On
Thanksgiving Day, I was at a family gathering. I walked by a table that had a
gold Bible figurine on it. It was laying open to John 14:1-4. I have read this
passage many times in the NIV version of the Bible. I have posted the verses
below and I have highlighted verse two as it will be the focus of the post. In
these verses, Jesus is speaking to his disciples.
“Do
not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My
Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you
that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be
where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” - John 14:1-4 NIV
So
when I read verse two, I picture Heaven as a place that is HUGE and has a lot
of rooms. Just a big house. But you see that is the problem with this verse.
The modern translations of the verse hurt the imagery of what is trying to be
depicted. Here is what the New King James Version of the Bible says;
“In
My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” - John 14:2 NKJV
Did
you see it?
The
New King James Version of the Bible uses the word “mansions”. This changes the whole
image of Heaven for me. I always heard the verse as “My Father’s house has many
rooms.” There was even a song that I used to sing in youth group by Big Daddy
Weave called “Big House”. So this verse leads to me to think that Heaven has a
lot of rooms, and we all get one when we die.
But
since reading those words on that little gold Bible, I am even more excited
about Heaven! God revealed to me that Heaven is not just a big place where all
get our own little bedroom for eternity. We all get our own MANSION for all of
eternity!!
We
all get a big house inside of the BIG house and that is totally awesome!!!
Questions or comments... please email breathequestions@gmail.com
Edited
by Kay Beam