The Wonders Of The City Of God

And there came unto me one of the seven angels 

which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, 

and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will 

shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he 

carried me away in the spirit to a great high 

mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 

having glory of God: and her light was like unto

 a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, 

clear as crystal; 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. 

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, 

and in them the names of the twelve apostles

 of the Lamb. 

Revelation 21:9-15 

     Let us be reminded that Revelation is written in symbols and metaphors so as to be able to describe the indescribable. When we forget this we often create false teaching, or even heresy. When, as it often is being done, and has been done, to make literal that which is only a symbol, or a metaphor, or even an hypertrophy, then all that is being done is to distort the truth or what God is revealing to us humans. For instance when I wrote the words from John's vision about tears, pain, death, mourning, or even crying, or distress that they shall be no longer an affliction to man, we must understand that there is a two-fold meaning in those words given to John. First, nowhere in the Bible are we told that we will not, after the coming of Jesus Christ on the last day that will be something other than human. Yes, things will be different, we will not corrupted, we will have a new: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" (1Corinthians 15:53-54). The Greek word translated incorruptible is a good translation as it carries the meaning being immortal and the word from which it is derived means to be wasted, shrivel, or ruin, or destroyed. The word of God is the incorruptible seed (1Peter 1:23). Sin resulted in death, therefore sin came by man and man has and is infected by this original sin that changed the soul of man to no longer desire to follow God. This changes when a person, by the gift of faith given to man who hears and answers the call of God to repent that by the life of Jesus Christ and their faith, and belief in Jesus Christ that sin no longer has complete hold on them. Now, after the coming of Jesus on the last day and those faithful followers of God, the New Jerusalem, the holy city of God, the place where God resides, has a change in their soul, and death no longer holds them fast, they no longer desire sin, but to follow God. Mourning come to a person by means of several events, death of a loved one, or loss of a job, or friend, or even a sickness, all cause mourning and all this is caused by the world being under the affects of sin. Sin being gone, well, there will be no reason to mourn. Pain is not just from some physical malady as it has more to do with the brain. The wasting away of our bodies now in this life will no longer have the affects of sin causing this wasting away so physical pain will no longer be present. The mental aspect of pain will have nothing to cause this mental pain, there will be no pain. God is making all things new, that is you, that is if your name is written in the Book of Life. 

     This city coming down out of heaven is another metaphor, a symbol of the city of God, that is Authentic Christians, and this we know for this city has the glory of God. No inanimate object has the glory of God, albeit, it does show the glory of God. Only man can have the glory of God and this is describe by the use of precious jewels. You are as a precious jewel to God. God purpose for making man will then be accomplished and as Jesus said: "It is finished." It is done. This city has as its foundation the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and this foundation is the teaching of those apostles, those men inspired to reveal to us the will of God for His children. Do not look for a literal city: you are that city! You became that city when you repented and put true faith in Jesus Christ. This world is not our home, we are just passing through, our treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heavens open door and I don't feel at home in this world anymore. This as that old Christian song proclaimed and that proclamation is truth. 

    Here from Michangelo is this poem:

"The prayers I make will then be sweet 

     indeed,

  If Thou the spirit give by which I pray;

  My unassisted heart is barren clay,

Which of its native self can nothing feed; 

of good and pious works Thou are the 

    seed.

  Which quickens where Thous say'st it

    may;

  Unless Thou show is then Thine own 

     true way,

 No man can find it! Father, Thou must

     lead!

Do Thou, then, breathe those thoughts 

    into my mind

  By which such virtue may in me be bred

      That in Thy holy footsteps I may tread:

The fetters of my tongue do Thou unbind,

    That I man have the power to sing of 

    Thee

 and sound Thy praises everlastingly.

 You are now a precious jewel of God

Richard L. Crumb