Day 4 - Week 22 - John 14:2 "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."

Numbers 10:33; "And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them, to search out a resting place for them."

I think we can find many parallels between God bringing His children, the nation of Israel, out of the captivity of Egypt into their promised land to our own exodus out of this world where we are temporarily residing as aliens, into our promised land of eternal life with God.

In the verse above, the ark of the covenant went before the people, searching out a resting place for God's people.  God had told the people of Israel that His presence would reside within the ark.  Now Jesus tells His disciples that He will go ahead of us to prepare a place for us, in our promised land. 

Just as God led His people out of Egypt into their promised land overflowing with milk and honey, we are being led into a land of abundance and absolute provision.  The difference is that Israel still had to deal with all the earthly problems that confronted them---adversarial armies, famines, struggles with obedience---while in our new home, we will have nothing to cause us any problems.  We will be living in the true promised land of eternity....

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away . ~ Revelation 21:4

In our promised land, the former things will have all passed way and will have been replaced with everything that is good and beautiful and that reflects the love and glory of God Almighty.  I keep thinking of old hymns that talk about our heavenly home.  Tonight these are the words that came to my mind...

I've got a mansion just over the hilltop
In that bright land where we'll never grow old
And some day yonder we will never more wander
But walk on streets that are purest gold

~  Ira Stamphill

What a future we have - what a glorious life we have been promised.  And while we wait, what a wonderful betrothal gift we have been given.  The Holy Spirit of God living within us, leading us on, enabling us to have confidence as we walk through the pathway of this life toward our forever home.