Let’s read through the book of Hebrews one verse at a time in 2023. Every day explore a single verse and its cross references. AI-generated text draws the passages together. RSS feed.
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
These cross references all speak to the idea of a heavenly home that God has prepared for his people. They emphasize that God has been preparing this place for us since the beginning of time, and that we should look forward to it as our ultimate destination. They also emphasize that our true citizenship is in heaven, and that we should seek the city that is to come. Taken together, these cross references provide a powerful reminder of the eternal home that God has prepared for us.
| Passage | How It’s Related (AI-Generated) |
|---|---|
| Matthew 25:34: Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. | Both passages discuss the concept of a heavenly kingdom, prepared by God for his people. Hebrews 11:16 speaks of a city, which God has prepared for those who desire a heavenly country. Matthew 25:34 speaks of a kingdom, which has been prepared from the foundation of the world for those who are blessed by God. Both passages emphasize the idea of God's preparation of a heavenly kingdom for his people. |
| John 14:2: In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? | Both passages refer to the preparation of a place for believers by God. Hebrews 11:16 speaks of God preparing a heavenly city for believers, while John 14:2 speaks of God preparing many rooms in His house for believers. This imagery speaks to the promise of a heavenly dwelling place for believers in the presence of God, which is a comfort and assurance for those who have faith. |
| Philippians 3:20: But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, | Both passages emphasize the Christian's heavenly citizenship. In Hebrews 11:16, the author is referring to a heavenly country and city that God has prepared for believers. In Philippians 3:20, Paul emphasizes that our citizenship is in heaven, and that we are awaiting a Savior from there. This Savior, of course, is the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| Hebrews 11:10: For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | Both passages refer to the same city that God has prepared for his people. Hebrews 11:16 explains that this city is a heavenly one and that God is not ashamed to be called their God because of it. Hebrews 11:10 looks ahead to this city, describing it as one with foundations and whose designer and builder is God. |
| Hebrews 13:14: For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. | Both passages discuss the concept of a heavenly city. Hebrews 11:16 states that God has prepared a heavenly city for his people, and that God is not ashamed to be called their God. Hebrews 13:14 states that we have no lasting city here on Earth, but that we seek the city that is to come in Heaven. |
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the promise of a better country, a heavenly one. We thank You for preparing a city for us, a place of beauty and joy, where we can dwell in Your presence. We thank You for the hope of an eternal home, a place of rest and peace.
We thank You for the gift of citizenship in Heaven, and for the assurance that You will come to save us. We thank You for the promise of a city that has foundations, and for the reminder that our true home is in Heaven.
Help us to keep our eyes fixed on the city to come, and to seek it with all our hearts. May our lives reflect the hope of a better country and the promise of eternity in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
This reading plan reads through a single verse each day, six days a week, paired with the most-popular cross references for the verse. AI-generated (and human-reviewed) text provides an opening thought and concluding prayer along with an explanation for how each cross reference relates to the verse. In 2023, this reading plan works through Hebrews one verse at a time. Every seventh day is a catchup day. Want more info? Try this blog post.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.