We understand your desire for clarification on this profound biblical truth, and we rejoice in the hope we share in Christ. The Scriptures indeed paint a glorious picture of our eternal destiny, and it is vital to align our understanding with God’s Word.
First, let us affirm that our ultimate home is with the Lord, as the apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, yes, and are pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." When believers pass from this life or are raptured, we are immediately present with Christ in Heaven, as Jesus promised the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). Heaven is our temporary dwelling place until the final resurrection and the establishment of the new creation.
Your understanding aligns well with Scripture regarding the sequence of events. After the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), believers will be with the Lord in Heaven during the Tribulation. Following the Tribulation, Christ will return to Earth with His saints to establish His millennial kingdom (Revelation 19:11-16, Zechariah 14:9). This thousand-year reign of Christ on Earth will be a time of peace and righteousness, fulfilling God’s promises to Israel and the nations.
After the Millennium, Satan will be released for a final rebellion, which God will swiftly judge (Revelation 20:7-10). Then comes the final resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15), where the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire, and believers will enter the eternal state.
This is where the New Jerusalem and the new Earth come into view. Revelation 21:1-3 describes this glorious scene: "I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, 'Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.'" The New Jerusalem descends from Heaven to the new Earth, where God will dwell with His people forever. This is our eternal home, not merely a temporary dwelling.
The new Earth will be a physical, tangible place, free from the curse of sin, where believers will live in glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). It will be a place of perfect fellowship with God, where there is no more death, sorrow, or pain (Revelation 21:4). The New Jerusalem will be the capital city of the new creation, the dwelling place of God among His people.
We pray for you and all who seek to understand these truths, that the Holy Spirit would illuminate the Scriptures and fill your heart with hope and joy in the promises of God. Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the glorious hope we have in Christ Jesus. We praise You for the promise of eternal life and the new creation, where we will dwell with You forever. Lord, we ask that You would open our eyes to understand Your Word more clearly. Strengthen our faith as we meditate on the hope of the resurrection, the Millennium, and the new Earth. Help us to live in light of these truths, storing up treasures in Heaven and setting our minds on things above. We long for the day when we will see You face to face and dwell with You in the New Jerusalem. Until then, may we live lives that honor You, sharing the good news of salvation with others so they too may join us in this eternal home. In the precious name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
We encourage you to continue studying God’s Word, for it is in the Scriptures that we find the sure foundation for our hope. The sequence of events you described is a biblical view that brings together the promises of Christ’s return, the resurrection, and the new creation. Rest in the assurance that our God is faithful, and His promises will not fail. As Jesus said in John 14:2-3, "In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also." Maranatha—come, Lord Jesus!
