My Observations

Background knowledge: This is a prophetic book – can’t read it like it’s a history book. It’s symbolism. The New Jerusalem isn’t necessarily a cube because it’s described as one here. It’s a picture of the fullness of inclusion of all of God’s people. 12 x 12 x 12 in size like the twelve tribes and each wall measuring 144, which is 12 x 12. It’s the tribes multiplied 😊 Maybe we could say that’s us Gentiles being welcomed in.

I studied God’s glory on and off over a year. Its most basic definition is God’s light. Glory and light are connected in this section of Scripture. “…having the glory of God. Her light…” and “the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” Where glory is mentioned without light, it’s talking about the glory and honor of the nations, not God.

There are other prophecies, such as in Isaiah 30, about not needing light because God will be our light.

Questions:

There is also no temple because God AND the Lamb are its temple. Are they one?

What are these nations of those who are saved? Are there saved and unsaved nations?

The gates are always open but there is an angel at each gate. Do the gates need to be guarded? Is there a threat of anything evil getting in?

Repeated numbers: seven, three, twelve

Repeated words/phrases: measure, precious stones, jasper, pure gold, like clear/transparent glass

To be part of the bride you must have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

 

My Interpretations

7 is a number of perfection, completion. There was wrath stored up, enough to complete it. The bride is brought in before the wrath is poured out.

The bride, which is us, united as one Church, one Body, one temple, is not a cube, but we will be perfect in one, reaching the full measure of the stature of Christ because God is the one preparing His bride and He will do it perfectly.

“…those who are saved shall walk in its light…” We are in His light by being there. He is the light of the New Jerusalem.

Questions: If this New Jerusalem is on earth before there is a new heaven and new earth, then there could be a threat of evil, but those IN Christ will be guarded from it.

Having your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life is the most important thing.

 

All of the descriptions like clear, transparent, crystal, and all the precious stones are about letting God’s light shine through. The light is described in verse 11 as being “like a most precious stone.”

 

My Applications

Can you see that you are being built into this city, this temple, this Body, which is built with precious stones? I like to think of us all like stained glass windows. We each have our own uniqueness, but it’s not until the light shines through that our beauty shines. Even if another “window” had the same picture, it is still made up of different glass and is in a different place, so the light shines through differently. We are each uniquely beautiful in Christ because of His unique design for each of us and His unique love/light for each of us. We shine by being in Christ. We walk in His light by abiding in Christ. Our part is to live in relationship with Him through the Spirit in us.

What’s the importance of being IN Christ? What does it mean to be IN Christ? (saved, protected…having Christ’s righteousness not our own by the great life exchange of the cross and resurrection of Christ’s life in us by the Spirit)