Mike Focht 11/29/2024
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The very order of creation tells us something about God and His purposes for man. God didn’t bring man into the world until He had perfectly ordered the world for man’s purpose and blessing. Like a father preparing a room in his home for a newborn, everything good for Adam was established before God brought Adam into existence. God even prepared a very specific garden for Adam to live in. God prepared creation and Eden, and then God presented both to Adam.
In like manner, the initial creation was the beginning of God’s plan for all humanity, specifically for the Last Adam and His redeemed sons and daughters. God created the world and Adam, knowing He would also make a new world inhabited by those who live through the life-giving Spirit of the Last Adam. Fittingly, when Jesus Christ begins to reveal the truth of our final state, the truth of a Father’s house in heaven, we hear the language of preparation. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. Christ encourages those who find their hearts troubled about this world never to be troubled about the place He is preparing for us.
This truth also highlights our character as strangers and pilgrims. This world is passing. This world was never meant to be our home. This world is a beginner’s course meant to acclimate us to our future life. This world is the perfect starting place for those heading into the next. Even the Old Testament saints who lived in faith displayed that faith by looking for a future home. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. We don’t know all the revelation they might have had, but we know Abraham looked for a city whose Builder and Maker was God.
Graciously, God has given us a prophetic vision of this future hope. After this heaven and this earth have fled from His face, and no more place is found for them; God will create again. In this new creation, a new heaven, and a new earth, God will establish the city of God, the New Jerusalem, as the specific place where He will dwell with men. A dwelling place better than Eden of old. Inhabited by men more heavenly and glorified than Adam of old. In a world never touched by Satan or sin or death.
What are we told of that place? Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I don’t think I must explain how meticulously a bride prepares for her wedding day. There is not a single thing out of place. And what is the point of the bride’s meticulous preparation? The moment of presentation, when the doors open, and the bridegroom sees his bride. Do you see the spiritual principle at work? Preparation anticipates presentation. God speaks of His preparation because He cannot wait for the moment of presentation to His bride. We cannot imagine how blessed Adam felt entering an entire world, fully prepared for his life and blessing. We cannot image that now, but we will experience something even more extraordinary when God speaks a new creation into existence and presents us with our new and eternal home, perfectly prepared for our eternal blessing. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.