Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1)

People were created to be the dwelling places of God, to be the havens of His rest. The only time any human being achieves perfect happiness is when he finds rest in God and God finds rest in him.

We search for happiness on the earth by acquiring fine homes, lands, material possessions, precious stones, servants, and so forth. Some people who own all these things commit suicide because of the emptiness of their lives.

Perhaps we have transferred this desire to Heaven. We hope when we go to Heaven we will possess fine homes, lands, material possessions, precious stones, servants, and the like. We will live as wealthy people.

But that would never satisfy in Heaven just as it does not satisfy on the earth.

Our goal is rest in God, rest in the Father through Christ—not houses, lands, gold, silver, or precious stones.

Do the Scriptures speak of a street of gold, palaces of silver, a wall of precious stones, gates of pearl? Indeed they do.

The gold is refined faith. The silver is redemption. The jewels and pearls are the qualities of love, hope, trust, courage, steadfastness, cheerfulness, diligence, patience, which have been created in the saints. These are the emeralds, diamonds, and rubies God enjoys and we also enjoy.

Is this what Paul was speaking of?

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (I Corinthians 3:12)

Is Paul exhorting us concerning minerals or Christian virtues?

Are there actually gold and precious stones in the new Jerusalem? We believe there are. Christ is the most majestic Potentate of all, wealthier by far than any other emperor who has lived on earth. The King's palace does not lack any aspect of beauty and adornment.

But the rubies and pearls are not the important aspects of the new Jerusalem nor would these minerals ever satisfy the human heart.

The greatest possession of God, of Christ, and of us, is love—love for God and love for one another. God esteems the sanctified, obedient, and loving heart of one saint of more value than the combined mineral wealth in the universe (Song of Solomon 8:7).

Every human being has a deep hunger to dwell in God and God in him. In John, Chapters 14 and 17 Jesus is speaking to us concerning the satisfying of this hunger.

The Father's house is the eternal Temple of God of which Christ Himself is the chief Cornerstone and we are living stones. We are being created the house of God through the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:20-22).

Are many mansions.

Let us think about the term, mansions.

The Greek word translated mansions in the King James version of the Scriptures is mo-NAI (to rhyme with eye ). To our knowledge, mo-NAI is used only twice in the New Testament: in John 14:2, and 14:23. In John 14:23 the form of the word is mo-NEEN.

Mo-NAI means abode, or dwelling place, and it is translated in John 14:23: "We will make our abode with him." To be consistent with 14:2, John 14:23 should be translated, "We will make our mansion with him."

To be continued.