Millions in the Christian-professing world believe they will be raptured to heaven. They sing of “heavenly mansions,” or our “home up above.” In thousands of funeral ceremonies, clergymen confidently assure bereaved relatives their love ones are already in heaven, and the belief is indelibly reinforced in an atmosphere of pain and fear of the unknown. But does the Bible really teach Christians go straight to heaven when they die?

       Millions blindly accept the traditional teaching of a heavenly home, or an everburning hell. For over thirty years, I have offered $10,000.00 to anyone who can come up with the specific words “immortal soul,” “When we get to heaven,” “I will see you in heaven.” and “We go to heaven when we die.”

       In all those years, with millions hearing my words, not a single person has been able to claim that check for $10,000.00! Why not? Simply because such words are not in the Bible!

       The Bible is God’s handbook to man—the revelation of knowledge man could not otherwise discover for himself.

       Paul said, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16).

       The divinely-revealed Word of God is the ultimate source to which we must go to discover the real truth about the reward of the saved, about what happens at death; about the promise of “heaven,” of the threat of “hell.”

       If heaven is the reward of the saved; if hell is the reward of sinners; if the saints are raptured away to heaven—there should at least be one scripture somewhere in the Bible plainly saying so?

       Is it logical that of all the doctrines of the Bible, the mainstream doctrine of a “rapture to heaven” should be absent from the Bible?

       Millions have sat in church hearing graphic descriptions of heaven. They have heard vague allusions from only a few scriptures which are capable of several interpretations!

       But they have never heard a careful and thorough Bible study or sermon proving that heaven is the reward of the saved! Simply because it cannot be proved!

Did Christ Teach the Resurrection?

       Jesus continually spoke of a resurrection. He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live” (John 5:25).

       He described those who are dead in their graves at the time of Christ’s second coming. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the grave shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” [“judgment” margin] (John 5:28-29).

       These scriptures plainly refer to a future event. Jesus spoke of a general resurrection from the dead, which He called a resurrection “of life.” He clearly spoke of “life” as the opposite of death.

       God’s word says “The dead know not anything,” and the memory of them is forgotten. David, in the Psalms, explains that death is a completely mindless state—an absence of knowledge and consciousness.

       Solomon, David’s son, explained that men die a death exactly as do beasts (Eccl. 3:19). He said “Yea they all have on breath.”

       God’s word reveals that human beings live a physical, chemical existence. We are mortal, transitory creatures; whose life is dependent solely upon our bloodstream and the foods (as fuel) we take into our systems.

       When we die, a total cessation of this physical, chemical existence occurs. Death is the absence of life. The Bible describes those who go down into their graves as being just as dead as any animal is dead!

       But Jesus Christ spoke of a time when they will be raised up to life! Notice, He did not describe a conscious “immortal soul” being placed back into a formerly dead, decayed body!

       Read I Corinthians 15, the “resurrection chapter.” In this marvelous scripture is found one of the most important and plainest doctrines of God’s Word. Not only is the resurrection described in great detail, but even “foolish questions” are answered.

       At times, people think they have discovered a question too difficult even for God. They will relate, the devouring of bodies buried at sea by sharks which are finally caught by a fisherman, and its livers sold in the market. They then say that some other human eats the shark’s liver, and therefore a portion of the bodies of the dead eaten by the shark becoming a part of its liver, now becomes a part of the body of another living person! So how does God solve the problem, they ask?

       To such questioning minds, it seems impossible for God to “resurrect” the body that was. The Apostle Paul answers these “foolish questions”:

       “But some man will say, how are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed His own body.

       “All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (I Corinthians 15:35-44)

       Paul shows that through the power of God, a completely decayed body, fused once again with the elements of this earth (“dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return”) can be resurrected as a spirit being!

       “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural: and afterward that which is spiritual…and as we have borne the image of the earthly, we also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality!” (I Corinthians 15:46-53).

       Read all of this marvelously revealing chapter in your own Bible. Accept it on face value, as it is, the very word of God!

       If you do, you will never again be confused about the resurrection of the dead. This chapter plainly shows that, at death, you physical, temporal bodies, sustained only by food, water, and air, completely cease to function, and that total unconsciousness results!

       This beautiful fifteenth chapter of I Corinthians explains that no matter how rapidly that decaying process (whether being blown to bits in an atomic explosion or slowly decaying in a normal grave) God is capable of completely re-creating a new spirit life, giving the individual a brand-new spirit body!

       The Apostle Paul went to great pains to explain it is not the old, decaying, “corrupted” body which is raised, but a spiritual body.

Resurrections! First & Second…

       There are literally dozens of scriptures in the Bible which speak of a great resurrection.

       Notice another of the most important, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto 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 upon 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 hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:4-6)

       Just as Jesus spoke of a resurrection to life and a resurrection to judgment, so this revealing scripture shows the dead in Christ being resurrected at the second coming of Christ, and then reigning with Jesus Christ for a thousand years, while “the rest of the dead,” (those who were never converted), remain totally oblivious to all this passage of time until after the thousand years are over!

       You see, beginning in verse 11 to the end of chapter 20, the picture of the “great white throne judgment” or the great latter-day resurrection of perhaps billions of human beings who will then be given opportunity for salvation!

Physical Resurrection of Israel

       Read Ezekiel 37 in the light of the last part of Revelation 20.

       The famous “dry bones” of Ezekiel’s prophecy are stated to be “the whole House of Israel” (verse 11) who are to be resurrected in this great “white throne judgment.”

       God says “Behold, O my people, I will open your eyes, and cause you to come up out of you graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Eternal when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves. And shall put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall you know that I the Eternal have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Eternal.” (Ezekiel 37:12-14)

       Here again, you see two opposites: death, complete unconsciousness—human bodies by the millions decaying, forgotten in their graves—in contrast to a great future resurrection to life even after the millennial reign of Jesus Christ!

       Time and again, the Bible speaks of the first resurrection at the precise instant of the second coming of Christ!

       In this regard, study carefully one of the cherished scriptures used by the proponents of the “hope of heaven” doctrine.

       Turn to I Thessalonians 4:13, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

       This text is used over and over to imply that Christians “go to heaven”!

       Search the scripture again, and see that it says nothing about going to heaven!

       What does it say? It says both the “dead in Christ” (who have been completely dead, oblivious, unconscious of the passage of time in their graves) and the living Christians will “be caught together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air…”

       This does not say “up to heaven”! It says “in the clouds…” Clouds are as much a part of this earth as the oceans, the mountains, or anything else composed of matter. Most jet air travel is well above the majority of all clouds. Certainly, all of the orbital satellites are far above the clouds.

Christ is Coming

       Read, in the first chapter of Acts, of the very first message ever to back down from heaven after Jesus ascended to His Father: “And when he (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they (the disciples) beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11)

       They watched Jesus being enveloped in the clouds only a very few hundred feet above their heads! Jesus would have been completely invisible if He were only a very few thousand feet from them! The scripture plainly shows He was still visible until clouds obscured him from their view.

       The Bible then says He will come back to this earth, “in like manner” as they saw Him go into heaven!

       Turn back to I Thessalonians 4 and read the passage quoted again. Notice what it does not say. It says nothing about “going to heaven” an “immortal soul”!

       Rather, as plainly corroborated by many other scriptures, it shows the resurrection of the dead in Christ, and the instantaneous change (I Cor. 15:50-22) of those who are “alive and remain”, to be caught up together as one group “in the clouds”, and finally concludes by saying, “…and so shall we ever be with the Lord”. And where will the Lord be on that same day?

Christ Will Descend on the Mount of Olives

       He is coming back! Not merely in “the general vicinity” of the earth, catching away saints in a so-called “rapture to heaven”!

       Notice the proof, from you own Bible! Speaking of His return on the day of the Lord:

       “Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” (Zechariah 14:3-4)

       The setting of this prophecy is the “day of the Lord,” that period of time immediately following the heavenly signs of Revelation 7, and the first five seals of Revelation 6, or the great tribulation prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24.

       The gathering of all nations against Jerusalem to battle is the same great battle depicted in Revelation 19:11-21.

       Here, John sees the heavens opened in vision, and Jesus Christ sitting on a white horse, followed by heavenly armies, returning to this earth to “smite the nations” and “rule them with a rod of iron.”

       In the vision, John said he “saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army.” And describes the destruction of both the beast and the false prophet on the very same day of the second coming of Jesus Christ.

       What will happen after the dead in Christ and the living Christians are caught up together to meet the returning Christ in the air? The Bible says “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives!”

       They are gathered from all nations taken by powerful angels to meet Jesus Christ as He returns directly to the Mount of Olives, and so descend with him to Jerusalem!

       Notice! “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31)

       Notice again the description of Jesus Christ returning to this earth!

       The false doctrine of Christians “going to heaven” would make completely unnecessary the second coming of Christ. If “souls” were already “in heaven” from the time they died, then why should Christ come back? Why should such “souls” be taken from heaven, placed back into decayed bodies, resurrected, and then the whole process of deciding where they belong begun all over again?

       No, “dead souls” do not go to heaven! Christ is coming back to this earth. He is coming all the way back; coming with clouds, to catch the converted righteous up into the air with him, take them to a place just above Jerusalem, and then, “His feet shall stand on the mount of Olives” in that same day!

       These biblical proofs of the return of Christ utterly negate the false doctrine of “souls going to heaven.”

The Kingdom Parables

       Now, let’s notice some of Christ’s parables about His coming kingdom—the fact that it will be set up on this literal earth, and see some of the prophecies about conditions on the earth during the millennium.

       Read again the parable of the pounds and the talents. One example is found in Matthew 25:14-30, and another in Luke 19:12-27.

       In each case, those who overcome are promised of Jesus Christ rulership over cities!

       In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25), Jesus says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord.”

       In the case of the parable of the pounds (Luke 19) Jesus says, “Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” (Luke 19: 17).

       Do these plain words of your Savior “fit” into the traditional teaching you have always heard? Anything about heaven here? No. but rulership over cities occupied by human beings, during the 1,000-year of Christ on earth is offered to those who are living a life of overcoming—of qualifying for such positions!

Rulership is the Reward of the Overcomers

       Notice! “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron.” (Revelation 2:26,27)

       There is no way to spiritualize these plain words away! Those who are living a life of overcoming the pulls and tugs of human nature; the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) and who qualify will be given power and authority over cities, countries, states, and whole nations! Do you remember what Jesus said to his disciples just prior to His crucifixion? “…Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel!” (Matthew 19:28)

       Jesus Christ says that even those who live in this day can have an opportunity for co-rulership in His new government which is to be set up on this earth after His second coming!

       “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in His throne.” (Revelation 3:21)

       “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end!” (Luke 1:30-33)

       Read the prophecy of Daniel. After the description of the four great successive world-ruling Gentile kingdoms, a “stone cut without hands” which smites the image on its feet [the ten toes representing the ten king of Revelation 17] and which then “becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth.”

       Clearly, in this prophecy, the figurative stone represents the returning, conquering Christ! The great image represents the successive stages of the Gentile world-ruling kingdoms, culminating in the BEAST depicted in Daniel 7, and Revelation 13 and 17.

       The ten kings which fight Jesus Christ as His coming (Revelation 17) are represented by the ten toes of the great image, mixed with iron and miry clay.

       The “great mountain” is symbolic of the Kingdom of God which will rule over the entirety of the earth!

God’s Kingdom to Rule on Earth

       There is voluminous evidence in the Bible that the Kingdom of God will reign on this earth! Let’s notice just a few of the more outstanding proofs.

       “But in the last days it shall come to pass, [that] the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make [them] afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken [it].” (Micah 4:1-4)

       Here, you see the symbol of the Kingdom of God established over all the other nations, greater and lesser!

       Then you see representative ambassadors from all countries on earth agreeing, finally, to come to God’s headquarters’ city in Jerusalem, learning of the ways of God; learning to keep His laws, learning to convert weapons of war into implements of peace!

       Here is a graphic description of God finally forcing upon mankind the ways of peace, happiness, prosperity, bounteous joy!

       Death-dealing tanks will be smelted down and turned into farming implements. No more “war colleges” or military academies, teaching the “art” of war!

       Notice a parallel scripture in Isaiah 2:2-4.

       Again, we see the complete rehabilitation of the earth. It is the time of “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21). A time for those who are born of God by a resurrection from the dead, are changed instantaneously (as you learned in I Corinthians 15) and who have become members of the very family of God, will join Jesus Christ in positions of leadership and rulership over the human, physical remnants of the great global holocaust that is sure to come!

       But mankind will survive! (Matthew 24:21,22)

       Christ will return to this physical earth, and will grant positions of responsibility and rulership to those who have truly qualified to be members of His Kingdom! Notice a description of conditions extant on earth after Christ has begun to rule:

       “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

       “And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:4-9)

       Are there wolves, lions, oxen, and poisonous snakes up in heaven? Nonsense!

       Here, you see a description of the “time of restitution of all things” of which Peter prophesied immediately following the day of Pentecost, and the birthday of the Church. Peter said, “And he shall send Jesus Christ (predicting Jesus’ second coming!), which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive UNTIL the times of restitution of all things [restoring of everything], which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”(Acts 3:20,21)

       Even the very nature of animals shall be changed!

       Read the entire passage carefully. You need no one to “interpret” what it says for you. Clearly, this is a detailed description of conditions on this earth immediately after the second coming of Jesus Christ, and in the very first years of His kingdom!

       In Isaiah 11:11-12, many of the nations of the earth, identified by their ancient names, are mentioned. God says He will regather the second time the remnant of his people from nations all over the earth, and from the “islands [coastlands] of the sea.”

Heavenly Retirement or Productive Work?

       Does it make any sense to you? What if our young men just entering the army, navy, or marines, underwent six weeks of primary training, then several months of additional training, literally transforming them from civilians into military men, skilled in the use of modern weapons and military equipment, only to have their graduation from “boot camp” or primary training:

       “Well, men, that’s it! Now you are full-fledged military men! It is time for all of you to retire!” Sounds ludicrous, when put that way, doesn’t it?

       Yet, Jesus said, “It is through much tribulation we must enter the Kingdom of god.” And promised His true servants “In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33). Peter cried out, “If the righteous scarcely be saved, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (I Peter 4:17).

       In the sermon on the mount, Jesus described the way into His soon-coming Kingdom as the “strait,” meaning difficult route! The way that leads to destruction He described as a broad with glittering lights and dazzling attractions. But the way into His kingdom He described as narrow, winding, and extremely difficult!

       Frequently, the Bible uses the analogy of military service when speaking of Christians. The seal of the Church of God, International shows a helmet, breastplate, and crossed swords, with a quotation from Ephesians 6:11-18.

       The apostle Paul urged Timothy to perform “as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (II Timothy 2:3)

       On another occasion, Paul said, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to thepulling down of strongholds…” (II Corinthians 10:4)

       Jesus said, “To him that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron…” (Revelation 2:26, 27)

       God uses these analogies to show Christians that they are involved in training, and in a kind of warfare, as if professional soldiers.

       A Christian is one who is continually overcoming, learning, studying, growing, gaining wisdom, knowledge, patience, love, and humility! A Christian is fighting (I Corinthians 9:26), but fighting Satan the devil, and resisting the pulls of human nature, not fighting physical enemies with guns and bullets!

       This human life is a vast training ground for the Kingdom of God!

       It is “boot camp”—primary training—for those who are to finally graduate into the very Kingdom and Family of God, to become qualified to rule the world with Jesus Christ!

       The Christian life has great purpose! God is working out a PLAN here below! Yet, millions fail to see that great purpose—they remain ignorant of God’s plan in their lives!

       Nowhere does the Bible preach “Christian retirement”! Think of it! Does not much of the music, many of the sermons, and a great deal of so-called “Christian” teaching portray an eternity of idleness and ease; of beatific bliss and indolent delight?

       But the truth of God is far different!

       The truth is that Almighty God is calling a cadre of individuals (and not all the world is being called NOW!) even as Jesus Christ called only twelve disciples and formed them into the nucleus of His “group of called-out ones” of His “church” (which more properly should be translated “assembly” in modern English), so that SAME Jesus Christ is calling out a select group whom he calls “the very elect” (Matthew 24:22) for rigorous training to qualify to become future WORLD RULERS with Him!

       Does anyone really comprehend the awe-inspiring breadth and scope of God’s great plan and purpose?

       The churches simply do not teach it! What church teaches that its members are now qualifying to become city managers, mayors, ambassadors, princes, presidents, prime ministers, and KINGS in the world to come? With a difference? Being imbued with a divine power of ALMIGHTY GOD!

       Those who will rule with Jesus Christ will have wisdom far exceeding than that of Solomon; the very love and mercy of Jesus Christ; with which they will be able to rule swiftly, in mercy and righteousness, but with sternness and POWER where necessary!

       It is here on earth where we are needed! There are no “problems” to solve in heaven! Almighty God is not calling a group to be put through rigorous training, overcoming, and growing in knowledge; having their human nature changed to the character of Jesus Christ in order to retire!

       John, in vision, wrote, “And I looked, and lo, a Lamb [Christ] stood on the Mount Zion [which is in Jerusalem, on this earth!] and with Him an hundred and forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads… these were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 14:1-4)

       Is it possible YOU are being called, now, to become one of those comparatively few “firstfruits?” Could God be opening your mind to see His TRUTH?

       Will you believe popular fables or facts from God’s Word?

-End-