The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

THE NEW JERUSALEM

Revelation 21:1-2, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.”

The New Jerusalem enjoys a detailed description (21:9-14). The Glory of the LORD is everywhere! The City’s brilliance is like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper (v. 11). Her walls speak of separation (v. 12a, “It had a great and high wall…”). Her gates beckon with invitation (vv. 12b-13, “…with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel…”

The City’s 12 gates demonstrate sufficiency of entry, as well as the sufficiency of guardianship. Her foundations betoken the Gospel (21:14, “And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb…” Paul, in Ephesians 2:20, speaks of the Church as “…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone…”

The dimensions of the City are impressive! When the Holy of Holies was in the wilderness Tabernacle of the Old Testament, it measured 10 cubits by 10 cubits by 10 cubits (with a cubit equaling approximately 18 inches). Later in the Temple, the Holy of Holies was increased in

size to 20 cubits by 20 cubits by 20 cubits. Now the measurement of this Celestial City translates into 1500 miles by 1500 miles by 1500 miles. By calculation, that equals 3,375,000,000 cubic miles! An airplane flying at 36,960 feet high (7 miles) is only 1,493 miles short of the size of the City of New Jerusalem. Believe it– this is some spacious place!

Further, it is a City of splendorous beauty! The walls are constructed of Jasper, that speaks of holiness (21:18a). The LORD’s holiness separates out evil from good. The City itself is made of gold, refined so well that it is fully transparent. Its foundation is encrusted with an aggregate of 12 precious stones (21:19-20) that clustered the foundation of Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 7:9-12). Interestingly, too, they are same kind of stones that splendored Lucifer prior to his fall (Ezk. 28:12-13); and they were the stones that graced the breastplate of the High Priest (Ex. 39:9-14) representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

Yet, the splendor and glory of the City is dwarfted by the peace and security it offers its occupants. Each of the 12 gates is of pearl and offers a symbolic protective entrance into the City. Pearls derive from oysters. They protect the oyster from foreign invasion; thus, every entrance into this City is through sacrifice. It’s appropriate, because without the death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus, no one would be saved, and the City would have little-to-no meaning. Simultaneously, the gates speak symbolically of security. They are always open; and it is “everlasting life” that is the insurance of each occupant (Jn. 3:16; 10:28-30).

Nor is it strange that the City has no Temple; for the LORD God Almighty and the Lamb are its Temple. Just as God now dwells in the spiritual church, His Temple (Gk. naos, “sanctuary” (1 Cor. 3:17; 6:19), so the Church when perfected shall dwell in Him as her “temple.” God was in Christ for man; now it is for man to be in Christ for God.

As the Holy Place was protected for purity, the New Jerusalem admits only those who are pure. “…and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (21:27). Purity always excludes whatever is not. The immoral and dishonest will be excluded from this City. All the filth of Old Jerusalem was carried outside the walls and burned; and nothing defiled shall enter the Heavenly City (22:15). Simultaneously, purity is often inclusive. The only ones permitted to enter this City will be those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life!

Is your name written there,

On the page white and fair?

In the book of Thy Kingdom,

Is your name written there?

I sincerely trust that your name is there in God’s Book of Life. Mine is; and yours can be, too.

Of course, we don’t deserve it. No one does! Yet, the LORD who loves us has made it possible.

Don’t chance it! Make certain today –right now! Confess your sins to the LORD and ask His forgiveness. Trust Him to forgive you. Believe Him for what He promises, and thank Him for making salvation possible and for Eternal Life in the New Jerusalem! God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

thank you for helping to enlarge the place of our habitation (Acts 17:26-27).

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”