“He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory” (Zechariah 6:13)  

“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7). “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). 

 Saints in this life are being prepared for the next. The New Testament constantly tells suffering saints to “hang on”, because the Blessed Hope is imminent. The Apostle Paul said, “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20), so, “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13). “Be patient, brethren … for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7-8). In the light of eternity, it will be here in the blink of an eye. 

 Christ is building His Heavenly City out of saints. “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). Each individual believer is being prepared, made ready for his place in the temple; but Christ's own hand performs the preparation-work. Afflictions can’t sanctify, unless they’re used by Him to this end. Our prayers and efforts can’t make us ready for Heaven, apart from the hand of Jesus, who fashions our hearts aright. 

 In Solomon's temple, “no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built” (1 Kings 6:7), because all was brought perfectly ready for the exact spot it was to occupy - so it is with the temple which Jesus builds; the making ready is all done on Earth. When we reach Heaven, there won’t be any refining us with affliction, no smoothing our rough edges with suffering. No, we must be made ready here. 

"Beneath His eye and care, The edifice shall rise, Majestic, strong, and fair, And shine above the skies."