We don’t know the exact details, but here’s a rough account, based on the Bible, of what might happen: –
- Jesus will return to the earth from heaven (Acts 1:11).
- The people – those who are alive, and also those who are dead (they will be raised to life) – who knew about him and the gospel will all be gather together to be judged (1 Thess. 4:16-17; John 12:46-48).
- There will be a judgement of these people:
- Those who were faithful friends of Jesus will be given immortality (Mat. 25:33-36&46; 1 Cor. 15:22-23).
- Those who were unfaithful to the gospel message will be rejected (Mat. 25:41-43&46).
- At about this time, in the world Israel will be in trouble from an enemy that is called in the Bible the ‘king of the North’ (Ezek. 38:8&15-16).
- The Lord God sends His son, Jesus, with the now immortal believers to save the natural Children of Israel (Isa. 63:1; Zech. 14:3-5).
- There is a massive battle that (at least partially) subdues the nations (Ezek. 38:18-19&21-23; Zech. 14:12).
- The natural Children of Israel realise, because he saves them, that Jesus is the Messiah and they serve him (Zech. 12:9-10).
- The immortal believers now help Jesus rule the earth for ‘1,000 years’ (a millennium), teaching the mortal population about God (Rev. 20:6; 5:10; Zech. 14:9; Isa. 2:3-4).
- At the end of this time some of the mortal population will revolt against Jesus’ rule, and they will be destroyed (Rev. 20:7-9).
- After this, there will be another judgement – this time it will be a judgement of all the people who were mortal during the millennium time.
- As with before, those who were faithful to Jesus’ rule and teaching will be given immortality (Rev. 20:11-14).
- But those who have not been faithful will be rejected (Rev. 20:15).
- After this second judgement Jesus hands the kingdom over to God and the events of Rev. 21 happen; God actually dwells with His people and is ‘all in all’. We do not truly know what this wonderful time will be like (1 Cor. 15:24&28; Rev. 21:1-4).