After
all the events of the tribulation period, the millennial reign of
Jesus and the “Great
White Throne”
judgment, John the apostle wrote, “And
I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John
saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” John
added how God will wipe away all tears and allow “no
more death, sorrow, crying or pain”,
and He is to make “all
things new”.
He also gave a warning to those who are “fearful,
and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers,
and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in
the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second
death”,
and he continued, “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
here, I will show your 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”. In
Revelation chapter twenty-one and verse fourteen John shares how,
“the
wall of the city had twelve foundations”
where
we read:
And
the wall of the city had twelve foundations,
and
in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The
verse reads, “And
the wall of the city had twelve foundations,”
John began with the words, “and
the wall”
which means “the wall around the city or town wall” “of
the city”
or “belonging to the dwelling place called heavenly Jerusalem”
“had twelve foundations”
which means “held, owned and possessed twelve beginnings, first
principal and subscriptions”. John saw the “twelve first
subscriptions” of the heavenly “city”.
The
verse continues, “and
in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”
John added the words, “and
in them”
which means “within the twelve foundations” “the
names”
which means “the words used for everything which the name covers,
everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by
mentioning, hearing and remembering” “of
the twelve apostles”
or “pertaining to the twelve delegates, messengers and ones sent
forth” “of
the lamb”
which refers to “belonging to the little lamb or Jesus”. The
“twelve
foundations”
were named after the “twelve
apostles”
of Jesus.
When
we think through John's words in this verse, we consider the number
“twelve” which is employed to denote human government in the
scriptures. God chose “twelve foundations” which were to
be named after the “twelve apostles” to be the base
structure for His “heavenly city, “the New Jerusalem”.
God's plan is unveiled as He reveals the particulars of this
wonderful structure, and it demonstrates His planning for the
“salvation” of man. God desires to have a relationship with every
person through His Son Jesus, and these “apostle named foundations”
are only the beginning of that which shall be disclosed to those who
believe and trust in Him.
Next
time
John shares how the one who talked to him, “had
a golden reed to measure the city”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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