Are the Great Crowd the same as all the people in Paradise Earth?

Just as the Anointed 144,000 (the Little Flock) are selected “out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev 5:9 NWT), so are the Great Crowd (Rev 7:9).  Neither of these two groups are the world, but they are both taken “out of” the world.  This larger group (the world) from which these two classes are taken “out of” is described in Daniel 7:14, ” And to him there were given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him. His rulership is an indefinitely lasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be brought to ruin” (NWT).

This larger group is also described as the “nations” who live in the city (Rev 21:24), yet the Great Crowd is never said to enter the city, but “…they are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple;” (Rev 7:15NWT).  The Great Crowd is brought before the Jehovah’s throne for service.  In contrast, the world of mankind (both raised from the dead and surviving Armageddon) are brought before the throne for judgment during the thousand year kingdom (Rev 20:12; Matt 25:31,32; Dan 7:9,10).  The Great Crowd is not the world of mankind on Paradise Earth.

The evidence points to three distinct kingdom classes 1) the Anointed Little Flock of 144,000, 2) the Great Crowd and 3) the world of mankind.

The fact that both the World (Rev 22:14) and Great Crowd (Rev 7:9) are described as wearing white robes does not prove they are the same group.  The Anointed 144,000 have white robes too (Rev 3:5; 19:8 –note that justification and righteousness are from same Greek root word Strong’s 1344).  All who become justified have white robes, because white robes are a symbol of justification/righteousness (Isa 61:10).  Anyone without a white robe (justification) has no standing with God (Matt 22:11-13).  At the time of the earthly Paradise, the world will “wash” their robes (Rev 22:14 – present tense in Greek), but the Great Crowd will already have clean robes (Rev 7:14 “washed” – Greek past tense).

Are the righteous people going to live in Heaven or on Earth forever?

When we pray the Lord's prayer, we ask for His kingdom to come and for His will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven. This tells us that there are two salvations–one on earth and one in heaven (Matthew 6:10, Luke 11:2). When we read the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, we see that some traits are given an earthly reward and some the kingdom of heaven.  What is the difference?

A Heavenly Reward Promised to Christians

We find a clue in Romans 12:1, 2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  We must follow the example of Jesus in laying down our lives in order to receive a heavenly resurrection. Heaven is a reward from God for faithfully obeying His will and being transformed into Christ’s character likeness. “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10. “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,…since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.” Colossians 1:3-5 (ESV)

"By His great mercy we have been born anew to a life of hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, born to an unscathed, inviolate, unfading inheritance; it is kept in heaven for you."  I Peter 1:3, 4 (Moffatt translation of the Bible).

An Earthly Reward for Mankind

However, the vast majority of mankind will receive an earthly resurrection. During Christ’s reign on earth, they will also develop loving, obedient characters. The difference between the two groups is this, mankind will not be developing obedience when there is great opposition to righteousness – as is the case now. No, when Jesus reigns with a rod of iron (Revelation 2:27), righteousness will be the rule. Christ will teach mankind God’s truths (Isaiah 2:2-4) and all will know the Lord from the least unto the greatest (Jeremiah 31:34). People will be healed physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually (Isaiah 35:5-10). Mankind will not need to strive against their fallen flesh, the sinful world, nor the devil. Thus, the willing and obedient of mankind will have life everlasting but on earth and not in heaven.

​Will God’s Kingdom be on Earth?

God's rule in heaven is already established, as indicated in the prayer “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” As to the earth, Jesus referred to Satan as "the prince of this world”, and the Apostle Paul called him "the god of this world", evidencing the Adversary's usurpation of power over God's earthly creation. The Creator in his wisdom has permitted this state of affairs for a time for good reasons, and the Bible throughout speaks of an end to Satan's dominion and a restoration of harmony between God and man. This is the primary objective of the kingdom, and its implications are so far-reaching for human life and experience as to surpass the possibilities of human imagination.

The kingdom is both heavenly and earthly, in that its chief ruler will be the glorified Christ, spiritual and invisible to human eyes, while its earthly subjects are the world of mankind. The Christ will, however, work through earthly representatives, and Jesus spoke of men seeing Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom, indicating that the faithful of pre-Christian times would have honored positions. They believed God's promises and their faith was counted as righteousness, in spite of the impediments imposed by the curse. Having been tried and found faithful, in the awakening from death they will receive their reward – perfect human nature (Hebrews 11:35), and it is with them first that God will enter into a new covenant, promising to write his laws in their hearts and put his spirit in them. Other faithful believers, not called to the heavenly inheritance, will also assist the Christ in the administration of new laws governing the operation of the kingdom in its every aspect – social, legislative, educational, philanthropic and religious. The removal by Christ of the evil influences of Satan and his fallen angels will give the people a full, fair opportunity to learn unimpeded what blessings can result from the keeping of God's laws, and the gaining of a permanent place in the earthly kingdom of God will gratify every desire of the perfect human heart.

Where will the kingdom's "parliament" be? As Jerusalem was the seat of empire for God's chosen nation of Israel, it will again occupy that position, and the faithful men and women of old, raised from death, will naturally return to their homeland. Isaiah 2:3 says " . . . out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem". From there the Lord will settle international disputes. All weapons will be converted into implements of peace and all military training will end. Other nations will seek help from the earthly representatives of God's kingdom as they observe its increasing prosperity, and as its influence extends ever further, another prophecy will be fulfilled: "Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end" (Isaiah 9:7).