The Booth Brothers - Oh It Is Jesus Lyrics
Lyrics
For many years I have heard about a City
Jesus went to prepare for those who have believed
Since that blessed day when I first came to know Him
I've been longing for a place I've never been
There's jasper walls, a crystal river, and mansions fair
Oh the sight that we'll behold are far beyond compare
And all the beauty and the splendor that these eye will see
Could never make it Heaven for me
Oh it is Jesus that makes it Heaven
Not the gates of pearl and streets paved with gold
Oh it is Jesus that makes it Heaven
He's the reason that I'm longing now to go
Just to see the face of Jesus will be worth it all
I've been listening and I'm waiting to hear the call
And I will go to meet the One who gave His life for me
And I will thank Him face to face for Calvary
Oh it is Jesus that makes it Heaven
Not the gates of pearl and streets paved with gold
Oh it is Jesus that makes it Heaven
He's the reason that I'm longing now to go
Yes, He's the reason that I'm longing now to go
Video
Oh It Is Jesus
Meaning & Inspiration
The Booth Brothers’ “Oh It Is Jesus,” released on July 9, 2020, delves into a profound truth that underpins Christian hope: the ultimate destination of believers is not merely a place, but a Person. For years, the song’s narrative voice has heard of a heavenly city, a place prepared by Jesus for those who believe. This longing for a place "I've never been" stems from a deep spiritual encounter, the moment of coming to know Him. The imagery presented—jasper walls, a crystal river, and mansions fair—while beautiful and captivating, is acknowledged as insufficient on its own to constitute Heaven. The song powerfully articulates that the true essence of Heaven, the very reason for its desirability, is the presence of Jesus Himself. This resonates with passages like John 14:2-3, where Jesus promises to prepare a place for His followers so that "where I am you may be also." The lyrics wisely distinguish between the material splendors of eternity and the spiritual reality that transforms it into paradise. The core message is a beautiful reminder that our ultimate desire for Heaven is not for the absence of suffering or the presence of opulent surroundings, but for the face-to-face encounter with the Savior. This echoes the Apostle Paul's sentiment in Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." The anticipation of meeting the One who "gave His life for me" and thanking Him for the sacrifice on Calvary underscores the centrality of Christ's redemptive work. The song reiterates that while the pearly gates and golden streets are part of the glorious vision, they are secondary to the divine presence. This focus on Jesus as the source of Heaven's joy is further illuminated by Revelation 21:22-23, which describes a heavenly city where there is no temple, "for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb," and where the city "needs no light of sun or moon, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." The longing expressed is not simply a desire for escape, but an eager yearning to be in the fullness of God's presence, a presence defined by Jesus. The repeated affirmation, "He's the reason that I'm longing now to go," serves as a powerful testament to a faith that finds its deepest fulfillment not in earthly comforts or ethereal descriptions of paradise, but in the living reality of Jesus Christ.