The Architectural Splendor of the New Jerusalem

The Sovereignty of God
The Alpha and Omega

I See A New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:15-27  The Message

^15-21 The Angel speaking with me had a gold measuring stick to measure the City, its gates, and its wall. The City was laid out in a perfect square. He measured the City with the measuring stick: twelve thousand stadia, its length, width, and height all equal. Using the standard measure, the Angel measured the thickness of its wall: 144 cubits. The wall was jasper, the color of Glory, and the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. The foundations of the City walls were garnished with every precious gem imaginable: the first foundation jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate a single pearl.
^21-27 The main street of the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. But there was no sign of a Temple, for the Lord God—the Sovereign-Strong—and the Lamb are the Temple. The City doesn’t need sun or moon for light. God’s Glory is its light, the Lamb its lamp! The nations will walk in its light and earth’s kings bring in their splendor. Its gates will never be shut by day, and there won’t be any night. They’ll bring the glory and honor of the nations into the City. Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City, and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will get in.

For Reflection

God provides perfect beauty within which God's people live and enjoy their being.  The city is so striking that all people will desire to live within its confines.

But the built environment is not the only perfect architecture.  God has created a beautiful and safe environment for all people who accept his sovereign reign.  God lives and walks among God's citizenry.  Not a result of surrendering to a dull and confining way of life, God's people live in beauty and sing and dance in joyful worship.  God has given us this place because of God's determined love and power and God's will that we live satisfying lives full of joy and celebration.

Pray

that you go forward as empowered people of God, fearless in your practice of love and confident in the power of the living God.