That all of God’s elect, both His Old Testament people (Israel) and His New Testament people (the church), will be eternally united with Him in Heaven is seen in the Scripture’s description of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-22:6). The city, which represents the Lamb’s wife—His bride or eternal companion—has twelve foundations, twelve gates and is twelve thousand furlongs long, wide and high.

Someday soon the “mystery of God shall be completed,” the mystery that God has “declared to His servants and prophets” (Revelation 10:7). What is the mystery of God? Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:2-13 that it is the church, which is not only the “eternal purpose” of God, but also the one “body” in which God has joined both Jews and Gentiles as the eternal companion of His Son. 

Think about it; the church is what God has been about all along. It is why He has done everything that He has ever done. 

Why did God create the universe? He created the universe to have a place to hang the world. Why did He create the world? He created the world so that He would have a place to put man. Why did he create man? He created man so that He could have a chosen people. Why did He have a chosen people? He had a chosen people so that His Son could come into the world. Why did His Son come into the world? Christ came into the world to secure for Himself a bride, an eternal companion—the church!

The church is what it’s all about. Nothing is more important for you than to become a part of Christ’s eternal companion. Only then, will you be in that number, when the saints go marching into the city that’s foursquare. 

WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN

We are traveling in the footsteps

Of those who've gone before,

And we'll all be reunited,

On a new and sunlit shore.

Oh, when the saints go marching in

Oh, when the saints go marching in

Lord, how I want to be in that number

When the saints go marching in.