Will Our Family Return With Jesus?

Answer: Thank you for the question Doris.

When Jesus returns, He will bring many of our family members with Him. Those who have passed on before us, (Ecclesiastes 12:7, 2 Corinthians 5:8). However, not everyone will come back with Him. There is a certain qualifier here.

Let’s read about it.

1 Thessalonians 4:14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

Mat 24:31, 1 Th 3:13, 4:17, 2 Th 2:1, Jud 1:14-15

Notice the qualifier?

When Jesus returns, He is most certainly bringing our family members with Him, but only those who “sleep in Jesus”. Only those who had faith in Jesus while they lived on earth. So only the righteous are going to return with Jesus at the Seventh Trumpet.

An Army Of Angels

Interestingly enough, not only is Jesus returning with our righteous family members, but also with an Army of Angels, (Matthew 13:41, Revelation 19:14, 19).

Will this Army be composed of our family members?

We do not know for certain. However, by reading Scripture, those who “sleep in Jesus” sound different than a pre-established Heavenly Army. In my opinion, Christ’s Army will be composed of Angels the likes of Michael and Gabriel who never lived on earth as men.

It is these Angels who will gather “all things that offend, and them which do iniquity”, (Matthew 13:39-42). At the same time, I recall John talking to an Angel who was actually someone who once lived on earth, (Revelation 22:8-9).

So maybe we will have a mix of both.

The Righteous

Now those who “sleep in Jesus”, being the righteous will obtain Eternal Life on the first day of the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ, the Millennium. They, along with those who overcome the Tribulation.

Turn your Bible with me to,

Revelation 20:6
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.

So anyone taking part in the “first resurrection” will be gathered together with Christ during the Millennium. This includes our righteous family who have passed away. All of these believers become united and immortal at that point in time, (1 Corinthians 15:35-55).

The Unrighteous

Now, for everyone else who has passed away that are not righteous, they have to wait until the White Throne Judgement, before they have an opportunity at Eternal Life, (Revelation 20:11-15). This group is made up of those who did not “sleep in Jesus”.

Now, this does not mean we have to wait until after the Millennium to see them. In fact, at the close of the Millennium, is the White Throne Judgement. That’s the final Judgement and permanent death for those who did not accept God and Christ.

Moreover, do remember what Revelation 20:6 said?

Those who take part in the first resurrection “shall be priests of God and of Christ”.

What does a priest do?

Teach the Word of God.

Would a priest have a need to teach other priests about the Word of God?

Not really.

So then, we can conclude, these priests will help bring some of these unrighteous people back to God. These priests will help those who are not ‘asleep in Jesus’. So this will be our opportunity to see our long-lost family who may have fallen short by not accepting Christ.

There’s no second chances. However, think of all the souls who were aborted, murdered, suffered mental illness, and so on. Only God knows their heart, and God is completely fair, (Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalms 25:8).

I want to remind you of something.

Do you remember the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man?

The Rich Man was on the wrong side of the Gulf in Heaven, he was unrighteous. Yet, he could see righteous Lazarus hugging Abraham from the other side of the gulf.

Being, the good side. The righteous side.

This should provide comfort to know, whether our family is righteous or unrighteous. We will have an opportunity to see them again. Possibly, to even help those who never knew Christ see the Light.