John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “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. 3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 “And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
After Jesus taught His disciples that He was going to die and Peter would deny Him before the night was over, He tried to comfort them starting in chapter 14. He did not want them to be troubled by what He said because He knew all these events must happen so God’s plan would come to pass. When Jesus said, “You believe in God, believe also in me,” He was teaching them to believe in Him just as they believe in God because Jesus is the Son of God.
Heaven is the Father’s house, and there are many mansions or dwelling places there, which means there is plenty of room for all His disciples. If that was not true, Jesus would have told them. We will not know what those dwelling places look like until we get to see them with our own eyes, but one thing is for sure, they will be far greater than anything on the face of this earth. Even though these dwelling places are already there, Jesus is going to make these mansions ready for the faithful Christians.
Jesus may have been drawing a parallel with how some of His disciples had prepared the room for the Passover before His arrival. Whether He was drawing a parallel or not, it is encouraging to know that He is making these preparations for us.
In verse 3, Jesus’ words are comforting because He is teaching us that He will come back again, which refers to His second coming. There is no doubt that He will return as we can see in several places besides what Jesus has already said in verse 3.
Acts 1:10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Just as Jesus ascended into heaven, He will descend out of heaven when He returns.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
So, Jesus will appear a second time, and the righteous will meet Him in the air, and He will take us to heaven to live with Him and the Father forever. Every faithful Christian should look forward to the day of His coming because that will be the day we get to be in the presence of God Almighty for eternity. No wonder Paul tells us to “comfort one another with these words.”
In verse 4, Jesus tells His disciples that they know where He is going, and they should have known by now because He has told them several times. He also tells them they know the way to where He is going, which is by living a faithful life. Though His disciples were confused many times by what Jesus said, Christians today have no reason to be confused. We can know and be confident that Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven and that it will be our eternal home if we live for God and remain faithful to Him based on what His Word teaches. So, take great comfort in knowing that heaven will be your home if you are faithful.