The Ultimate Prize
        
THE ULTIMATE PRIZE
          This heavenly city is mentioned again in the very next chapter (Hebrews 12:22, NLT) as the reward for every Christian who believes in Jesus, “No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” Now it is interesting how the author uses the past tense verb, “you have come to Mount Zion…” in writing to the Christians of the first century A.D. In other words, those Christians who were the recipients of the letter had already entered this heavenly city, even though they had not yet died and gone to heaven. They were already dwelling in the spiritual “Promised Land.” They had arrived at the city with eternal foundations designed and created by God Himself.
          So what is the difference? Why did Abraham and every other faithful man and woman listed as examples of faith in Hebrews Chapter Eleven fail to receive the complete fulfillment of the promises of God, but we believers are now able to fully receive them? I will give you a hint from the last two verses of this chapter (Hebrews 11:39-40, NLT), “All these people [Old Testament examples of faith] earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.”
          They were all commended for their faith and serve as examples due to their unwavering trust in God, which is the reason we are studying them. Yet not one received all that God had promised…thus far. Why?
All of these Old Testament saints believed God would fulfill His promises in the future. They believed that they would one day dwell in the New Jerusalem, God’s heavenly city. But they also knew their home was not quite ready for their habitation. Again, why? I gave you another hint with the words “Old Testament saints.”
They were awaiting the fulfillment of “all things.” They were anticipating a future monumental, world-changing event where “everything would change…” permanently, forever. They believed in a day when they could, in reality, possess/abide in the glorious city of God.
          Their old covenant based upon the law and works (the Old Testament and such) would become obsolete. As a matter of fact, their old covenant (testament) was merely a trailer for the full-length movie to come. It was an hors d’oeuvre before the main course.
          Once again, what was/is the difference? In one word – Jesus! Jesus rightly separates all of history. There is “B.C.” – Before Christ, and “A.D.” – Anno Domini or the Year of Our Lord which is all of history following the birth of Christ. In the universe’s spiritual realm, everything changed at the appearance, crucifixion, and resurrection of our Lord.
 
FAR BETTER
          To put it in a clear, concise explanation, the people in B. C. (before Christ) days had to await the coming of the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of God before entering the gates of the heavenly city, into the very presence of God, into His spiritual Kingdom. The forgiveness of their sins, a restored relationship with their Creator, an eternal home in glory, and the payment for the penalty of their sin were all dependent upon one future mind-boggling event – the coming of the Son of God.
          Their (Old Testament) faith was based upon the future fulfillment of God’s promises that would take place through Jesus Christ. But not for us! Let me repeat verse forty again, “For God had something better in mind for us…” (NLT). Yes, God had prepared something far better in the future, and we are blessed to be living now in that future. Those who now believe in Jesus Christ, in His death on the cross for our sins and in the power of His resurrection, now enter into the glory of this heavenly city (into God’s presence, the spiritual Kingdom of God).
          We have the unmatched privilege of living in the age of God’s grace, between Christ’s initial coming to this earth as Savior and His return a second time as King and Conqueror. We have a far, far better covenant (agreement) with God than any human being ever before in the history of the world. When we trust in Christ we are immediately transported into God’s kingdom, His spiritual realm, His abiding presence. We become His family, spiritual “children of God.”
          We are declared righteous (in right standing before God) because of the sacrifice of Christ (not because we are so good). God’s Spirit takes up residence within us and begins to mold us into the image of Christ (our character changes). We are already granted eternal life at the time we trust in Christ because death had no right to hold the innocent Son of God in the grave. He rose from the dead, effectively securing (guaranteeing) our own future resurrection at the very time we place our faith in Christ.