Why neither you nor I are going to Heaven!

I had always imagined going to heaven, going to be with God, going to a place.  But suddenly after reading and re-reading this passage in Revelation 21, the image I had had in my mind for so many years completely rearranged itself!  Why?  See if anything strikes you as surprising here:

Revelation 21:1-5a “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 any more, for the former things have passed away.”  And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Notice what it says and what it doesn’t say.  John who is having visions from God about the end of days tells us this: “…And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God”.  The new Jerusalem is coming down from God.  It doesn’t say “and I saw a holy city as I went up to meet God”. The city of God is coming down, coming to us.  He also describes what he sees – “…prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”  Verse 11 tells us how the city is adorned - “having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.”  When we read further we also find that both the city and the path in the city are pure gold, transparent like glass (v18,21b) and it’s wall is adorned with every kind of jewel (v19). This richly beautiful and glorious city, clothed in the glory of God, is being brought down from heaven for the children of God.  The next part of John’s recount tells us about what he hears from God.  “…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 doesn’t say ‘Behold Man is in the dwelling place of God’ or ‘They will dwell with Him’ etc.  He says “God is with man”, and “He will dwell”, and “God himself will be with them”! 

Yahweh is doing EVERYTHING!  From beginning to end it is He who comes to us.  He has been with us from the beginning, walking and talking in the garden, revealing a unique and beautiful relationship. He is with us, living and dying on earth as a man, radiant in his resurrection, rescuing and restoring us from our state of sin. The Son now in heaven with the Father prepares a place for us while the Spirit resides with and within his people. Then at the end of this world comes a new and glorious one.  God is bringing His city, his dwelling place with him for us.  He clothes us in His glory! And he will be with us, and we with him.

Heaven goes by favour. If it went by merit,

you would stay out and your dog would go in.
- Mark Twain, a Biography