Revelation 21:20
The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
The fifth through twelfth precious stones named here, together with the stones listed just before, adorn and form the foundations of New Jerusalem, the city of God. The twelve foundations are made of precious stones, and the city rests upon foundations of precious stones. The verse belongs to the description of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem with twelve gates and twelve foundations coming down from God out of heaven. It is a golden city with streets of transparent gold clear as crystal, with golden gates and sapphire walls whose builder and maker is God.
The city descends to earth after the thousand years following Christ's second advent. It is entered after the resurrection when the Lifegiver calls the dead from their graves. The foundation stones are of the same kinds as the stones set in the priests' breastplate, the high priest's breastplate, which bore the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. The breastplate stones bearing the tribal names were engraved on stones set in gold, forming the border of the breastplate with the inner stones bearing the names.
The breastplate shows that Christ, the great high priest, bears the names of every repentant, believing soul on his heart as he pleads his blood before the Father. Paul saw this city in vision and used its jewels to describe true Christian converts as gold, silver, and precious stones. Jews claimed to be the only true children of Abraham and therefore the only legitimate building-stones for God's house, and murmured when believing Gentiles were brought to the true foundation as additional material, hindering the work, yet the building of the church continued.
The verse describes part of the city prepared for those who seek a better, heavenly country, and the nations that have kept the truth enter into the city of God. The verse shows part of the glories that await the saved in the city of God, belonging to the royal family in the city where there will be no more partings. There loved ones meet again with no sad partings and sickness never enters, and the golden city inspires longing to see the King in His beauty. Everyone who goes into that city is changed and sanctified in character here in this life.
Obedience to all the commandments of God fits a person for a place there among God's commandment-keeping people numbered with the redeemed. Only the pure in heart can see God and those who have rejected Christ's path of self-denial could not endure God's presence. The representation should lead every believing soul to seek earnestly for eternal life and to purify himself even as Christ is pure. The chapter is to be read as a solemn review of life in view of eternal destiny, applying heaven's purity and glory to the reader.