The Twelve Foundation Stones of the City Wall in New Jerusalem
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February 12, 2012 |
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New Jerusalem is the most beautiful dwelling place in Heaven and filled with God's glory. The City of New Jerusalem is cube-shaped. That is, it has the same measure in width, length, and height. The city is built with pure gold, like clear glass and precious gem stone. The wall is tall and its material is jasper. There are 12 pearl gates on which the names of 12 tribes are inscribed. There are 12 foundation stones on which the names of 12 apostles are inscribed.
The foundation stones are adorned with every kind of precious stones. The combination of the twelve precious stones represents the heart of Jesus Christ and God, the perfect love.
"The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone The first foundation stone 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; the twelfth, amethyst." (Revelation 21:19-20)
Here are the colored stones on this earth that are most similar to ones in Heaven.
The First Foundation Stone: Jasper - Faith
Jasper stands for spiritual faith. Just as a building can be safe only with firm foundation, you can lead a proper Christian life only when you have firm faith. Thus, faith is the basis of a Christian life. The spiritual faith in the Word of God doesn't change, so it naturally leads to the deeds of obedience. The best example of a biblical figure that has such spiritual faith is Abraham, the father of faith.
The Second Foundation Stone: Sapphire - Uprightness and Integrity
Sapphire stands for uprightness and integrity of the truth, which stands firmly against any temptations or threats of this world. In other words, it means the "upright heart" that deems all of God's will to be accurate. A good example of it in the Bible is found in Daniel and his three friends.
The Third Foundation Stone: Chalcedony - Innocence and Sacrificial Love
There are grey, blue, and red colored chalcedonies. Generally, chalcedonies are semi-transparent, whitish stone. This stone spiritually symbolizes innocence and sacrificial love. When one is able to sacrifice himself for the kingdom of God with the pure heart that has no fault, this is the heart of spirit contained in chalcedony. We can understand this heart through the heart of Ruth in the Old Testaments times.
The Forth Foundation Stone: Emerald - Righteousness and Cleanliness
Emerald symbolizes the beauty and tender green of the nature. It spiritually symbolizes righteousness and cleanliness and stands for the fruit of the Light as recorded in Ephesians 5:9. That is, only when we are harmonious and perfect in goodness, righteousness, and truth can our righteousness be recognized as the true righteousness by God. David and Esther are good examples of the heart. (2 Samuel chapter 24 and the Book of Esther)
The Fifth Foundation Stone: Sardonyx - Spiritual Faithfulness
Sardonyx stands for faithfulness. The kind of hardworking faithfulness recognized by God is to do your duty with all your heart, mind, soul, and life. And this kind of faithfulness has to be actualized in all areas: church, workplace, and family. But it still has to be followed by spiritual faithfulness that casts away sin and evil from the heart. God said Moses was faithful in all God's household as written in Numbers 12:7.
The Sixth Foundation Stone: Sardius - Devotion and Passionate Love
Sardius has a transparent, dark reddish color like ruby or the carnelians. It spiritually symbolizes devotion and passionate love in accomplishing God's kingdom and righteousness. The passionate love for the Lord, the fervor and endeavor for salvation of other souls is represented by the red color of sardius. The very biblical figure that has this kind of heart is the apostle Paul.
The Seventh Foundation Stone: Chrysolite - Mercy
Chrysolite includes olivine that gives out the olive color. It spiritually stands for mercy which is to understand in truth somebody who cannot be understood at all and to forgive in truth a person who cannot be forgiven at all. Deacon Stephen is a good biblical example. (Acts 7:60)
The Eight Foundation Stone: Beryl - Patience
Beryl has a blue or dark green color. It spiritually symbolizes the patience in everything in accomplishing God's kingdom and His righteousness. There are different sorts of patience in truth: patience to change the heart, patience between men, and patience between God and us to receive answers from Him.
The Ninth Foundation Stone: Topaz - Spiritual Goodness
Topaz has a transparent, blend, and reddish orange color. The spiritual heart symbolized by topaz is spiritual goodness. Its spiritual meaning is to seek goodness recognized by God within the Holy Spirit. Those who have spiritual goodness in them will naturally bring out that goodness in their words and deeds as written in Matthew 12:35. They give out the aroma of the Christ showing moral virtue and love to people around them.
The Tenth Foundation Stone: Chrysoprase - Self-control
Chrysoprase is one of chalcedonies with semi-transparent blue and green color. It spiritually stands for self-control. To accomplish the kingdom of God according to the given order and make everything beautiful there must be self-control. We have to discern everything with the truth and follow the desire of the Holy Spirit to have self-control. John the Baptist, who made ready the way of the Lord by living a life with self-control, had the heart symbolized by Chrysoprase.
The Eleventh Foundation Stone: Jacinth - Purity and Holiness
Jacinth as a transparent, bluish color spiritually stands for purity and holiness. Purity God recognizes refers to a state of having no sin and being clean without any spot and blemish. We can have such sincere and pure hearts to the extent that we act according to the Word of God as written in Hebrews 10:22. The biblical figure with this heart is Enoch. (Genesis 5:21-24)
The Twelfth Foundation Stone: Amethyst - Gentleness
Amethyst has light violet color and is transparent. Amethyst has such an elegant and beautiful color and spiritually stands for gentleness. To be spiritually gentle is to have a mild and warm character along with a broad heart to accept everybody. Moses as a very humble man, more than any man who was on the face of the earth embraced the countless Israelites in his heart and guided them according to the will of God.
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