We cannot exhaust the record of the New Jerusalem; it is exceedingly meaningful. At least to some extent we must experience these points which we are covering; otherwise, it is rather difficult to understand them. The degree to which we experience these things will be the degree of our understanding of them. In the last chapter we have covered thirteen points concerning the real meaning of the ultimate manifestation of God. In this chapter we will continue by covering fifteen additional points, beginning with the fourteenth.
In the city there are three gates on each of its four sides, covering every direction: north, south, east, and west (Rev. 21:12-13). The number four always represents creation or the creature. Revelation 4 reveals four living creatures, which represent all creation. The number three signifies the three persons of the Godhead. This means that the three persons of the Godhead are the very entrance for all people from all four directions of the earth. Wherever we are, the three persons of the Godhead can reach us.
Luke 15 records three parables: the shepherd seeking the lost sheep, the woman seeking the lost coin, and the father waiting for his prodigal son. The Lord Jesus came as the shepherd to die on the cross to seek us and to redeem us. After Christ’s work, the Holy Spirit came as the woman to enlighten us, seeking within our hearts to bring us back. By the seeking work of the Holy Spirit, we repent and return to the Father, who gladly receives us. Then we have entered the gate. The three persons of the Godhead bring us into the very building. They are the entrance to anyone from the four corners of the earth. This corresponds with that which is spoken in 2 Corinthians 13:14 for entering into the enjoyment of the Triune God: the love of God, the grace of Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.
Our fifteenth point is that each of these twelve gates is one pearl (Rev. 21:21). A pearl here signifies the work of regeneration. When we enter the realm of God’s building through the three persons of the Godhead, we are regenerated. A pearl is formed in an oyster, a living organism abiding in the water, which represents death. When the oyster is hurt by a grain of sand, which remains in the wounded area, it secretes the fluid of life upon this grain of sand until it is transformed into a beautiful pearl. This is full of meaning. Christ is the living “oyster,” who came into the water of death. He was hurt by us as pieces of sand, and we as the grains of sand have remained at the place of the wound. Thus His life was secreted into us and we were regenerated. Regeneration is the beginning of the work of transformation.
Some Christians are deeply in the process of transformation day by day, but with others the process stopped at regeneration. With some the work of transformation is taking place now, but by this evening or at least by tomorrow it will be frustrated. We are so peculiar and evil. There is a very rebellious nature within each one of us. Sometimes we would even tell the Lord that we want to give it all up, we do not care whether we are transformed. Yet five minutes later we ask the Lord to forgive us. We cannot escape! We must come back; we will not have any peace if we do not. Oh, there are many things involved in this work of transformation! The pearl gate of regeneration is just the beginning, the very entrance into the city. Once we are in the realm of God’s building, we must go on in the transformation work of the Lord.
Our sixteenth point is that once we go through the pearl gate, we immediately step onto the golden street in the city (Rev. 21:21). What is the meaning of this golden street? According to experience, when we pay attention to regeneration, the first stage of the Lord’s transformation work, we sense that we are contacting the divine nature of God, we are on the golden street. We must realize the work of regeneration in our experience and day by day experience the hurt of the oyster, the work of the cross in us. Then we will obtain the secretion from the oyster, the resurrection life in the Spirit. We constantly need the secretion of the divine life in the Holy Spirit within us. The more we experience the cross, the more we will realize the resurrection, the secretion of life. This is why we must daily experience the lessons of the cross, abiding in the wound of the Lord Jesus. By the secretion of the resurrection life, we will experience a continuing on in the golden street, the divine nature. This street will bring us into the very presence of God. In the midst of this street we will experience the flow of life, and in this flow we will enjoy the supply of life, the spiritual food. All these things are related and should be experienced by us.
Home | First | Prev | Next