As we have heard,so we have seen . . . in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever. (Ps. 48:8)
WE STRUGGLED UP a mountain so steep that logs were embedded in the earth for steps. My brother, daughter, and I were backpacking, making the uphill climb more strenuous. When we finally skirted the top, the sights were beyond description. These were the balds of the Great Smokey Mountains, where trees are short and views are spectacular.
The psalmist described Jerusalem, the holy city. Foreigners once owned it, God’s people conquered it, and enemy forces took it from them on several occasions, but God always restored it because it was His holy city. The psalmist’s description is prophetic of believers’ final abode.
Isaiah described Jerusalem as the gathering place for believers in the last days (Isa. 2), and John described it as their future spiritual home (Rev. 21:2–3). God will make a new heaven and earth, and we’ll watch the New Jerusalem descend from heaven like a striking bride.
Our eternal kingdom will be continuously illuminated by the presence of God’s Son, our Savior. There will be no sin, for all who have chosen independence from God will be separated from Him in eternity. No sorrow, death, crying, pain, or anything else that is a natural effect of sin will be found there. It will be a kingdom to behold for all who place their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Make sure you are ready to enter the kingdom.
Martin W. Wiles is a preacher’s kid and author who understands believers’ struggles. He resides in Hodges, South Carolina.
