God's Kingdom To-Be

In Revelation 21:9-27 God's Kingdom to-be is described in very interesting metaphorical language. In order to be brief we ask the readers to read these passages themselves. The city; Christ's government on earth; is compared to a cube with the sidelines = 12,000 furlongs. It was surrounded by a wall that was 144 cubits "according to the measures of a man, which is of the angel".

The cube is a symbol of perfection, a perfect righteous government of mankind.

Since all people on earth according to Rev.21: 24 during the next age will get into contact with this symbolical cube, it its important to start studying the matter at once. "The kings of the earth do bring glory and honour into it."

In Revelation 22:2 the thousand years are divided into months. The prophetic word counts 12 months in a year (Rev.11:2.3 etc.). In the Great Pyramid time is represented by measures of length. Therefore we may assume that each furlong represent one month. 12000 months will then, according to the above, be 1000 years (because 1000 years with each year = 12 months will be 1000x12 = 12000 months or here furlongs).

Thus the cube shows a perfect just government on earth during "one thousand years". This is, however, only the beginning of a symbolic description in detail of that time. In the wall there are twelve gates, three in each point of the compass, and every several gate was of one pearl. The street of the city "was pure gold, as it was transparent glass". The foundation-stones of the wall were beautifully laid and were constituted of all kinds of precious stones. The first was a jasper, the second sapphire, the third a chalcedony; the fourth an emerald; the fifth sardonyx; the sixth sardius; the seventh chrysolyte; the eight beryl; the ninth a topaz; the tenth a chrysoprasus; the eleventh a jacinth; the twelfth an amethyst.

We have said that this is a symbolic language, and we shall continue to interpret further. All people during the next age who want to get an everlasting life under most happy conditions‑everlasting life on earth as human beings, the dead will be raised from their graves‑have to go into this cube, which is to subordinate themselves to Christ's government.

"And the city had no need of the sun, (the truth of the New Testament intended only for the church of the Gospel age) neither of the moon, (the law and its directions in detail given to the Jews) to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb (Jesus Christ) is the light thereof. And the nations...shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it." (Rev.21:23-24). "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem (divine government of the people on earth), descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God (the fulfilment of all God's promises about the liberation of mankind from transgression and its consequences: suffering and death): and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone (possibly diamond) clear as crystal (righteousness). (Rev.21:10-11).

The city had a wall great and high,—government (=Jesus and the church selected during the Gospel age)‑and had twelve gates (conditions for entrance in the city), and over the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel (the city thus represents the New Covenant, which will be made with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; that is with the twelve tribes of the children of Israel).‑Jer.31:31-34. But while the New Covenant will be made only with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, the entrance nevertheless will be free for all nations on earth, which if so must become Israelites that is children of Abraham THROUGH BELIEF IN GOD. They shall not become Abraham's fleshly children as the natural Jews are. That all people, without respect to persons, will have admittance to the "cube", the city, the New Covenant, is shown by the fact that three gates opened out at each point of the compass. The angel at each gate represents old and young worthies, who will teach the human beings conditions for entering the city.

The foundation-stones of the wall with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb represent the main theme of the testimony of the apostles in the New Testament. The golden reed to measure the city and its gates and its wall is the word of God.

We have interpreted Revelation 21:12-16 above. Additionally the city does not only represent Christ's government on earth during one thousand years but also the New Covenant, as said above.

The wall was "an hundred and forty and four cubits" ‑ if broad or high is not said. Therefore the question here is only about spiritual symbology. But the cubits should be according to the measures of Adam was one thousand years long, the judgement of mankind shall be1000 years long and the same space of time, namely one thousand years long, is allotted for the fallen angels. Christ's government shall also consist of 144x1000 =144,000 members, which is the selected church during the Gospel age.

The wall of the city which was built of jasper (possibly diamond) was thoroughly righteous, but the city itself was pure gold‑Christ's government and the New Covenant are from God‑like unto clear glass, that is God's will shall be clearly and distinctly understood by all at that time. See Jer.31:34. The foundation stones of the wall of the city were constituted of all kinds of precious stones = characters, which all members of the heavenly government must have: Jasper‑righteousness; sapphire‑ faithfulness; chalcedony‑humility; emerald—obedience; sardonyx‑ capacity as administrator (sense of responsibility, honesty); sardius= cornelian‑love of mankind (neighbourly love); chrysolyte‑divine wisdom; beryl (possibly goldberyl)‑love to God; topaz‑goodwill; chrysoprasus‑judgement (capacity to tell the difference between right and wrong); jacinth‑self-control (patience) and at last amethyst‑ obligingness.

Concerning the amethyst it has a deep blue as well as a deep red colour, close to purple. This means that only those who are unwavering to divine truths and who have a strong love to those are suited for ruling over others (in the millennium kingdom). And in our days no others have true love to God and his plan for a better state of things on earth than the carriers of the mental quality of the amethyst, a willingness to serve God and the still rising light over His word. Belief without it is dead, of no value. The purple in the amethyst symbolizes the longing to bless all people on earth. Everybody lacking purple in his soul may want to be blessed himself and helped by God, but does not ask what will happen to other people.

The twelve gates consisted of twelve pearls; each gate consisted of only one pearl‑one precious truth: He "gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (next age by the angels, the old and young worthies at the gates). ‑1 Tim.2:6.

There is, of course, much more to tell about the precious stones, about the city, the gates and the wall, but what is said so far is a supervising introduction. The fact that precious stones symbolize valuable characters can probably not be denied by anybody with common sense.

The exchange of one stone to another does not mean so much, since all precious stones symbolize good characters. Different translators, however, do not always have one and the same precious stone for the corresponding word in the original text.

Precious stones = jewels = individuals = characters, see Malachi 3:17.

HK