Heavenly Rule and the Destiny of Old Testament Saints

The question assumes a common teaching among some dispensationalists: that the body of Christ will rule in the heavenly realm, while Israel and related saints rule on earth. I want first to examine whether the premise is biblically secure, and then address the destiny of Old Testament and tribulational saints.

Questioning the Premise of Heavenly Rule

Passages typically cited to support the idea that the church (body of Christ) rules in the heavens include:

• Ephesians 1:3: "who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ";
• Ephesians 2:6: "and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus";
• 1 Corinthians 6:3: "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?";
• 2 Timothy 2:12: "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him."

However:

• In Ephesians, I understand the "we" in context to be believing Jews, not the body of Christ defined as Jew-and-Gentile together. Thus, those texts do not straightforwardly teach a specifically "church-in-heaven" rule.
• The statement about judging angels in 1 Corinthians 6:3 and the promise of reigning with Christ in 2 Timothy 2:12 do not clearly locate that activity in a heavenly as opposed to earthly sphere, nor do they explicitly define the group as the present body of Christ distinct from Israel.

So the proposition, "the body of Christ will rule in the heavens," is often asserted more strongly than the texts actually support. It is a possibility some construct, but not a clearly demonstrated doctrine.

Earthly Rule of Old Testament and Tribulational Saints

Regardless of how one understands the precise role of the body of Christ, Scripture does speak plainly of an earthly rule for certain redeemed groups:

• The promises to Israel look toward an earthly kingdom centered in Jerusalem, with restored Israel ruling over the nations Isaiah 2:1--4; Isaiah 60.
• Jesus promises his apostles: "ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" Matthew 19:28. This is an explicitly earthly, governmental role.
• Revelation portrays resurrected saints reigning with Christ: "they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" Revelation 20:4. The context is the millennial kingdom on earth.

Old Testament saints, faithful Israelites of the prophetic program, and those saved in the tribulation who belong to that program are therefore best understood as participating in Christ’s earthly reign. They occupy various positions of authority and judgment in the millennial kingdom and beyond.

In What Kind of Bodies Do They Rule?

The term "human bodies" needs clarification. Scripture distinguishes between mortal, corruptible bodies and glorified, immortal bodies, but both are genuinely human.

Resurrected saints will have glorified bodies, patterned after Christ’s resurrection body:

• Christ’s glorified body could eat and be recognized Luke 24:30--43; John 21:12--13.
• It bore continuity with his earthly body (including recognizable features and even the wounds), yet was incorruptible and not subject to death.

Old Testament saints and tribulational martyrs who are raised to participate in the kingdom will, therefore, rule on earth in glorified human bodies. Their bodies will be fully human in form and function, but freed from the effects of the curse and mortality.

At the same time, there will be mortal humans on earth during the millennium—those who survived the tribulation and their descendants. Thus, the earth will contain both glorified rulers and mortal subjects, all within an ordered kingdom under Christ.

The Role of the Body of Christ

If one does not press the unproven premise that the body of Christ must rule in the heavens, Scripture leaves some aspects of our future role less defined. We are assured of being "ever with the Lord" 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and of sharing in his glory, but the specific administrative or geographic dimensions of our service are not exhaustively described.

My view is:

• Old Testament and tribulational saints of the kingdom program will rule upon the earth in glorified human bodies.
• The body of Christ will share in Christ’s glory and service, but our precise sphere and manner of activity are not as clearly detailed, and we should avoid constructing elaborate systems where Scripture is largely silent.

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