What was the assurance Jesus gave to them?

The first of these revelations as to His purpose in this regard is in the well-loved passage John 14:1-3, "In My Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you … I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am ye may be also." The disciples were sorrowing greatly because He was to be parted from them, and He comforts their hearts by the assurance that this separation was for a time only. They were keenly disappointed also, for they had looked for the kingdom glory, the throne of David established again, and they to share it with Him, and Israel redeemed. He seizes the opportunity to present to them something better than this, something that, as we have Said, went far beyond their most exalted conception of things. They were to be WITH HIM in the Father's house. Not in the realm of rule, though that would Come also in due course, but in the circle of love — in that home, that secluded place, Where divine affections flow forth without reserve. This will be entered upon when the Lord comes FOR His saints, and no human words can describe what the joy of it will be to the Father, to our Lord, and to us.

"In My Father's house are many mansions." The Lord was not leaving His disciples alone in the world as though there was only room for Him and none for them in the Father's House. There was room for them all, had there not been He would have told them long ago, and not have drawn them after Him as He had done. He had won their hearts, because He wanted them THERE. They had looked for a place here in an earthly kingdom, He was going to prepare a place for them there, in the Father's house. They had looked for honour and power on earth, He had something better for them in heaven. He had a home for them there — home and love; His own home, His Father's love. This they were to share with Him, for nothing would satisfy His love but sharing it with them. And this is our prospect. The light of it shines with a soft and comforting radiance into our hearts, it fills us with longing for its realization, for the longing to have us there is in His heart.

The first thing that He declares to them, in His grace, is, that if He was going away, it is not to abandon them, but to prepare them a place elsewhere, that is, in His Father's house. There, there was not room for Him alone (perhaps He alluded to the temple?) but abodes for them also; and then He Himself would come for them, so as to have them with Him where He was Himself. He could not dwell with them down here, but they should be with Him; and He would not send to seek them, but He would come Himself to take them to Himself. Precious and tender love that associated His own with Himself, according to the place they had in His heart, and according to the eternal counsels of the love of God. Instead of the kingdom of an earthly Messiah, they would have the eternal and divine glory of the Son of man in heaven, to be like Him, and with Him. Man having entered there, consequent upon redemption, the place was prepared for them. It was not a question of preparing them for the place (that is the subject of chapter 13), but of preparing the place for them. The presence of their Forerunner, where He was going, accomplished it. The blood made peace according to divine righteousness, the water prepared them to enjoy it. The entrance of Christ left nothing to be done that they might enter; only the co-heirs must be gathered, and till then, the Lord remains seated on His Father's throne.

We can understand in a measure what it must have meant to those disciples to hear that their Lord and Master was to leave them. He had been everything to them; He had taken possession of their hearts; He had filled them with a sense of His love; He had brought them to His feet in adoration; He was all the world to them, and now He tells them, "I am going away," and their hearts were filled with sadness — we can understand that — but He gives to them this most blessed promise, "I will come again." He tells them that in His Father's house, His own blessed abode, He would find room for them, so that where He was, they should also be; His eternal companions. It must have given them comfort in the midst of their sorrow; it gives us comfort today, does it not? The great and blessed truth of the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ to rapture His blood-bought saints to the glory is surely a most comforting hope, truly called in Scripture "that blessed hope." To be for ever with Him, loved with the same love wherewith He is loved there in the Father's house, His abode and our abode for ever and ever — this is our prospect! And His coming must be very near; we are surely not far off from that longed-for event —

The Lord Jesus, before His departure from this scene, spoke of the hope to His beloved disciples. (Read John 14:1-4.) Their hearts were filled with sorrow at the thought of His leaving them. He was everything to their hearts. They had left their nets at His call, they had followed Him in His patient service throughout the land; and now to be told that He was going away! But how did He comfort them? He promised to return and fetch them to be for ever with Himself in the Father's house. If they seemed to be losing the glory of the Messianic kingdom by His going away they should have a better portion, yea, a heavenly one. Henceforth they must believe in Him as unseen. This was hard for a Jew, with the Old Testament prophecies of a glorious kingdom before him. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me." Those who believe while He is hidden have the better portion (John 20:29; 1 Peter 1:8). But He went on to add, "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." He had not made them His companions on earth to cast them aside now that He was returning to the Father. This were unlike Jesus. They should be His companions for ever; therefore He assures them that there was not only a place on high for Himself, the First Begotten, but for His beloved ones also, in the riches of His grace.

But now to turn to John 14. We find persons here the opposite of all that is in the world. "Let not your heart be troubled." About what? His leaving them. Their happiness, comfort, and joy was in having Christ with them. But now, He says, I am going, but I am not going to be happy without you. There is plenty of room for you. The thing with which He at once comforts their hearts is this, "I will come again." I cannot stay down here in this vile place, I am going to prepare a place for you; but I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. The Lord reckons on this satisfying their hearts; and their consciences did not hinder. "The Father's house"! Oh, they could go there! "I will receive you unto Myself." He knew the chord that rang in their hearts: to be with Himself - the source of all blessing. Thus we get the character of these disciples; they were persons whom the absence of Jesus distressed, and whom the presence of Jesus would comfort, not here, but with Himself.

Yes, He would go away but He prepares a place for them in the Father's house, a 'home', a place to 'dwell', permanently, with space for each of them, and - the best of all - it was the place where He Himself would be. They will not be separate from Him for ever. If He could not stay with them where they were - He would prepare a place for them where He was to go. It is interesting that the Lord starts with this point. Before saying a word about the way they would have to go and its troubles He presents the glorious destiny to them in order to strengthen them - and the certainty coming again to take us in order for us to be 'with Him'.

Just before leaving His disciples to go to the cross, and then to the presence of the Father, the Lord said to His own, “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). Jesus was directing His disciples to heaven; they were to have a place there, a specially prepared place in His Father’s house. He did not promise them a great place on earth, not riches, position or fame, but a place in heaven, and that with Himself, for He added, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

1st. — He tells them that His present departure was not final separation, but that He was going away only to prepare a place for them in the Father's house, and that He would return and receive them to Himself. This was great consolation, but this was not all; for —

When we think of the glory that is still to come, we also think of the place which the Lord Jesus has prepared for us in the Father's house. There are many mansions in that heavenly home, as He told His disciples in John 14:2. When He had finished His work on earth He went back to the Father. Thus He opened up the way for us to heaven, and He promised us: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).