Christian is stated: "But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem," &c.* 11. "Having the glory of God," The visible manifestation of God's presence- the divine Shechinah: "And her light"-" her splendour"-" was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." The apostle expresses, as well as he can, the idea depicted in his mind by the heavenly sight; he compares it to what seemed most like it on earth. The city seemed to him, in the general view he first took of it, in appearance one most precious jewel; like a jasper, if you could add to that beautiful gem the bright transparency of crystal -or as some, with considerable probability, suppose, we are to understand by jasper stone clear as crystal — like a diamond. 12." 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." This bespeaks the city to be the abode of the mystic Israel, the hundred and forty and four thousand which were represented as sealed out of all the tribes of Israel: 14." And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and - or on them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." in". 66 Clearly telling us, that this city is the abode of that Heb. xii. Compare Rev. iii. 12. church which was built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. 15." And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof." This measuring, with such exactness, the holy city, speaks, to my mind, that this city is not a mere symbol of the church, as a woman or a bride might be, but is, in some sort, a model or actual representation of the future residence of the blessed : 16. "And the city lieth four-square, 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 an angel." Certainly great difficulties present themselves to our view, in the literal interpretation of this part of the vision; but no difficulties greater than might have been expected, when, to us on earth, some notion of heavenly things is attempted to be conveyed. It is not a city of this building, we are to recollect: it is the holy, the glorious habitation of spiritual beings, brought into contact with this earth on which we now dwell. John saw the representation of it in the vision, descending from heaven to earth: we need not, then, be surprised that the height of the fabric, as well as its length and breadth, should be noticed, which could not indeed apply to any earthly city. And taking the measure in its utmost extent, supposing the twelve thousand stadia to have measured but one side of the magnificent structure, and bearing in mind that these stadia together would be much more than a thousand miles; yet still, why should it be deemed incredible that God should construct such a mansion, or suspend it so as to come in contact with the earth? We are not obliged to suppose it constructed of the same materials as this earthly globe on which we dwell. It appears to the apostle as though it were all made of jewels; that is, he can compare it to nothing he, in common with his readers, had seen, but these most precious stones. 18." And the building of the wall of it was of jasper." As he had described its general appearance before like jasper, if you conceive to be added to that gem the brightness of crystal; in short, like diamond: and the city was pure gold, like unto glass; that is to say, if you could destroy the opacity of that beautiful metal, and give it the transparency of glass! 19." 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 chalcedony; the fourth an emerald; the fifth sardonyx; the sixth sardius; the seventh a chrysolite; the eighth beryl; the ninth a topaz; the tenth a chrysophrasus; the eleventh a jacinth; the twelfth an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every gate was one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." This language is certainly designed to convey to the waiting people of God a grand idea of this city, and, by a reference to earthly things, to enable them to form a high conception of the beauty and magnificence of this "mansion" of God" the heavenly Jerusalem." Of that better creation we can only be made to form any, even the most faint idea, by a comparison of things below. The fondness of the eastern nations for jewels and precious stones is well known; and indeed these beautiful productions have ever formed the admiration of mankind in every age and country. In this present creation, however, nature has been very sparing of these rich and beautiful productions; so much so indeed, that it requires the wealth of monarchs and of nations to accumulate any considerable portion of them. A piece of some of the gems, which are mentioned, that you could hold in your hand, could hardly be estimated at its proportionate value! But here is a whole city—a little world rather— built altogether of these precious materials! nay, with materials more beautiful still, with what looked like pellucid gold and diamond!! 22." And I saw no temple there; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." The immediate presence of God the Saviour renders the whole city a sanctuary. No part need be set apart from common uses, for all the employments and occupations of these blessed inhabitants are altogether holy, and they abide continually in the immediate presence of their Lord: 23. "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God lightened it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." Isaiah had prophesied respecting the restored Jerusalem: It shall not continue to be to thee the sun for a light by day, Nor on her shining shall the moon give light to thee. Thy sun shall no more go down, Nor shall thy moon be withdrawn. For Jehovah shall be to thee an everlasting light, We had reason to infer, from this and other prophecies, that the possession of "a light above the brightness of the sun," beaming from the manifested glory of Jehovah, would distinguish, in "the world to come," the site of the holy hills of Jerusalem, - the mountain of the Lord's house, occupied, as we learned in Ezekiel, by the buildings of a holy temple, and served by the Levitical priesthood. The circumstance that this mountain enjoys the same glorious light as the heavenly Jerusalem, and other hints scattered here and there in the sacred oracles, lead me to conclude, that there will be some sort of communication in this place between the spiritual world of saints that inhabit the beloved city and this holy temple at Zion, where earthly priests and ministers will keep the charge of the courts of the Lord, and worship at the door of his heavenly tabernacle. * So that of this mysterious spot all mankind will have to take up the language of the patriarch,-"How dreadful is this place!" "This is none other than the house of God! this is the gate of heaven!!" 24. "And the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the kings of the earth do bring their glory into it. And the gates thereof shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither worketh abomination or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." "The nations of them that are saved," I humbly con Compare Ezekiel. |