Old and New: Devotions From Time of Grace MinistrySample

God smiles from the heavenly Zion now

When you meet God, you will not have to relive Mt. Sinai. No more thundering. No more terror. The biblical terms "New Jerusalem" and "Mt. Zion" are metaphors for "heaven." This is what awaits you. Soon you will see for yourself.

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven” (Hebrews 12:22,23). The commandments have been fulfilled. The sacrifice has been made. The law has been satisfied. The anger is gone. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. His love drives out all fear.

You will meet the angels, who will come not to punish you or drive you into hell. They will be your limos, lifting you up so that you can watch heaven and earth remade into paradise for you. You will join them in worship of Father, Son, and Spirit. You will meet all the other believers who have gone before you.

These are called the “firstborn,” probably a reference to the fact that they, like firstborns in Israelite history, were those who had the right to inherit the family estate. Their place in heaven and yours is guaranteed by the reservations in their names written by Christ himself in his great book. God will smile at you then. You can smile now.