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Imagine that you’re seven years old and that your parents have promised a weeklong trip to Grandma’s. After a long car ride, you dash through the door, only to find that the home is strangely quiet. All your favorite toys are neatly arranged by the fireplace, and a plate of freshly baked chocolate-chip cookies has been left on the kitchen counter. A small note next to the plate reads: “Have a great week, sweetie! Love, Grandma and Grandpa.”
We all know what’s wrong with this scenario. Grandpa and Grandma are supposed to be there. The whole point of the trip was to spend time with them face-to-face and to nurture treasured relationships.
So, too, God entered into a covenant with the Israelites not only to save and bless them but to be with them, as He makes clear in Exodus 29:46: “And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them” (emphasis added). Neither deliverance from slavery nor abundance of milk and honey was the main point.
That’s why it is a “disastrous word” indeed (see Ex. 33:4) when, after the golden- calf incident, God tells the people that He will no longer accompany them to the promised land. He’ll simply get it ready for them by sending an angel ahead to drive out the pagan nations living there. Despite their heinous sin, we can at least give the Israelites credit for recognizing that going to the promised land without God among them would be a disaster. If God isn’t going to be there, forget it.
As God’s new covenant people, we too must remember that we have been delivered from sin, not merely to escape the curse of God’s wrath but to enjoy intimate communion of relationship. To glorify and enjoy God perfectly as we dwell with Him eternally is the crowning joy of the gospel. We get a foretaste of it now as God’s Spirit dwells in us and we enjoy communing with Him through His Word and prayer. But our earthly enjoyment of God’s presence cannot even compare with what it will be like to see Him face-to-face.
Paul knew this as well. As he wrote to the Philippian church from his prison cell, he considered what would be more desirable at that point: life or death. His verdict? “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (Phil. 1:23). Notice that he doesn’t say that his desire is to depart and be “free from earthly suffering” or “fully delivered from sin.” Those glorious prospects could be found only under the banner of being with Christ.
When John first sees a vision of the new heaven and earth, God’s voice thunders from the throne: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people” (Rev. 21:3).
Is dwelling with God our chief desire when we think of departing this toilsome earthly pilgrimage? Surely, heaven will not be heaven without it.