There Will Be a Resurrection! -RESURRECTION TO HEAVEN

The Bible also tells us that some people will live in heaven.  When someone is resurrected to heaven he is not brought back to life as a human with a human body.  He is resurrected as a spirit person.

Jesus was the first person to receive this type of resurrection.  (John 3:13)  Three days after Jesus was killed, Jehovah resurrected him.  (Psalm 16:10; Acts 13:34, 35)  Jesus was not resurrected  with a human body.  The apostle Peter explains that Jesus "was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit."  (1 Peter 3:18)  Jesus  was brought back to life as a powerful spirit person!  (1 Corinthians 15:3-6) But the Bible says that he would not be the only one.

Just before he died, Jesus told his faithful disciples:  "I am going my way to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2)  That means that some of his followers would be resurrected to live with him in heaven.  How many?  Jesus said that it would be a small number,  a "little flock." (Luke 12:32)  The apostle John gave the exact number when he saw Jesus "standing on [heavenly ] Mount Zion and with him 144,000." - REVELATION 14:1. 

When would the 144,000 Christians be resurrected?  The Bible tells us that this would happen after Christ started to rule in heaven.  (1 Corinthians 15:23)   We are living in that time right now, and most of the 144,000 have already been resurrected to heaven.  Those who are still on earth and who die in our day will instantly be resurrected to heaven. However, the majority of people will be resurrected in the future to life here on paradise earth.   

Very soon, Jehovah will free all humans from death,and death will be gone forever!  (Read Isaiah 25:8)  But what will those who go to heaven do there? The Bible explains that they will rule with Jesus in a Kingdom government. We will learn more about the government in the next chapter.

Next time: What Is God's Kingdom? 

From the jw.org publications