Ruthe's Secret Rosesl
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A Tour of and Invitation to the Holy City
Have you ever heard, "Strike Three! You're out!"?
God made the world, but the people sinned, so He sent a flood. Strike one.
In the Last Days described in Revelation, Jesus will come down, after many plagues and
warnings, to destroy the wicked at the battle of Armmageddon. Strike two.
Satan is put into the Abyss and held captive for one thousand years, while Jesus reigns in
total peace on the earth. Everyone obeys Him. People see what real peace on earth is like! It's
chance number three.
Then Satan will be released a little while to tempt those born and alive during that
millenium, to see whether they choose God. He will gather the nations from Gog to Magog to camp
around the city of God, but fire will come down from Heaven to destroy them, and Satan will be cast
into the Lake of fire, along with all who choose him. Strike three for this earth.
God will burn up this earth and it's skies, and create a new Heaven and earth. (Whether out
of the charred remnants, I don't know). A new Holy City, Jerusalem will come out of Heaven and
settle on this new earth. It will sparkle like a perfect cube, golden and crystal clear. John saw
it in the final revelation of the Bible.
One of the angels who'd had one of the bowls of plagues, offered to show John that perfect
city on this new earth. The angel took him to a high mountain for a better perspective, and called
this Holy City, the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.
It's brilliance was like a jewel, like jasper (said to be the same as our diamond). It had a
great high wall, as high as the city was wide, and each side had three large gates, each was like a
huge pearl, with the name of a tribe of Israel on it, and guarded by a mighty angel.
The city was laid out square, and the angel measuring the city for John showed it to be
12,000 stadia (that is about 1,400 miles, or 2,200 kilometers) in length, and also in width. The
wall was 144 cubits (200 feet or 65 meters) thick by man's measurements, which was what the angel
was using. The wall was of such pure gold it was like transparent glass.
This Holy City has twelve layers to its foundation, each decorated with different gemstones.
The first is jasper (or diamond), then sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, carnelian,
chrysolite, beryl, topaz, and amethyst. (I once studied those gems to be able to draw a sketch for a
lesson I was teaching, and together those gems have rainbow colours!)
The angel explained to John that there was no need of a temple in this city because the
Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple. Nor does it need a sun and moon to shine, for God and
Jesus are the Light. The gates are never be shut; people can come and go continually.
The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it, but nothing impure will ever
enter. Nor anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, only those whose names are written in the
Lamb's book of life.
The angel showed John the river of life which flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
right down the central street. On each side of the river grows the tree of life bearing, not one,
but twelve kinds of fruit, and the leaves are a healing remedy.
In closing the angel assures John, "These words are trustworthy and true," and that God sent
him to show God's servant John what must soon take place.
John fell down to worship and thank this angel, but the angel quickly asked him to worship
only God. "I'm just a fellow-servant of His, like you are."
"Don't seal up the words of this prophecy," the angel said in parting.
Then John heard Jesus' urgent voice, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I
will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the
Last, the Beginning and the End." He describes those who will be able to enter this Holy City, and
those who must stay out.
He adds more, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches." He
invites people to Come! Whoever is thirsty may come now yet, to believe on Him. The full text of
this urging speech of Jesus' is at the very end of the Bible. You ought to read it for yourself. It
is so full of love and promise!
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