GOD’S WORD FOR OCTOBER 23 ~ ~ Revelation 3:12 ~ ~ “The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.”
Today, while we’re on the subject of our eternal home, we’re going to see what another teacher and author from the 1800’s has to say about New Jerusalem. It’s from the book, “God’s Eagles” by George D. Watson.
(Believers will live in the New Jerusalem during the Millennium ~ ~ 1,000 years before the time of the final battle and creation of the new heavens and new earth. We will live in the New Jerusalem, which Jesus is making for us in heaven, while unbelievers will be living in the rest of the world. Jesus will rule over the entire world)
Watson will explain verses from this group below, describing the city made in heaven, but brought down to earth:
~ ~ Revelation 21:15-21~ ~ “The angel who spoke to me had a golden measuring rod with which to measure the city and its foundation stones and wall. 16 Now the city is laid out as a square, its length and width the same. He measured the city with the measuring rod at 1,500 miles (its length and width and height are equal). 17 He also measured its wall, 72 yards, according to human measurement, which is also the angel’s. 18 The city’s wall is made of jasper and the city is pure gold, like transparent glass. 19 The foundations of the city’s wall are decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls—each one of the gates is made from just one pearl! The main street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass. (New English translation because of the measurements and descriptions)
G. D. WATSON:
Notice the purity of the material of the city: “It is made of pure gold, like unto clear glass” For many years unbelievers disputed the reality of this inspired Scripture from the fact that gold is opaque, and how could a city made of gold be transparent? Many years ago, a great chemist in England purified gold to such a degree that it became transparent like clear glass, and on looking through it, it gave forth a beautiful green color. Thus science proved the infallible accuracy of God’s inspired word. God knew that gold could be made transparent, thousands of years before human science demonstrated the fact. Hence the city of the New Jerusalem will be transparent, notwithstanding it is made of gold.
In all creation no metal has been found so pure and fine as gold. It has a fineness that is almost beyond human comprehension. It is said that a block of gold an inch square can be hammered out into a thin veil that will cover an acre of land, and that it can be held in suspension. Scientists have found that there is gold in the sun. They can tell from the composition of its light; and gold is in the sea, and all through the earth, and in the composition of the stars. But no element has ever been discovered so fine as gold. Thus God will make the New Jerusalem of the purest material in all His vast creation, and of such degree of purity as to be transparent like clear glass. It is in agreement with this fact that saints are spoken of as being purified like fine gold. (our trials in life).
The apostle Peter speaks of having our faith like pure gold, (1Peter 1:7) for faith in the kingdom of heaven is just what gold is as a purchasing value on this earth. And the bride of Christ is described in the 45th Psalm as dressed in fine gold of Ophir. So there will be a correspondence between the purity of the city and the purity of the saints who are the inhabitants.
Next, notice the size of the city. “And the city lies foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth, 1500 miles. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.”
One corner of the city would be located in the state of MAINE, and another corner in southern FLORIDA, and a third corner in NEW MEXICO, and a fourth corner in NORTH DAKOTA!! and then the entire structure would rise in the sky 1500 MILES HIGH!!!!!
It is not so much the outside measurements of the city that make it so vast as it is the interior structure of the streets and apartments and mansions and every conceivable furnishing of glory and accommodation for the glorified saints. If we allow the streets of the city to be one mile apart, and one mile high over each other, it would amount to eight million miles of streets! But if we put the streets a quarter of a mile apart and a quarter of a mile over each other, it would amount to countless millions of miles. Then, if we allow the most ample space for each one of the glorified saints for a mansion, all the beings that have ever been born of the human race would only fill one corner of that structure. Thus there will be ample space for every saint to have a mansion of glory with conveniences and ornaments in some way representative of that individual’s character or life work; just as the crowns that the saints wear will in some way set forth their particular rank in the kingdom, and their special rewards, so the mansion of each glorified saint will indicate in some way the peculiarities in his life or experience or work. “In My Father’s house are many mansions,” And this is the Father’s house, and these the countless mansions in the house.
Revelation 21:11 says, “ having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.”
The apostle (John) says, in verse 11 (above) that this city has the glory of God: that is, the city is the center of divine glory and is filled with God’s glory, for the Lamb is the light of it; and it has no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God does lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof and the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of that city.—(see Revelation 21:23-24)
We must also remember that this city is a living organism the same as a human body is. We read of the pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb, and that this river runs all through the city and waters the tree of life, and supplies the whole city with water. (Jesus was no doubt thinking of this when He talked of Living Water)
The throne of the Lamb is in the center, and some have questioned, How can this pure river flow with equal facilities upwards, downwards, left or right, through every part of the city. This is explained by the fact that it will be a living organism. Look at our earth. The rivers both inside the earth and on the surface run every way, north, south, east, west, and down into the earth, and also gush up from the earth. Also, our human bodies are little, miniature worlds; in the center of the body is the heart, which is the source of life, sending out a river of blood with equal facility up to the head and down to the feet and out to the extremities, because it is a living organism and operates without any special reference to the law of terrestrial gravitation. The same will be true of the river of water in the New Jerusalem. It will flow every way with equal force. (Besides, it won’t be reliant on gravity with God in control)
All the streets of the city will be amply supplied with beautiful trees of life, and with every variety of fruit. At least twelve manner of fruit is spoken of in this Scripture.( see verse below) Every curse will be removed, and every blessing that the human imagination can conceive of will be in that city. It will be in fact the crown and the consummation of all the works of God in all the created universe.
The tree of life will yield twelve manner of fruits and yield us a new fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for healing of the nations. This word “healing” more literally should be translated “health-preserving” it does not imply that the nations will get sick, but it preserves health.
“And they shall see God’s face and the face of the Lamb, and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; and they shall reign for ever and ever. And He said to me (John) These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 22)
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He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Ps 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.