriptural passages clearly show that Jesus will return here to earth and rule the nations with His saints.
What did the apostle Paul say about the future activities of those who receive everlasting life?
“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” (1 Corinthians 6:2).
What does Jesus Christ, through the apostle John, plainly state in the book of Revelation on this subject?
“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations” (Revelation 2:26).
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21).
The apostolic writings show that the true role of the resurrected saints ruling in the world of tomorrow was widely taught and understood in the first-century Church. However, over the many centuries since, an apostasy grew and grew until today relatively few comprehend this major biblical teaching. The proclamation of these largely misunderstood Bible truths remains an important goal of the teachings and publishing efforts of the United Church of God.
Simply moving from the earth to heaven is not the promised reward of the saved. Assisting Jesus Christ in ruling over the nations of this earth and ultimately inheriting all things as part of the family of God is! (For further understanding, download or request our free study guides What Happens After Death? and The Gospel of the Kingdom).
Will the righteous ever dwell with God the Father Himself?
“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, and God Himself will be with them and be their God” (Revelation 21:2-3).
God, our Heavenly Father, has promised to ultimately establish His headquarters on the new, or totally transformed, earth (verse 1), dwelling forever with those who have been changed into immortal spirit beings like Him.
How to Learn More From This Bible Study Course
How can you get the most benefit from this Bible study course? Here are some useful tips you can use to significantly expand the knowledge and understanding of the Bible you’ll gain in going through this course’s lessons.
- If you do not have a Bible, we suggest that you buy one soon so you can check all the biblical references in each lesson and study on your own. We recommend the New King James Version as a first translation. In case you choose to buy a used Bible, the older King James Version is usually more readily available in used book stores.
- You will greatly benefit from looking up in your own Bible every scriptural reference. This is important! Only then can you be certain that your understanding comes specifically from Scripture. Our goal in this course is to assist you in learning and correctly applying the truths of the Bible. The greatest benefit comes from reading the Scriptures directly from your own Bible.
- Many thousands of students of the Bible have found that writing out or typing each scripture has increased their comprehension and doubled or tripled what they remember. Reproducing each scripture forces you to look at and carefully consider every word.
- An exhaustive Bible concordance can also be helpful, enabling you to find every verse in the Bible in which a particular word is used. Most exhaustive concordances also contain an abbreviated lexicon (dictionary) of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words to help you better understand their original meaning. Bible software programs also typically have similar functions and are very helpful for studying Scripture. But you don’t have to have special software. For those with online access, the easiest method for such word searches is to use the Internet, particularly at sites with online Bibles and other resources for biblical study.
- If possible, use various translations of the Bible in your study. Many Bible versions are available online or as part of Bible software packages. Since English has changed considerably since the King James Version was first published in 1611, many Bible students find that a more modern translation greatly helps their study and comprehension. Here are some strengths and weakness of the three major types of Bible translations.
In some translations, like the King James, the New King James and English Standard Version, the translators do their best to render every word in the original language into its equivalent or close equivalent in English. This can sometimes make the meaning difficult to grasp in our own language. Yet the Hebrew or Greek text is reflected rather accurately. These are known as literal, or word-for-word, translations. These are the best translations to use when accuracy is vital.
In other translations, such as the New International Version, the translators have attempted to correctly render the thought or meaning of each sentence as close to the thought of the original as possible. These are generally called literary or thought-for-thought translations. This approach makes the meaning considerably easier to grasp, provided the translators’ own understanding is accurate. The risk in this type of translation, however, lies in the understanding of the translators. Errors can be introduced if their perception of the original meaning is flawed.
Last, and least reliable, are the paraphrased versions of the Bible. In these versions the translators simply tell, in their own words, what they think the original author meant. They can be useful, but only if the translators have clearly and accurately understood the original text. These loose translations are far more prone to contain major misinterpretations of the Scriptures than the other two types. For that reason we should never use them to establish what the Bible teaches. But, occasionally, they can be helpful in making difficult language more comprehensible.
- We sometimes recommend study guides or other publications from the United Church of God, an International Association. We recommend that you download or request and care-fully study each of them. They address specific aspects of these lessons in much greater depth. These materials are available free for the asking from our website (beyondtoday.org) or by contacting any of our offices on the back page of this lesson. We hope you will request your free copies. If you have any questions about material covered in these lessons, please contact our office nearest you. We look forward to serving you.
