QUESTION: (Part 1) Which believers will be in heaven and
(Part 2) Which believers will be on earth after the second coming of Christ and His reign?

ANSWER: Part 1. There are four classes of believers who will be in heaven during the millennial or 1000-year reign of Christ. These same four classes will continue to be in heaven after the millennial reign of Christ.

Class one. Old testament saints from Adam to those who died before the day of Pentecost.

1. They are among those "who have died in Christ and will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and be forever with the Lord" before the tribulation period begins (1 Thess. 4:16-18).
2. Old Testament saints or believers are represented in twelve of the twenty-four elders sitting and clothed in white raiments, that is, the twelve tribes (Rev. 4:4).
3. They are the ones invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9).
4. They are included in the expression "thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them . . . and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (Rev. 20:4).

Class Two. New Testament saints from the day of Pentecost to the rapture of believers (1 Thess. 4:16-18).

1. They are among those who have died in Christ since the day of Pentecost and they are also among a great number who will be living when believers will be caught up to meet the Lord and be forever with the Lord.
2. They are also represented in twelve of the twenty-four elders described in Rev. 4:4, that is, twelve apostles.
3. They are all part of the church or assembly which is Christ's body (Eph. 1:22,23) which Christ will present to Himself (Eph. 5:27) at the marriage supper of the lamb (Rev. 19:9).
4. They are also included in the expression "thrones, and judgment was given unto them (see 1 Cor. 6:2,3) and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (Rev. 20:4).

Class Three. Believers who are killed during the first half of the tribulation period.

1. They are often called martyrs and are referred to as "them that had been beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God."
2. They are first mentioned in Rev. 6:9 where we see them asking the Lord how long it will be before they are avenged.
3. They are mentioned again in Rev. 20:4 as living and reigning with Christ for a thousand years.

Class Four. Believers or martyrs who are killed during the second half of the tribulation period.

1. They are referred to as "those who had not worshipped the beast nor his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and hand" (Rev. 20:4).
2. We are told in Rev. 13:15 that those who will not worship the image of the beast will be killed. This takes place after the image is set up in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem in the second half of the tribulation period.
3. They are referred to again in Rev 14:13 as blessed.

Part 2. There are two major classes of believers who will be on earth after the second coming of Christ and His reign.

Class One. Jewish believers from all the twelve tribes of Israel, sealed and preserved through the tribulation, and converted at Christ's appearing.

1. This will include all those saved after the rapture of Old and New Testament believers to heaven (See Part 1, Classes One and Two.)
2. This will include those still living who preached the everlasting gospel or the gospel of the kingdom to all the world during the tribulation period. See Matt. 24:14; Rev. 7:1-8; Rev. 14:6,7.
3. This will also include Jewish believers who will be born during the 1000-year reign of Christ and who will be saved (Rom. 11:26).

Class Two. Gentile believers from all nations saved by the preaching and testimony of the Jewish messengers.

1. The number of these believers is so great that no man can number them (Rev. 7:9-17). (Note: No one during this period of grace who has heard the gospel and has not received the love of the truth will be saved during the tribulation because God will send them a strong delusion to believe a lie (2 Thess. 2:10-12).
2. This will include Gentile believers who will be born during this 1000-year period and will be saved. They will truly submit to the Lord Jesus Christ as King. Many will pretend to submit but eventually will rebel against the authority of the King. See Rev. 20:7-9; Psalm 18:44; Psalm 66:3.

—John D. McNeil