And I John Saw...

(Revelation 21:2) “And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem...”

Do we long for what John saw? What do we see in relation to what he saw? Do we right it off as artistic exaggeration or not? There seems to be many opinions on how one should read the book of Revelation and as a matter of fact the Bible on a whole. The only problem I have with trying to overanalyze scripture or look for what it does not say is that there is a danger of becoming wise in our own eyes. I do not trust my flesh and the way it loves to be proved right all the time, it seems to want to gloat, but it has nothing to do with righteousness, it may fall under its banner but the victory is claimed by the “pride of life”, we must guard our hearts from this evil. And once again I am not saying we must ever deviate from the truth of God’s Word, NEVER! It is the Word that will endure forever, opinions only last as long as they are voiced and then they die off and are soon forgotten. If we cannot stand for what we believe then we will be like chaff in the wind, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. However we must take heed that we do not allow pride to win the day. Personally I have settled on a literal understanding of scripture where and when possible i.e. if we examine these verses; “the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"’ (Revelation 4:7-8):- We see creatures created by God that we have never witnesses with our eyes and so we quickly explain them away as a reference to something else, we say it must means something deeper! All of scripture has deeper meaning when we unpack the truth of scripture, but why would we not want to look at the text and not accept it for what it says. Surely God with His majestic power could create a spiritual being with six wings and eyes all over its body even if the creature has a face of a man. Of course he is able and I believe that is exactly what He has done so when we get to heaven that is exactly what we will see, a spiritual being with eyes all over its body, with six wings and a face of a man. Another point in case would be this; “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:28-29):- If I took this literally then I would have been blind long ago, in fact many men would not have eyes. I accept the fact that at times we must also reason with a sound mind and in this instance I must understand that what I must appropriate in my life from this verse is to seek God’s face and to find grace to put off looking at woman with a lustful intent and keep myself from situations that would feed my mind in this area where possible. I now have an instruction from the Lord Jesus that gives me insight on what I should be on guard against. Where and when possible I look to unpack scripture literally, when this is not possible I then look for its deeper meaning. This is where I have settled when unpacking scripture. And obviously contextual exposition is key, do not take a verse out of context and then build a doctrine around it, this will often lead to heresy.

Back to my original question; do we long for what John saw? And herewith are some of Matthew Henry’s thoughts entwined with a few of mine: In this new world the apostle saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, not locally, but as to its original: this New Jerusalem is the church of God in its new and perfect state, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, God the Father has dressed the city (bride of Christ) and He has beautified it with all perfection of wisdom and holiness, It is all for His Son our Saviour with us the saints beneficiaries to His obedience. It measures forty-eight thousand furlongs, or 2400km. Here is enough room for all the people of God as there are many mansions in their Father's house. The foundation of the wall, for heaven is a city that hath her foundations; the promise and power of God, and the purchase of Christ, are the strong foundations of the church's safety and happiness. The foundations are described by their number - twelve, alluding to the twelve apostles whose gospel doctrines are the foundations upon which the church is built, Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; and, as to the matter of these foundations, it was various and precious, set forth by twelve sorts of precious stones, denoting the variety and excellency of the doctrines of the gospel, or of the graces of the Holy Spirit, or the personal excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ. Heaven is not inaccessible; there is a way opened into the holiest of all; there is a free admission to all those that are sanctified; they shall not find themselves shut out. All the true Israel of God (Christians all those who accept the lord Jesus as the true Messiah) shall have entrance into the New Jerusalem, as every tribe had into the earthly Jerusalem. With twelve angels guarding it’s entrances, to admit and receive the several tribes of the spiritual Israel and keep out others. With inscription on the gates, the names of the twelve tribes, to show that they have a right to the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city. Because of Christ' finished work on Calvary there is neither Jew nor Greek, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, nor free. Men of all nations, and languages, who believe on Christ, have by him access to God in grace here and in glory hereafter. These gates are crafted from pearl, and yet with great variety: Every gate one pearl, either one single pearl of that vast bigness, or one single sort of pearl. Christ is the pearl of great price, and he is our way to God. There is nothing magnificent enough in this world fully to set forth the glory of heaven. Could we, in the glass of a strong imagination, contemplate such a city as is here described, even as to the exterior part of it, such a wall, and such gates, how amazing, how glorious! Then inside the New Jerusalem we see its strong wall, and stately gates, and glorious guards; now we are to be led through the gates into the city itself; and the first thing which we observe there is the street of the city, which is of pure gold, like transparent glass, The saints in heaven tread upon gold. The New Jerusalem has its several streets. There is the most exact order in heaven: every saint has his proper mansion. There is converse in heaven: the saints are then at rest, but it is not a mere passive rest; it is not a state of sleep and inactivity, but a state of delightful motion: The nations that are saved walk in the light of it. They walk with Christ in white. They have communion not only with God, but with one another; and all their steps are firm and clean. They are pure and clear as gold and transparent glass. Nothing that looks to defile will have power over the saint’s incorruptible bodies anymore, what a glorious thought! No longer is there a need for a man made temple, as the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb is the temple. No sun or moon needed to give off its light as the radiance from God gives it light and its lamp is the Lamb, its gates will never be shut and there will be no night there. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, or anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Do you see the same city and is it the hope you yearn for with all of your heart, or is it just some exaggerated description of what seem to go over your head, something you do not give to much attention too, I pray not! It is as real as the air we breathe, and it is closer than we could ever begin to imagine. Time will eventually run its course and this New Heaven will eventually be ushered into existence by God. What a glorious day that shall be! May we learn to focus more on that which is eternal than that which is temporal.

Signing off

Tyrone