"For here we have no lasting city but we seek the city that is to come."  Hebrews 13:14

I remember my first apartment.  It was a two-bedroom place on the third floor.  Nothing special but it was clean and adequate.  I shared the space with a roommate and both of us were making just enough income to cover rent, put gas in our cars and afford simple meals.  

It was no mansion!  Our second-hand furniture was functional but definitely reflected styles from the 1960's and '70's.  And this was in 1987!

I drive by that apartment block occasionally.  The stucco finish is the same drab beige; the windows and main door are probably the same as thirty-plus years ago.  The basement is likely deteriorating, as most foundations in the city of Regina do!  This humble yet serviceable building was special to me because it was the first home I chose for myself and prepared as my dwelling.

But it didn't last.  My roommate moved to Saskatoon; I had to find another affordable place.  It was only a temporary home.  And the next one also was temporary.  I eventually got married and we moved in to a simple two-bedroom apartment in a fairly poor neighbourhood.  Gradually we have upgraded to a nice area of the city, into a three-bedroom house with 2 3/4 bathrooms and a huge addition built on the back.  Our latest home has been ours for almost 25 years.

Still, this house is not our permanent home.

I am looking forward to my permanent home.  Jesus promised to His disciples a permanent, eternal and glorious home in His Father's house!  John 14:2 says, "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you."  (NKJV)  Other versions of the Bible may describe it as "rooms" but I prefer the New King James Version that uses the word "mansions."  My imagination goes wild as I consider what Jesus means and what He is preparing for us!

The Bible continues to give a glimpse as to our future mansion!  Actually, John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, received the revelation of this new, eternal home.  It is to be a city, called the New Jerusalem.  In Revelation 21:1-4, John saw and heard what Jesus is preparing for us who believe.  

    Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'

Wow!  So many images come to my mind as I envision what John must have seen.  Heaven and earth are new.  No more pollution, adverse weather, natural disasters, nor effects of humanity's sin impacting the beauty God created.  This new holy city will descend from heaven and be absolutely radiant, as a bride adorned on her wedding day.  Pure, dazzling beauty.  What ensures this city to be a permanent and perfectly suitable place to dwell is the Landlord, the Master of this home is God Himself.  He will not only look after and protect this dwelling place, but will live with us.  We are not tenants; we are family!

Being His family, the promises of this heavenly city include our Father's love, comfort and healing from sorrow and pain.  Don't we all long for His loving embrace and His complete healing for our bodies and souls?

Further in chapter 21 of Revelation, John gives a more physical description of this city.  The design is like the cities of biblical times, with a high wall and gates to enter. It will be secure and safe.  The layout will be a lot like Jerusalem in Israel, with very Jewish elements that were included in the Temples for worship of God Most High.  The gates were named for the twelve sons of Israel (the twelve tribes) and the foundations for the city walls are named for the twelve apostles of the Lamb.  

The size was measured in stadia and cubits - it is huge!  It is also beautiful, adorned with every kind of jewel.  And yes, the streets are made of gold!

    And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.  By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day - and there will be no night there.  They will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations.

No power or electric bills.  No locksmiths.  This new and permanent home will be filled with light.  No fear of the dark, no dread of crime or home invasions.  The gates will never need to be shut because there is no night when fearful and covert things tend to happen.

And the beauty of peace and perfect harmony among the nations.  The glory of the nations, the best of what God created and intended for the nations living together and worshiping the King of kings will be finally realized.  All that we hoped for will be fulfilled according to God's purpose.

Chapter 22 of Revelation goes on to describe more of this awesome city of God.  The throne of God with the river of life flowing from it through the city.  The tree of life with twelve kinds of fruit, whose leaves "were for the healing of the nations." (verse 2b)  Nothing unclean or accursed will be allowed in this heavenly city.  Only those redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, whose names are written in His book of life.  "...and they will reign forever and ever."  (verse 5b)  

There will be no more competition, conflict, war.  We all will be princes, or princesses, and we will have authority to reign along with our Lord.  But that's not the best part...

"They will see His face..." (Revelation 22:4a)  Nothing will separate us from our Father, our Holy God!  We will see Him in person, no veil, no cloud, no shame to hid His lovely face from us.  As John also wrote in his letter of 1 John chapter 3, "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is."  All that we have longed for, to become holy like our Father, will be realized when we see Him.  We will be perfected and finally leave the shell of our earthly bodies and be free from our sinful natures.  1 Corinthians 15:52 gives us the hope of our final transformation: "...in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed."

Many of us have watched home renovation or house-hunter programs on TV.  Our sights become set on grand and unattainable mansions that truly are beautiful by earthly standards.  And yet they cannot compare to the "city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God...they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one...for He has prepared for them a city."  (Hebrews 11:10 & 16)  

Our Father is preparing us a mansion, a home that will never deteriorate, depreciate or be destroyed.  More than that, He is preparing US for our eternal home, to be able to enjoy and engage in heavenly worship and service to our Lord and Saviour!

"When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory!"