Unseen Beauty
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 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. (Revelation 21:10-20)
Thought For Today:
In John's description of our new home in heaven, it is apparent that it will not only be strong and spacious but also stunningly beautiful. John points out the beauty of the foundation by revealing the precious gems embedded within it. He also displays Aaron's breastplate, which is adorned with precious gems representing each tribe of Israel. Thus, we can observe how earthly things cast a shadow for heavenly things. The breastplate that Aaron wore symbolized the beauty of righteousness, holiness, strength, and power all in one. The church is united, as Paul stated, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22).As born again believers, it is crucial that we build our lives on a solid foundation. John draws our attention to the beauty of this foundation, which is why our lives must be built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Beauty is a quality that presents itself in a thing or person, providing intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind. It arises from sensory manifestations, meaningful design or pattern, or the manifestation of high spiritual qualities in a person's personality. We usually do not consider the foundation of a building beautiful as it is not visible. As a result, Peter reminds us that our adorning should not focus on outward appearances like plaiting hair, wearing gold, or fancy clothing, but rather, on the hidden man of the heart - the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price (1 Peter 3:3-4). Peter said that our true beauty lies within. When beauty is hidden within, it will reveal itself outwardly for all to see. That's why the Scriptures urge us to "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" (Psalms 29:2). Holiness sets us apart as believers from nonbelievers, and it is the foundation of the church's beauty.
