Prophetic Word 19th August 2021
Man, in his ignorance and confusion, has his eyes on the wrong prize, looking to the riches of the world for sustenance, instead of casting their eyes upwards, towards the God who created everything and sustains us all.
As we focus on worldly pursuits, pleasures and purposes, we are lured away by temporary temptations that lead us to our own demise.
But when we stop for a brief moment, to examine a profound truth, we become astutely aware of something greater, that demands our attention, and at the very least, our pause for thought.
If God is the owner of everything, having created gold, wealth and riches, imagine what His house must look like...riches beyond measure!
I was then taken to Revelation 21 where John saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea, and it is here, that we see the first glance of the Holy City.
The Holy City
John saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And he heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them.
They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:2-5)
The Water of Life
God said to John: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
This is the second death." (Revelation 21:6-8)
12 Gates, 12 Angels & 12 Foundations
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to John, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
And he carried him away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed him the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.
The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (Revelation 21:9-14)
The Measurements of The City
The angel who talked with John had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.
The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.
A stadia is an ancient Greek unit of length, roughly 185 meters or 607 feet (600 Greek feet), used for measuring distances, therefore, the city was 2,220,000 metres which was 2,220 kilometres in length, width and height.
The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.
A cubit is approximately equal to the length of a forearm, typically about 18 inches or 44cm so it was therefore 2,592 inches or 6,336cm, which is 63.36 metres thick.
The City of Pure Gold
The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.
The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.
The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. (Revelation 21:15-21)
The Temple of The Lord & The Lamb
John did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it.
On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.
The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Revelation 21:22-27)
The Tree of Life
Then the angel showed John the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.
On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
No longer will there be any curse. (Revelation 22:1-3)
It is not clear how the leaves of the tree will heal the nations, but I smile in wonder at the thought of being washed clean, purified, sanctified and healed.
The Throne of God & The Lamb
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him.
They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
There will be no more night.
They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.
And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:3-5)
John & The Angel
The angel said to John, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent His angel to show His servants the things that must soon take place."
"Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll."
John, the author of Revelation, was the one who heard and saw these things. And when he had and saw them, he fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to him.
But he said to him, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!"
Then he told him, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy." (Revelation 22:6-11)
The LORD Is Coming Soon!
"Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murders, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say, "Come!" Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:12-17)
A Warning To Everyone
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll:
If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.
And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen. (Revelation 22:18-21)
Fix Your Eyes on God
God has all the riches in the world, riches that we cannot even imagine or fathom, greater than the human mind can ever conceive, riches beyond measure.
True wealth is not found here on Earth, it pales in comparison to God’s wealth.
Keep your eyes on the prize and fix your eyes on God.
Store up your wealth in heaven and recognise the immeasurable treasure that lies within as you contemplate the goodness, excellence and magnificence of God.
May God's boundless grace be with us, Amen.