New Jerusalem

[Ovedya]

Okay.  Then please explain why God would have the need of a city composed entirely of the riches of the earth.

I don't know.

I do know that He used to walk with Adam in the Garden of Eden. He also said what he made was very good. Maybe he just likes all that He has created, and He enjoys our companionship.

don't know.

It must be that those material are significant in some other way than merely what they are - shiny and pretty.

If you examine the materials in the city in a deeper way you would find that they have great spiritual significance. For example, gold signifies God's divine nature. Pearl signifies the death of Christ, japser signifies the transformation work of the Holy Spirit, etc. We cazn get very deep into these dimple items and uncover great spiritual significances from them. Likewise with how the city iteslf is constructed. The foundations of the walls are adorned with precious stones, and they have the names of the apostles on them. This signifies that the building work of the city walls, which are for protection, were founded upon the work of the apostles, through the transofrming work of the Holy Spirit. You see?

There are twelve gates to the city, each made of a single pearl. On these gates is inscribed the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. This signifys that Isreal itself is the entrance into the city. Pearl signifies the death of Christ. We can see that in how a pearl is formed. A pear is formed when a grain of sand essentially infects an oyster. The oyster forms a pearl around the grain of sand through a biological process to protect itself. When the Lord was on the cross all the sins of the world were laid upon His shoulders. Through His death sin and death were nullified. But not only that, the soldier pierced His side, and out flowed blood and water. The blood is for the remissions of sins, and the water is for the building up of the church. Through that continual flow of blood and water throughout the ages all the all the redeemed and regenerated believers, having become one with Israel, have been built up to become the entrance into the city.

There is but one single street in the city, which runs from the throne of God out to the gates. In the middle of the street is a river of crystal clear and pure water. On the side of the river is a tree which produces twelve fruits. The thone signifies God the Father, the river signifies the Holy Spirit, and the tree signifies Christ, who is the tree of life. Therefore, we see the picture of the Triune God as the central element in the city of God. The throne is for God's administration, the river is to flow all the riches of God and Christ, and the tree is for life.

This is just a brief sample of some of the deep riches we can get from the simple descriptions of the New Jerusalem. The further we examine the items of the city, the more "nuggets" we get from them.

So, you see, the New Jerusalem need not be merely a place where God's people dwell in God's eternal kingdom. Rather, the New Jerusalem consumates all the items that we find in the Scriptures including the river and the tree in Genesis, and God's work of dispensing Himself into His people as life, to build up the church, which is His Bride. In this case, as with many things in the Scriptures, we need "divine eyes" to see the deeper significances.

[traveller]

Excellent post God-man! One of your best.

[2bba]

Isa 55:

8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.

9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Amen!

"4th primary color" Great example.

"Somewhere over the rainbow"

[2bba]

In this case, as with many things in the Scriptures, we need "divine eyes" to see the deeper significances.

I don't doubt that there will be more than meets the eye, I don

[nebula]

This city is definitely Not symbolic its a real physical city

So, are you saying, then, that Christ will have two brides? The Church and the City?