Elaine

Psalms 37:10-11 And just a little while longer and the wicked will be no more. You will look at where they were and they will not be there. But the meek will possess the earth and they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace. Psalms 37:29. The righteous will possess the earth and they will live forever on it. The apostle John wrote: “I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand.” (Revelation 7:4) In the Bible, the phrase “those who were sealed” refers to a group of individuals who are chosen from among mankind to rule with Christ in heaven over the coming Paradise earth. (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22; Revelation 5:9, 10; 20:6) After the apostle John was told in vision about this group of 144,000 individuals, he was shown another group. John describes this second group as “a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.” This great crowd refers to those who will survive the coming “great tribulation,” which will destroy the present wicked world.—Revelation 7:9, 14. Remember when Christ was on earth and spoke to his followers about heaven that those people WERE going to heaven as part of the 144,000 but the rest of the people who survive to live on earth are referred to as the great crowd. There would be no need for anyone to go to heaven to rule with Christ if there was no one to rule over. He told the criminal that hung on the stake beside him that he would be with him in PARADISE. He did not say heaven. Man was never intended to die. Jehovah's original purpose was for mankind to live forever in paradise. Isaiah 45:19. For this is what Jehovah says, The Creator of the heavens, the true God, The One who formed the earth, its Maker who firmly established it, Who did not create it simply for nothing, but formed it to be inhabited: “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else. Will You Pay Attention to Jehovah’s Clear Warnings? Remember it was Satan that convinced Eve that her and Adam could decide for themselves what was right and wrong. They lost paradise and eternal life. Try to picture what the earth would be right now if they had not sinned. Then picture yourself there. How can anyone want to trade that away for just a short time in this world as it is now? Why wouldn't you want to live forever on earth in paradise conditions with your resurrected loved ones? If people would just read the bible and reason on it and ask God to show them the real truth. 2 Peter 3:9 Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.