In order to answer these rather complex questions, I would like to bring out a “TIMELINE of events” from Scripture and how the believer today fits into each event. We will look at the 1) Rapture, 2) Tribulation, 3) Millennium, and 4) New Heaven and New Earth.

1) The RAPTURE…Jesus referred to this event in John 14:2-3, “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 apostle Paul spoke of this event in more detail in 1^st Thessalonians 4:16-17, “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 will 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.” This event could happen at any moment. At that time, we will be taken to the “Father’s house” in heaven. There are three heavens: the atmospheric heaven right above us, the stellar heavens with its many galaxies, and the THIRD HEAVEN (see 2^nd Corinthians 12:1-4), which is where God dwells. The “third heaven” will remain eternally; it will NOT be a part of the New Heaven. At the Rapture we receive new, glorified bodies that are eternal and will be suited for heaven. I would encourage you to read 1^st Corinthians 15:35-54 which speaks of these new glorified bodies. We are told they will be a CELESTIAL BODY (verse 40) that is eternal (they are IMMORTAL and will not see CORRUPTION…verses 50-54).

2) The TRIBULATION…In Revelation 4:1-3 we have the Rapture of the church symbolized by the apostle John being “caught up to heaven.” In 4:4-5:14 we see the saints in heaven worshipping God as Creator (4:10-11) and as the Lamb of God (5:8-13). They are symbolized by 24 elders (4:4, 10; 5:8, 14). From chapters 6-18 we have the TRIBULATION PERIOD (of seven years) where God’s judgments will fall upon the ungodly on earth, culminating with the Second Coming of Christ with His heavenly saints to subdue His enemies and to establish His kingdom over the earth (19:11-21). During the seven-year Tribulation Period we (believers who were Raptured to heaven) will be, as we have seen, in the very presence of God in heaven worshipping Him and at some point, prior to the Lord’s Second Coming to earth, the “marriage supper of the Lamb” will take place (19:7-9). This event refers to the wedding of “Christ and the church” (the heavenly Bridegroom and His Bride) which was taught by the apostle Paul in 2^nd Corinthians 11:2 and Ephesians 5:22-32).

3) The MILLENNIUM…In Revelation 20:1-6 we see the Devil “bound for one thousand years” (verse 2) and the heavenly saints “reigning with Christ for a thousand years” (verse 4). This is a “literal kingdom that will last 1,000 years,” a kingdom which was promised throughout the Old Testament. We will reign OVER the earth and there will be those who were saved during the Tribulation (see Revelation 7:9-17) who will enter the kingdom ON earth (Matthew 25:31-34).

4) The NEW HEAVEN and NEW EARTH…In Revelation 20:7-10 we see the thousand years expire followed by Satan being judged and “cast into the lake of fire.” We then see the present heaven and earth disappear and all the unsaved judged at the Great White Throne judgment where they too are “cast into the lake of fire” (verses 11-15). With Satan and his angels and all unbelievers now confined to hell for eternity, God will then create the New Heaven and New earth as we see in 21:1, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” Verses 4-5 says, “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. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” This will be the ETERNAL STATE which Peter refers to as “the Day of God” where “righteousness dwells” (2^nd Peter 3:12-13). There will NO SIN OR ANY EFFECTS OF SIN. We saw that God will “dwell with men” and it only needs to be said that there will be “saints populating the New Earth” who were saved during the Tribulation Period (and didn’t die) or the Millennium, and there will “saints populating the New Heaven” (the saints who were Raptured to heaven prior to the Tribulation and saints who were martyred during the Tribulation). We do believe that there will be some form of fellowship between the “earthly saints” and the “heavenly saints” throughout eternity, for as we saw “the tabernacle of God is with MEN, and He will dwell with THEM.” God will have fellowship with ALL MEN and it stands to reason that ALL MEN will have fellowship with each other as they commune with God.  (DO)  (581.3)