seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 21:9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[c] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits[d] thick.[e] 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[f] 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
c. Revelation 21:16 That is, about 1,400 miles or about 2,200 kilometers
d. Revelation 21:17 That is, about 200 feet or about 65 meters
e. Revelation 21:17 Or high
f. Revelation 21:20 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain
This is about the city and the church. The city is magnificent. It would stand after Godzilla faces off with Kong. I mean it's built of precious metals and stones. The walls go for hundreds of miles from corner to corner..... and the walls are 200 foot tall. It is magnificent. It was built in Heaven.... the best craftsmen are in Heaven. They love their work.... so it's a league ahead of anything made by paid workers. God created the precious metals and stones so there is no shortage of supplies..... and God controls time.... so there are no last minute details to be cleaned up when it gets to earth. All the punch lists will be complete.
This city doesn't have street lamps.... well maybe in the museum.... because there is no night. This city has gates.... but they are always open.... because there is no temptation.... no bandits or foreign governments to keep out. This city has no Temple.... because the whole city is all about God! There is nothing more thrilling than God. This city is the Temple.
I can imagine.... walking down the street in Heaven... or New Jerusalem.... either will be brilliant.... and as I walk.... God passes me... or Jesus.... and I am perfectly allowed to say "Jesus, answer this question for me".... and He will..... He controls time.... so He has all the time in the world [or out of the world too] to talk to His humans.
It says in the commentaries that the church is the Bride. Let's stop thinking about a bride in a white gown and long veil..... that's not the meaning of "bride" this is talking about. I'm an old woman. I've been married twice. I've been a bride.... once without a real husband and once to my hubby of 35 years..... who loves me dearly. The first time I got married.... it was all pomp.... I wore a white mini-skirt and a short veil. We were married in my uncle's church. He said the vows.... and then I got sick on champagne..... and my ex told me "you're a wife now.... you have to clean it up". Oh brother. My second try was in front of the Justice of the Peace.... in blue jeans.... and we've been together for 35 years. If I get sick.... he brings me a cool cloth for my forehead and takes over the clean up of the mess. Marriage is partnership.... the dress and the ceremony.... well they are not necessary in New Jerusalem..... because money isn't necessary.
I got ordained a couple years ago. I did it so that I could perform marriage ceremonies for those who can't afford all that pomp and circumstance. I did it for all those who don't "measure up" to the standards of the current church. There are a lot of people who are not allowed to marry in the church. Once I was ordained, I started reading about marriage ceremonies around the world... past and present. In the days when John was around.... faithfulness was tried before the marriage. Got your eye on a guy.... and the guy has his eye on you...... get married..... but first.... the hubby has to leave..... and you have to prove your desire to spend the rest of your life together.... by being faithful to the guy while he's gone.... then when he comes back.... then you can be together forever and a day. I wish we did it this way still.... but... thankfully.... in the New Jerusalem.... we won't have to worry about that.... because it's Heaven.... and everybody is faithful in Heaven!
No more church buildings.... but everyone loves God. No more church buildings.... but God is on our minds all the time..... and everyone enjoys it!
I was raised a Southern Baptist.... I love going to church. There have been times when I wished I never had to leave to go home. In the New Jerusalem.... that wish will come true.... I will live in church..... and Jesus will be there.... and I can ask Him anything..... because I love Jesus and He loves me.... how awesome.
I won't care if the New Jerusalem doesn't have a church steeple on any of it's corners..... because in Heaven.... there is no need for a Temple.
