Chapter Forty-Three/The Resplendent City - A Light for the Nations -Conclusion

 Who, are the "kings of the earth" who "bring their glory into it"? They are not the literal kings of the earth as a group, for they go down to destruction fighting against God's Kingdom at Armageddon. (Revelation 16:15,16; 19:17,18) Could the kings be some high-ranking ones of the nations who become a part of the great crowd, or are they resurrected kings who submit to God's Kingdom in the new world? (Matthew 12:42) Hardly, because for the most part, the glory of such kings was worldly and has long since faded. "the kings of the earth," then, who bring their glory into New Jerusalem must be the 144,000 who are "bought . . . out of every tribe and tongue and people and nations" to rule as kings with the Lamb, Jesus Christ. (Revelation 5:9, 10, 22:5) They bring their God-given glory into the city to add to its radiance.

John continues: "But anything not sacred and anyone that carries on a disgusting thing and a lie will in no way enter into it; only those written in the Lamb's scroll of life will." (Revelation 21:27) Nothing tainted by Satan's system of things can be a part of New Jerusalem. Even though its gates are permanently open, no one who " carries a disgusting thing and a lie" will be allowed to enter. There will be no apostates in that city or any members of Babylon the Great. And if any try to desecrate the city by corrupting its future members while they are on earth, their efforts will be brought to nothing. (Matthew 13:41-43) Only those "written in the Lamb's scroll of life," the 144,000 will finally enter into New Jerusalem." - REVELATION 13:8; DANIEL 12:3. 

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Chapter Forty-Three/The Resplendent City - A Light for the Nations

This same prophecy also foretold: "And nations will go to your light, and kings to its brightness of your shining forth."  (Isaia 60:3) Revelation shows that these words would include New Jerusalem: "And the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. And its gates will not be closed at all by day, for night will not exist there. And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it." - REVELATION 21:24-26. 

Who are these "nations" walking by means of the light of New Jerusalem? They are people, once a part of the nations of this wicked world, who respond to the light shed through this glorious heavenly city. Foremost among them are the great crowd, who have already come out of "all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues" and who worship God day and night in company with the John class. (Revelation 7:9, 15) After New Jerusalem comes down from heaven and Jesus uses the keys of death and Hades to resurrect the dead, they will be joined millions more, originally from the "nations," who come to love Jehovah and his Son, the Lamblike Husband of New Jerusalem. -REVELATION 1:18. 

Next time: Chapter Forty-Three/The Resplendent City- A Light for the Nations - Conclusion

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Chapter Forty-Three/The Resplendent City - A City of Light - Conclusion

 When Jehovah's glory passed by Moses on Mount Sinai, it caused Moses' face to shine so brightly that he had to cover it from his fellow Israelites. (Exodus 34:4-7, 29, 30, 33) Can you imagine, then, the brightness of a city that is permanently lighted up with Jehovah's glory? Such a city could have no nighttime. It would have no need of a literal sun or moon. It would be eternally shedding light. (Compare 1 Timothy 6:16) New Jerusalem is bathed in that kind of radiant brilliance. Indeed, this bride and its Bridegroom King become the capital of Jehovah's universal organization-his "woman," The Jerusalem above"-concerning which Isaiah prophesied: "For you the sun will no more prove to be a light by day, and for brightness the moon itself will no more give you light. And Jehovah must become to you an indefinitely lasting light, and your God your beauty. No more will your sun set, nor will your moon go on the wane, for Jehovah himself will become for you an indefinitely lasting light, and the days of your mourning will have come to completion." - ISAIAH 60:1, 19, 20; GALATIONS 4:26.

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Chapter Forty-Three/The Resplendent City - A City of Light

 In Solomon's time, Jerusalem was dominated by a temple built at the city's highest elevation on Mount Moriah to the north. But what of New Jerusalem. John says: "And I did not see the temple in it, for Jehovah God the Almighty is its temple, also the Lamb is. And the city has no need of a sun nor of a moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God lighted it up, and its lamp was the Lamb." (Revelation 21:22, 23) In truth there is no need to construct a literal temple here.  The ancient Jewish temple was just a pattern, and the reality of that pattern, the great spiritual temple, has existed since Jehovah anointed Jesus as High Priest in 29 C.E.(Matthew 3:16, 17; Hebrews 9:11, 12, 23, 24) A temple also presupposes a priestly class offering sacrifices to Jehovah on behalf of the people. But all those who are part of New Jerusalem are priests. (Revelation 20:6) And the great sacrifice, Jesus' perfect life, has been offered once for all time. (Hebrews 9:27, 28) Moreover, Jehovah is personally accessible to everyone living in that city. 

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Chapter Forty-Three/The Resplendent City- Precious Building Materials -Conclusion

 No human smelter could produce gold of such purity. But Jehovah is the Master Refiner. He sits "as a refiner and cleanser of silver," and he refines the individual, faithful members of the spiritual Israel "like gold and like silver, removing from them all impurities. Only individuals who have truly been refined and cleansed will finally make up New Jerusalem, and in this way Jehovah builds the city with living building materials that are aglow with the highest excellence of spiritual purity. - MALACHI 3:3, 4.

Even the city's foundations are beautiful, being adorned with 12 precious gems. This calls to mind the ancient Jewish high priest, who on ceremonial days wore an ephod studded with 12 different stones somewhat similar the ones described here. (Exodus 28:15-21) Surely this is not coincidence! Rather, it emphasizes the priestly function of New Jerusalem,  of which Jesus, the great High Priest, is the "lamp." (Revelation 20:6; 21:23; Hebrews 8:1) Also, it is through New Jerusalem that the benefits of Jesus' high-priestly ministry are channeled to mankind. (Revelation 22:1,2) The city's  12 gates, each being a pearl of great beauty, call to mind Jesus' illustration that likened the Kingdom to a pearl of high value. All who enter through those gates will have shown true appreciation for spiritual values. - MATTHEW:45, 46; compare Job 28:12, 17, 18. 

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Chapter Forty-Three/The Resplendent City- Precious Building Materials

John continues his description: "Now the structure of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold like clear glass. The foundation of city's walls were adorned with every sort of precious stone: the first foundation was jasper. the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald. the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh crysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysophase, the eleventh  hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. Also, the twelve gates was made of one pearl. And the broad way of the city was pure gold, as transparent glass." -REVELATION 21:18-20.

The city's construction is truly resplendent. Instead of mundane, earthly building like clay or stone, we read of jasper, refined gold, and "every sort of precious stone" How fittingly these portray celestial building materials! Nothing could be more magnifieent,  The ancient ark of the covenant was overlaid with pur gold and in the Bible this element often represents things that are good and valuable. (Exodus25:11; Proverbs 25:11; ISAIAH 60:6, 17) But the entire New Jerusalem, and even its broad way, are constructed of :pure gold like clear glass," portraying a beauty and intrinsic value that staggers the imagination. 

Next time: Chapter Forty-Three/The Resplendent City - Precious Building Materials 

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