 
Illustration. The Holy City. "He looked for a city which hath foundations." Heb. 11:10. 1. What was one of Christ's parting promises to His disciples? “In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2. 2. What does Paul say God has prepared for His people? “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.” Heb. 11:16. 3. Where is this city, and what is it called? “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Gal. 4:26. 4. For what did Abraham look? “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Heb. 11:10. 5. What assurance has God given to believers? “God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.” Heb. 11:16. 6. What did John see concerning this city? “And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Rev. 21:2. [pg 779]
Illustration. [pg 780]The Descent Of The New Jerusalem. "And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven." Rev. 21:2. 7. How many foundations has this city? “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Verse 14. 8. What is the measurement of the city? “And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs.” Verse 16. Note.—The measure around it, as the words length and breadth, imply, and as was the early custom of measuring cities, is 12,000 furlongs. This is equal to 1,500 miles, 375 miles on each side, making a perfect square. The area of this city is therefore 140,625 square miles, or 90,000,000 acres, or 3,920,400,000,000 square feet. Allowing 100 square feet to each person, or a space ten feet square, the city would hold 39,204,000,000 persons, or twenty-six times the present population of the globe. 9. What is the height of the wall? “And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits.” Verse 17. Note.—One hundred and forty-four cubits are equal to 216 feet. 10. Of what material is the wall constructed? “And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.” Verse 18. 11. With what are the twelve foundations adorned? “And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.” Verses 19, 20. See Ex. 28:15-21; Isa. 54:11, 12. 12. Of what are the twelve gates composed? “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl.” Rev. 21:21. 13. What is written on these gates? “The names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.” Verse 12. 14. Of what are the streets of the city composed? “And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” Verse 21. 15. Why will this city have no need of the sun or moon? “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, [pg 781] 16. Why are its gates not to be closed? “And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.” Rev. 21:25. 17. What will be excluded from this city? “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.” Verse 27. 18. Who will be permitted to enter it? “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14. Note.—The late English and American revisions render this, “Blessed are they that wash their robes,” etc. The result is the same, for those who wash their robes cease to sin, and hence do God's commandments. 19. When this city becomes the metropolis of the new earth, what will be the condition of God's people? “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Rev. 21:4. 20. What will flow through the city? “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Rev. 22:1. 21. What stands on either side of the river? “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of Life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Verse 2. Note.—The tree of life which Adam lost through transgression is to be restored by Christ. Access to this is one of the promises to the overcomer. Rev. 2:7. Its bearing twelve kinds of fruit, a new kind each month, suggests a reason why in the new earth “from one new moon to another,” as well as “from one Sabbath to another,” all flesh is to come before God to worship, as stated in Isa. 66:22, 23. 22. What will be the privilege of those who enter there? “And they shall see His face.” Rev. 22:3, 4. See Matt. 5:8; Heb. 12:14; 1 Cor. 13:12. |
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