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1. The Bride of the Lamb of God (Revelation 21:9-11)
The City Has the Glory of God: John himself has witnessed the suffering, dying and rising from death of his Lord and had first-hand experience of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Still before the destruction of Jerusalem he had been translated by the Holy Spirit to Ephesus, then the capital of Minor Asia, so as to rule the increasing churches there. Like the other Jews John suffered from the loss of old Jerusalem. But now his heart shouted for joy when he saw New Jerusalem being a thousand times greater and more beautiful. He spluttered a single sentence summing up his whole vision, “The city has the glory of God!"
Glory means in the Semitic way of thinking the sum of all characteristic traits, names and power of God. All, what the Almighty is, does and intends to do is called by one term: “His glory”. New Jerusalem has got the flair, brightness and authority of God. It is the holy city, the place where the eternal creator, Lord and judge dwells and reigns. It is the city of peace, holiness, truth and love. From God issues all sanctifying rays and power also to the inhabitants of His city. It is in Him and He is in it.
John tried to put the glory of New Jerusalem into words and compared its radiance, its brightness and splendor with the most precious jewel at that time, which was the jasper. The jasper looked like a glassy, brilliant crystal or a transparent, white marble. In Revelation 4:3 John himself had described his knowledge of God by means of a deep-red carnelian and the sublimely white jasper. God is love and truth, mercy and righteousness at the same time. He is full of grace and holiness. These basic characteristic traits of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit shine in and around the great city. Their light is more intense and brighter then the beaming power of the sun. A man is not able to stand to this glory unless he has been transformed in this holiness, love and truth. So it becomes apparent that the bride of the Lamb, His wife, has clothed upon with and irradiated and transformed by the glory of the Father and the Son, because otherwise she could not have lived one moment in the presence of the threefold Holy One (John 17:21; Romans 5:2; 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:43-44; Philippians 3:21; Colossians 3:4; 1 John 3:1-2; and other verses). The bride of the Lamb has become an image of her creator and Savior (Genesis 1:27; 2 Corinthians 3:18). The sanctification of a Christian in his whole life, thinking and doing by means of the grace is the prerequisite that he will receive the right of abode and residence in New Jerusalem (Ephesians 2:19-22; Colossians 1:27; 1 Peter 1:3-10.13; 1 John 3:3). In a narrow sense the redeemed and perfected followers of Christ do not dwell in New Jerusalem, but they are themselves this holy city which is a metaphor of the bride of the Lamb! The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit dwells in them (John 14:23; 17:21.24.26; 2 Corinthians 13:13 this is not an adequate verse; and other verses).
John had already seen as a disciple of Jesus the glory of his Lord on the mountain of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36), at Golgotha (Luke 23:34.43.46; John 19:30) and in His resurrection (Luke 24:26.46; John 20:1-10.19-23). He had testified it by the topic of his gospel: “and we beheld his glory.” (John 1:14) Also at the beginning of his visions of the last time he had seen his glorious Lord, judge and Savior (Revelation 1:12-19). Now John was deemed worthy of the knowledge of the glory of God in His perfected church. This vision goes beyond the scope of all imagination of men. However, it is just the exact fulfillment of the following passage, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 21:3).
PRAYER: We worship You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, because You accomplish Your salvation plan without fail. Your human creations will be born again for You as children so as to reflect Your everlasting glory. We thank You that You forgave us our debts and are patient with us, and You sanctify us by Your grace. Amen.
QUESTION:
- How is the true church practically clothed with Christ's glory?