New Jerusalem
November 1, 2021
Walking your child through chemo is just about as awful as it sounds. It’s not a path I ever imagined our family would take. And while we would never have chosen it, that’s exactly what God had in store for us.
However, I will tell you of a big, fat perk.
On a typical Tuesday morning, I was vacuuming the living room when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I’m one of those people who never answers unknown calls, but I was feeling a bit frisky this particular day, so why not?
“Hello?”
“Hi, is this the parent of Jackson Porter?”
“Yes, it is.”
“My name is Maggie from Make-A-Wish, and I’m calling to let you know that your child qualifies to have a wish granted!”
Um, yes please! That phone call sparked one fun conversation with our son Jack. We asked him what his most wild and extravagant wish might be - the pinnacle of all his 3-year-old dreams and ambitions. His answer was direct and immediate:
“I want to go trick-or-treating at Mickey’s house!”
Mickey’s house! In his mind, going to Mickey’s house, being in the presence of that big, friendly mouse, doing all the special activities at Mickey’s house.. Those were the things that would melt away his pain, his fear, his I-don’t-want-to-go-get-chemo-AGAIN trepidation.
[For those of you who haven’t put the pieces together yet, “Mickey’s house” was his toddler way of saying he wants to go to Disney World]
I couldn’t help but make a connection about “The Happiest Place on Earth.” In that moment, it felt an awful lot like a shadow of the future glory that awaits us in heaven.
Fear and sadness, trials and anxiety.. Gone. Yet, the greatest joy will be basking in the magnificent and soothing presence of King Jesus. He promises us a re-created world and re-created bodies. An eternity void from the fallout of “the fall.” Finally, being in his presence and knowing him fully, even as we are fully known. Dwelling, bodily, with Him. We long for that day, don’t we friend?
God’s desire to dwell with humanity is a constant theme thread through Scripture. He created us to share in His abundant love and desires to be with us. Today, let’s follow that thread through from beginning to end, shall we?
Eden
When He created the Earth, it was ordered to be place for His dwelling with humanity. Eden was a garden of perfection where a holy God would come to commune with Adam and Eve in rich relationship.
Holy God couldn’t remain in the presence of sin. So at the moment of rebellion, when Adam and Eve ate that forbidden fruit, fellowship was broken. Hallelujah, God didn’t give up on us.
Tabernacle
Generations came and went. Abraham was chosen to birth the nation of Israel as God’s people. They eventually ended up in Egypt where they were enslaved and treated poorly until God used Moses to lead them out. Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years because of their complaining against God, yet He still wanted to dwell with them. God instructed Moses to make a “Tabernacle” or “residence” where his presence could rest. Just as God was specific on his ordering of Eden, He was specific on his instructions for the Tabernacle. Once everything was just right, his Glory visibly filled the Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-35).
There were many different chambers of this mobile tent, but God’s presence dwelled in the Ark of the Covenant which sat in the Holy of Holies, situated behind a thick curtain (a detail which will be important to the story later!). This sacred area could only be accessed once a year, by the High Priest. He was required to offer extensive purification sacrifices before he could pass through the curtain barrier into God’s presence.
Temple
Once Israel entered into the Promised Land, a mobile tent was no longer necessary, and King David had in mind to build a stunning permanent Temple. God gave the specific Temple instructions to David’s son, King Solomon who spared no expense in completing this perfect Temple. Once again, the cloud of God’s glory filled the temple, and he dwelled among His people (1 Kings 8:10-13).
Although God was with them, they didn’t desire to worship Him. They desired to forge their own path. Due to their rebellion, the Temple, once glorious, was destroyed. An attempt was made to re-build it, but it was never the same (Ezra 3:11-12)
Man was faithful to their rebellion, yet God was faithful still.
Jesus
Jesus put on flesh and lived among humanity. Immanuel, God with us. “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us.” John 1:14 The word used for dwelled can be translated as “tabernacled.” He was our teacher, our example, and ultimately, our sacrifice. God desires to be with us so strongly, that He sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. No longer can our sin separate us.
Remember that thick curtain in the temple which separated God’s presence from the people? The moment Jesus died on the cross, that curtain was ripped in two. From top to bottom. This signifies that humanity is no longer separated from God’s presence - Jesus granted us access to Him through his shed blood!
The Holy Spirit
Now, all who call upon the name of the Lord receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit - which is the downpayment of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). The Spirit dwells in each believer and acts as our helper and counselor. Because of this amazing inheritance we were given, we are called to holiness and sanctification. The Spirit of God dwells inside of us, and therefore our hearts need to be appropriately ordered for his presence. Friend, you and I, as believers in Jesus, are now the living temple.
But that’s not all!
New Jerusalem
Revelation 21:1-3 tells us, “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’”
One day, we will live in the new heavens and new earth which will be perfectly re-ordered for God’s dwelling with man again. All of the fallen and broken pieces will be purified by fire and restored back. Never to be ruined again. We will dwell bodily with God in the New Jerusalem which is more wonderful than even Eden.
I know this world is not my home. I know that my time on earth is but a vapor. The brokenness makes me homesick for this promised heavenly eternity. Paul gives us the perspective we need to put on in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.”
“When we finally see the Lord face to face, our hearts will want nothing else.” Says Wayne Grudem.
Throughout Scripture, those who were able to experience God’s presence had to do so with veiled faced. In the future glorification, we will be with Him face-to-face because of our restored, sinless state. Our highest joy will be to bring Him glory as that is the reason for which we were created. In His image - for His glory.
