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A Blessed Promise
If It Were Not So 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.—John 14:2 L. P. Davis, Jr. In John 17:4, Jesus said “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do!” Surely some will ask, what was the “work” which our heavenly Father gave him to do? Was it only to die as a ransom sacrifice for father Adam? That was fundamental, but there is more. Jesus never asked for much. He said as he passed the bread and the cup, “As often as ye do this, do it in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24-26, paraphrased). He gave these words, printed in red in many Bibles, not for the unbelieving world, but for you and me, that we might understand: w How the church is developed under the Sarah feature of the Abrahamic Covenant. w How 144,000 human beings would participate with our Lord in an offering for sin. w That all mankind would be given an opportunity to gain life under a new covenant, with new leadership, without interference from Satan and the fallen angels. In his own words, “If it were not so, I would have told you.” It is evident from these words that Jesus knew he had more to do than to die, voluntarily laying down his perfect life as a ransom or corresponding price for the perfect man, Adam. His death was certain. He said in his prayer in John 17:4, “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” Then he told us that he was going to prepare a place for us, and “if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also”! (John 14:3). To the Israelites, this was a marriage proposal. Yes, in his Father’s house there are many mansions, many places of abode, many residences. At the time of our Lord’s first advent these mansions, these abodes, apparently had not been prepared for the church, though our heavenly Father had planned for it. Our Lord ascended on high, to prepare a new place, and he began by making an imputation of his merit on behalf of the church: “Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24). This permits us to become participants with Jesus in his sufferings, that we may also become sharers with him in the glories to follow! He prepared the way for us to enter into the highest of all spiritual planes! “No man hath ascended up to heaven” (John 3:13); only the son of man has ever been in heaven. He has now ascended back to where he was before, now with additional honor and glory. He prepares a place for his bride, a place of honor at his own right hand. He is overseeing our experiences, causing all things to work together for our good, so that we may be prepared and be acceptable as a member of his bride, and granted a share in the glory, honor, and immortality he has received. We hope to occupy one of those new residences, one of those mansions, which our Savior has been preparing for us. Fellowship in the Present If we hope to occupy one of those mansions at the end of our earthly walk, then during this earthly walk we should enjoy the fellowship and friendship of our brethren, those of like precious faith. Our Lord said of these that he was not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:11). The word “brother” suggests a loved one, a real friend, or colleague, as brethren in Christ are colleagues. We have mutual aims, aspirations, and desires, wanting to occupy a spiritual residence in our Father’s house, at the right hand of Jesus. “If it were not so, I would have told you.” Believing these words leads us to associate with others who share the same hope. We appreciate the manner of love our heavenly Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the “Sons of God,” and we “shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). We have fellowship together because our hearts have been drawn near to our heavenly Father. We enjoy a prior glimpse of a far grander meeting, which surely cannot be too far away. Over the years one after another of our brethren have spoken to us, directing our attention to the glorious things which our heavenly Father has in reservation for them that love him. To some extent we have been caught away, and in our mind’s eye we have been given this prior vision of a spiritual meeting, a convention in the house of God. If faithful, we will be there! We have been given a glimpse of this vision: “You have approached Zion a mountain; and to a city of God living, Jerusalem heavenly; and to myriads, of messengers an entire assembly; and to a congregation of first-borns, having been enrolled in heavens; and to a judge God of all; and to spirits of just ones having been perfected; and of a covenant new to a mediator, Jesus; and of blood of sprinkling, a better thing speaking than the Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24, Emphatic Diaglott). Abel was a type of Christ. He offered an acceptable sacrifice and was killed for it, as with our Lord Jesus. May we hold fast the favor through which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and piety! Hope for the World Not only are we pointed to the rich blessings prepared for the church in heavenly glory, we have also been taught of the restitution blessings that will follow for uplifting the human family in general. After the selection and glorification of the final faithful member of the church, then the blessings of the glorious “times of restitution of all things” will accrue to the entire world. We are touched with a feeling of reverence and awe as we think of the boundlessness of our Father’s arrangements and his provisions for those who do not know or seek him, who do not now hear his voice, who do not now understand his purposes. We are thankful that God will not leave the world under the dark, blinding influences of Satan forever. Rather, God promised through the prophets, all the blind eyes shall be opened, and all the deaf ears shall be unstopped, and unto him every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the honor of God (Isaiah 35:5; 45:23). This hope overshadows all the creeds and traditions handed down from the Dark Ages. It overshadows all that which slanders our God and blasphemes his name. The center of this divine program of salvation was our Lord Jesus and its first step was the work he accomplished during the three-and-a-half years of his earthly ministry. This first step ended at the cross when he said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). The second step in the program for the world’s salvation began with the holy spirit being poured upon the disciples at Pentecost. This sealed as new creatures in Christ all the consecrated believers of that time. The same process of spirit begettal and sealing has progressed throughout this Gospel age and is shortly to be completed, when the last members of this elect class shall have finished their trial acceptably. Then the entire church of Christ will have passed beyond the vail by the power of the First Resurrection (Revelation 20:6). The View Ahead For a moment, let us enjoy the green pastures of our text, Hebrews 12:22. In our minds, let us go beyond the vail into the the glories above. The trials and triumphs of the present narrow way are past. The general assembly and convention of the church of the firstborns has commenced! First among those we notice is the Lamb that was slain, our Lord Jesus. He left heaven to suffer, die, and bring us to God, to open for us and for all mankind the way to life. We will have the privilege to pay him honor directly, and acknowledge that all of God’s blessings and favors have reached us through him, our redeemer, our advocate, and yet our colleague. This will indeed be quite a day, when the church shall be united to her Savior! Next, perhaps we will become acquainted with all the members of the bride. Our natural instincts would lead us to those honored agents of the Lord, the apostles! As we greet them we will clearly understand and appreciate fully the sacrifices which they made! Next, we are introduced to the rest of the faithful saints. No doubt there will be some we never expected to see, and some absent that we thought would surely be there. Perhaps some might be surprised to see us. But each one will have the character likeness of God’s dear son (Romans 8:29). Stars in Glory As star differs from star in glory, so shall those be who share in the first resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:41). But every one will be a star, a “bright one,” because everyone will be even more than a conqueror through him that loved us and bought us (1 Corinthians 6:20). The glory of the angels will be that they have never sinned, and high indeed will be their honor. But the glory of the church, the bride of Christ, will be that she, having been conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity (Psalm 51:5), responded to the heavenly calling and suffered for righteousness, for the truth, and the brethren. For this cause, she will be acclaimed more than a conqueror! Then, perhaps before our presentation to the Creator, we will become acquainted with an innumerable company of angels. Gabriel will be there! He was one of the chiefs of the angels, to whom was accorded the honor of announcing our Redeemer’s earthly begetting through his mother Mary. With the perfect power we will then possess, we will soon know all of that innumerable company and be known of all! “Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Now we see through an obscured glass, by faith, but then we shall see face to face! By and by we will learn which of the angels especially served us during our pilgrim journey toward the kingdom. We will remember the words of Paul respecting the angels: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14); and our master’s words, that our “angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). Perhaps they will recount to us various incidents in our experiences and show us how as the Lord’s providential agents, they shielded us and assisted us, according to the divine promise, providing “help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Then, finally, we shall be ushered into the presence of our heavenly Father. We shall see him face to face, and join in giving him all the honor, praise, and glory. The Scriptures suggest to us that our Savior himself will introduce us to the Father: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior” (Jude 24, 25). Yes, fault-full we were by reason of the fall: “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). But through Jesus Christ we have been redeemed, and through his word and our own cooperation we have experienced a purifying influence in our hearts. The First Resurrection If faithful, we will experience a tremendous change in the first resurrection. As Paul said, “It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42,44). And we shall be forever with him. Our presentation to the bridegroom is shown in the Scriptures as “the marriage of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7), and it is followed by the marriage supper of Revelation 19:9. That will be an event which has never taken place before, neither upon the earth nor even in heaven. It will be a feast of joy. In Psalm 45:10-15 a prophetic, symbolic picture is given to us of the presentation of the church as the bride of Christ. Here the bride class is styled as the “king’s daughter,” all glorious within, arrayed in the most glorious garments of fine needlework and gold. Her glory will not be merely a glory of office and honor, but an inherent glory of character and being. What a wonderful honor and glory is thus pictured belonging to the bride, the Lamb’s wife. Thus, whoever clearly sees his calling to divine favor and blessing and service, present and future, will not hesitate to pay the price, to consecrate and lay down this present life, and all that it includes, realizing that such a sacrifice is so small and so unworthy of divine acceptance except as it is made worthy by the merits of our redeemer, to whom we hope to be united as his bride. He is faithful that has called us (1 Thessalonians 5:24). He will do all he has promised and exceedingly more than we could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). “If it were not so, I would have told you.” For a few moments, we have speculated about the wonders which are in the future. Let us now return to the reality of the present. These promises we have discussed are still future. For more than 1,900 years the church has been approaching this final consummation. It is “nearer than when we [first] believed” (Romans 13:11). But we are still on this side of the vail. We are still being fitted for this change in the first resurrection. After the change Jesus will mediate between God and mankind the blessings of a new covenant, and in this work we are invited to share. All the value of the world’s redemption lay in the precious sacrifice of Jesus finished at Calvary. God calls us to cast our lot with Jesus that, with him, we may become dead to earthly interests and share the future glories and work of his kingdom. We are urged not to refuse him that is speaking from heaven (Hebrews 12:25). The world cannot refuse, because they do not hear the message. They do not respond to the call. He will speak to them by and by, but during this age he speaks only to those who have a hearing ear and a seeing eye (Luke 8:8; Proverbs 29:13). Jesus is inviting to joint-heirship only those whom the heavenly Father has drawn (John 6:44). Our Lord has opened up the way by which our sacrifice is acceptable to God as part of his, if offered during this acceptable time. He has spoken to us. He has told us of our heavenly Father’s love, saying, “The Father himself loveth you” (John 16:27). He has told us of his own love and care for all who come unto him being drawn by the Father. He is able and willing to keep all whom God has committed to his care. He will give all the needed assistance necessary for us to make our calling and election sure. If we fail, it will be our own fault, because he is able to make all things work together for good for us (Romans 8:28). Blessed are our ears, for they have heard the voice of the son of man. Already, hearing has brought us newness of life. We who were dead have become alive as new creatures. If we continue to attend to his message, all of the divine purposes promised will be accomplished in us. All we have considered here, and much more, will be our portion. Therefore, give heed to every word of God and every feature of the divine promises. There are many voices calling us in different directions, presenting various hopes and prizes. But if we have caught a glimpse of the one “pearl of great price” (Matthew 13:46), let us give all that we have of our life, time, energy, and will to secure that pearl! If it gives us pleasure to discuss the glories of the kingdom to come, which are seen only with the eye of faith, what will be the blessings in the meeting that will never disband, where there will be no parting? Soon we may be permitted to attend the full assembly, “the general assembly [of the] church of the firstborn” (Hebrews 12:23). May we ever keep before our minds the thought of the special favor and opportunity for a change of nature to glory, honor, immortality, that the Lord has promised in the first resurrection. He that descended into death is the same one that ascended also, up, far above the heavens, to fulfill all things. Then “he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11,12). Let this thought so energize us that we may make our calling and election sure. For in our Lord’s own words, “If it were not so, I would have told you.” |