ABOUT GOD'S BEAUTIFUL HOME
By M. M. Osgood
Some Things Learned from God's Family Record.—No. 3.
ABOUT GOD'S BEAUTIFUL HOME.
Isa. 57:15: “Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place.” Ps. 103:19: “The Lord has prepared his throne in the heavens.” It is where the river and tree of life are. Rev. 22:1, 2: “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bear twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month.” The tree of life is in paradise. Rev. 2:7: “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” “Paradise, a Greek word signifying a park, or garden, with trees.”—Bible Dict. Paradise is in the third Heaven. 2 Cor. 12: 2-4: “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, . . . such an one caught up to the third Heaven, . . . caught up into paradise.” The formation of the first heaven is described in Gen. 1: 6-8, and refers to the atmosphere, or air, that surrounds the earth to the depth of forty-five miles or more. The suns and planets occupy a space beyond that, which is also called heaven. This is probably the second heaven of Paul's reckoning, but the third Heaven is the dwelling-place of God. In this heavenly country is a beautifully situated mountain, and on this mount God's city is built. Heb. 12: 22: “But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.” This city is also called the New Jerusalem, and is to come down to this earth, when it is made new and God comes here to live. Rev. 3: 12: “And I will write upon him [the overcomer] the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God.” This is the city that Abraham looked for. Heb. 11:10: “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” When John was on the isle of Patmos, the Lord showed him in vision how this city with foundations looked, as it was coming down out of heaven. Rev. 21: 1, 2: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away. . . . And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” What this adorning was, we may learn hereafter. M. M. OSGOOD.