There are two elements within the New Jerusalem. One element is God’s life, and the other is God’s light. Concerning God’s life, in the middle of the street in the city flows the river of water of life, bright as crystal (22:1). In addition, on this side and on that side of the river grows the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, and yielding its fruit each month (v. 2). The river of water of life and the tree of life are the nourishing supply in the city. Concerning God’s light, the New Jerusalem has no need of the light of a lamp or the light of the sun. There is no man-made light in the city, because the Lord God shines as the light. The glory of God is the only light in the city (v. 5). Life refers to what God is, and light is God’s expression. Within the city there are only God’s life and God’s light. This means that the church should be full of God’s life and light; the church should be the full expression of what God is.
Many young people can testify that no social group can compare to the church life. In the church life we sense the flow of life, and we have the life-fruit produced by the tree of life that is full of the life supply. We also have the shining of the light of life. We have often experienced being confused and not knowing what to do, but once we come to a church meeting, our whole being becomes clear and bright. This is the inward condition of the New Jerusalem. According to its outward appearance, the New Jerusalem is the effulgence of God’s glory, expressing the image of God who has the appearance of jasper. Within the city there is the river of water of life and the tree of life that produces the fruit of life. There is also the expression of the light of God.
In conclusion, the glorification of the believers is for God’s ultimate expression. Man was created by God and then fell. But when we believed in the Lord, we received redemption, and we are now being transformed. The issue of transformation is our maturity and glorification. Romans 8:30 says, “Those whom He predestinated, these He also called; and those whom He called, these He also justified; and those whom He justified, these He also glorified.” Verse 21 says, “In hope that the creation itself will also be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” This indicates that we have a part in the glory that is yet to be expressed. This glory is the consummate expression of God, the effulgence of God’s glory. Eventually, we will all be in this glory. We will be glorified.
In this glory we will be God’s fullness in order to express God for eternity. Today we are still in time. We have not arrived at eternity future, but we can have a foretaste. The local church is a miniature of the New Jerusalem. As long as we are in the church, we will receive the supply of life and the shining of the divine light. We can also experience the church shining with the light of God’s glory to express God’s image as jasper. We can enjoy God’s glory. The issue of being supplied with and enjoying God’s glory is that we become His ultimate expression.