Which believers will be in heaven and which believers will be on earth after the second coming of Christ and His reign?

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

Group 1: Old Testament saints from Adam to those who died before the day of Pentecost.

• 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 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
• Old Testament saints or believers are represented in twelve (that is, the twelve tribes) of the twenty-four elders sitting and clothed in white raiments (Revelation 4:4).
• They are the ones invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).
• 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" (Revelation 20:4).

Group 2: New Testament saints from the day of Pentecost to the rapture of believers (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

• 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.
• They are also represented in twelve (that is, twelve apostles) of the twenty-four elders described in Revelation 4:4.
• They are all part of the church or assembly which is Christ's body (Ephesians 1:22,23), which Christ will present to Himself (Ephesians 5:27) at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).
• They are also included in the expression "thrones, and judgment was given unto them…and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4; 1 Corinthians 6:2,3).

Group 3: Believers who are killed during the first half of the tribulation period.

• They are often called martyrs and are referred to as "them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God" (Revelation 20:4).
• They are first mentioned in Revelation 6:9 where we see them asking the Lord how long it will be before they are avenged.
• They are mentioned again in Revelation 20:4 as living and reigning with Christ for a thousand years.

Group 4: Believers or martyrs who are killed during the second half of the tribulation period.

• They are referred to as those who had "not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands" (Revelation 20:4).
• We are told in Revelation 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.
• They are referred to again in Revelation 14:13 as blessed.

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

Group 1: Jewish believers from all the twelve tribes of Israel, sealed and preserved through the tribulation, and converted at Christ's appearing.

• This will include all those saved after the rapture of Old and New Testament believers to heaven.
• 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 (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 7:1-8; Revelation 14:6,7).
• This will also include Jewish believers who will be born during the 1000-year reign of Christ and who will be saved (Romans 11:26).

Group 2: Gentile believers from all nations saved by the preaching and testimony of the Jewish messengers.

• The number of these believers is so great that no man can number them (Revelation 7:9-17). (Note: No one during the 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 Thessalonians 2:10-12).
• 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 (Revelation 20:7-9; Psalm 18:44; Psalm 66:3).