In the last chapter we saw that the gates of the New Jerusalem are pearls. After entering the gates, the street is pure gold and the city proper is also pure gold. Thus, the city proper and the street are one. In the middle of the street is the river of water of life, and in the river is the tree of life, which spreads its branches onto the two sides of the river and yields its fruits of life continually. We have already said that all these things are exceedingly rich in spiritual significance. They show us that anyone who wants to enter this city and participate in this building must be mingled with God. Furthermore, one can enter in through the gate only after his natural being has been dealt with and resurrected in Christ. After entering the gate, one touches the pure gold, which is the nature of God. This nature of God is the building itself, and it is also the one street. In this one street there is the water of life and there is also the tree of life. In other words, this street of God’s nature is filled with the supply of God’s life. Not only so, this street leads to the throne of God. Thus, after a person enters in through the pearl gate, he can reach the throne of God through the golden street. All these items have a spiritual meaning. We need to have the Triune God mingled with us, and we also need to pass through death and resurrection so that we may enter the gate to touch the things in this building. If we enter the gate in this way, we will touch God’s nature, which is the way upon which we can walk. At the same time, this way of God’s nature is filled with the supply of life, and it also leads to the throne of God. God is also the temple here, indicating that His presence is here. God also reigns here, and out of His reigning flows His life. This life is the light; thus, this city is also full of God’s light. These conditions, which we see in the final building of God, should also be the conditions of the church as the building of God today.
Another crucial point concerning the New Jerusalem is the wall. We know that for a city to be a city it must have a wall. If a city does not have a wall, it cannot be considered a city. The seven items we saw in the previous two messages were all related to the gates of the city and the city proper. However, we have not yet mentioned the wall. Therefore, in this chapter we would like to consider the wall specifically.
Before we consider the wall, we have to mention the vision in Revelation 4. In this chapter the apostle John, who was in spirit, saw a throne set in heaven. The One sitting upon the throne was God Himself as the sovereign Lord of the universe. He who was sitting on the throne was like a jasper stone, and there was a rainbow around the throne (vv. 2-3). We recall that the rainbow did not come into existence until after the beginning of the second world. Due to the excessive wickedness of mankind, the first world created by God was destroyed with a flood, and only the eight persons of Noah’s household were left. After the flood water receded, the second world began. God told Noah that He would use the rainbow as a sign of the covenant He established with the living things of the earth, and when He would look upon the rainbow, He would not destroy the earth by flood again (Gen. 9:8-17). Thus, in Revelation 4, the fact that God appears with a rainbow around His throne implies that He is not only the God of the first world but also the God who preserves the second world. Moreover, it also implies that the reason God created the first world and preserves the second world is that He wants to build the New Jerusalem. Here you see a vision: there is a throne, the God who is on the throne is like a jasper stone in appearance, and there is a rainbow around the throne.
Now let us look at the wall of the New Jerusalem. Revelation 21 clearly says that the wall of the city is jasper (v. 18) and that the light of the city is also like jasper stone (v. 11). Do we see this? The expression of the city is exactly the same as the expression of God! Just as the God who is on the throne is like jasper, so also the city is like jasper. God appears in the universe as jasper, and the city also appears as jasper. Thus, the appearance of this city is the appearance of God!
Home | First | Prev | Next