11: THE NEW JERUSALEM

“THINE eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.... For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; he will save us.... And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.” Isaiah 33:20, 22, 24.SAIN 80.1

OF this city here spoken of as one of such endurance, which is to be possessed by those whose iniquities shall have been forgiven, we may well say, in the language of the psalmist, “Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.” ^{1Psalm 87:3.} It is very graphically described in the book of the Revelation: “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God; and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel; on the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates, and the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth four square, and the length is as large as the breadth; and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal.” ^{2Revelation 21:9-16.}SAIN 80.2

Some have said that this city is only a figure, and represents the church of God. Here is a literal measurement, and the result of that measurement is given in furlongs. The fact that the result of the measurement is thus given, is proof that it is a literal city. In Revelation 11:1, where a measurement of God’s people is spoken of, which relates to character, you will perceive that there is no result given in figures. The measurement above relates to the entire circumference of the city, for the announcement is made as soon as the measurement is taken, that all sides are alike; length, breadth, and height. The ancient custom of measuring cities was to begin at one corner and go entirely around, and not simply to measure one side. The measurement of the city was twelve thousand furlongs. At eight furlongs to the mile, it would be fifteen hundred miles. This being the entire circumference of the city, one fourth of it would give us the length of either side; three hundred and seventy-five miles. Truly this is a great city. It is the city that Abraham looked for, “which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” ^{3Hebrews 11:10.} It is the Jerusalem which Paul said “is free, which is the mother of us all.” ^{4Galatians 4:26.} It is the Father’s house, in which, Christ said, “there are many mansions.” ^{5John 14:2.}SAIN 81.1

Revelation 21:17: “And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits.” This we would suppose to refer to either the height or thickness of the wall. He has already given us the length and breadth of the city, and he speaks of this as “the measure of the wall.” At eighteen inches to the cubit it would be 216 feet.SAIN 81.2

Verse 18: “And the building of the wall of it was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.”SAIN 82.1

JASPER.—“A precious stone of various colors, as purple, cerulean [sky-blue], green, etc.”—Greenfield. “Mostly green.”—Robinson. “Of a beautiful, bright green color, sometimes clouded with white, and spotted with red or yellow.”—Clarke.SAIN 82.2

No city on earth ever had a wall to compare with that. What a sight, to behold even a wall like that! But it is not the wall alone. He continues his description, verses 19, 20: “And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished [probably a base of a variety of mouldings of various shapes, here called the foundation] with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.”SAIN 82.3

To form some faint idea of this transcendently glorious appearing foundation to the wall, let us look at a description of these precious stones as found in small particles in this world. Jasper, one of the foundations of the wall, and of which the wall itself is composed, is described above.SAIN 82.4

SAPPHIRE.—“A precious stone of blue color, in various shades.”—Greenfield, Robinson. “A bright gem, properly of pure blue.”—Cobbin. “Perfectly transparent.”—Clarke. “Of a beautiful azure, or sky-blue color, almost as transparent and glittering as a diamond.”—Stuart.SAIN 82.5

CHALCEDONY.—“The name of a gem generally of a whitish, bluish, or smoky-green color, susceptible of a high and beautiful polish.”—Greenfield. Some Greek MSS. read “carbuncle” instead of chalcedony. CARBUNCLE.-“A very elegant gem of a deep red color, with an admixture of scarlet.SAIN 82.6

From its bright, lively color, it had the name Carbunculus, which signifies a little coal; because when held before the sun it appears like a bright burning charcoal.”—Clarke.SAIN 83.1

EMERALD.—“One of the most beautiful of all the gems, and is a bright green color, without any other mixture.”—Clarke.SAIN 83.2

SARDONYX.—“A precious stone, exhibiting a milk-white variety of the chalcedony, intermingled with shades or stripes of sardian or carnelian (flesh color).”—Robinson.SAIN 83.3

SARDIUS.—“A precious stone of blood-red, and sometimes flesh color.”—Greenfield.SAIN 83.4

CHRYSOLITE.—“Of a beautiful yellow color, and is so called by the ancients from its looking like a golden stone.”—Cobbin.SAIN 83.5

BERYL.—“Of a bluish green, and very brilliant.”—Cobbin.SAIN 83.6

TOPAZ.—“Topaz of the present day seems to be reckoned as yellow, but that of the ancients appears to have been green.”—Stuart.SAIN 83.7

CHRYSOPRASUS.—“Its color is commonly apple-green, and often extremely beautiful.”—Cleveland.SAIN 83.8

JACINTH.—“A precious stone of deep red, with a mixture of yellow. It is the same as the hyacinth, or cinnamon stone.”—Clarke.SAIN 83.9

AMETHYST.—“A pure rock-crystal, of a purplish-violet color, and of great brilliancy.”—Chambers.SAIN 83.10

Stuart says of these precious stones:—SAIN 83.11

“There is classification, therefore, in the arrangement; a mixture not dissimilar to the rainbow, with the exception that it is more complex.”SAIN 83.12

These precious stones, even placed in the light of our sun, would exhibit a scene of matchless splendor, but when we think that the glory of God which is to light that city so far excels the light of the sun that there is “no need” there of its light, we may indeed say, in the words of the poet:—SAIN 83.13

“Such dazzling views, by human sightSAIN 84.1

Have never yet been seen.”SAIN 84.2

Verse 21: “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.”SAIN 84.3

Here is gold that in value far surpasses all the treasures of earth. He who has an entrance into that city, entitled to a standing place on those streets, has that which is of more value than all the gold of Ophir. The loss of all things earthly he will then count but a trifle to have exchanged for such an inheritance.SAIN 84.4

Verse 23: “The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” The glory of God, as manifest in that city, will so far outshine the brightness of the sun, even when the prophet says that “the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven fold,” ^{6Isaiah 30:26.} that “the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” ^{7Isaiah 24:23.}SAIN 84.5

Verse 24: “And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.” This city, it seems, is to be the great metropolis of that new-earth kingdom. Into this capital all the nations of the saved shall come to offer their tribute of praise.SAIN 84.6

In Revelation 22, we have a description of the river of life that shall water this garden of God, “clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Every month the tree will yield a fruit, and as God’s saints, “from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another,” ^{8Isaiah 66:23.} come to worship before the Lord, they may obtain of the new store of fruit of the tree of life. Those who have been clothed with Christ’s righteousness, who are found walking in obedience to God’s commandments, as we learn in Revelation 22:14, are to “have a right to the tree of life,” and will “enter in through the gates into the city,” and participate in the joys of that eternal rest.SAIN 84.7

Thus we have briefly noted some of the numerous Bible testimonies which speak of the glorious “inheritance of the saints in light.” The meek shall, indeed, inherit the earth, as Christ has promised; but not till sin and the curse have been removed from the earth, and it shall stand forth again as beautiful and glorious as when it came fresh from the hand of its Creator, and he pronounced all, “Very good.” But you say, “Did not Christ say, ‘Great is your reward in heaven’?” Yes, there is a rich reward, “reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” ^{91 Peter 1:4, 5.} The saints of God are to reign with Christ in heaven for a thousand years; and then that heavenly city, with all its dazzling glory, as we have just seen from Revelation 21, is to come down, and be the capital of the earth restored. “But,” says another, “did not Paul say, ‘We have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens’?”—Yes, the building is eternal, and it is now in the heavens. He did not say it would eternally remain in the heavens. We have just seen from the word of the Lord that this city-building of God-is to come down, and be the tabernacle of God, on the new earth, when he shall dwell with men.SAIN 85.1

But you say, “Is this future inheritance of God’s people as literal as you have set forth? Does not the Bible say that ‘flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God’?”—Yes, it says so, and in the very next words it shows how literal beings, now composed of flesh and blood, will be fitted to inherit the kingdom: “Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” ^{101 Corinthians 15:50-52.} Our bodies are to be changed, and “fashioned like unto his glorious body.” ^{11Philippians 3:21.} His resurrected body was not flesh and blood, but it was “flesh and bones;” ^{12Luke 24:39.} and so, according to Ezekiel’s vision of the resurrection of God’s people, their bodies will be composed of flesh and bones, quickened by the Spirit of the living God.SAIN 86.1

“When we’ve been there ten thousand years,SAIN 86.2

Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise,
Than when we first begun.”SAIN 86.3

Who, after contemplating the joys of the world to come, does not feel to say,—SAIN 86.4

“O glorious hope; O blest abode;
May I be there, and like my God.” ^{13Ezekiel 37:1-14.}SAIN 86.5

All are invited to share in this glorious prize. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.” The city of God, with all its charms, welcomes us. “Whosoever will, let him come, and partake of the water of life freely.” It is for us to yield our will to the will of God; willing to be controlled by his truth. Accepting of Christ as our righteousness, and his Spirit as our source of strength-our continual helper-we may overcome, and inherit all these things. In Christ we find the three things which do, and forever will, satisfy the longings of the soul. These three are righteousness, eternal life, and the immortal inheritance. If we accept his righteousness-claiming it by faith-we will be made “partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust,” and in the end we shall participate in the joys of the redeemed hosts in the kingdom of our God-in the earth made new.SAIN 87.1

On the other hand, the Lord has said, “There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, ... but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” ^{14Revelation 21:27.}SAIN 87.2

Whatever may be our lot in this world, while trusting in God we may look forward to the blessed inheritance, knowing that there all earthly sorrows will cease, when that which is perfect shall come. It was on this wise that the ancient worthies, and the apostle of our Lord, could glory in tribulation. Moses counted “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” ^{15Hebrews 11:26.} Paul, although his bodily sufferings, enumerated on one occasion, ^{162 Corinthians 11:23-28.} seemed to be about all a mortal could endure, spoke of them as, “our light affliction, which is but for a moment,” which “worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” ^{172 Corinthians 4:16, 17.}SAIN 87.3

Earthly trials, temptations, and afflictions, cheerfully endured in Christ’s strength, work for us “patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts.” Those who thus stand may well join with the strain of the poet:—SAIN 88.1

“Why should I murmur or repine at hardship, grief, or loss?
They only will the gold refine, and purge away the dross.”SAIN 88.2

The time of our trial and probation here, compared with eternity is only a “moment.” The burden permitted by an all-wise Heavenly Father as our lot is “easy,” and “light,” when borne in Christ’s name; especially is this so when the bearer contrasts it with the “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” that awaits the faithful in God’s kingdom, so, clothed with “the garment of praise,” rejoicing in the “peace” which Christ so freely “gave” us, and “left” with us, we may ever say, as we strive on for the eternal prize, in the words of Henry F. Lyte:—SAIN 88.3

“The road may be rough, but it cannot be long;
I’ll smooth it with hope, and I’ll cheer it with song.”SAIN 88.4