Today we will be finishing up chapter 21 of Revelation and our look at heaven. I’ve enjoyed our time looking at Heaven and also thinking about what it will be like to spend eternity in the presence of God. Today we will be looking at verses 19-27 and then tomorrow we will finish out the entire book with chapter 22. The study of Revelation has been very tough yet very rewarding for me. The book of Revelation is not just a revealing of the plan of Jesus Christ but also a revealing of the true heart of man, including the heart that beats inside of my own chest. The self-introspection throughout the study has been invaluable for me, I hope it has been for you as well. By the way, please be aware that all of the studies are always available at The5MC.com. If you missed any, want to revisit some, or if you want to share the entire study with family or friends, feel free! The website is free and has no ads. I built it, I own it, and I operate it and it’s all for you…enjoy!
Let’s dig into the last 8 verses of chapter 21 and part 2 of our glimpse of Heaven.
21:19 - “The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.”
John continues with his precise description of Heaven. We saw earlier in this chapter that the walls of the city were like diamonds and the city was as pure gold, so pure it was as clear glass. Now he adds that in addition to the calrity of the city, there is color. Lots of color. We mentioned before that the pure, intense light of God will permeate the diamond and pure clear gold and the city will shine like a million watt light bulb through a diamond disco ball. But now we get the image that there will also be color added to the mix. What a glory this will be to behold! John mentions jasper (pale brown/yellow), sapphire (blue), agate (various reds, browns and ivories), emerald (green), onyx (black with white veins), carnelian (red), chrysolite (yellow-green), beryl (yellowish), topaz (golden brown), chrysoprase (apple green), Jacinth (red-brown) and amethyst (purple).
Imagine the highest quality gems in all the colors of the rainbow set into the flawless diamond walls of the city. God’s magnificent glory will shine through them all and the result will be a kaleidoscope of awe-inspiring beauty. Folks, if you have called Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior…welcome to your eternal home!
21:20 – “ And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”
The single biggest pearls anyone will ever see reside in Heaven. And they will be the gates to the city, 12 of them to be precise. Do you recall how high the city walls were? In verse 21:16 we’re told the city’s dimensions are a cube that is 12,000 stadia which is 1380 feet sqaure. So folks, these pearls will be an astounding 1400 feet tall! That’s some really big pearls!
We also see here that the “street” is more of the pure gold we read about back in 21:18. A gold that is so pure it is clear. Notice here that is says street, not streets. The “street of the city.” I’m not sure what this means but this is an awful big city to have just one street. Maybe it is one really long meandering street that winds around all of Heaven. With only one street name in Heaven, it would sure make addresses easy!
21:22-23 - “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.”
This has to be the single most astounding fact of Heaven. One that is really hard for me to wrap my head around. The pure and Holy light of God will be all that is required in eternity. No sun, no moon, no stars, no electricity, no lamps, no fire, just the brightness of the perfect lamb, Jesus Christ. Wow.
21:24-26 - “By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.”
All those that have called upon the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior will walk in this wondrous light. All nations, all peoples; kings and paupers, they will all walk equally in the light of Jesus Christ. All peoples made one body by the blood of the lamb. What a truly glorious existence this will be. No death, no sin, no temptation, no tears, no hate, no anger and no war. No prejudice, no racism, no selfishness, no murder, no pride. Simply the children of God living together with their maker in a world of peace, harmony, and freedom. We will never see this environment on Earth, but one day, all believers will experience the amazing grace of Heaven, the home of God.
21:27 – “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.”
Once again we see a base qualifier for who will be able to enjoy this New Jerusalem. “ONLY those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Our world today is cleverly deceived with who will be allowed into Heaven. We’re told that being good will get you into Heaven. A bold lie. Who is “good enough?” Who decides that? God tell us “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” (Rom 3:10-12)
You see, there is a massive battle going on today. The Word of God is battling the lies of the devil that are woven into the world. People don’t fully know what God’s Word says about Heaven and they simply believe what they hear, not seeking the truth. Satan is tricking and deceiving countless people into missing Heaven because they believe the lie. But God is constantly reminding us. God does not want us to believe the lie but instead know the truth. We’re told here for the second time in chapter 21 exactly how and who will be allowed to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Folks, there is a way to get into Heaven and it is God’s way…period. You cannot be good enough, you cannot give enough, you cannot serve enough, you cannot take enough mission trips. You cannot love enough, you cannot pray enough, you cannot read your Bible enough and you cannot go to church enough. There is only one way to Heaven and it through placing your faith in Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)
Folks, don’t miss this absolute truth stated over and over and over in God’s Word…there is but one way to get to Heaven….Jesus Christ. Oh, if we could only get this message to the world today. The sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross and His being raised three days later did all the work that will ever need to be done for eternal salvation. All we have to do is believe and accept. Do you believe that Jesus died on that cross? Do you believe that he was buried and left alone in that tomb for three days? Do you believe that on that third day the stone was rolled away and He walked out of that tomb, alive and triumphant over the death of sin forever? Have you admitted that you will never be good enough on your own to enter into the presence of God in Heaven? Have you called out to the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from the eternal death of your sin? Have you cried out to King Jesus and accepted His sacrifice for you? Folks if your answer to all of these is yes, then you are a child of God and you will be allowed into the presence of God in Heaven. If you answered no to any of these or are just not sure, then your name is not in the book of life and you will not be allowed into heaven and the presence of God. God’s rules are simple, but they do not bend. There is but one way to the Heaven.
“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
Praise God for His precious Son Jesus Christ. Through Him, God made a way to heaven for all that believe in Him.
May all on this planet know the truth so that they can believe.
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