More Jewell Foundations to the Wall Revelation 21:20

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. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the city lies foursquare, 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. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald”, and in Revelation chapter twenty-one and verse twenty John sees more “precious stones” that make up the city's foundations where we read:

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.

The verse reads, “The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; ” John began with the words, “the fifth” which means “the fifth substructure”, “sardonyx” or “a precious stone marked by the red colors of the carnelian (sard) and the white of the onyx”; “the sixth” which means “the sixth substructure”, “sardius” or “a precious stone of which there are two types, the former is called a carnelian (because flesh colored) and the latter a sard”; “the seventh” or “the seventh substructure”, “chrysolite” which means “a precious stone of golden color”; “the eighth” or “the eighth substructure”, “beryl” which means “a precious stone of a pale green color”. John looked upon these glorious “stones” which were used for the foundations of the “heavenly city”.

The verse goes on to say, “the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.” John added the words, “the ninth” which means “the ninth substructure”, “a topaz” which means “a greenish yellow precious stone (our chrysolite)”; “the tenth” which refers to “the tenth substructure”, “a chrysoprasus” which means “a stone of green color, inclined to that of gold, from whence it has its name; for this is agate in the breast plate, which was Naphtali's stone.”; “the eleventh” or “the eleventh substructure”, “a jacinth” which means “hyacinth, the name of a flower, also of a precious stone of the same color, a dark blue verging on black”; “the twelfth” or “the twelfth substructure”, “an amethyst” which means “a precious stone of a violet and purple colour ”. John observed all these beautiful “precious stones” used for the foundations of the “heavenly city”.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we see how “precious stones” are easily accessible for God. These “jewels” that we so admire in their much smaller sizes are employed for the “substructure” or “foundation” of God's “heavenly city”. This speaks to His greatness and wonder as He makes use of “valuable” stones stacked one upon another to set the base of this wonderful structure. God considers people one of His greatest treasures, as Peter the apostle wrote in chapter one and verse five of his letter, “You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” God desires to have every person be a part of His “spiritual house” through a relationship with His Son Jesus, and all who receive Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” shall not only see this beautiful “heavenly city”, but they shall be a part of His “Heavenly Kingdom” as well.

Next time John shares how “the twelve gates were twelve pearls”, 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.