What did Jesus mean when He said, 'I go to prepare a place for you' (John 14:2)?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

John 13—17 is often referred to as the Upper Room Discourse. It records Jesus preparing His disciples for the ministries they would have after His departure. Early in that discourse Jesus says, "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). The “place” was their eternal home, which they would experience after death. The concept of an eternal home—heaven or hell—isn’t emphasized as much in the Old Testament as much as it is in the New Testament. Nevertheless, Old Testament believers still anticipated a life after death (Isaiah 38:10; Daniel 12:2; Hosea 13:14). The New Testament is more overt about the believers’ destination after death being a place of comfort, “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:19–31, NKJV). New Testament saints had faith in Jesus’ promises of the perfect home in eternity (1 Peter 1:3–4; Revelation 21:2–4). Believers today are also assured that a heavenly place awaits us.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• In the well-known and beloved Psalm 23, David expresses his hope of dwelling eternally with the Lord: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Old Testament believers believed in paradise after death. The “place of comfort” Jesus tells the disciples that He is preparing for them will be the dwelling place for all who love the Lord.
• Isaiah 25:8 offers a prophetic vision of the eternal dwelling place of believers: “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.” The abode of believers will be a place without sadness or sin.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In John 14:2, as Jesus eats the last Passover meal with His disciples, He tells them, “In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Earlier, Jesus had explained that He would die a criminal's death (John 12:32–33), rise from the dead, see them again, and then depart, leaving them to go to His Father. They were disturbed that they wouldn't be able to be with Him, so He helped them understand He would be working on their behalf by making a place for them in His Father's house.
• In 1 Peter 1:3–4, Peter describes the place he expects to inherit after death: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” Peter believed in Jesus’ promise to prepare a place.
• Revelation 21:2–4 uses some of the language of Isaiah 25:8 to describe the glorious place that awaits believers in heaven: “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” The place the Lord has prepared for His children will be without sin or sadness.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Life on earth is temporary. We may feel at home in many ways, yet we know that this earth will not be our eternal dwelling place (Philippians 3:20). But there is a place that awaits all believers in eternity, far better than anything on this earth: our heavenly home prepared by our Lord (John 14:2). When we trust in Jesus, our place there is secure (Ephesians 1:3–14). Knowing this should encourage us to find out whether our friends, neighbors, and loved ones have the same assurance we do. And if they don’t, we need to tell them how they can get it. We have a heavenly hope that nothing and no one can take from us (John 10:28). We know our future—if we believe in Christ, we have eternal life and will spend eternity with Him. Believers today are assured that a heavenly place awaits us.

UNDERSTAND

• Jesus promised to prepare an eternal home in heaven for believers.
• The Bible, from Old Testament to New Testament, reveals God’s plan for a heavenly dwelling free of sin, sadness, and death.
• Believers can live with hope and confidence, knowing their eternal place is reserved by Jesus and secure in His love.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that Jesus is preparing a place for you in heaven influence your perspective on life today?
• How can you cultivate a deeper trust in Jesus’ promise of an eternal home?
• How would remembering that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us impact your response to difficulties?

ENGAGE

• What does Jesus’ promise to prepare a place for us reveal about His love and care for believers?
• How can understanding the descriptions of heaven in the Bible encourage us to live faithfully today?
• How can we help others find assurance in Jesus’ promise of eternal life?