Most persons hope to go to heaven because of never having heard of the earthly hope and because of having been taught that they have an immortal soul that either goes to heaven or a burning hell at death. However, the Bible plainly shows that man is a soul and that when he dies he remains dead until the resurrection.—Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 9:5; John 5:28, 29.
The first resurrection has already began taken place for those who were invited to heaven to rule with Jesus. These amount to 144,000 in all, taken from the earth.
Rev 14:3 And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth.Acts 2:34 Actually David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’
But unless we have taken certain steps and have evidence of God’s thus dealing with us and, in particular, have a strong hope and earnest longing for the heavenly reward, we are among those whose hope, if they prove worthy, is a glorious paradisaic earth. It would be foolish for one to want to if he had no basis for such a hope. All God’s blessings are undeserved, accept with gratitude whatever destiny may be ours.
Ecless 9:5 For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all,
1Co 15:26 26 As the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing. 27 For [God] “subjected all things under his feet.”
Rev 20:14 And death and Ha'des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. (not a literal lake of fire)
Rev 21:4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”
Psalms 51:5 “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)
God does not take people. He wanted us to have life everlasting. Through the blood of Jesus there is going to be a resurrection from the dead. These will be given a chance to live again with satan abyssed. They will be judged by there obedience from then on. All who obey will have everlasting life in view.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Ha'des gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds.
Dan 2:44 “And in the days of those kings (7th world power) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite."
Not only will this earth continue forever, but God has promised glorious things for it. That is why Jesus taught us to pray: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will come to pass, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matt. 6:9, 10) Then “they will not do any harm or cause any ruin . . . because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.” Gradually God “will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more.” Note that this promise applies, not to heaven, but to the earth, where mankind has been suffering for the past six thousand years.—Isa. 11:9; Rev. 21:4.
It simply has to be this way, because that was God’s original purpose regarding the earth and man. Did not God tell our first parents to become fruitful, fill the earth, subdue it, that is, make the earth like the garden of Eden, and exercise dominion over the lower animals? Simply because Adam disobeyed and therefore failed to carry out this mandate properly does not mean that God’s purposes regarding the earth failed. “My word that goes forth from my mouth . . . will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it.” If certain creatures fail, it merely means that God will use others to accomplish his purposes.—Gen. 1:28; Isa. 55:11. His will, will be done on earth!
Joel 2:28 “And after that it must occur that I shall pour out my spirit on every sort of flesh, and YOUR sons and YOUR daughters will certainly prophesy. As for YOUR old men, dreams they will dream. As for YOUR young men, visions they will see. 29 And even on the menservants and on the maidservants in those days I shall pour out my spirit.