Thursday, December 11, 2008

The one who spoke with me had a measuring rod made of gold, in order that he might measure the city, its gates and its wall. The City Is Laid out Square; its length is equall to its width. He measured the city with the rod; it was 12,000 stadia, The Length, Width And Height Equal. He measured its wall, 144 cubits according to the measure of a man, which the angel was using. The material of the wall is jasper, and the city is pure gold as transparent as glass. Rev. 21:15-18.

The Bible is like a gigantic cycle: it begins with a beautiful palce of safetly and security(Gen. 1:2); sin, doubt, and disobedience come in(Gen. 3); then we follow the story of sin and disobedience from the beginning(Gen. 3) to the end(Rev. 20). The New Jerusalem narrative attempts to describe the peace, security, and safety that will be in place after the destruction of sin(Rev. 21). Scripture would not present a complete picture without the book of Revelation, nor would Revelation be complete without these last two important chapters.

Is the New Jerusalem a literal city like those today? Or is it symbol of an indescribable reality? If it is like ancient Jewish pictures of the glorious future, it is more symbolic than literal. God did not intend it to satisfy the reader's curiosity about the architecture of the future, but to teach spiritual lessons that will change lives today.

Tobit(in the Apocrypha), for example, describes an end-time Jerusalem whose gates consist of sapphire and emerald, and whose walls and streets are embedded with precious stones(Tobit 13:21, 22, Douay; 13:17, LXX). But this description is just one of many things for which Tobit praises GOd (Tobit 13:1, Douay). Isaiah predicts foundations of sapphire, jeweled gates, and walls of precious stones(Isa. 54:11, 12), but they too are there for praise(Isa. 60:10-18, especially verse 18). Zechariah, on the other hand, predicts that Jerusalem will be without walls, because the Lord will be a wall of fire around it(Zech. 2:4, 5). So to assume that all of this description is meant as literal is questionable.

What relavance does the vision have for us in a skeptical age? The images are those of the author's time and place, but the central theme is clear. Everything that human beings have hoped and dreamed for is attained, not by human effort, but in relationship with the Lamb. And that relationship begins now. The vision of the future New Jerusalem keeps our minds and heart focused on the one thing that really matters.

Lord, help me to remember every day that paradise is not a Caribbean island, that the ideal city is not Hollywood, but that I willl find the ultimate hopes and dreams of my life in relationship with You.

"Pray to thy Father which is in secret." In the name of Jesus we may come into God's presence with the confidence of a child. No man is needed to act as a mediator. Through Jesus we may open our hearts to God as to one who knows and loves us(TFMB 84).