Precious Stones in the New Jerusalem

General Description of the New Jerusalem from Revelation 21

One of the main pictures of the New Jerusalem is as the Lamb's wife and as a wife lives with her husband so the Lamb the Lord Jesus Christ will live with His wife the New Jerusalem especially those who will dwell in it for all eternity which are born again Christians who have personally trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ that He died for our sins and rose again from the dead to give us new and eternal life. This true Church is also called the bride of the Lamb or Jesus Christ in other scriptures such as Ephesians 5. At the time of the beginning of the New Earth and New Heavens the New Jerusalem will supernaturally descend from the New Heavens to the New Earth where it will remain for ever. A general characteristic of the New Jerusalem is that its glory will be as a jasper stone that is also transparent or clear as crystal. Although a main meaning of jasper was as an opaque and not transparent stone, jasper could be referred to here because the New Jerusalem will be characterized by its colours which are sky-blue with some green or rosy colours by in a transparent and glorious or radiant form. There will also be a great wall of precious stones especially a more transparent and splendid form of jasper but also of other precious stones. The scripture reference for this general description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 is as follows:

Scripture Reference from Revelation 21 of General Description of the New Jerusalem

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials (bowls) full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither (to here), I will show thee (you) the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; Revelation 21:9-11

12 Gates and 12 Foundations of Wall of the City of New Jerusalem from Revelation 21

The 12 gates in the New Jerusalem are said to contain the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. While they are not listed here and I can't be certain of this it is still quite probable that these gates will be in the same order and the same sides as the gates named after the twelve tribes of Israel in the walls around the city where people will have residences (not Jerusalem which will be at the site of the sanctuary of temple) in the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom which will immediately precede the eternal age. This scripture is found in Ezekiel 48:30-35. The names of the foundations will be named after the twelve apostles of the Lamb(Jesus Christ(Messiah)). While there are several lists of the apostles of Jesus in the New Testament with some similiarities in order they are never in exactly the same order so God may wish to keep that a secret until eternity or until we get to heaven but a general order can still be determined. Of course since Judas Iscariot one of the 12 apostles orginally betrayed Jesus and committed suicide he will not be one of the 12 apostles in heaven and it is probable the Apostle Paul will have his place. This is even though a man named Matthias was originally chosen to replace to Judas immediately after Jesus' ascension but he is not mentioned again in the New Testament and doesn't seem to have been used of God substantially and may not be honoured as much as the other 11 apostles. This is very much in contrast to the Apostle Paul who will probably be given Judas' or Matthias' place among the apostles in eternity. The scripture reference in Revelation 21 of the gates and foundations of the walls of the New Jerusalem is as follows:

Scripture Reference in Revelation 21 of the 12 Gates and 12 Foundations of the Walls of the New Jerusalem

And (New Jerusalem) had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Revelation 21:12-14

Background of Gates of Jerusalem in Ezekiel 48 and Comparison to Their Counterparts in the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21

Although I can't say for sure, based on other parallel passages in God's Word - The Holy Bible, the direction of the gates of the city (not Jerusalem) for the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom are probably the same tribes of Israel and same order as in the New Jerusalem in the eternal age on the New Earth. However one certain major difference is that the walls in the New Jerusalem will be very much longer and possibly higher and the gates possibly larger as well. The gates will be evenly spaced on each side in each case with each side or wall in the Messianic Kingdom city near Jerusalem being 4500 measures which seems to refer to a reed for the measure which is about 10 feet since it is described in Ezekiel 40:3-5 as 6 cubits as each cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth with a cubit being about 18 inches or 1 1/2 feet and a handbreadth being about 2 or 3 inches the horizontal width of a hand. Therefore the Millenial Kingdom city will be about 45,000 feet or each side or about 9 miles or about14,000 metres or about 14 kilometres on each side. On the other hand the New Jerusalem will be 12,000 furlongs or with a furlong being an eighth of a mile about 1500 miles on each side or about 2400 kilometres on each side which is much bigger. Also the New Jerusalem will probably be made of much more costly and glorious material with its gates of pearls and foundations of precious stones although the Messianic Age city of residents and its walls and gates will still be quite glorious compared with other notable earthly buildings or structures we are familiar with or that we have heard about in history. The description of the gates of the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom of God through Jesus the Messiah (Christ) city in Ezekiel 48 are as follows:

Scripture Reference from Ezekiel 48 of Gates of Messianic Kingdom Residential City Opposite and Near the Sanctuary and Jerusalem

And these are the goings out (length of the side) of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures. And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulon. At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there. Ezekiel 48:30-35

Background of the 12 Foundations of the Walls of the New Jerusalem and the 12 Apostles of the Lamb from Revelation 21

The 12 foundations of the walls of the New Jerusalem are associated with the 12 apostles of the Lamb or the 12 disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. This will probably be the 11 faithful disciples and the Apostle Paul since the original candidate to replace the unfaithful and betraying apostle Judas Iscariot, Matthias, was not mentioned in the scriptures outside of his being chosen to replace Judas Iscariot immediately after the Ascension of Jesus Christ and doesn't seem to be very prominent in the early Church. There are a couple lists of the 12 apostles or disciples in the gospels as well as in Acts 1 from which an order of the apostles could attempt to be established. Unfortunately only a couple of the apostles are always in the same position in all these lists although quite a few more are alternating in the same group of positions. I have produced a comparison list of the places of order of mention of the 12 disciples or apostles in these different scriptures for possible association with the 12 different foundations of the New Jerusalem named after the 12 apostles of the Lamb. Following is a table giving the results of the 12 apostles of the Lamb from the list in scripture and the 12 foundations of the New Jerusalem that will be associated with them in Revelation 21. Unfortunately, as exact correspondence can't be achieved from the lists in scripture or from any other available information as far as I know so we may have to wait until I and the reader if he or she is or becomes a believer in Jesus Christ in this life goes to Heaven. The table is as follows:

Size and Composition of the New Jerusalem and its Walls' Gates and Foundations from Revelation 21

The angel that was sent to measure the New Jerusalem had a reed which elsewhere in Revelation 21:17 is said to be the height of a man or an angel. The New Jerusalem is said to be foursquare with equal length and breadth and it is also mentioned that its height is the same as both. In the King James Version this measurement of the length and breadth and height of the New Jerusalem is said to be 12,000 fulongs which comes out to be 1500 miles since a furlong is an eighth of a mile. The measure of the wall is said to be a hundred forty four cubits which works out to 216 feet since a cubit is about 18 inches or 1.5 feet. This is probably the height of the wall. The wall is described as looking like jasper which was a sky-blue colour with some green and rosy colour while the city of the New Jerusalem itself is said to be of pure gold like clear glass. Natural gold when it is completely pure of very nearly pure is known to become transparent and this is probably what is referred to concerning the pure gold of the New Jerusalem. The twelve foundations of precious stones of the walls of the New Jerusalem are then listed as I have also listed them in the table above and that refer to the twelve apostles or disciples of the Lamb (the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Christ)). The twelve gates in the walls of the New Jerusalem are each said to be made of one huge pearl each representing the 12 tribes of Israel as I have also described in a preceding table could have a similiar layout to the gates for the 12 tribes of Israel in the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom in Ezekiel 48. Finally the streets will also be of extremely pure gold that will look like transparent glass but will probably still have a golden tinge. The scripture passage for the size and composition of the New Jerusalem especially the 12 foundations and 12 gates of its walls in Revelation 21 is as follows:

Scripture Reference from Revelation 21 of the Size and Composition of the New Jerusalem including 12 Foundations and 12 Gates of its Walls

And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, and hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 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. 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. Revelation 21:15-21

Scripture Reference from Matthew 10 of List of Twelve Disciples or Twelve Apostles of the Lamb Including the Disqualified Judas Iscariot

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Pater, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname is Thaddeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Gospel of Matthew 10:1-6

Scripture Reference from Mark 3 of List of the 12 Disciples of 12 Apostles of the Lamb - the Lord Jesus Christ Including the Disqualified Judas Iscariot

And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: and Simon he surnamed Peter; and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house. Gospel of Mark 3:14-19

Scripture Reference from Luke 6 of List of the 12 Disciples or 12 Apostles of the Lamb - the Lamb Jesus Christ Including the Disqualified Judas Iscariot

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which was the traitor. Gospel of Luke 6:12-16

Scripture Reference from Acts 1 of List of the 12 Disciples or 12 Apostles of the Lamb - the Lord Jesus Christ Excluding Judas Iscariot but Including Matthias Possibly Replaced Later by the Apostle Paul

Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to day, The field of blood. For it is written in the Book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether (which) of these two thou hast chosen. That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Acts of the Apostles 1:12-26.

The (Part of) the Nations That Are Saved Through God's Son Jesus Christ the Third Group of Human Beings in the New Jerusalem in Eternity from Revelation 21

Earlier in this web page I mentioned two of the groups of saved people that will be in and have their (our) homes in the New Jerusalem in the presence of the One true and living God including His Son Jesus Christ. These are the believing remnant of the children of Israel including the believing remnant of the Jews (or technically of Judah or Judah and Benjamin) represented by the twelve gates of the twelve tribes of Israel and the true Church represented by the twelve foundations of the apostles of the Lamb. Again the remnant of Israel are those of Israel God's chosen earthly or physical people through being physical descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the believing remnant being those of them that also come to heart faith in the One true God (Yahweh or Jehovah or God the Father) and His Messiah God the Son or the Son of God Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth especially after He was personally revealed to Israel and the world about two thousand years ago. These would be the Old Testament saints among the Jews with people such as Abraham, Moses, David, Sarah, Deborah, Ruth, Isaiah, Ezekiel and many others mentioned in the Bible or that we don't know of them or their names particularly. This group that will identify and that God will identify primarliy as the believing remnant of Israel and be part of Abraham's spiritual seed but in this case not part of the Church will be not only Israelite Old Testament saints but also Israelite including Jewish tribulation and Millennial Kingdom saints.

This group will not include believing Jews or Israelites of this present Church Age who will be part of the Church for ever primarily. The true Church that will be associated with the twelve apostles of the Lamb will be God's spiritual or heavenly people who have received the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father through Him through admitting we are sinners and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour that He died for all our sins and rose from the dead to give us new life and enter into a personal relationship with God in this way through Him. These members of the Church or Church Age saints include all true children of God both Jew and Gentile or of the non-Israelite nations in this present age from Pentecost almost two thousand years ago until the very soon coming rapture or catching up to heaven of all the true Church both physically alive on earth at the time or who had by that time passed away from this world through death.

The third group of people in eternity will be the believers in God's sight of the (non-Israelite) nations or what the Israelites sometimes called the Goyim. Goyim is the Hebrew word in the Old Testament for nations. They are what is called in Revelation 21 the nations of them that are saved and the leaders such as heads of state that came to a saving knowledge of God including through what knowledge they had of the Messiah are the kings of the earth that are saved. These would include in the Old Testament people like the king of Ninevah at the preaching of the prophet Jonah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, perhaps Hiram king of Tyre in what is now Lebanon, and Darius king of the Medes. These people of the nations that are saved will also include all the many believers of God through heart faith in His Son Jesus Christ who are saved in the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel after the rapture of the true Church. These will include the multitude of the nations who are saved through the preaching of the 144,000 Israelite believers in Jesus in Revelation 7. The nations of those who are saved will also include believers in the One true God from the people before Abraham such as Enoch, Noah and his three sons and their wives, Abel, Seth, probably Adam and Eve, Job and others. Although they are technically not people of the nations as being part of the non-Israelite nations I think and I think God would put them in the category of the nations as they would fit better there than under the Israelites or under the Church. The nations of those who are saved will also include the many true believers of the nations Who come to heart faith in God through His Son Jesus Christ of the non-Israelite nations in the Millennial Kingdom including the sheep who survive the tribulation and honour God then by honouring those of His chosen earthly people the Israelites (the least of those His brethren (after the flesh) who will then be terribly persecuted.) Those included as part of the nations of those who are saved will also include the many people born during the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom who become heart or genuine believers in God through Jesus Christ by the work of God's Holy Spirit and also those who of the nations who have heart faith in God through the Lord Jesus Christ who are martyred for Jesus and for not receiving the mark of the beast and are killed by the antichrist (beast out of the sea).

The (people of) the nations who are saved will bring their glory into the New Jerusalem I believe means they will bring their language and other aspects of their culture or customs that are good or don't necessarily go against the One true God of the Bible such as good things of music, the arts, politics and science, technology and engineering. However this would exclude things that don't honour the ONe true God or that are false such as excessive violence, deception, the occult, idoltary, excessive pride, dishonouring the One true God the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ, false mysticism, excessive legalism in religion or otherwise, macro-evolution, excesses in sexual immorality, deception and other things that dishonour God. Likewise the kings or rulers of the nations or kings of the earth who are saved will bring their glory into heaven who came to a saving knowledge of God including through what light they had of God's Son Jesus Christ will bring the glory of good things of their nation's culture and of the time when they ruled that nation in particular. The true Church, the believing remnant of Israel and the believers among the nations together will make up all the saints or restored people of God for eternity who came to faith in God in their life in time and on earth although some may have come to faith in God and Jesus in time beyond earth in other parts of the universe the 2nd or celestial heavens if God allows substantial space exploration and colonization in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom. Even though all believers will have eternal homes in the New Jerusalem I believe we all will be able to explore the New Earth and New Heavens either in a physical or spiritual mode or our new spiritual bodies and probably have additional secondary residences in some of those places or be allowed to set them up by God. The scripture reference from Revelation 21 of God through His servant the apostle John mentioning the third group of believers who will dwell in the New Jerusalem the nations of those who are saved is as follows:

Scripture Reference from Revelation 21 of Reference to the Third Group of God's People Through Eternity The People of the Nations That Are Saved (That is Those of the non-Israelite Nations Who Come to Heart Trust in the God of the Bible in Old Testament Times or the Tribulation or Millennial or Messianic Kingdom)

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the natoins into it. And their shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Revelation 21:23-27

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