Notice that Jesus didn't promise us we would sit with him on his Father's throne in heaven, but he promised us we would sit with him on his own throne on the earth. Of course we must overcome by keeping his commandments until the end. Jesus is called a king throughout the bible, but people don't seem to take this fact literally.
Jesus said that he was born into the world to be a king (St. John 18:37). After he was born and just a baby, the wise men came looking for him "...that is born king of the Jews" (Matthew 2:1). When he died for our sins, this was even the title written on his cross, "...JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS." Nevertheless, all kings must have a place to rule from, just as the emperors ruled from Rome and president’s rule from Washington, D. C. Well, Jesus is the great king and Jerusalem is the city that he will rule from. After returning to the earth, Jesus will take over and rule all other ruler ships (Daniel 7:13-14 and Revelation 11:15). That's why he is not only called a king, but called KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. "And the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. AND ALL DOMINIONS SHALL SERVE AND OBEY HIM" (Daniel 7:27).
I guess the meek will inherit the earth, since the kingdom is under the whole heaven and not up in heaven. As we have seen the kingdom of Jesus will last forever. After ruling for a thousand years with his saints, Jesus will then have judgment day (Revelation 20:1-15). All who are found worthy will enter into his kingdom and the rest will enter the lake of fire. At this time new Jerusalem, the place that Jesus went to prepare, will come down from God out of heaven. Jesus never promised to take us up to this place, "and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (St. John 14:3). Therefore, after Jesus returns and rules for a thousand years, the place that he went to prepare will be seen "...coming down from God out of heaven, preparedas a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:2). We won't ever get to heaven, but heaven will get to us. Yes, the kingdom of heaven will be right here on the earth, because God wants his will to be done in earth as it is in heaven.
With all of this evidence of God's kingdom being on the earth, why do so many people believe they are going to heaven? Many people have misunderstood some of Paul's writings (II Peter 3:15-16) and they simply disregard the other scriptures. For instance, what people call "the rapture" is merely the second coming of Jesus. This will not take place before the great tribulation, as commonly taught, but after it. At the sound of the seventh trumpet the dead and Israel, living saints will meet the Lord in the air (I Thessalonians 4:13-17) as he returns to establish his kingdom. The sounding of the trumpet lets us know that this "so-called rapture" is after the tribulation, "Immediately after the tribulation...they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven...and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet..." (Matthew 24:29:31). Many people teach that the dead saints, such as Elijah, are already in heaven. If this were true then they wouldn't have to be raised from the dead to meet Jesus in the air when he returns. The entire bible changes if the saints were in heaven, even eliminating the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6). Why raise the dead if they are already in heaven? The bible speaks of three heavens (I Corinthians 12:1-2), so which one would the saints go to anyway? Jesus was talking about the third heaven when he said, "...no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven..." This means Elijah or no other man (except Jesus) has went up to the heaven where the Father's throne is at. Many of us, including Elijah, have been transported through the second heaven, which is the sky. This heaven is called the firmament, where airplanes and birds fly. The first heaven is the earth. This is where Jesus will establish his heavenly kingdom.
Jesus commanded us to preach the gospel of the kingdom and pray for its fulfillment. It is impossible to preach about Jesus without ever preaching about his future kingdom.
Everything, including our hope, is tied into this gospel message. If we choose to believe contrary to the gospel then we are believing a lie. Remember, "the truth shall make you free." There's only one gospel! "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). This is serious business, so let us preach and pray "THY KINGDOM COME!" This is the gospel of Jesus.
