40 Days of Faith: Day 16

Hebrews 11:16b – Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Have you heard about the Fyre Festival of 2017? It was promoted as an ultra-luxury music and influencer beach retreat with gourmet meals, villas, and top artists. Instead, guests arrived to wet tents, cheese sandwiches, and chaos.

One attendee described it on social media: “They promised luxury villas and world‑class food… instead it was muddy tents and panic.” Organizers faced lawsuits and the founder, Billy McFarland, was sentenced to six years for fraud.[1]

 The greatest moments in life involve experiences that outdo our anticipation. I love talking to young couples who are preparing for marriage. In my time with them, I will often say that if we prepare well, the experience will outweigh the anticipation of it.

 We have been looking at this idea of a city prepared by God for a few days now. Abraham and Sarah longed for it. We have seen that it has been prepared by God. We have seen that the names of the 12 tribes of Israel are on the gates, and the names of the 12 apostles are on the foundations.

 In that passage in Revelation 21, we saw that the streets are paved in pure gold and the gates each have a pearl on them. The picture that is being painted is one of a glorious city.

 But did you know that in Hebrews 12:22-24, we are told what is going to be happening in the city?

 Let’s look at this for a moment. It states:
 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

 There is a significant word here that we must note. It’s the word, “festal.” It means a large (and often national) religious festival devoted to a particular deity. It refers to a joyful public assembly or festival, a grand celebration or holiday gathering. This word was often used of religious festivals or civic feasts in ancient Greek culture.[2]
 
 In biblical context, it communicates a joyous, triumphant atmosphere—like a huge heavenly party or sacred festival filled with worship, awe, and exultation. Now, notice where this term appears. It appears in a paragraph contrasting the journey of the Hebrew people at Mount Sinai. If you recall the story, Sinai was a place of fear, trembling, and judgment. But this new city, Mount Zion, is a place of grace, celebration, and communion with God.

 Here is what we need to grasp as we anticipate this heavenly city. Believers are no longer approaching God in fear and distance but are welcomed into the heavenly city, where Jesus is presents alongside a gathering of countless angels. There is a celebration taking place and it is a celebration of our salvation, our righteousness, and God’s justice.

 So, this “festal gathering” means that we as believers now belong to a divine, joyful, eternal community—not a place of dread, but one of worship and celebration. This is something we can anticipate and even begin to celebrate today.

 The world is full of broken promises and false advertising—lavish feasts that turn out to be nothing more than empty sandwiches in a soggy tent. But God is not like that. He has prepared a city for His people, and He is not ashamed to be called our God. The “festal gathering” of heaven will far exceed every hope, every dream, and every longing we carry on this earth. We can live today with joy because we know the celebration is certain. So let’s not settle for the empty promises of this world. Instead, let’s let our faith lift our eyes toward the banquet that awaits us in the presence of Jesus, and let’s begin rehearsing that celebration even now in how we worship, how we live, and how we hope.

 Prayer:
Father, thank You that You are not ashamed to be called my God. Thank You for preparing a city filled with joy, beauty, and Your presence. Guard my heart from chasing after empty promises that cannot satisfy. Teach me to anticipate the celebration of heaven with confidence and to let that joy overflow into my life today. May my worship now be a foretaste of the eternal worship I will one day share with You and all Your people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
  
 
   [1] Fyre Festival,” Wikipedia, last modified August 25, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyre_Festival.
[2] N.J. Opperwall, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Logos Bible Study Software, Accessed July 18, 2025.