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The Promised City

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 30, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 52.

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The Promised City

By Irwin H. Evans

God’s children have ever looked forward in fond anticipation to the time when the Lord should bring them to the promised New Jerusalem. Again and again the Bible speaks of this glorious city, and encourages the people of God to look forward to the time when they shall receive this city as a part of their inheritance, and be privileged to enter its pearly gates.
In speaking of the homelessness of the people of God,—how they had forsaken country, home, and all earthly kinship for the promised land,—Paul says: “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” And again when he is talking of Abraham’s leaving his father’s land, going out into a country that he knew not of, Paul says of him, “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” And when Paul mentions the triumph of the saints, and the glories which they are to inherit, he speaks of them in these words: “But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.”
The city which God has prepared for his people is called the New Jerusalem. In vision John saw this glorious city, and he describes it in this language:—
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. . . . 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; and 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.
“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 four-square, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured 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, an 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, chrysolyte; 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 onepearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.”
“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 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 honor 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 honor of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Thus Inspiration describes the New Jerusalem, the city whose “builder and maker is God.” No city that has ever been builded by the hands of man can compare with this.
The size of the city is something almost beyond man’s comprehension. The greatest cities of the world are mere pygmies compared to this New Jerusalem. New York, London, Paris, Berlin—the greatest cities that have ever been builded by the hand of man—occupy but small space compared to that occupied by this great and marvelous city. It lies in a perfect square, and is fifteen hundred miles around, containing 140,625 square miles.
This city is surrounded by a wall, great and high, and is entered by twelve gates. “And the building of the wall of it was of jasper.” “And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man.” There has never been a city that had a wall that would compare with that of the New Jerusalem. The ancient cities of the world were surrounded by great and high walls, probably the most notable among which was the wall that surrounded the city of Babylon, in Chaldea. This wall was made of mortar and brick and stone, and while it had mammoth proportions, neither in size nor in structure is there any comparison between the wall of Babylon and the wall that surrounds the city of God. John said that this wall was made of jasper, clear as crystal.
Twelve gateways enter this city. “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one
pearl.” In this world we have seen gates of iron and steel and brass, but the gates of the city of God are of pearl—every gate one pearl. Pearls are considered among the most precious of all things in this world. Small ones cost fabulous prices. How little conception we have of the glory of that marvelous city where the gates that let the nations in are of pearl!
“And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.” Thus it seems that the saints of God always have access to this glorious city, and are at liberty to come and go as they please. “And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
“And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” The best pavements that man knows to-day are stone, brick, or asphalt, and we say that a city is well cared for and looks beautiful if its streets are well paved and clean. But the New Jerusalem has streets of pure gold,—gold so pure and crystal-like that it shines and reflects as if it were transparent glass.
To the disciples, Christ said: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” The Bible gives us no description of the mansions that Christ is preparing for his people. But when we think that the Architect of the universe and heavenly angels are building these mansions with such materials as gold, silver, pearls, and precious stones, with an inexhaustible supply at their command, we can only faintly realize the unspeakable beauty they will possess.
This great city rests upon twelve foundations, and in these foundations are the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. “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, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.” Each one of these precious stones constitutes one of the foundations of the wall of the great city. They are the most priceless precious stones known to man.
The city is lighted with the glory of God. “And her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; . . . 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.” Here again we have a description of beauty and glory infinitely beyond man’s comprehension. The walls themselves give light; the gates give light; the very foundations of the city of God give light. The street is paved with gold clear as crystal, reflecting the mansions and walls and gates of the city, and the glory of God radiates from center to circumference, and illuminates everything everywhere. It is no wonder that John said, “And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it.”
The city is not built to be left uninhabited, with all its resplendent glory, but the Lord brings his people to this glorious city. This language is used in describing their condition: “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 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. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
The inhabitants of this glorious city are immortalized, having been redeemed by the blood of Christ from sin, having enjoyed the thrill of immortality on the morning of the resurrection, and are now to dwell forever in the glorious city of God. There will be no more weeping eyes; there will be no more death; no heart will ever ache with sorrow; from no lip will there ever escape the cry of pain, “for the former things are passed away.”
The promise of this glorious city has been made to the church of God through all the ages. From the days of Abraham until the present time it has been the desire of God’s people to enter upon possession of their inheritance. The glories that have been promised, the unspeakable beauties that are to be ours to possess forever, are to wean our hearts from this world, and to make us pilgrims and strangers here, looking forward to the city whose builder and maker is God.
Paul said that Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. None but those who have accepted salvation through Christ and have overcome by the word of their testimony and the blood of the Lamb will enter those gates of pearl. While we journey homeward, we can pray,— “Lord, help us by thy mighty grace To keep in view the prize, Till thou dost come to take us home To that blest paradise.”
I. H. EVANS.