“I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” To the Believer this is no surprise. In the Garden of Eden there was no temple. God was present and Adam and Eve communed with Him. Why do we go to a church? We go to fellowship together. The focus of our fellowship is to first seek and praise God. We want to draw as near to God as possible. The other reason is to let what God has put in us individually unite to minister to the whole. Family, if we are going to church for a reason other than to draw near to God and to be used to help others draw near to God and to be ministers of healing to each other, than we go for the wrong reasons. Tradition and culture alone are not a good reason. Remembering that God has only children and no grandchildren, we go to personally seek God. As an extreme example, if one had parents who were Satanists it would obviously not lead one to God by attending these meetings. We should abhor and not go near such meetings. In fact, it is not beneficial to go to any service anywhere, no matter what they call themselves, if one is not lead into an ever closer relationship with God through Jesus His Son. Scripture is clear that there is only one way to Heaven and that is through Jesus (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy 2:5, John 3:14-15, John 6:68-69). Jesus said that those who are not with Him are against Him. Matthew 12:30 records Jesus saying “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” So any church, or temple, or mosque, or “religious” meeting place that does not preach that salvation comes through Jesus alone teaches lies from the enemy and leads to hell. If one is not being drawn to God, then they are being drawn from Him. All Believers have God living within. Their temple is within as the Holy Spirit lives within. With the Light of God living within as we gather together we unite to create a greater light. The love and power of God is on full display. In the New Jerusalem, there is no need to go to a building to worship because God lives there and in all places His light shines. Here in this fallen world, we meet and anticipate His coming and encourage ourselves with this great and sure promise. Praise God!
“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.” As mentioned above Jesus is the Light of the world. Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” The glory, the beauty, the radiance, the wonder, the magnificence of God is revealed to us through Jesus. Through Jesus the living Word of God (John 1:1), through His person and His works, we know and see God and so will it be forever more. Oh my, God is so good and so precious! How lovely is our God! Soon, not so far away, we shall fully see Him face-to-face (1 Corinthians 13:12). Oh how we long for the day! We strain against the restraints! Oh how beautiful the day! Praise God!
“On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.” In ancient times the gates of the city were closed at night and guarded. Or if an army was invading the gates were likewise closed and guarded. In Heaven the gates of the Great city will never be closed. There is no darkness (physical or spiritual) and all enemies have been vanquished. We are safe within, all the saints are welcome at all times. Oh Family, the wonder, pleasure and greatness of what God has prepared for us is better than we can imagine! Praise God!
“The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.” God will be thanked and praised for the blessings within the cities. Tithes is an acknowledgement that all that we have comes from and is because of God. It is the lesser honoring the greater. It is not so much about physical wealth or belongings, but about the position of the heart. This verse is reminiscent, or perhaps the ultimate fulfilling of, God’s people joyfully tithing (2 Corinthians 9:7).
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” All those who are impure, along with all their filthy deeds, have been judged and thrown into the eternal prison of the Lake of Fire. Present in Heaven are only those who have been washed cleaned by Jesus and whom have become entirely new by the blood of Jesus. All who have faithfully walked in the love of Jesus in truth and deed will be found in the Lamb’s book of life. All who are in the Lamb’s book of life are there solely because God has saved them through the Lamb. And we, Family, are those whose names are the Book of Life. How truly blessed we are! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.