After ruling for a thousand years with his saints, Jesus will then have judgment day. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20: 11-15) Read the whole chapter! 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, prepared-as 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 in Christ, living saints will meet the Lord in the air, 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 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 up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (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 …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. (Revelation 20:4-6).