Do All Believers Go There?

Q

Do all church age dead Christians go straight to New Jerusalem? Or will New Jerusalem only be “open” for raptured Christians?

A

Every believer from the Church Age, whether dead or alive at the time, will dwell in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:27). According to 1 Thes. 4:16-17, at the time of the rapture, the dead in Christ will rise and together with the living we’ll all go with Jesus to be with Him forever. John 14:2-3 says we’ll be going to our rooms in His father’s house. I believe this is a reference to the New Jerusalem, which Jesus has been preparing for us. We’ll remain there until the end times judgments have run their course. Then the New Jerusalem will descend out of heaven (Rev. 21:27) to take its place in the vicinity of Earth.