2 Chronicles 21-22 John 14

“There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3 NCV)

It’s interesting how often we hear people talk about mansions, our rooms even, in heaven. These verses are used to justify those conversations, and often, the size, quality, or beauty of the mansion/room is based on the good that we did on earth. In other words, works. Then, having begun by taking this verse literally, they double down by imagining Jesus as a maid, getting the room ready, or a Realtor doing the final make ready on a mansion He just sold. I think those view show a misunderstanding of this verse. I see this passage as reminding us that Jesus is preparing our place in heaven (the Father’s house) by going to the cross to take away our sins. Houses and rooms are places of rest and safety. We can relax and rest there. I don’t think we’ll need to do that in Heaven, based on the few glimpses we have of Heaven in the Bible.

The problem with people getting so wrapped up in their heavenly address is that they forget that their permanent address can be with God because of the sacrifice that Jesus made. From the minute Judas left the room at the Last Supper, Jesus focused on the cross. When Jesus talked about preparing a place, He was talking about His upcoming death on the cross. It was there that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and prepared Heaven for us. It ain’t about the house, the mansion, or the rooms, it’s all about being made righteous so that we can have a relationship with the Father. In all the discussion about where we’ll live in Heaven, or who we’ll see in Heaven, Jesus reminds us again and again that it’s about His presence. Even after talking about the houses/mansions/rooms (depending on your translation) He reminds us that He’s taking us back to be with Him. All the cares of this world will melt, when we’re with Him. All the desires for wealth, honor, and importance will disappear, when we’re with Him. Nothing we value in this life will seem worthy of our thoughts, when we’re with Him.

Lord, the glory of Heaven is that we are with You. It begins when we enter into Your grace here on earth. We know that now we see through a glass darkly, but then we’ll be with You, in person. Let me live in the joy of Heaven here on earth and do it in a way that causes others to want to follow You.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved..