I was having a discussion on another forum and was quite surprised that some were saying we will come back to the earth. I have never seen that in God`s word.
Where do you think the Body of Christ`s inheritance will be in eternity?
Just before the second coming, the earth undergoes massive upheaval. Mountains and island disappear. Huge hail pummels the earth. The earth is left desolate, infrastructure is completely destroyed.
Revelation 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Revelation 16:18-21 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
At the second coming, all of the saints are gathered to be with Jesus in the air. Jesus never touches the ground, the saints go up to be with Him. Jesus does not bring the New Jerusalem at the second coming, but the army of heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Revelation 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
The beast and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire (in waiting for the lake of fire). The wicked die by the sword that proceeds out of the mouth of Jesus and do not live again until after the thousand year reign. Birds feast on their flesh. Satan is bound for a thousand years.
Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Revelation 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished...
Revelation 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.
The next scene is in heaven, where judgment of the wicked is taking place during the thousand year reign of Jesus. The saints are in heaven.
Revelation 20:3 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
After the thousand years, the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven and settles on the earth.
Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Satan is loosed for a short time and the wicked are resurrected. How do we know the wicked are resurrected? Revelation 20:5 describes the wicked not living again until after the thousand years, and they are now described as alive and in league with Satan. Satan gathers them from the whole world to compass the city, but fire comes down from heaven and destroys them. Notice the saints are in the city, which means we do come back to earth with the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 20:7-10 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The wicked perish in the lake of fire. Remember, the earth was left in desolation at the second coming due to massive upheaval from earthquake and hail. The former infrastructure, or what was left of it, is destroyed by the lake of fire, wiping the slate for the new heaven and new earth to be made.
Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Conclusion:
The New Jerusalem is the city God has made as part of our inheritance, for the specific purpose of bringing it to earth to establish His kingdom. While we do spend a thousand years in heaven, our home will be the new heaven and earth which is created anew for us. No doubt we'll be traveling back and forth to heaven, but it won't be our permanent home.
