Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards-THE MANY MANSIONS-2

 

Heaven is represented in Scripture as God’s dwelling-house; Ps. cxiii. 5, “Who is like [unto] the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,” and Ps. cxxiii. 1, “Unto thee I lift up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.” Heaven is God’s palace. ’Tis the house of the great King of the universe; there he has his throne, which is therefore represented as his house or temple; Ps. xi. 4, “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven.”

Heaven is the house where God dwells with his family. God is represented in Scripture as having a family, and though some of this family are now on earth, yet in so being they are abroad and not at home, but all going home: Eph. iii. 15, “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” Heaven is the place that God has built for himself and his children. God has many children, and the place designed for them is heaven; therefore the saints, being the children of God, are said to be of the household of God, Eph. ii. 19: “Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” God is represented as a householder or head of a family, and heaven is his house. 

Heaven is the house not only where God hath his throne, but also where he doth as it were keep his table, where his children sit down with him at his table and where they are feasted in a royal manner becoming the children of so great a King: Luke xxii. 30, “That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom;” Matt. xxvi. 29, “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 

God is the King of kings, and heaven is the place where he keeps his court. There are his angels and archangels that as the nobles of his court do attend upon him. 

Prop. II. There are many mansions in the house of God. By many mansions, it meant many seats or places of abode. As it is a king’s palace, there are many mansions. Kings’ houses are wont to be built very largely, with many stately rooms and apartments. So there are many mansions in God’s house.

 When this is spoken of heaven, it is chiefly to be understood in a figurative sense, and the following things seem to be taught to us in it. 

1. There is room in this house of God for great numbers. There is room in heaven for a vast multitude, yea, room enough for all mankind that are or ever shall be; Luke xiv. 22, “Lord it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.”

 It is not with the heavenly temple as it often is with houses of public worship in this world, that they fill up and become too small and scanty for those that would meet in them so that there is not convenient room for all. There is room enough in our heavenly Father’s house. This is partly what Christ intended in the words of the text, as is evident from the occasion of his speaking them. The disciples manifested a great desire to be where Christ was, and Christ, therefore, to encourage them that it should be as they desired, tells them that in his Father’s house where he was going were many mansions, i.e., room enough for them.

 There is mercy enough in God to admit an innumerable multitude into heaven. There is mercy enough for all, and there is merit enough in Christ to purchase heavenly happiness for millions of millions, for all men that ever were, are, or shall be. And there is a sufficiency in the fountain of heaven’s happiness to supply and fill and satisfy all: and there is in all respects enough for the happiness of all.