What Does “I Go to Prepare a Place for You” in John 14:2-3 Mean?
Question: The Lord said it to us long ago: “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” (Jhn 14:2-3). The Lord Jesus has already reserved a place for us in the heaven. When He returns, He will directly lift us into the kingdom of heaven. If the Lord has already returned, why are all His saints still on the earth? Why haven’t they been raised up?
Answer: The Lord has prepared a place for His believers. That is true. But is this place on earth or in heaven? We’re not really sure about that. We think the heavenly kingdom is in heaven, but that’s based on our own conceptions and imaginations. Is that really the truth, though? Let’s see what the Lord Jesus said: “After this manner therefore pray you: Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Mat 6:9-10). The Lord Jesus clearly told us that God’s kingdom is on the earth, not in heaven. God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let’s read from Revelation 21:2-3: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven…. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Let’s turn to Revelation 11:15: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” These prophecies mentioned “the tabernacle of God is with men,” “… new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,” “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ.” This proves that God will build His kingdom on earth, and He will dwell on earth alongside mankind. The kingdoms of the world will all become Christ’s kingdoms, and they will last forever. If we believe God’s kingdom is in heaven based on our own conceptions and imaginings, believe that when the Lord comes He will take us up into heaven, won’t His previous words be in vain? In reality, the final result of God’s management plan to save humanity is the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. Almighty God—Christ of the last days—does His work of judging and cleansing mankind in order to make a group of overcomers on the earth. Those who obtain God’s salvation, are made perfect and become overcomers are the ones who can practice God’s words and follow His way on the earth. They are the people of His kingdom. After these overcomers have been created, God’s will will be fulfilled on the earth. Then Christ’s kingdom will be established on earth, and God will gain full glory. In the end, He will fulfill the prophecies in the Book of Revelation. Are we still not clear on these facts? What place has the Lord Jesus prepared for us? He ordained that we were to be born in the last days, meet Him on earth when He returns, accept God’s cleansing and be perfected, and become overcomers so that we can carry out God’s will, and all kingdoms on earth will be made into Christ’s kingdoms. That is God’s will. God comes to earth but we try to go up to heaven. By doing this, aren’t we going against God’s work and His will? If He raises us up into the air, well, there’s no food and no place to live there, how will we survive? Isn’t that all just our conceptions and imaginings? Would the Lord do something like that? The fact that we could think like that, shows that we are really childish. We’re just like having our heads in the clouds!
Excerpted from the movie script of Awakening from the dream
Read more on our Gospel Questions page, or click on the related articles below.
You May Also Like
The Relationship Between Each of the Three Stages of God’s Work
Relevant Words of God: From the work of Jehovah to that of Jesus, and from the work of Jesus to that of this current stage, these three stages cover in a continuous thread the entire gamut of God’s management, and they are all the work of one Spirit. Since the creation of the world, God […]
Will the Lord Give Revelation to People When He Returns?
Question: I’ve believed in the Lord for over half my life. I’ve worked tirelessly for the Lord and have been on constant lookout for His second coming. If the Lord came, why didn’t I receive His revelation? Has He cast me aside? This has left me very confused. How do you explain this? Answer: Man […]
What humanity’s wonderful destination will be like
Bible Verses for Reference: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. […]
Why Is God Called by Different Names in Different Ages?
Relevant Words of God: In each age, God does new work and is called by a new name; how could He do the same work in different ages? How could He cling to the old? The name of Jesus was taken for the sake of the work of redemption, so would He still be called […]
