Dwelling With The King

Have you ever wondered what heaven is like? While I do not have the vivid imagination I used to, or of that of others, I still think about it at times. However, I must confess, I hold back my imaginings a bit partly because I know it must be far more wonderful than I can imagine.

That being said, I have imagined a lovely home with a veranda that overlooks beautiful gardens. Yeshua comes to visit often or I seek Him out and desire above all to hold His hand. The gardens are filled with flowering trees like Jasmine, Dogwood, Lilac. Honeysuckle covers the pillars holding up the veranda and I imagine every day is filled with a fresh, new, intoxicating fragrance! Even as this lovely image is one I enjoy, I think more about running into the Throne Room and being in the presence of the Father as much as possible. To even lay at the foot of the Throne, just to be near Him. I'm not much intrigued with what else Heaven may hold, but I am certain that there will be much to be intrigued with!

Today, as I was reading in John 14:1-4, I kept going back over it. I've heard these verses since before I was old enough to speak. It is the preaching of these verses that first planted imaginings in my heart of wonderful mansions waiting for me.

However, after today, I've considered this passage in a slightly different way. The notes in The Passion Translation by Brian Simmons were helpful as I pondered the meaning of certain words and sentences in Aramaic and Greek. Most importantly, I went back and looked at the context of the conversation.

JESUS AND PETER TALKING ABOUT...MANSIONS??

In this passage, Jesus is talking to his disciples, in particular, Peter, about THE "event" (the crucifixtion and resurrection). The disciples don't have the benefit of knowing what's coming like we do so they're struggling to understand what he is talking about. Jesus is talking mansions, dwelling places, going away, not being able to follow him just yet, coming back, etc...it's all quite puzzling to them.

We've been led to believe that this passage is about dazzling white mansions in heaven and Jesus being the interior decorator of our very own custom abode. However, in context, it seems to rather be pointing to the fact that Jesus is telling us he is preparing a way for US to become a dwelling place of God...individually and then as a community of believers.

The greek word here is ǒikia = an abode (literally or figuratively) and by implication a family house. (i.e. a place where multiple families of the same famiy live.) Note that I am just tapping into a surface level of study so I may have incorrect understanding. So take this with a grain of salt and do your own meditating on these verses.

However, within this context of the conversation happening in John 14, it makes sense. A mansion in heaven in this context doesn't make sense.

In John 14:1-4, Jesus is telling the disciples THEY are about to become the dwelling place of the Father, individually AND together. For those that are IN Christ (which He is referring to in this passage as well and pairs with Ephesians 1 and 2) we are each a place that holds the presence of God. Christ's death transferred the dwelling place of God from the Holy of Holies within the Temple INTO the bodies of Believers!

Of course, as a Believer in Christ, I've known this and believe it, but to read this passage, it suddenly becomes SO clear what he is trying to tell the disciples versus my long-held belief that Jesus was talking about hanging curtains in a mansion on a street in heaven for me. No...Jesus was preparing everything through his death and resurrection so WE could be a proper dwelling for the Most High.

As Brian Simmons says in a footnote, "The Father is the destination." YES! Somehow, we've turned this passage into our mansion and/or heaven as the destination but as Jesus backs his message up in John 17:3...heaven isn't about US getting THINGS or floating on clouds eating grapes, or going to amusement parks, or having everything we've ever wanted. It's about us being in intimacy with the Father and with Jesus.

While I believe that when we are in paradise with our Lord, we will be blessed beyond our capacity to imagine, that is NOT the point of heaven. The point of heaven is to be in intimacy with the Father; to be the dwelling place of the King and with the King!

Jesus also says he's creating a place of rest (shalom). When we become a place for God to dwell, we find rest (shalom); is this not the gospel of peace?!❤️

Ephesians 1 and 2 reinforces this and says that Jesus is seated on a throne at the right hand of the Father...and that we are seated with him! So when Jesus tells his disciples that he is:

This all paints a picture of his crucifixtion and ressurrection (vs. the second coming). All these things are the reality of our NOW, not later.