What Does The Bible Say? FAQ | TheMillennium.org

In Matthew 27:50-51 we read about an amazing event that occurred at the death of Jesus Christ. “Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split…”

This incident has great spiritual significance! The rending of the Temple veil symbolized the fact that it was now possible for man to have direct access in prayer to God the Father in heaven. Believe it or not humans have not always had this access to the Father. Although few people realize it, the God of the Old Testament with whom faithful men of old walked and talked was NOT the Father, but the One who later became Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us that the One Moses talked to and the One who led the children of Israel out of Egypt – their Rock (Psalm 18:2; Deuteronomy 32:4) was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).

The inside of the Old Testament Tabernacle, and later the Temple, was divided into two parts. First was the Holy area. Second was the Holy of Holies which symbolized God’s throne of mercy. These two parts were separated by a veil. No one but the High Priest ever went into the Holy of Holies (past the veil), and only once a year as an act of making atonement and asking forgiveness for the sins of Israel before God’s throne.

After Jesus Christ died and was resurrected, He went to God’s heavenly throne to intercede for us as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 9:24). The rending of the veil was symbolic of the fact that men now had direct access to the Father through a perfect High Priest. Christ’s perfect sacrifice tore down the barrier – the veil – of sin between man and God.

The physical rending of the veil from top to bottom was a type of that spiritual event. Paul shows us we should now have “…boldness to enter the Holiest [Holy of Holies] by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way [through Christ – not a physical priesthood] which he consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh…” (Hebrews 10:19-20). We can now come directly before God the Father in prayer (Matthew 6:9). But, we are to pray in Jesus’ name (John 16:24) – that is, acknowledging Him as our High Priest and Intercessor. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Only a few verses prior, Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). So do some of the saved (the persecuted – see verses 11-12) go to heaven to collect their reward, while others (the meek – see verse 5) inherit the earth? Did Jesus Christ contradict Himself? Absolutely not!

Notice what the Apostle Peter was inspired to write: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4). As this verse clearly shows the inheritance of true Christians is reserved in heaven. That is where it is kept currently.

But do Christians go to heaven to receive their reward? Jesus Christ answered this question in the book of Revelation. “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Revelation 22:12). When Jesus Christ returns – at His second coming – He will bring the reward of the saved with Him from heaven to this earth!

Jesus explained it further in the parable of the minas: “Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Therefore He said: ‘A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return’” (Luke 19:11-12). The nobleman represents Jesus Christ going to heaven to receive His Kingdom from the Father (Daniel 7:13-14), and at the end of this present age He will return. At His second coming He will return to earth and reward His true servants according to how much they have overcome their sins and produced the fruit of obedience (Luke 19:13-27).

What is included in the reward of the saved? For one thing, rulership over the earth. When Christ returns, He will say, “Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17, 19). Notice also what Christ said in Revelation 2:26, “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.” The prophet Daniel was inspired to write, “Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him” (Daniel 7:27). Jesus did not say Christians will receive their reward in heaven. Rather, the reward, authority, and office of power in the Kingdom of God is being temporarily reserved in heaven – because that is where Jesus is now. But it will be brought to this earth, where Jesus will reward His saints, in the soon coming Kingdom of God with positions of power and authority over the nations!