The following is my current (as of May 2024) eschatology: what I think happens when I die (or when Jesus returns, whichever comes first), according the Bible.
1. Immediate Presence with the Lord: At death (if I die before the rapture that is), I believe my spirit will immediately be ushered into God’s presence, entering a state of peace and rest away from the physical body. This “temporary” heaven or paradise serves as an intermediate state where believers dwell with God until Jesus’ Second Coming (see below). Paul expresses this hope in 2 Corinthians 5:8: “To be absent from the body [is] to be present with the Lord.” This concept finds further support in Jesus’ assurance to the thief on the cross in Luke 23:43: “Amen Amen, today you will be with Me in paradise.”
2. The Body Awaits Resurrection: Meanwhile, my physical body on Earth undergoes natural decay. However, this state is temporary, as the body “sleeps” in anticipation of the First Resurrection (see below), when God will miraculously transform the body and reunite it with the spirit, entering into a glorified resurrection body state to partake in the rapture.
3. The Aerial Return of Christ and The First Resurrection: At Christ’s return, those church saints who have died in faith will be resurrected first (see point two above), their bodies transformed and made perfect. This event is foretold in detail in by Paul in his First Epistle to the Thessalonians:
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.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
UPDATE (May 2024): Thanks to Chuck Missler and Arnold Fruchtenbaum, I have further clarity on this. What is referred to the “First Resurrection” in Revelation 20:5 actually happens across two events:
- First Resurrection of church saints at the rapture event prior to the Tribulation (1 Thes. 4:16)
- First Resurrection of OT saints and Tribulation saints after the Armageddon battle at the end of the Tribulation, before the start of millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4)
For completeness’ sake, all the unbelievers who have died throughout all human history will be resurrected (Second Resurrection) after the millennial kingdom, to face the White Throne judgment and be thrown into the fire lake to suffer torment for eternity.
4. The Aerial Return of Christ and The Rapture: Immediately following the First Resurrection of the church saints as described above, Christians alive at this moment will not taste death but will be transformed instantaneously, receiving their glorified bodies to join the resurrected church saints. I believe all the children will also undergo the same transformation as their believing parents (Acts 16:31). Then, these transformed Christians will be “caught up” in the air together with the resurrected church saints and will all meet Jesus in the air:
Then we who are alive and remain shall 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.
1 Thessalonians 4:17
I’ve heard this wonderful analogy for the “meeting Jesus in the air”: in Middle Eastern and African cultures, when a VIP comes to visit a town, a representative posse from the town goes out to meet the dignitary on the road and walk with him into town. In the 11th chapter of John’s Gospel, when Jesus (upon hearing the news of Lazarus’ death) makes the two-mile trip from Jerusalem to Bethany, he does not enter town immediately but first meets Martha and later Mary outside of town. The Christians will also go out to meet Jesus in the air, to later accompany Jesus as he comes down fully to land on Earth (see point 6 below).
UPDATE (May 2024): Thanks to Chuck Missler and Arnold Fruchtenbaum, I have further clarity on this. Amazingly, I now realise that this “meeting of the VIP” is actually the opposite of what I had thought before. It is not us meeting Jesus on his way down to earth (that comes after the Tribulation); rather, it is actually Jesus coming halfway to meet us on the way to heaven! This also resonates with what Jesus promised his disciples in John 14.
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.
John 14:3
5. Seven-year Wedding Feast and Earth’s Tribulation: Believers will spend seven years in the temporary heaven, partaking in the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9), while the Earth undergoes seven years of the Great Tribulation, a period of divine wrath and judgment as prophesied in Revelation 4-18.
UPDATE (May 2024): Thanks to Chuck Missler and Arnold Fruchtenbaum, I have further clarity on this. I now realise that the seven year period in heaven will comprise of Bema Throne of Christ Judgment for the church saints, followed by Wedding ceremony. The Wedding Feast (joined by OT and Tribulation saints after their First Resurrection) will take place after the Armageddon Battle, ushering in the thousand-year kingdom.
6. Return with Christ for Armageddon: Following this seven-year period, church saints will accompany Jesus to Earth to partake in the Battle of Armageddon as the “armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen” (Revelation 19:11-21). The battle will be rather one-sided (understatement of the millennium?). Emerging victorious, this marks the commencement of Christ’s millennial reign on Earth.
7. The Millennial Kingdom: For 1,000 years, believers will reign with Christ in a physical kingdom centred in Jerusalem, experiencing peace, justice, and righteousness as never before on Earth. (Revelation 20:1-10)
8. Final Revolt against God and White Throne Judgment: After the millennium, Satan will be released from prison for a brief time, being allowed to deceive the nations once again, gather for a second battle against God (what??!), and fail. This will be followed by the second resurrection of all unbelievers who have died throughout history, all to face the White Throne Judgment. All who face judgement with no recourse to the atoning blood of Christ (their names not being recorded in the Book of Life) will be thrown into the lake of fire along with Satan, all the demons, and death itself.
8. New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem: God will unveil a New Creation: a New Heaven, a New Earth, and the New Jerusalem. This marks the beginning of an unending, perfect existence with God, where “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-5).
I believe we are living in the last days. In fact, the doctrine of imminency means that the rapture event can happen at any time between now and the beginning of the Tribulation. Sadly, the church is not talking about the eschatology enough, and I think this is a great shame. Only the hope of heaven can give a real motivation for the believe to live a godly life here and now.
In his second Epistle to Timothy, Paul, nearing the end of his life, declares:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved [eagerly waited for] His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
I hope all those who read this will join me in “eagerly waiting for” Jesus’ glorious appearing!
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Colossians 3:1-4
“Maranatha! Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
