6. The inclusion in heaven

6. The inclusion in heaven.pdf

The inclusion of Christians in heaven;
perseverance during the tribulation will be rewarded

Introduction

In our last newsletter we discussed the symbolic meaning of ‘thrown into the lake of fire’ and discussed the literal meaning of a ‘new heaven and a new earth’.

This newsletter is about the inclusion of various groups in heaven, step by step.
Isaiah speaks in the following text about the great sacrifice that Christ has made for this:

KJV (Isaiah 53: 11-12) 11 ……by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

According to Scripture, there will be great tribulation

How will the tribulation develop?
First there is a period that’s called ‘beginning of pangs of distress’:

HCSB (Matthew 24: 7-8) 7 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these events are the beginning of birth pains.

Between Matt 24: 8 + 9 is a transition from [early contractions] to [violent contractions], the great tribulation:

HCSB (Matthew 24: 9-10) 9 Then they will hand you over for persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another.

During this great tribulation, Christians will receive strength by Jesus and be encouraged:

KJV (Revelation 3:10) 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

In the course of this newsletter will be addressed, that all Christians will be included in heaven during mentioned great tribulation, but not at the same time.

The second coming of Jesus

As Jesus was taken to heaven from the Mount of Olives, so will Jesus come again with the clouds:

KJV (Acts 1: 9-11) 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Because Jesus clarifies His second coming in Luke 17: 28-33 with the flight of the family of Lot, also this flight is talked about in this newsletter.
However, the second coming of Jesus has everything to do with the heavenly kingdom.
Namely, Jesus spoke constantly about God’s kingdom during his ministry:

KJV (Matthew 6: 9-10) 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come……..
KJV (Luke 4:43) 43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

To be able to better placing ‘the including in heaven’, we will begin with the understanding of first fruits.

First fruits

Pentecost (Heb. Sjawoeoth) was originally the celebration of the ‘first fruits’
The first fruit was the first and best part of the harvest of the Israelites, which was sacrificed in the temple of God:

KJV (Nehemiah 10: 35-37) 35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the Lord: 36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God: 37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God…..

So, first fruits in the Greek Scriptures is a name for those who are offered ‘like a group’ to God, as first. James writes about the first Christians, the holy ‘chosen ones’, as ‘first fruits’:

KJV (James 1:18) 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Paul considers the sacred Gentiles also as sacred, as first fruits, because if the first fruits of the Jews are holy (the flour, the dough), then also the whole lump is. (Included the holy pagans):

ESV (Romans 11:13,16) 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles.,…. 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

During the inclusion in heaven, all deceased first fruits are resurrected as first, the resurrected first fruits and the still living first fruits then immediately meet Jesus. However, Jesus is the first of all first fruits:

KJV (Acts 26:23) 23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
KJV (Colossians 1:18) 18 … . who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
KJV (1 Corinthians 15: 22-23) 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

A group of 144,000 sanctified with Holy Spirit (saints) are in accordance with the Scriptures ‘chosen’ with the privilege to rule with Jesus as kings and priests in God’s kingdom:

KJV (Revelation 5:10) 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
KJV (Revelation 7: 4) 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

These 144,000 saints are mentioned first fruits in Scripture in various places:

KJV (Romans 8:23) 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
KJV (Revelation 14: 1,4) 1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads…..4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

The first fruits will receive eternal life after the inclusion into heaven:

KJV (Revelation 20: 6) 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The 144,000 saints who are called first fruits in Scripture are not the only first fruits. All who will be part of God’s first spiritual harvest are first fruits.
The prophets are also saints, they are the saints of the Old Testament and they also belong to the sons of God:

KJV (2 Peter 1:21) 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
KJV (Romans 8:14) 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Like the apostles form the foundation of the New Jerusalem, so the prophets form in a sense this foundation: (See Newsletters 4. New Jerusalem, part 1 https://www.dojc.nl/?p=3328&lang=en )

KJV (Ephesians 2: 19-20) 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, 20 and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;….

3 groups are receiving a heavenly reward

In Revelation is spoken of a reward for three groups of people; the prophets, the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great:

KJV (Revelation 11:18) 18 … and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

In Revelation 17:14 are called the three groups with different names; the called, the chosen and the faithful:

KJV (Revelation 17:14) 14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

We have thus identified the three groups who are mentioned in Rev. 11:18 and Rev. 17:14;
1 – the chosen = the 144,000 saints
2 – the called = the large crowd
3 – the faithful = the prophets

1 – the chosen = the 144,000 saints

The first saints are fulfilled with Holy Spirit after Jesus’ resurrection on the day of Pentecost:

KJV (Acts 2: 1-4) 1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

In the Scriptures we can read that the Holy Spirit was often poured out in the early days of the Christian communities after the laying on of hands by the apostles, who at that time themselves were sanctified already:

KJV (Acts 8:17) 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

So, a large part of the Saints was sanctified about 2,000 years ago, initially only Jews who had become disciples. Afterwards also the Gentiles. (Acts 10: 24-48)
Therefore it is likely that it is only a small group of saints, the elect, who will come through the great tribulation:

KJV (Matthew 24:22) 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
KJV (Matthew 24:31) 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

2 – the called = the large crowd or large multitude

Also, there is described a large crowd or multitude coming out of the great tribulation, standing before the throne of God and of the Lamb:

KJV (Revelation 7: 9) 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

The great crowd, ‘which no one could count,’ are not the 144,000, but a group from the previously cited Revelation 11:18 ‘them that fear thy name, small and great’ and will also receive their reward.

John was acquainted with the heavenly inheritance of the saints, but apparently surprised by the large crowd that he saw. For that reason, one of the older persons wants to inform John about the large crowd:

KJV (Revelation 7: 13,14) 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

They also stay in heaven before (Greek – enopion) the heavenly throne, just like the saints.
The large crowd will be servants and will render sacred service in God’s temple:

KJV (Revelation 7:15) 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

It is also this great multitude that is invited to the ‘heavenly’ marriage of the Lamb with the 144,000 saints:

KJV (Revelation 19: 9) 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God…

Christians who belong to the large crowd or large multitude do not belong to the first fruits.
They belong to the second group that will receive heavenly life based on Jesus’ sacrifice.

3 – the faithful = the prophets

According to Jesus, the deceased faithful prophets are ‘living’, thus are sure of life:

KJV (Matthew 22: 30-32) 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. 31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

About whom are the 24 older persons or elders standing round about the throne of God, is not directly written in the Scriptures:

KJV (Revelation 4: 4) 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

The 24 elders are certainly not the 144,000 as in Rev. 5:10 is talked by the 24 elders about the saints, where these are named ‘they’, so these are other persons as themselves:

ESV (Revelation 5:10) 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Also the 144,000 saints sing a new song, a song amongst others for the elderly 24:

KJV (Revelation 14: 3) 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

Three groups will receive their reward. Of two groups, the heavenly inheritance is mentioned.
The saints in the New Jerusalem have their tasks as kings and priests.
The large crowd of persons will be in the New Jerusalem and have their task as servants.
Because we know that the group first fruits also consists of the holy prophets and there is no description in Revelation, who these 24 older people are, it is logical that the ’24 elders’ consist of 24 prophets.
Therewith also becomes clear, what their heavenly inheritance is.
The 24 prophets sit on thrones with golden crowns on their heads, around the throne of God:

KJV (Revelation 4: 2-4) 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

The last trumpet or horn

The Scripture speaks of an inclusion into heaven during the last or seventh trumpet:

KJV (1 Corinthians 15: 51-52) 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

KJV (1 Thessalonians 4: 15-17) 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 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: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:…. ..

KJV (Matthew 24: 30-31) 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

What is meant by this last trumpet?
These seven trumpets or horns are described in the book of Revelation.
The heavenly vision that John received in Revelation can, concerning God’s plagues, be divided into three parts towards a climax: (Newsletters 3. The two witnesses
https://www.dojc.nl/?p=3139&lang=en )

Rev. 5: 1-5 In God’s right hand a scroll with seven seals, and only the Lamb can open the seals
The opening of the seven seals (Rev. 6: 1-17, 8: 1-5)
Rev. 8: 6 The opening of the 7th seal includes the blowing of the seven trumpets
The blowing of the seven trumpets (Rev. 8: 7 to 9: 21, 11: 15-19)
Rev. 16: 1 The blowing of the 7th trumpet includes the pouring out of the seven bowls of wrath
Pouring out the seven bowls of wrath (Rev. 16: 2-21)
Rev. 16:17 After the outpouring of the 7th bowl of wrath: ‘It is done!’

With the sounding of the 7th trumpet, the 3rd woe, God’s promised kingdom has come.
The heavenly Father is going to reign as King, in direct cooperation with the Messiah. (Rev. 11: 15-17)
The kingdoms of the world have become of God and his Messiah and the time to judge has come:

KJV (Revelation 11:18) 18 … .. and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

The time for the dead to be judged concerns the already deceased saints who will be included in heaven:

KJV (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17) 16 ….and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:….
KJV (Revelation 20: 6) 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years…..

The flight of Lot and his family

Jesus compares his second coming in Luke with the flight of Lot and his family:

KJV (Luke 17: 28-31) 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

So let’s take a closer look at the history and the flight of Lot and his family:

Abraham and his nephew Lot came from Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan.
There was a division between the two men over the use of the land.
Lot was given the first choice from Abram and chose the fertile plain of the Jordan on the east side, which extends to the city of Zoar, south of the Dead Sea:

KJV (Genesis 13: 10-13) 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

Bab edh-DHRA = Sodom?

For an extensive article about the sites of the cities of the mentioned plain of the Jordan, see: http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2008/04/16/The-Discovery-of-the-Sin-Cities-of-Sodom-and-Gomorrah.aspx#Article

What was going on in Sodom, which will be the same in the end times according to Jesus?

Loud complaints about Sodom, there are serious sins committed:
KJV (Genesis 18: 20-21) 20 And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin very seriously. 21 I will go down now and see whether they have done absolutely everything as the call states that came over her to me. And if not, I will know.

The number righteous ones in Sodom is very limited:
KJV (Genesis 18: 23,32-33) 23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?……….. .. 32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. 33 And the Lord went his way,….

Fornication in Sodom, the men want intercourse with Lot’s male guests:
KJV (Genesis 19: 4-5) 4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

Excessive fornication in Sodom, they have gone after the flesh for unnatural use:
KJV (Jude 7) 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

What does the Scripture say about the unnatural use of the flesh?

KJV (Leviticus 18:22) 22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

KJV (Romans 1: 26-31) 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.

How has the flight of Lot and his family gone?

When it became almost day, the two angels urged Lot, to leave immediately. (Gen.19: 15)
Lot and his family procrastinate, there was little progress, but then they let themselves lead by the hand by the two angels. (Gen.19: 16)
The sun was already risen when they arrived into the safe town of Zoar, where after God rained brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah from heaven. (Gen.19: 23-24)
Then Lot’s wife looked back, she apparently had trouble with the things left behind.
Immediately she turned into a pillar of salt. (Gen.19: 26)

What can we learn from the flight of Lot and his family?

KJV (Luke 17: 30-32) 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife.
KJV (Revelation 16:15) 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
KJV (1 Thessalonians 5: 2) 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

So it finally comes down to an unwavering faith in our Heavenly Father and His Son to come along immediately without hesitation during the inclusion in heaven.

What can we learn from the rain of fire and brimstone from heaven upon Sodom?

KJV (Genesis 19: 23-25) 23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

A similar scene of fire and brimstone will also take place during Jesus’ second coming, but after the inclusion.
(Rain of fire see: Newsletters 5. New Jerusalem, part 2 https://www.dojc.nl/?p=3330&lang=en )

At Jesus parousia or second coming, the unjust people have lost their chances and will be erased:

KJV (Matthew 13: 40-43) 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

What can we learn from Lot’s wife?

Shortly after the arrival of Lot’s family in Zoar, Lot’s wife looks back and immediately she turned into a pillar of salt:

KJV (Genesis 19: 23,26) 23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar…. ..26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

The fact that Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt means, that she was being punished by God.
She was told that she could not look back or could not even stop during the flight. (Genesis 19:17)
This looking back is definitely related to the choice that had to be made in her heart.
She found it hard to give up the old life, her heart was still there and she therefore did not see the value of the grandiose rescue towards her new life.
The lack of appreciation to be saved and lack of confidence in God, those together were fatal to her:

KJV (Luke 17: 32-33) 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

Jesus said this on another occasion this way:

KJV (Luke 9:62) 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

The flight of Lot’s family happened in a completely different setting, as described about the inclusion to heaven to meet the Lord. In the next section, this difference will be explained.

The sequence of heavenly inclusion

The sequence is that Jesus ‘as the first’ has received the resurrection to life and then has been included in heaven, so that Jesus in all things might have the preeminence:

KJV (Colossians 1:18) 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

The 24 elderly (prophets) are sitting all around the throne of God, even before the scroll with the seven seals is opened, so before God’s plagues have been poured out.
Thus the prophets as first fruits get an earlier heavenly inclusion as the 144,000 saints:

KJV (Revelation 4: 4) 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
KJV (Revelation 5: 5) 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

The 144,000 saints are included during the great tribulation, during the last trumpet.
First there is a resurrection of the already deceased saints of the New Covenant, then they will be included together with the still living saints, towards the clouds of heaven, to meet the Lord:

KJV (1 Thessalonians 4: 15-17) 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 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: 17 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.

However, after the 7th trumpet there are poured out still seven bowls with ‘the wrath of God.”
In Revelation 16:15, after the outpouring of the 6th scale, Jesus speaks of his coming as a thief, just before the natural disasters that will be unleashed on earth. Then, Jesus with his angels comes to get the other faithful Christians who have not taken the mark and will be included in heaven:

KJV (Revelation 16: 12,15) 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; …… .. 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
KJV (Luke 17: 28-31) 31 Who on that day on the roof will be, with his goods in the house, do not go down to take it. And who is in the field must not return to what he left behind.
KJV (Revelation 16: 17-18) 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18 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.

Those who belong to the large crowd and still be alive at the end of the great tribulation will not have to die, but must come along without hesitation and will then be immediately included into heaven.

During the final war (Armageddon) against the Lamb is the heavenly inclusion already completed:

KJV (Revelation 17:14) These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

KJV (Daniel 12: 1) 1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

During inclusion in heaven, Christians receive a spiritual body

When speaking about the inclusion of Christians, this means – just like with Jesus inclusion – with a spiritual body:

KJV (Matthew 22:30) 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
KJV (1 Corinthians 15: 44,50) 44 A It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body……………. .. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
KJV (Philippians 3: 20-21) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

And about the ‘heavenly’ New Jerusalem:

KJV (Revelation 21:22) 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
KJV (Revelation 21:27) 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

The large crowd or multitude will dwell in the New Jerusalem as servants (Rev. 7: 13-15), the entire heavenly New Jerusalem has become a temple because God and the Lamb are staying there.
(See: Newsletters 4. New Jerusalem, part 1 https://www.dojc.nl/?p=3328&lang=en )

The judgment for all already deceased people:

(See for the judgment on the last day: 4.Future https://www.dojc.nl/?p=5480&lang=en)
After a thousand years, the rest of the dead will receive a resurrection from the dead (Hades):

KJV (Job 14:12) 12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
KJV (Daniel 12: 2) 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
KJV (John 5: 28-29) 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The rest of the dead will appear before the throne and be judged:

KJV (Revelation 20: 5,11-12) 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection… .. 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
KJV (2 Cor. 5:10) 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
KJV (Acts 24:15) 15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

The approved people of this resurrection will receive life on ‘the new earth’.
Deceased disciples of Jesus are sure of a ‘resurrection of life’. They’ll appear before Jesus’ throne, but their judgment will surely mean ‘life’ on the New Earth:

KJV (John 5:24) 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
KJV (John 11:25) 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
KJV (Matthew 5: 5), 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

When the dead are judged, the wicked, who are not written in the book of life, will be erased:

NBV (Matthew 25: 31 to 33.41) 31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left…………. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

After that, after these 1000 years, Satan will be released for a short period, he will mislead many before he himself is being destroyed:

KJV (Revelation 20: 7,10) 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,… .10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone….

The New Jerusalem, God’s kingdom, descending out of heaven to earth, will prove to be a blessing: (See also Newsletters: 4. New Jerusalem, part 1 https://www.dojc.nl/?p=3328&lang=en )

KJV (Zechariah 14: 9-11) 9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. 10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. 11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

Finally:

KJV (Hebrews 13: 5-6) 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

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Bewaren

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