SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/3/2015
11:25 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-3 The
Exterior Design
Bible Reading 7 Meditation Reference: Revelation
21:12-21a
Message of the
verses: “12 It had a great and high
wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written
on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13
There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates
on the south and three gates on the west. 14 And the wall of the city had
twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb. 15 The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to
measure the city, and its gates and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a
square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with
the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. 17
And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements,
which are also angelic measurements. 18 The material of the wall was jasper;
and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundation stones of the
city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation
stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth,
emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the
sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz;
the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And
the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl.”
We are looking at what the angel measured; noting from
our last SD that what was measured belonged to the Lord. He next measured the city wall and it was at
seventy-two yards, which most likely is the thickness of it. Remember it is fifteen hundred miles in
length, width, and height so a good foundation is a necessity and this one
would be 216 feet across. John tells us
that the measurements for humans and angels was the same.
Next we look at the material that the massive city wall
was made out of and that is jasper which is the same diamond like stone that we
saw mentioned in verse eleven: “having
the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of
crystal-clear jasper.” The walls and the
city will be transparent looking like clear glass. This will be done to radiate the glory of the
Lord. John MacArthur writes “Some may be
concerned that the city’s translucence will preclude any privacy. There is nothing in heaven, however, that
calls for privacy.”
John then writes about the foundation stones of the city
wall and he does it in amazing detail.
He writes that the “were adorned with every kind of precious stone.” Eight of these foundation stones are mounted
in the priest’s breastpiece which is seen in Exodus 28:17-20 and also
39:10-13. I am not going to go over
these different stones as many of them I do not understand or every heard of.
Next we look at the twelve gates which are twelve
pearls. I remember very early in my
Christian life we were studying the book of Revelation and when we got to this
part one of the Pastors who was there made a comment that these gates of pearl must
have come from some very big oysters. John
MacArthur writes that these pearls were nothing like those that come from
oysters for these gates are 1400 miles in height. He then goes on to write “There is a
spiritual truth illustrated by the fact that the gates were made of pearls as
John Phillips explains: ‘How
appropriate! All other precious gems are
metals or stones, but a pearl is a gem formed within the oyster—the only one
formed by living flesh. The humble oyster
receives an irritation or a wound, and around the offending article that has
penetrated and hurt it, the oyster builds a pearl. The pearl, we might say, is the answer of the
oyster to that which injured it. The
glory land is God’s answer, in Christ, to wicked men who crucified heaven’s
beloved and put Him to open shame. How
like God it is to make the gates of the new Jerusalem of pearl. The saints as they come and go will be
forever reminded, as they pass the gates of glory, that access to God’s home is
only because of Calvary. Think of the
size of those gates! Think of the supernatural pearls from which they are
made! What gigantic suffering is
symbolized by those gates of pearl!
Throughout the endless ages we shall be reminded by those pearly gates
of the immensity of the sufferings of Christ.
Those pearls, hung eternally at the access routes to glory, will remind
us forever of One who hung upon a tree and whose answer to those who injured
Him was to invite them to share His home.”
With that we end this portion of our Spiritual Diary for today.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: All I can say is that
those pearly gates truly have a new meaning for my life today.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord to cause me to praise Him for
what Christ did for me on the cross.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Azotus” (Acts 8:27, 40).
Today’s Bible question: “Which of Joseph’s brothers suggested they
sell him to the Ishmaelite?”
Answer in our next SD.
11/3/2015 11:59 AM
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