Genesis 2:7 records that in the beginning God formed man with the dust of the ground, 1 Corinthians 15:47 tells us that Adam is earthy, and 2 Corinthians 4:7 says that we were created to be earthen vessels. The term earthen vessel in Greek denotes an earthy vessel made of clay. Hence, even after receiving the life and nature of the pure gold within, we still may not have the image of the precious stones without. We may still be earthy. We remain the same because the life of God has not yet transformed us enough.
After we are saved, although we may not sin as we did before, much of our being remains unchanged. Even though we may be somewhat transformed into the image of Christ, that amount of transformation is not enough. We have the life and nature of the pure gold within, but we may be short of the glorious image of the precious stones without. When God first put Adam in the garden of Eden, there were pure gold and precious stones there. God’s purpose was that the man of clay would be transformed into pure gold and precious stone. Therefore, in the garden of Eden we can see the tree of life and the river of life. God wanted Adam to receive the life from the tree of life and the river of life so that he could be transformed into pure gold and precious stone.
When we come to Revelation 21, a city of pure gold appears, and a wall of precious stones is manifested. The street of this city is pure gold, and the outward wall is composed of precious stones. This city is a sign with a twofold significance. On one hand, this city signifies a place, because it is a city. On the other hand, it signifies a person because it is a bride, the wife of the Lamb. In other words, this city is the dwelling place of God and all the saints, and it is also the issue of God’s work in man throughout the ages. This city is a man of glory.
In the garden of Eden in Genesis, we see man, pure gold, and precious stones. The man, the pure gold, and the precious stones are separate from each other. When we come to the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21, we see pure gold and precious stones but no man. Where is man? Can anyone find man in the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21? In Genesis we can see man in the garden of Eden, but in Revelation we cannot see man in the New Jerusalem. Why is this? This is because the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 is the issue of God’s work in man throughout the ages. The city, the place itself is man. In the New Jerusalem, man, the pure gold, and the precious stones are one and cannot be separated.
On the foundations of the wall of the city we can see the names of the twelve apostles, but we cannot see the twelve apostles themselves. In this respect the New Jerusalem is different from the garden of Eden. In the garden of Eden we can see Adam and Eve. However, if we went to the city in Revelation and saw a stone with Peter’s name on it and asked where Peter was, I am afraid Peter would tell us, “I am actually this stone.” This is not our own inference. In 1 Peter 2, Peter says that every saved one is a living stone before the Lord and is being built together with the Lord Jesus to be a spiritual house for God’s dwelling (v. 5). In Ephesians 2 Paul also says that the saved ones are “being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone; in whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord” (vv. 20-21). In the Old Testament God’s people were in the holy temple, but in the New Testament God’s people are the holy temple. In the New Testament the physical temple is gone, and the saved ones are built together. In the New Testament the saved ones are the holy temple. Hence, we may say that the holy temple is a place and also a person.
Today the church has a twofold significance. On one hand it is a dwelling place, and on the other hand it is a group of people saved by God. In the same way, the coming New Jerusalem also has a twofold significance. On one hand it is God’s dwelling place, a city, and on the other hand it is also God’s counterpart, a bride. Therefore, in the New Jerusalem one stone is Peter, one stone is James, and another stone is John. The twelve precious stones, which are the foundations of the wall of the city, are the twelve apostles. All the saved ones throughout the ages are living stones. They all have the life of God in them, and in this life they are joined together to become the living dwelling place of God, a living city. This is the coming New Jerusalem.
People may ask why this city is also a bride. They may ask why it is both the dwelling place of God and also the wife of God. For example, when a man gets married, his bride is one thing—a person—and his bridal chamber is another thing—a building. But when God marries man, the bride and the bridal chamber will be one. The bridal chamber will be the bride, and the bride will be the bridal chamber. We cannot comprehend this in our mind. This is like Revelation 21, which says, “The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (v. 21). How can gold be transparent as glass? We cannot comprehend this. Nevertheless, we have to believe that this is not our interpretation but the revelation from the Bible. What God has been doing throughout the ages is transforming the redeemed ones with His life to make them precious stones. One day this group of people will fully become God’s eternal dwelling place in the universe.
If you still want to go to “heaven,” you will ultimately be disappointed. One day you will become the place that you want to go to. As the bride, do you merely wish to live in the bridal chamber? One day you will actually be the bridal chamber, because the bride of Christ is also His bridal chamber. This is indeed a mysterious and wonderful matter. Throughout the ages, God has been working continuously. Ultimately, He will make Himself one with man and bring heaven and earth together.
Christianity talks about the saved ones going up to heaven, but Revelation tells us that the coming New Jerusalem will come down out of heaven from God. We do not need to go up to the New Jerusalem because we are entering into it. In fact, we are not even merely entering into it. Instead, we are becoming part of the New Jerusalem. This is the result of God’s mysterious plan throughout the ages. What are the new heaven and new earth, and what is the New Jerusalem? They are the oneness of God and man and the oneness of heaven and earth with nothing in between.