The following is a study of the significant word – prepared – as it appears in the Bible. It is mentioned in various situations, and is included in all key aspects of our lives – whether righteous or unrighteous.
God is truly present and active in all He does.
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” – Revelation 21:2
John describes in detail new Jerusalem’s beauties in the Book of Revelation, Chapters 21 and 22.
One day that glorious place that is prepared for believers will appear and we shall see it when He brings it down from heaven, as John did in his great vision.
“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 a city for them.” – Hebrews 11:16
“For here we do not have a lasting city but we are seeking the city which is to come.” – Hebrews 13:14
The Lord Jesus said: “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ ” – Matthew 25:34
Many Mansions:
We remember that the Lord Jesus Christ has gone to prepare a place for His faithful disciples: “ ‘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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.’ ” – John 14:2-4
It will be a wonderful place of ‘many mansions’.
He has indeed prepared a great eternal future for His redeemed children.
But there’s so much more that God has been and still is, preparing.
God was preparing places in the Old Testament:
“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.” – Exodus 23:20 – speaking of the Promised Land.
More verses of the use of ‘prepare’ in the Old Testament – accomplished by his true believers:
One of the first times the word, prepare, is used is in Genesis when the Lord appeared to Abraham to promise him the birth of Isaac. Abraham’s response: “So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.’ ” – Genesis 18:6
“Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.” – Genesis 18:7. Abraham prepared offerings for the Lord.
In front of Pharaoh in Egypt, “Moses said, ‘You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings to prepare for our God.’ ” – Exodus 10:25.
In the wilderness: “The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.” – Exodus 15:2
The Old Testament further writes of the many times the worshipping Israelites prepared their offerings and sacrifices to the Lord God:
“Prepare from these a holy anointing oil, a scented blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be holy anointing oil.” – Exodus 30:25
“The one lamb thou dost prepare in the morning …” – Exodus 29:39
“Prepare expertly blended incense from these.” – Exodus 30:25
Then there’s the getting ready for the initial fighting to take the Promised Land: “Then Moses said to them, ‘If ye will do this thing, if ye will prepare yourselves to go before the Lord to the war …’ ” – Numbers 32:20
“Prepare to take possession of his land.” – Deuteronomy 2:31
“ … prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites.” – Joshua 1:2
The Bible makes it clear that active and involved preparation is required:
“Prepare to build us an altar … ” – Joshua 22:26
“Prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve Him only.” – 1 Samuel 7:3
“Prepare for the traveler who had come to him.” – 2 Samuel 12:4
“go to your brother … and prepare a meal for him …” – 2 Samuel 13:7
“prepare for the future …” – 1 Kings 20:22
“prepare their heart unto Thee” – 1 Chronicles 29:18
“he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord” – 2 Chronicles 12:14 (the ungodly)
“even their heart doth prepare deceit” – Job 15:35
“we cannot prepare our case because of our darkness” – Job 37:19
“If a person does not repent, God sharpens His sword and prepares to shoot His bow.” – Psalm 7:12
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” – Psalm 23:5
“He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth.” – Psalm 61:7
“You visit the earth and cause it to overflow; You greatly enrich it; the stream of God is full of water; You prepare their grain for thus You prepare the earth.” – Psalm 65:9
“O God, didst prepare of thy goodness for the poor.” – Psalm 68:10
“And not be like their fathers a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” – Psalm 78:8
“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord. ” – Proverbs 21:31
“Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.” – Ecclesiastes 10:19
“What will we do for our sister to prepare her for her engagement?” – Song of Solomon 8:8
“Prepare for war, and be broken; prepare for war, and be broken.” – Isaiah 8:9
“Prepare for his sons a place of slaughter because of the iniquity of their fathers.” – Isaiah 14:21
“The Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; a banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined, aged wine.” – Isaiah 25:6. This is at the wedding feast following the tribulation, rapture, Armageddon.
“Let them prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover.” – Isaiah 38:21
“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” – Isaiah 40:3 (Isaiah is prophesying about John the Baptist.)
“Prepare to leave the land.” – Jeremiah 10:17
“Prepare them for the day of slaughter.” – Jeremiah 12:3
“I will prepare destroyers against thee.” – Jeremiah 22:7
“Prepare the nations against her.” – Jeremiah 51:27
“When they are heated, I will prepare their drink, and I will make them drunken, that they may exult, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake.” – Jeremiah 51:39
“I am going to prepare for them the best of gardening spots.” – Ezekiel 34:29
“Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.” – Ezekiel 38:7
“Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning.” – Hosea 6:3
“Prepare to meet your God.” – Amos 4:12
“Now the Lord had prepared a large fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” – Jonah 1:17
“The voice of the Lord cries out to the city wisdom fears your name: ‘Heed your rod, and the one who prepared it.’ ” – Micah 5:9
“I will prepare your grave, for you are contemptible.” – Nahum 1:14
“The day of the Lord is near, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests.” – Zephaniah 1:7
“Then those who respected the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice. A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored his name.” – Malachi 3:16
“ ‘They will be mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.’ ” – Malachi 3:17
“ ‘You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,’ says the Lord of hosts.” – Malachi 4:3
The New Testament:
God had John the Baptist prepare The Way:
“It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him…so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” – Luke 1:17
“ ‘This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’ “ – Luke 7:27
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his ways straight.” – Matthew 3:3
“He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: ‘A voice of one calling in the desert, prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low, the crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’ ” – Luke 3:3-6
God’s ultimate gift which He prepared – for us:
The ultimate display of the love of the Lord God for all mankind: “… but a body you prepared for me … Then I said, ‘Here I am – it is written about Me in the scroll – I have come to do Your will, O God.’ ” – Hebrews 10:5-8. (Christ’s human body was prepared – to die, as the perfect sin offering – for all.)
“ ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’ “ – Luke 2:29-32 (spoken by Simeon, a righteous and devout man, when he saw infant Jesus, about to be presented in the Temple following His birth)
“So they prepared a dinner for Jesus there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was among those present at the table with Him.” – John 12:2
“ ‘For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.’ ” – Matthew 26:12
“ ‘My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.’ ” – Matthew 20:23
“ ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself.’ ” – Matthew 21:16
“ ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.’ ” – Matthew 22:4
“ ‘Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat?’ But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink?’ He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ ‘ ” – Luke 17:7-10
God’s warning to those of us who are not getting prepared:
“ ‘And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.’ ” – Luke 12:47
God’s warning against covetousness:
“ ‘And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’ ” – Luke 12:19-21
The room for the Last Passover was prepared:
“ ‘And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.’ ” – Luke 22:12
“The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.” – Matthew 26:19
Note the difference here:
The Lord Jesus’ great love for us:
“ ‘This is My body which is given for you.’ ” – Luke 22:19
“Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes.” – Luke 23:55-56
“They came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.” – Luke 24:1
“What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory.” – Romans 9:22-23
“For our tribulation, which is momentary and light, prepares an exceeding and eternal weight of glory unto us.” – 2 Corinthians 4:17
“and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace” – Ephesians 6:15
“If anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 2:21
“At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.” – Philemon 1:22
“For there was a tabernacle prepared.” – Hebrews 9:2
“By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” – Hebrews 11:3
“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household.” – Hebrews 11:7
“Prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 1:13
God prepared something else quite extraordinary:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:8-10
God and the Holy Spirit:
“Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.” – 2 Corinthians 5:5
The Holy Spirit will prepare us for utterance during tribulation:
“ ‘They will lay their hands on you and will persecute you … it will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves, for I will give you utterance and wisdom.’ ” – Luke 21:12-15
“ ‘But when they shall lead you away to deliver you up, be not careful beforehand as to what ye shall say, nor prepare your discourse: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour that speak; for ye are not the speakers, but the Holy Spirit.’ ” – Mark 13:11
The Book of Revelation:
“The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.” – Revelation 8:6
“Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” – Revelation 12:6
“The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.” – Revelation 12:14
“The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle.” – Revelation 9:7
“The four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released.” – Revelation 9:15
“He also shall drink of the wine of the fury of God prepared unmixed in the cup of His wrath, and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb.” – Revelation 14:10
“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.” – Revelation 16:12
God has indeed prepared a designated place for the devil and his demonic angels. Sadly all the unsaved will also spend eternity in hell, which has already been prepared:
“ ‘Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.’ ” – Matthew 25:41
Final words:
“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” – 1 Corinthians 2:9. There will be unimaginable rewards for God’s people in His future kingdom.
Therefore, we can say with Paul: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.” – Romans 8:18
“This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.” – Ephesians 6:10
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