After the 1000 Years - Where will You be in Heaven?
- Rebecca Lynn Hardy
- Apr 21
- 17 min read
The question has been asked: What will it be like in Heaven after the 1000-year reign of Jesus? Let’s recap the flow of time with the Earth that has been described so far in prophecy.
The Past
God created the Heaven and the Earth in seven days.
Adam lived with God for 1000 years in Eden, the place of perfection, before Satan convinced Eve to listen to him instead of God.
Sin entered the world, and Satan was king of the Earth.
Adam lived almost 1000 years after leaving Eden.
For 6000 years, Satan has deceived and misled mankind.
The Future
The Two Witnesses give testimony against the nations of the world.
God’s judgment comes and wrath is poured, wreaking havoc upon the Earth.
Jesus rules for 1000 years on Earth.
Satan is let loose for “a little while,” which could be 6000 years.
Satan deceives mankind, who will attack the Beloved City, Jerusalem.
God destroys the Earth with fire.
All life, in Heaven and Earth, is judged: Those not in the Book of Life are thrown into the Lake of Fire where there is eternal suffering.
If we look at the past, we get an idea of what may happen in the future. Adam was on the Earth for almost 1000 years, and Jesus will rule for 1000 years. Satan deceived mankind for 6000 years, then judgment comes: God’s wrath before the reign of Jesus, then fire that destroys the Earth when they rebel against Him.
Both of these cycles are very similar; they follow a pattern. There are two tests for mankind:
Present Test: Will we accept God and Jesus when they cannot be easily seen?
Future Test: Will we obey God when He is present?
Just as the angels had an opportunity to side with Satan and rebel against God when they had full access to Heaven, so humans will have the same opportunity; we must withstand the temptations of Satan twice! Only one group will not have to worry about the Lake of Fire: those who give their lives for the Gospel and/or reject the Mark of the Beast. That group is good for all time!
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6 AKJV)
According to Revelation, there is more than one resurrection. Jesus was resurrected and received a body as He rose from the grave after three days. Those who are beheaded for Jesus and the Word of God, and who didn’t worship the Beast or take his mark, will receive a new body and live on the Earth again during the 1000-year reign. The Greek word used for “life” is zaō (za-o). It can mean to live forever with God or to live, breathe, and be among the living. Since Jesus is ruling on the Earth and they are with Him, this must mean to live, breathe, and be among the living. Those who have given their life for the Lord have already passed the second test and will not be cast into the Lake of Fire. What about the rest who have died?
Since it mentions the rest will not live until after the 1000-year reign, perhaps they are brought to life after Jesus finishes His rule. He and all those with Him may depart and turn over the Earth to the “B” team, so to speak. A scripture at the end of this chapter offers another option:
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Revelation 20:13 AKJV)
Right before the final judgment, when many will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternal suffering, the “dead” come from the “sea.” Large bodies of water on the Earth are referred to as a sea. However, these do not hold souls of those who have died, so it must mean the metaphorical meaning of sea: the spirit realm. The Greek word nekros is used for “dead.” It is the root word for necromancy and means deceased, departed, one whose soul is in heaven or hell. Those who are gathered from the sea could be those who die after Jesus returns or it could be those who do not come back in the first resurrection to reign with Jesus. After the 1000-year reign and the Lake of Fire, everyone who is left gets to live in Heaven.
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven... (2 Corinthians 12:2 ESV)
And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth: for the First Heaven and the First Earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1 AKJV)
Paul refers to the “Third Heaven.” Most believe the spiritual realm surrounding the Earth is the First Heaven. Satan has fallen to the Second Heaven, the spiritual realm between us and the Third Heaven where God lives. If the First Heaven and the First Earth no longer exist, the Earth is no longer in the physical realm it is… elsewhere.
The “sea” also disappears. There are other scriptures that may help us pinpoint what the sea is with more accuracy.
In that day the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. (Isaiah 27:1 ESV)
The word lord is in all caps: it is the name of God. Eventually, God will punish Leviathan, the crooked serpent. Who is Leviathan? Satan is referred to as “that old dragon,” and we know there’s no giant monster in the ocean. Isaiah is revealing that Leviathan, is Satan and his army. They are in the Second Heaven so know that the “sea” refers to the Second Heaven where Satan dwells. Describing it as a “sea” seems accurate. It is a large expanse separating two locations, Earth and the Third Heaven.
When the Earth is destroyed by fire, there will be no more First or Second Heaven, or a physical realm. This metaphorical meaning helps the rest of the scripture make sense.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:2-4 AKJV)
The Earth is removed from the physical realm and is where New Jerusalem resides: in Heaven with God. New Jerusalem “coming down” could mean that the Earth is moved into the Third Heaven. The entire planet is now united with God, and where is God? In Heaven! The final verse confirms this. Where do we go when we die? Where does death not exist? Heaven!
I have seen parts of Heaven. It operates under spiritual laws, not physical ones. God’s presence flows out from New Jerusalem. The closer you get to where He is, the more of Him you feel. It is like being wrapped up in a warm blanket; peace and joy surround you. You KNOW that God has everything taken care of. The past seems like a vague dream and doesn’t concern you; that is why every tear is wiped away. God reveals all things to your heart: you know how everything was connected and why it happened.
And He that sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write: for these words are true and faithful.” And he said to me, “It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:5-8 AKJV)
There are some awesome promises in this next set of scriptures. We receive access to the fountain of the water of life and become sons of God. The word used for “sons” means child or children of. Galatians 3:28 tells us there is no male or female in God, so child would be a better word to use here. What is the fountain we will be able to drink from? Let’s look for more scripture.
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2 AKJV)
The river of Water of Life comes from God, and from this water, along its shores, is the tree of life. The properties of the water of life can be seen by what it produces. The leaves of the tree of life bring healing, but what about the fruit?
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” (Genesis 3:22 ESV)
After mankind ate of the tree of knowledge, sin became part of them. God didn’t want them to live forever in this state. If the tree provides eternal life, what does the water that feeds them provide? If we have free access to the River of the Water of Life, does that include the trees that grow beside it?
There is an account from a particular man, let’s call him Dennis, whose account of a heavenly visit I believe, for two reasons:
When he came back from the visit, his face shone like Moses’ in front of an entire church.
The Holy Spirit verified what the Lord told him was true, although the meaning wasn’t what he thought.
We won’t address all that happened in that visit; you can find more information in the free book: Angels Believe in You. We will look at what he saw when he entered Heaven in a “chariot” with an angel:
Dennis was praying when his guardian angel appeared and whisked him away, flying through time and space, insisting that he had an appointment with God. They eventually arrived at “paradise:” there were rolling hills of vibrant green grass, the river of life with the tree of life along its banks. An immense city stood off in the distance, and a forest bordered the rolling hills. Just as many people have seen, myself included, the flowers sparkled like crystals with light shining on them. They sing praises to God and Jesus: praising the Father and Son are common in Heaven.
There were people and kids all walking towards New Jerusalem. Chariots deposited many, some in plain robes, others in glorious gowns. Those in gowns ran straight towards the city. Those without gowns seemed to get weak as they approached the city. When they were unable to go forward, they would return to the river of life. They picked and ate the fruit from the trees of life, rubbing the leaves on their face, smelling them.
Dennis asked the angel what was happening. He explained that those who believe in God and love Jesus but do not live as they should and don’t reach their destiny will not be able to reach the Throne room without the strength that comes from the Tree of Life. God’s anointing, His power, is strongest there. To be a full citizen of Heaven, you must stand before Him, and to get there, you must continue to eat the fruit until you have the spiritual strength to do so.
As Dennis watched, another chariot deposited a man where the rolling hills met the forest. The man dropped to the ground, kissing it, exclaiming, “I didn’t think I would, but I made it!” The angel escorting him led him immediately to the tree of life, instructing him to eat of the fruit and smell the leaves. This explains how the nations will be healed by the leaves from Revelation 22:1-2. How can we reconcile being out of this body, but not being in New Jerusalem, and having to eventually get there?
Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV)
When we consider that God and Jesus are one and God’s presence fills Heaven, it is just stronger the closer we get to Him; this verse is fulfilled. Also, another account of a Heavenly visit reports that Jesus would visit the tree of life area to teach people on certain occasions.
Two Levels in Heaven
One important aspect we see from this Heavenly visit is that when we arrive in Heaven, we may arrive in one of two ways:
We arrive in a robe of salvation
We arrive in a bridal gown
These two levels are confirmed in the book of Revelation, where we see that the bride is clothed differently from others.
He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5 AKJV)
The members of the church who have no works, who are dead or on the verge of dying, get a “white raiment.” The Greek word used, leukos (loo-kos) refers to the brilliant robes usually seen on angels. A different word is used when speaking about how the bride is arrayed.
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. (Revelation 19:7-8 ESV)
When John sees the bride coming from New Jerusalem, he uses several words to describe how they are clothed:
Fine Linen: byssinos (boos'-see-nos): Fine linen
Bright: katharos (kath-ar-os') splendid, magnificent
Pure: lampros (lam-pros') like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit
The bride is arrayed in a gown that is more elaborate than a mere robe of righteousness. It is earned by their good deeds that are done in accordance with God’s plan for their life. The only time the word for “bright” is used is in reference to the bride. Jesus spoke about our actions on Earth and their effect on our heavenly life.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19-20 ESV)
What we do with our lives will have lasting effects for all eternity. It not only determines our place in Heaven, but also our abilities. Once, in a visit to Heaven, the Lord revealed that even within these categories, there are different abilities.
Abilities in Heaven
One day, I was spending time with the Lord, focusing on who He is, His goodness, while letting go of all the burdens in life. Suddenly, in my mind, I saw myself on a brown sandy beach where the waves lapped gently at the shoreline. In the distance, I saw Jesus. This place was very familiar to me. It is my true home; the one in Heaven. Behind us a short distance away, stood a house with a mountain on the other side of it.
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ… (Philippians 3:20 ESV)
When a vision of a place in Heaven overcomes you, at times, you have little control over what happens. Whatever is in your heart becomes a reality. My mind was shocked as I headed for the Lord of Heaven in a mad dash, leaping toward Him with all I had. He gracefully swooped me up over His head, as graceful as any dancer I have seen on TV. I twirled around with arms outstretched in a flying position for a few seconds before my greatest, most dear Love brought me down into His arms.
I addressed Him with all the title of affection as I asked the question burning within me, “My Love, I was wondering; I’ve heard it said that anything scientifically advanced enough will appear as magic to those of lesser knowledge, just as the present times we are now living in would be to the people of Your time. Is this why Heaven seems so marvelous to us on Earth? Is it just a place of greater knowledge?”
He answered, beginning with the usual ambiguity, “Yes and no. Heaven’s ways are immeasurably higher than the ways of Earth, so yes. However, Father is not only greater and more advanced than you; He is what makes up and holds together all of Heaven and Earth, so it is also no, for, in that way, Heaven and Earth are the same.”
“Satan sees Father like this”, the Lord went on to explain, more precisely than He ever had to previous questions. A mental image of God, shaped like a man made of energy, sat in the middle of a circle. He had cords extending behind Him through which power flowed. They were attached to various points in time represented by the edges of the circle. “When He created Heaven and Earth, Father put rules into place that He, Himself, couldn’t transgress without destroying what He created. It is His power that keeps His creation in existence, so in a way, He is bound to it. One rule is that He cannot destroy a sentient being once it exists.”
Absorbing the information, I listened as He continued to explain, “Father is really like this…” Another image appeared. God was in the center, with energy lines extending all around Him. “He exists not only connected to the past but to every possible future.”
Understanding came with the words. What lies before God are all the possible futures, and He is present in every moment of them right now. What future takes place is a result of His creation’s choices. I could see that Father had created our universe and Heaven, which were two dimensions or places out of many. Each one was entirely made with unique rules of operation when God brought it into existence.
One recent example God gave me, for all the gamers out there: It is like the old EverQuest game system, where several versions of a country could exist based on the gaming community's choices on the server linked to that version of the area. God created the game, with some built-in limitations and rules. There are certain points that will always occur within the game. However, what dominated any area, good or bad, was determined by the player's actions within the game.
Both Heaven and Earth are like mazes with many paths: many possible starting points and many endpoints. The prophesied events like the flood and the cross are present in all possible paths. All paths have an inevitable conclusion that He created when designing the dimension in question.
I shook my head in wonder, “The enemy doesn’t know that he is playing chess with someone who has mapped out every one of his moves. There is no way Satan can win!”
“Exactly,” Jesus confirms before turning swiftly around and urging me, “Come, I have something else to show you.”
I love it when the Lord says that to me. He always reveals something! Racing beside Him, we came quickly to the sheer cliff jutting out into the ocean on one end of the sandy oasis. The Lord began climbing up using the easy hand and foothold on the nearly vertical rock face. It was more like climbing a ladder than going up a hill.
About a third of the way up, without warning, the air seemed to thicken under my feet and backside so that with grace, I was lifted upward. A short time later, wings sprouted on the back of the Lord and myself, and we flew up the remainder of the way. “Whoa… what was that!” I exclaimed. When our feet touched the ground, high up on the cliff, I lunged for the Lord, holding Him by the shoulders. Looking into His eyes, I demanded, “Do you confess that Jesus, the Messiah, has come in the flesh upon the Earth?”
My haste to grab Him had put me on unstable footing. Before the Lord could give a full answer, I toppled to the ground, taking Him with me. We rolled a short way down the gentle slope of the back of the cliff. Determined not to be led astray by any impersonating spirit, I jumped on top of Him, pinning His shoulders to the ground; I demanded once more, “Do you confess that Jesus, the Christ, has come in the flesh upon the Earth?”
The Lord laughed, “You are very enthusiastic…I do so confess because I did, and I shall once more!”
Realizing I was pinning the King of Heaven and Earth, I moved and sat beside Him, “I’m so, so sorry… I was just so startled by the way we came up the cliff that I wanted to make sure I wasn’t being fooled.”
Jesus kissed me on the forehead and light and warmth cascaded down my body, “I love you, my beloved.” I could sense His genuine pleasure in my desire to do good.
“What happened coming up the cliff?” I asked.
He explained, “Because Heaven is where the Father lives, His children will find different circumstances when they arrive. Some will find the place of their eternity much like Earth. They will use natural means to travel, by foot or on animals. Others who have developed a good relationship with the Father while on Earth will find that connection remains. His power will flow to them, allowing them to accomplish the will of the Father. This includes flying by manipulating the air. There are some whose connection will be strong enough that they will be able to change the substance from which Heaven is created in many ways. They will even have the ability to create wings if they wish.”
His words brought a knowing about Heaven: It is where God lives and because of this, the essence of His being is more prevalent there. On Earth, molecules are held together by His essence, but in Heaven, it is ALL Him. Our relationship with Him on Earth develops a bond between God and His children through which His power flows. This flow of energy has the ability to manipulate the substance of which Heaven is made to some degree. What the limitations are, I really have no idea, but one aspect is the ability to manifest wings so that we can fly.
While discussing the different realms, I asked, “Will some people be able to create portals from one dimension to another?”
Jesus nodded, “Father creates portals through both dimensions (realms) and time. Some portals are permanent in each dimension. Those are like God’s highway to move His people about. The enemy has hijacked some of them for his use.” A circular opening formed beside Him as He continued, “For a very few, there will be the ability to use temporary portals to travel from place to place quickly.”
This visit was very interesting. I had not realized how our actions in this life would impact what we received when we arrived in Heaven. Our Father knows that this physical body has limitations. Despite this fact, we expected to do greater things. Jesus outlined four different types of abilities. Each level will have the abilities of the previous levels.
Earthly Ability: This is the lowest level for those who have not connected with God while on the Earth. You will need to walk or ride an animal from place to place or to where portals are located.
Telekinetic Ability: For those who have drawn close to God in some ways, there will be the ability to move matter, like moving air so that you can fly.
Transmutation Ability: Those who worked for God and accomplished some of their destiny will be able to create items, even from the air around them.
Teleportation Ability: A few people have served the Lord to such a level that they will be able to travel instantaneously through the creation of portals.
I can see a danger in having people who are not 100% tested, tried and true, fully dedicated to God, having the ability to instantly travel, perhaps taking others with them, anywhere they desire. Perhaps the Teleportation Ability will be for those who give their life for Jesus. This would explain how this verse could come to pass:
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14 AKJV)
…These are they which follow the Lamb wherever He goes. (Revelation 14:4 AKJV)
Those who are dedicated to the Lord follow Him where He goes. If all were around Jesus 100% of the time, that would be a huge crowd surrounding Him. But if these dedicated few could create portals and come and go, that may explain how they followed Him. It could also imply that those in these categories have constant contact with Jesus.
One thing is clear, God has a plan. His children will receive eternal life in stages. First, they must live on the Earth with little access to Him or spiritual power. Then they will have access to Heaven, and temptation will occur again. Once again we must resist Satan and stand with God.
Those who remain faithful and do His will go on to the next stage: having access and power in the spiritual realm. The access we get to God and to spiritual power depends on what we do in this life. Are you ready to invest in your eternity?
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