Here’s a follow up question concerning your answer to “Who Lives In The Mansions?” Do you think the ‘church age’ saints that have already died are already in this New Jerusalem or are they just in what we normally call heaven and will go to the New Jerusalem at the time of the rapture at the same time the raptured saints do?
The Bible isn’t clear on this but I’ll offer my opinion. I believe the New Jerusalem is intended for physical beings. Since the dead in Christ don’t receive their resurrection bodies until the rapture, I don’t think they’re residing in the New Jerusalem. The Bible says their spirits are with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6-8, Phil 1:21-24) but if they’re already in the New Jerusalem why would they come with Jesus to receive resurrection bodies at the rapture just to go back to where they already were?