Matthew 25:34

OnlyHim

OnlyHim

Active Member
Something jumped out at me this morning when I came across this verse. In context this passage is speaking about the separation of the sheep and goats which I believe will come at the time of His second coming. Specifically, Matthew 25:34 says, Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

What caught my attention is that it would appear the "sheep" at that time will be going to a place that was prepared at the time Creation began. This looks different from what the Lord says in John 14:2-3 when Jesus is talking to His disciples about when He goes back to heaven and says, "I go to prepare a place for you."

It looks like two different places. Is this why some people take the Matthew verse and imply that Tribulation saints will stay on the restored earth and believers taken in the rapture will go to Heaven?

Curious about your thoughts. I apologize if this has been discussed before.
 
Andrew

Andrew

Well known member
OnlyHim said:
It looks like two different places. Is this why some people take the Matthew verse and imply that Tribulation saints will stay on the restored earth and believers taken in the rapture will go to Heaven?
Click to expand...
During the millennium the Church will dwell in the New Jerusalem, not on Earth.
 
A

alishaba

Well-Known Member
Saying that the resurrected saints are in the New Jerusalem during the Millennium does not reconcile with scripture. Rev 5:9-10 says explicitly that the saints will reign on earth. Also, Daniel 7:27-28 says the saints receive all of the kingdoms under the whole heaven. The New Jerusalem does not appear (Rev 21:1-2) until after the present heaven and earth disappear (Rev 20:11).

I believe that what happens is that when the Millennium ends and the Great White Throne judgment occurs, the saints are transferred to the New Jerusalem while the dead are being judged. Notice in Rev 20:12-13, only the unrighteous dead appear at the Great White Throne to be judged. The righteous saints are not there. They have to go somewhere when the present earth disappears, and the New Jerusalem would be the appropriate place.
 
Andrew

Andrew

Well known member
alishaba said:
Saying that the resurrected saints are in the New Jerusalem during the Millennium does not reconcile with scripture. Rev 5:9-10 says explicitly that the saints will reign on earth. Also, Daniel 7:27-28 says the saints receive all of the kingdoms under the whole heaven. The New Jerusalem does not appear (Rev 21:1-2) until after the present heaven and earth disappear (Rev 20:11).
Click to expand...
Perhaps this will help...

Will New Jerusalem Ever Descend To Earth?
Thursday, November 27th, 2014

Q. After the millennium, there will be a new earth. Will the Heavenly Jerusalem then come down and settle on earth, or will it always hover over earth?

A. I believe the phrase “new heavens and a new earth” from Rev. 21:1 refers to the renewal of all things mentioned by Jesus in Matt. 19:28 and by Peter in Acts. 3:21. This will happen at the beginning of the millennium when God puts everything back the way it was when He created it. I say this because the phrase “new heavens and a new earth” is a direct quote from Isaiah 65:17 where it appears in the context of the millennium, not eternity.

Since it appears that the sun and moon will cease to shine at the end of the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:29), the New Jerusalem will become Earth’s source of light (Rev. 21:23-24). Therefore it will always remain in orbit over Earth.

The Bible does not give us any detail about what will happen after the end of the millennium.

https://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/will-new-jerusalem-ever-descend-earth/
 
A

alishaba

Well-Known Member
It is hard for me to say I agree or disagree with the interpretation given on Isaiah 65:17 above. But let me clarify a few details. Outside of Revelation 21-22, the existence of a future new heaven and earth is only mentioned three times in the Bible (Isa 65:17, Isa 66:22, and II Pet 3:13). Psalm 102:25-26 alludes to the new heaven and earth, but does not explicitly describe them. The order of events given in Revelation (ignoring Isaiah and Pater) is:

1) Christ returns
2) Satan is bound
3) The Tribulation saints are resurrected
4) Christ and the saints rule for 1000 years
5) Satan is released for the final rebellion
6) The present heaven and earth disappear
7) The Great White Throne judgment occurs
8) The new heaven and earth appear (This is also the first mention of the existence of the New Jerusalem)

Nothing in Revelation mentions a new heaven and earth before the Great White Throne.

I have read Isa 65, 66, and II Peter 3 over and over again, and I have concluded that these passages are all a bit ambiguous with regard to when the new heaven and earth appear (either before or after the Millennial Kingdom). The answer above says that the sun and moon cease to shine when Christ returns, but Psalm 72:5 explicitly mentions the sun and moon being present in the MK. Isa 66:23 states that there will be regular cycles of new moons during the MK. I believe that the sun and moon are only temporarily darkened when Christ returns at Armageddon, and they continue to shine in the MK.

I have always felt the Isa 65:17 & 66:22 do not force the conclusion that Isaiah is describing an event that occurs before the MK begins. These passages are just too ambiguous to establish order of events. Consider the answer above about Isaiah. If the New Jerusalem is the Earth's source of light in Isaiah 66:22, then why are there new moons in Isaiah 66:23?
 
WorldWithoutEnd

WorldWithoutEnd

Well-Known Member
One can only wonder if the Father's House, which has many mansions "rooms", that Jesus was talking about was the New Jerusalem, as God and the Lamb are it's temple, and the Church the pillars of such temple, since we are the temple of God. If so, it's already in existence, as the term "New" may simply imply that throughout eternity it shall be the city of God, heavenly Zion, to which earthly Jerusalem was merely a shadow. As far as the Sun and Moon, I believe that God will create these anew.. Rev 21:5
 
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