Designed and Built by God

Think for a moment about cities you’ve visited. Certain cities have unique qualities, don’t they? For example, Jerusalem, a city with so much biblical history, is a beautiful place at sunset. There’s a golden hue to it. Cities also have certain restaurants, stores, activities, and entertainment that are exclusive to them.

Heaven, too, is a city, and it is unique. The Bible tells us that it’s a city "with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God" (Hebrews 11:10).

A while ago our church was working on a new building. We had an architect, and we looked at the plans and walked through the building. Then we submitted the plans to the city, and the city sent them back with revisions. We sent them back again, and eventually they were approved. Then the builders came in and followed the plans the architect had laid down.

The Bible says that Heaven is a city and that God is the architect and builder. So when I think of Heaven, I think of a real city. I don’t know why some people imagine Heaven as a cloud where we sit and pluck away at harps. That description isn’t in the Bible. But is it possible that we could have things in Heaven that earthly cities do? My answer is, why not? Maybe we will. Maybe we won’t. But I do know this much: whatever Heaven will be like, it will be great.

C. S. Lewis described earth as the shadowlands, because earth is a shadow of the real thing. Earth is a pale version of Heaven, not the other way around. Heaven is the original. Earth is the copy.

Compared to whatever city you may have visited or lived in, even if it was the best city imaginable, Heaven will be far better.