Spiritual Warfare · Living in Holiness
How Beautiful Heaven Is! And Do Only the Angels Praise God?
8 min read, approximately
“He carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the great holy city of Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, possessing God’s glory. Its radiance was like a very precious stone, like jasper, shining like crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates. Names were written on them, those of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. The city’s wall had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the Lamb’s twelve apostles. The one speaking with me had a golden measuring reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city lay square, its length equal to its width. He measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand stadia. Its length, height, and width were equal. He measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, by human measure, which was also the angel’s measure. The wall was made of jasper, but the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, one for each gate; each gate was made of a single pearl. The city’s square was pure gold, like transparent glass.” (Revelation 21:10-21)
The angel speaking with me carried a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city was square, its length equal to its width. The angel measured the city with his reed: it measured twelve thousand stadia, and its length, height, and width were equal. Then he measured the wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the human measurements the angel was using. The wall was made of diamond, and the city of pure gold, like polished glass. The stones at the wall’s base were adorned with every kind of precious stone: the first with diamond; the second with sapphire; the third with agate; the fourth with emerald; the fifth with onyx; the sixth with ruby; the seventh with chrysolite; the eighth with beryl; the ninth with topaz; the tenth with chrysoprase; the eleventh with jacinth; and the twelfth with amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each gate was made of a single pearl. And the city’s main street was pure gold, like transparent glass.”
A Thought
Reading the passage above, it is easy for words such as ‘gold,’ ‘diamond,’ ‘sapphire,’ ‘emerald,’ and ‘pearls’ to be the first things that stay in our minds… But if we explored what the other stones look like, we would be overwhelmed by so much beauty, loveliness, and wonder!
Yet a question remains: Why do the angels not focus their attention on something so admirable?
3 Points
If we want to understand why the angels do not focus on these things, let us turn to the Bible and highlight 3 points about God. After reading them, we may well find that these metals and precious stones no longer capture our attention either:
\1. Why Would the Angels Focus on Anything Else If God Is More Admirable Than Everything Admirable We Know?
Could anything be more valuable than crystal, gold, and precious stones?
“I saw no temple in it, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine on it, because God’s glory gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations that have been saved will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates will never be shut by day, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing unclean, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, will enter it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Revelation 21:22-27)
Can We Imagine What Our Lives Would Be Like without the Sun?
Yet God is so wonderful that his glory alone lights up absolutely everything!
“Immediately I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne set in heaven, with someone seated on it. The one seated there appeared like jasper and sardius, and a rainbow [was] around the throne, resembling an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four seats, and on them I saw twenty-four elders seated, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, thunder, and voices. Seven lamps of fire burned before the throne; these are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne [was] something like a sea of glass, like crystal. In the midst of the throne and around it were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. The first living creature [was] like a lion, the second like a calf, the third had a face like a human being, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of the four living creatures had six wings, and they were full of eyes all around and within. Day and night they never rested, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come. Whenever those living creatures gave glory, honor, and praise to the one seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fell before the one seated on the throne and worshiped the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying: Lord, you are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power, because you created all things; by your will they exist and were created.” (Revelation 4:2-11)
God is so wonderful that the angels never stop saying to him: Holy, Holy, Holy!
\2. Why Would the Angels Waste Time Focusing on Something Else, When God Alone Gives Life?
Life is what we value most, and God has it in abundance and gives it to us freely!
“The one seated on the throne said: Look, I am making all things new. Then he said to me: Write, because these words are faithful and true. He said to me: It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who thirsts, I will freely give water from the fountain of life. Whoever overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be their God, and they will be my child.” (Revelation 21:5-7)
\3. Every Word That Comes from God’s Mouth Has No Limit or End, but the Angels Know That Everything Else Has a Beginning and an End
How many of us have spent hours marveling at a speaker’s words? Now, can we imagine an entire eternity listening to God? But wait… It is not far away… We have the Bible.
“LAMED. Forever, LORD, your word stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness continues from generation to generation. You established the earth, and it endures. By your decree [created things] remain to this day, for they all serve you. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your commandments, because through them you have given me life. I am yours; save me, for I have sought your commandments. The wicked have waited to destroy me, [but] I will attend to your testimonies. I have seen a limit to every perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad. MEM. How I love your law! It is my meditation all day long. Through your commandments you have made me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, because your testimonies are my meditation. I have more understanding than the aged, because I have kept your commandments. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might keep your word. I have not turned away from your judgments, because you have taught me. How sweet your words are to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your commandments I have gained understanding; therefore I hate every false way.” (Psalms 119:89-104)
Absolutely nothing compares with God! Words are not enough to describe how Admirable, Great, Wonderful, Almighty, Worthy, Magnificent, Exalted, Wise, and Beautiful the Lord is! He is so awe-inspiring that the angels can only say: Holy, Holy, Holy!
Do we long to praise God too?
_**Remember to stop by the Songbook
May God continue to bless you, and may you continue to have a wonderful day in Christ Jesus!