REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 21.19

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

 

Chapter Twenty-One

The Eternal State

New Jerusalem – The City of God

(Blueprints of the City)

Continued…

 

 

Review

In the previous study, John interacted with an angel who measured New Jerusalem. Its measurements were so immense that one-fourth of the world’s redeemed populations could comfortably dwell in this perfect symmetric cubed city. Having a structure of two million, two hundred and fifty thousand square miles, there is enough room to accommodate six hundred floors.

 

Next, the angel measured the walls of the city. Their thickness was two hundred and sixteen feet. The foundations of the walls were composed of precious gemstones. And the city itself was constructed of one hundred percent pure clear gold (v. 18).

 

Above all its enormous size and impressive beauty, the city glowed with the brilliant light of God’s glory (cf. v. 23). But more importantly, God Himself dwells amongst His people.

 

 

Continuing the narrative, the twelve foundations of the wall are detailed:

(Verses 19-20)

 

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.

 

Foundations of the City’s Wall

Foundations are usually underground, but New Jerusalem is visible and recognizable by John as being above ground. Besides having the names of the Apostles scribed on each respective foundation, the twelve foundations are beautifully embellished with the most valuable gemstones. Thus, one’s transfigured eyes will be able to view all the remarkable colours in their entire brilliant splendor.

 

The various foundations are represented as layers built upon one another, each layer extending around all four sides, and three gates per side in between. So, if a wall is fifteen hundred miles in length and has three gates per wall, each wall would assume five hundred miles, then a gate, etc. Seemingly, having such foundations imply the city rests upon the new earth.

 

Now notice the parallelism to Old Testament prophesies:

Isaiah 54:11b - Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

 

Isaiah 54:12 - I will make thy windows (housetops, high towers) of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles (fiery stones), and all thy borders of pleasant (precious) stones.

 

Gemstone Identification

There are many discrepancies as to the identity of the twelve birthstones associated with the tribes. These engraved gems are set on the high priest’s breastplate (cf. Exodus 28:17-20), yet not necessarily in the order given. Although the gemstones somewhat vary from present definitions, Pliny the Elder has made several elucidations of his time. From the koine (common) Greek, twelve precious gems are determined as such:

 

The first foundation was jasper

Notably, if one wall is fifteen hundred miles, then each foundation and layer would contain three five hundred mile precious stone foundations and three giant pearl gates (v. 21).

 

1. Jasper (iaspis): The first stone listed. Some identify this jewel as opaque and dark green, but most likely its color is crystal clear. Decorating God’s Throne is a crystal-clear jasper diamond (cf. Revelation 4:3; 21:11)

 

The second [foundation], sapphire

2. Sapphire (sap'-fi-ros): The second stone is a sapphire. Its colour is mostly deep red or opaque blue. Significant quantities have been found in Afghanistan and other eastern countries. Interestingly, this stone was clear paving on which God once stood:

Exodus 24:10 - And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of Heaven in His clearness.

 

The third [foundation], a chalcedony

3. Chalcedony (chalkēdōn): A misty or opaque sky-blue variegated stone combined with other hues (e.g., purple, yellow). Deposits are known to have been mined in the mountains of ancient Chalcedon (modern Turkey). Its colour is easily identifiable on a peacock’s tail.

 

The fourth [foundation], an emerald

4. Emerald (smaragdos): A rainbow around the Throne of God resembles an emerald:

Revelation 4:3 - And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the Throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

 

An emerald is a translucent, greenest green, jewel. In John's day, they were popular among the Greeks. Intriguingly, in modern times, much emerald jewelry has been found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. 

 

 

(Verse 20)

The fifth [foundation], sardonyx

5. Sardonyx (sardonux): Commonest among stones, known as onyx, this bright red and white-striped ornament is favored for cameos.

 

The sixth [foundation], sardius

6. Sardius (sardios): The first stone in the high priest’s breastplate was a sardius stone (cf. Exodus 28:17). It is from the quartz family and is a fiery red in colour ruby.

 

The seventh [foundation], chrysolite

6. Chrysolite (chrysolithos): Appearing one time in the Bible, the word means goldstone in Greek. Pliny the Elder says chrysolite is a bright yellow transparent glass-like jewel. In the book of Daniel, an angel appears to him with feet like polished brass comparable to this gemstone:

Daniel 10:6 - His body also was like the beryl, and His face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

 

This account has a close resemblance to Jesus when He appeared to John on the Isle of Patmos (cf. Revelation 1:13-16).

 

The eighth [foundation], beryl

8. Beryl (bērullos, bēryllos): Used several times in Scripture, beryl has a transparent bright sea-blue green tone with a golden radiance. Its usage was very popular among the Egyptians for jewelry. Furthermore, King Solomon, talking about the bridegroom, says:

Song of Solomon 5:14 - His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.

 

The ninth [foundation], a topaz

9. Topaz (topazion):  Also known as peridot, Pilney the Elder identifies topaz as having a dark greenish-yellow colour like olive oil. Job gives additional insight when he compares topaz to wisdom:

Job 28:19 - The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

 

The tenth [foundation], a chrysoprasus

10. Chrysoprasus (chrusoprasos, chrysoprasos): Used only once in King James, the chrysoprasus is a darker shade of the yellowish-green of Topaz, more like apple-green. Additionally, it is an agate stone placed on the high priest’s breastplate.

 

The eleventh [foundation], a jacinth

11. Jacinth (huakinthos, hyakinthos): Jacinith is not found on the breastplate, however, it has been mentioned one other time in Revelation as John describes his vision of the breastplates on the horses and horsemen during the sixth trumpet:

Revelation 9:17 - And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

 

Jacinth is identified by ancient writers as flashing violet and blue mingled together. Some also are lavender in colour counterpart its gemstone.

 

The twelfth [foundation] is an amethyst.

12. Amethyst (amethustos, amethystos): The amethyst is another gem on the high priest's breastplate. Its description is a purple-violet quartz crystal valuable stone. 

 

Note: Speculation about the original colours as John perceived them may have variance according to some interpretations. Listed are the hues best determined. The true colour will not be known until the new Heaven and earth arrive.

 

Moreover, the gemstone foundations of New Jerusalem will diffuse a spectacular grand prism of glistening gleaming light supporting the glorious golden city. Again, everything is made to reflect the glory of God.

 

The Signs of the Zodiac

Psalm 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork.

Not to be worshipped, but Israel’s ancient culture was dependent upon astrological signs. Their agriculture relied on on the sun, moon, and stars (i.e., for cultivating, planting, harvesting, and festivals). 

 

Signs of the stars are documented in Scripture as well:

Job 9:9 – [He] which maketh Arcturus (the Bear), Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

 

Amos 5:8 - He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth; The LORD is His name.

 

Interestingly, William Barclay has itemized the signs of the Zodiac corresponding to the twelve precious stones of New Jerusalem.

They are listed as follows:

1. The Ram – Amethyst            7. The Balance – Carnelian

2. The Bull - Jacinth                  8. The Scorpion – Sardonyx

3. The Twins – Chrysolite          9. The Archer–Emerald

4. The Crab – Topaz                  10. The Goat – Chalcedony

5. The Lion – Beryl                    11. The Water-carrier - Sapphire

6. The Virgin – Chrysolite          12. The Fishes - Jasper

Surprisingly, the signs of the Zodiac appear precisely in reverse order.

 

 

(Verse 21)

 

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

 

In addition to the former, two compelling features are observed by John in this passage:

1. The Gates of the City

2. The Street of the City

 

Gates of Pearl

Every (each one singularly) gate (pylōnōn, doorway, gateway, entranceway) in New Jerusalem is made of a giant single pearl (margaritēs), two hundred and sixteen feet high (v. 17). Three gates exist on each city wall. And, the names of the twelve Apostles are engraved on the Pearly Gates respectively.

 

A pearl is produced by a mollusk (either a clam or an oyster) by internally covering an irritating grain of sand within its shell over an extended period. Pearls were treasured by the Ancients because it was a gem that was not touched or formed by human hands. All the other gemstones are cut and polished.

 

The Pearl of Great Price

One of the parables of Jesus is the Pearl of Great Price.  Anyone seeking eternal happiness in Heaven should be willing to sacrifice all his possessions for the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

Matthew 13:45-46 - Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

 

 

And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

The Street of Gold

Notice the word street (plateia) is singular, not plural. Also, there is one Main Street, Broadway, Boulevard, or Central Avenue having the composition of transparent pure gold. Again, the pearls and the pure transparent gold streets are all designed to radiate the glory of God

 

It is comforting to note that biblically, Jesus Christ is the Pearl of Great Price and He is the Way.

 

 

The forthcoming study will shed some additional insight into life in New Jerusalem.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   What are some foundation stones of the wall?

2.   Why does God use precious gems for its foundation?

3.   Are the foundation stones like those of today?

4.   What entity has the reverse order of stones?

5.   What is the composition of the city gates?

6.   What is the composition of the city's main street?

7.   Why does God create such a city for His people?

 

 

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