The New Jerusalem

In Isaiah 25, we read the following statement:

The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine. And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain, . . .
Isaiah 25:6-10

What a glorious hope believers have as seen in these verses. One day when believers from every tribe. tongue, people and nation have been called (Rev. 5:9), God will prepare a banquet for His own who are now on the mountain of Zion - the new Jerusalem (Rev. 19:9). He will swallow up the one thing that swallows all of us, death (1 Cor. 15:54) forever wiping away every tear that they have (Rev. 7:17, Rev. 21:4). All His people will rejoice in the consummation of their salvation for which they have been waiting. John Owen in hearing of one his books soon to be published right before his death said this, "I am glad to hear it; but, oh brother Payne, the long wished for day is come at last, in which I shall see that glory in another manner than I have ever done, or was capable of doing, in this world."

As believers, we should all look forward to this day. Do you look forward to the time when you will be able to worship God without the weaknesses we have now? If yes, then you will enjoy worship of God now on this earth even with our frailties and weaknesses. You will enjoy the fellowship with other believers now. You will be anticipating the consummation of your salvation as those in Isaiah 25. If you don't enjoy these things now on earth, how can you say you look forward to an eternity filled with these things? Every week we have a foretaste of what it will be like forever. Let us remember the words of John:

Beloved now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as His is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (1 John 3:2-3)

Even so come quickly Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:20).