NOTES ON THE HEAVENLY VISION: REFLECTIONS ON THE LAST BOOK OF REVELATION – PART II: THE NEW JERUSALEM

SCRIPTURE. “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a vast and lofty mountain, and showed me the holy (sanctified) city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having God’s glory [filled with His radiant light]. The brilliance of it resembled a rare and very precious jewel, like jasper, shining and clear as crystal. It had a massive and high wall, with twelve [large] gates, and at the gates [were stationed] twelve angels; and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written. On the east side [there were] 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 foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Christ).

The one who was speaking with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall.The city is laid out as a square, its length being the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod—twelve thousand stadia (about 1,400 miles); its length and width and height are equal. He measured its wall also—a hundred forty-four cubits (about 200 feet),according to man’s measurements, which are [also] angelic [measurements]. The wall was built of jasper; and the city was pure gold, transparent like clear crystal. The foundation stones of the wall of the city 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 (yellow topaz); the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each separate gate was of one single pearl. And the street (broad way) of the city was pure gold, like transparent crystal.

I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all] and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the glory (splendor, radiance) of God has illumined it, and the Lamb is its lamp and light.The nations [the redeemed people from the earth] will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring into it their glory. By day (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed [in fear of evil]; and they will bring the glory (splendor, majesty) and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing that defiles or profanes or is unwashed will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices abominations [detestable, morally repugnant things] and lying, but only those [will be admitted] whose names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” – REVELATION 21:9-27, AMPC

QUOTATIONS

WIESEL. “For me, the Jew that I am, Jerusalem is above politics. It is mentioned more than six hundred times in Scripture — and not a single time in the Koran. Its presence in Jewish history is overwhelming. There is no more moving prayer in Jewish history than the one expressing our yearning to ‘Return to Jerusalem.’ To many theologians, it IS Jewish history, to many poets, a source of inspiration. It belongs to the Jewish people and is much more than a City, it is what binds one Jew to another in a way that remains hard to explain. When a Jew visits Jerusalem for the first time, it is not the first time; it is a Homecoming.” – Elie Wiesel, “The Old City of Jerusalem,” ‘Israel National News,’ April 4, 2010; edited

MONTEFIORE. “Jerusalem is the House of the one God, the Capital of two peoples, the Temple of three religions and she is the only City to exist twice—in Heaven and on earth: The peerless grace of the Terrestrial is as nothing to the glories of the Celestial.” ― Simon Sebag Montefiore, ‘Jerusalem, The Biography,’ 2020; edited

JENKINS. “The Apostle John gives his final vision in Revelation of the City of God, the New Jerusalem, where Christians will spend their eternal lives forever before the face of God. The New Jerusalem is the fulfillment of all God’s promises and exemplifies His goodness. John’s inspired words describe it as, ‘Like that of a very precious jewel, like as jasper, clear as crystal’ (Revelation 21:11).” – Dave Jenkins, “What Is the New Jerusalem?” ‘Christianity.com,’ November 8, 2019; edited

FIRST THOUGHTS

If ever there were a city on the earth that has drawn more attention to itself over the Millennia -both good ones and bad ones – it is what many rightly refer to as The Eternal City: JERUSALEM.

Its history is punctuated with both the blood and glory of many nations vying for the right to rule over it, but it was ‘given’ to only one people: The Jews. Fighting words to be sure, if that same history is any evidence of its trigger to a hundred wars and more.

Its beginnings are shrouded in the mysteries of time, and a single individual about whom we know little.

MELCHIZEDEK, KING OF SALEM. Of all the figures in Biblical history, this man may be the most mysterious of all. With hints of royalty, considerable authority, and even Deity if you squint up your eyes at the text a bit. So, let’s spend a little time getting to know this High Priest, and his relationship to the earliest mentions of Oldest Jerusalem.

I borrow heavily here from an excellent essay by MOSES YEE, a Presbyterian pastor, Bible scholar and author. Here he writes for ‘The Gospel Coalition’ on June 17, 2020 (edited), in addressing the question, “Who Is Melchizedek”? Of all the essays reviewed, I viewed his as the most doctrinally sound and historically accurate.

“Despite being one of the least mentioned and most obscure figures in the Old Testament, Melchizedek, the King-Priest of Salem, is foundational for understanding how Jesus occupies the offices of King and Priest—a dual honor that finds little to no precedent among Israelite kings. But who exactly is this mysterious figure? How does this Dynastic Order help us to better understand the nature of Christ’s kingly and priestly roles?

Melchizedek commands a disproportionate amount of importance in redemptive history compared to the amount of space devoted to him in Scripture. His name literally means ‘king of righteousness,’ and he rules over the City of Salem (or, ‘Shalom,’ meaning cosmic, harmonious peace). In the three verses that describe his life and ministry (Gen. 14:18–20), we’re introduced to Melchizedek’s authority as King of Salem and ‘priest of the God Most High.’ He speaks of God as both Creator and Deliverer. He even offers ‘bread and wine’ to Abram after his victory in battle over his enemies. In response, Abram tithes to Melchizedek a tenth of everything, reinforcing the latter’s spiritual significance. The Gospel allusion to the Sacrament of Communion shouldn’t go unnoticed …

In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews raises Melchizedek’s profile to a pre-incarnate Christ-figure. Melchizedek is eternal, having no ‘father or mother’ and ‘resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever’ (Heb. 7:3). Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek also confirms his greatness (Heb. 7:4).”

DK’S TAKE. To give some context here, most Biblical Timelines place Abraham’s visit to Melchizedek’s Salem around 2090 BC. David came to officially settle the City around 1,000 BC, thus giving both historic and ecclesiastical ‘Title of the City’ to the Jews since antiquity.

No small point given the current state of political machinations in today’s world of warlike clashes between Christian, Muslim and Secular claims on this ancient City.

A SHORT HISTORY OF JERUSALEM

An excellent INTRODUCTION to this remarkable City’s inception and central importance to world affairs is supplied by ‘Wikipedia’: “During its long history, Jerusalem has been attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, besieged 23 times, and destroyed twice. The oldest part of the City was settled in the 4th millennium BC, making Jerusalem one of the oldest cities in the world” (Feb. 18, 2022; edited).

For the rest of this section, I turn to the EDITORS of ‘History.com’s’ excellent overview of this Holy City’s life of nearly 6,000 years; updated June 10, 2019, edited.

EARLY HISTORY. “Scholars believe the first human settlements in Jerusalem took place during the Early Bronze Age—somewhere around 3500 B.C. In 1000 B.C., King David conquered Jerusalem and made it the Capital of the Jewish Kingdom. His son, Solomon, built the first holy Temple about 40 years later. The Babylonians occupied Jerusalem in 586 B.C., destroyed the Temple, and sent the Jews into exile. About 50 years after that, the Persian King Cyrus allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Alexander the Great took control of Jerusalem in 332 B.C. Over the next several hundred years, the city was conquered and ruled by different groups, including the Romans, Persians, Arabs, Fatimids, Seljuk Turks, Crusaders, Egyptians, Mamelukes and Islamists.

In 37 B.C., King Herod restructured the second Temple and added retaining walls to it. Jesus was crucified in the City of Jerusalem around 30 A.D. The Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 A.D. In 632 A.D., Muhammad, the Islamic prophet, died and was said to have ascended to heaven from Jerusalem. Many European Christians started pilgrimages to Jerusalem in the 1st century A.D. From about 1099 to 1187, Christian Crusaders occupied Jerusalem and deemed the City a major religious site.”

THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE. “The Ottoman Empire ruled Jerusalem and much of the Middle East from about 1516 to 1917. After World War I, Great Britain took over Jerusalem, which was part of Palestine at the time. The British controlled the city and surrounding region until Israel

became an independent State in 1948. Jerusalem was divided during the first 20 years of Israel’s existence. Israel controlled the Western portions of it, while Jordan controlled East Jerusalem. After the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel seized all of Jerusalem.”

THE TEMPLE MOUNT. “The Temple Mount is a compound located on a hill in Jerusalem that’s comprised of about 35 acres of land. It contains religious structures such as the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque. This ancient landmark is the holiest place in Judaism. References to the area date back to Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac in Jewish scripture. The site is also the location of the First and Second Temples and the spot where many Jewish prophets taught. The Temple Mount is thought to be the third holiest site in Islam (after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia) and where Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.

Christians also believe the site is significant to their Faith. It’s a place that prophets mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible and was visited by Jesus according to the New Testament. Because it has religious and historical implications, ‘Occupation of the Temple Mount’ has been the cause of bitter conflict for centuries, especially between Jews and Muslims living nearby. During the Six-Day War, Israel gained control of the Temple Mount. But today, the Islamic Waqf governs what happens inside the compound, while Israeli forces control external security.”

DOME OF THE ROCK. “In 691 A.D., the Dome of the Rock, a gold-domed Islamic shrine, was built on the site of the destroyed Jewish Temples in Jerusalem. The Dome, located on the Temple Mount, was built by Caliph Abd al-Malik. It’s the oldest surviving Islamic building and was constructed at the very site where Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to heaven. During the Crusades, the Christians turned the landmark into a church. In 1187, Muslims recaptured the Dome of the Rock and re-designated it as a shrine. A silver-domed mosque, called al-Aqsa, sits adjacent to the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. Both structures are considered holy to Muslims.”

THE WESTERN WALL. “The Western Wall is a section of ancient remnant wall from the second Jewish Temple. It’s located on the western side of the Temple Mount and is sometimes referred to as the “Wailing Wall” because many Jews pray and weep at the site of the destroyed Temple. Each year, millions of Jews from around the world visit the wall. Because Muslims control the Temple Mount (the true site of the ancient Temples), the Western Wall is considered the holiest place where Jews can pray.”

CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE. “The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built in 335 A.D., is the site where many Christians believe Jesus was Crucified and where His Resurrection occurred. It’s located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. Thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world travel to this church each year. Many regard it as the holiest Christian site in the world.”

ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT. “Since Israel’s independence, clashes between Israelis and Palestinians over key territories in Jerusalem have been ongoing. Jewish Law forbids Jews from praying in the Temple Mount. Yet, Israeli forces allow hundreds of Jewish settlers to enter the area routinely, which some Palestinians fear could lead to an Israeli takeover. In fact, one key event that led to the Second Palestinian Intifada (a Palestinian uprising against Israel) happened when Jewish leader Ariel Sharon, who would become Israel’s Prime Minister, visited Jerusalem’s Temple Mount in 2000.

In recent years, some Israeli groups have even announced a plan to construct a Third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount. This proposal has outraged Palestinians living in the region. In addition, both Israelis and Palestinians have aimed to make the City their capitals. In 1980, Israel declared Jerusalem as its Capital, but most of the international community doesn’t recognize this distinction. In May 2017, the Palestinian group Hamas presented a document that proposed the formation of a Palestinian State within Jerusalem as its capital. However, the group refused to recognize Israel as a State, and the Israeli government immediately rejected the idea.”

MODERN DAY JERUSALEM. “Today, tensions are still high in and around the city of Jerusalem. Confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinians are commonplace. Many international groups and countries support efforts to divide Jerusalem into Israeli and Palestinian sections. But, securing a plan that everyone agrees on is difficult. In July 2017, three Arabs shot two Israeli police officers at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. For security reasons, the compound was cleared of visitors and closed for Muslim Friday prayers for the first time in 17 years. Protests and violent acts have shadowed this precarious situation. While Jerusalem’s future remains uncertain, it’s clear that this City holds great religious, historical and political power and will continue to do so for years to come.”

NOTE ON THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS. During his presidency, Donald Trump and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, drafted and proposed this historic document. The Abraham Accords are a joint statement made between Israel, the United States and the United Arab Emirates on August 13, 2020. It also refers to the agreement reached between Israel, Bahrain and the UAE to normalize relations between the three. Subsequently, several other Arab nations have agreed in some measure to follow in suit: Sudan; Morocco; Oman; Bahrain; Jordan. Significantly, Iran has refused to participate.

IN SUM. I recall when constructing an online course on The History of the Jews, I was impacted at about midpoint by the sense of studying nothing less than ‘The Story of God’s Revelation to Mankind.’ I am getting that sense once again, as we now travel to the Future of Jerusalem, more astounding than all the literary and historical writers could ever, ever imagine. Selah.

THE TEACHING: NEW JERUSALEM

KEY IDEAS. Now we turn to the ‘rich, red meat’ of our study: The Core Elements of the Holy City. As always, we take each sanctified Word as straight from God Himself, to begin our instruction about this incandescent ‘City in the Sky,’ very probably.

THE BRIDE. Here is the Center of the New City, second only to The Bridegroom. From the Greek, ‘Numphé’ [νύμφη]: “A young wife; from the root word meaning, ‘bridal chamber;’ a betrothed woman. Also, from ‘Guné’ [γυνή]: “The Lamb’s wife; a woman belonging to a man in marriage; The lawful consort of man; a woman who is united to man in the lawful bonds of wedlock; the correlative of husband.” DEFINITION: “The Bride of Christ is a symbolic term used to designate the Christian Church in its relation to Christ as one who is a pure virgin (2 Cor. 11:2), loved by Christ (Eph. 5:22-33), and who will be in the marriage supper to the Lamb (Rev. 19:7)”. – ‘Carm Dictionary of Theology,’ ret. Feb. 24, 2022.

THE CITY. Here is the New Jerusalem, eternally linked to The Bride of Christ (more on that later), “coming down out of heaven from God,” given the distinct sense of a slowly descending, massive Golden City ‘floating’ toward the earth through the clouds. From the Greek, ‘Polis’ [πόλις], or: “Literally, ‘a town or a city; also, the inhabitants of a city; a dwelling for throngs of people; used here for the Heavenly Jerusalem (see, Ἱεροσόλυμα); i. e., ‘the Abode of the Blessed,’ in Heaven; the visible Capitol of the Heavenly Kingdom, to come down to earth after the Renovation of the world.”

THE GLORY. Here we get into the supernatural manifestation of the Almighty in this City of God. From the Greek, ‘Doxa’ [δόξα], translated: “The Presence of God; i.e., praise, honor, renown; glory, an especially divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, splendor; God’s infinite, intrinsic worth (substance, essence); a shimmering brightness [often with a golden hue]; an incandescent brilliance; appearance of splendor; equivalent to [שְׁכִינָה] in the Targum and Talmud, or the ‘Shekinah Glory of God;’ magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace; the Divine Nature; majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the Deity.”

THE LIGHT. Here the further introduction of what this City looks like, in human terms. The Greek used is ‘Iaspis’ [ἴασπις]: “A translucent, precious stone of diverse colors; for some are purple, others blue, others green, and others of the color of brass; (Scientific Definition), an opaque variety of Chalcedony [quartz of various colors and hues], and is usually associated with brown, yellow, or reddish colors, but may be used to describe other opaque colors of Chalcedony such as dark or mottled green, orange, and black. Jasper is almost always multicolored, with unique color patterns and habits.” At its heart, however: JESUS CHRIST, the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah, is ‘the City’s Illumination;’ thus no need of light from the sun or moon any longer.

THE ATTRIBUTES. This includes a “great and high wall” rising about 200 feet, encompassing the entire City. Also noted were “twelve gates” each made of a single pearl, stationed with twelve angels, and on which are written the names of the “twelve tribes of Israel.” Next are “twelve foundation stones” on which are found the names of the “twelve apostles.” Now this: The City is ‘laid out as a square’ or cube, 1,400 miles by 1,400 miles, or 1,960,000 square miles in size! THE DEBATE: Will the City reside on the earth, or in the sky? My Take: Since it will be 2/3 the size of our current moon, and its Light shall come from the Lamb who lives there, then it stands to reason that it shall be, literally, ‘A City suspended in the Sky.’ Oh yes: And the entire City is made of “purest gold,” translucent, clear as glass. Selah.

THINGS ABSENT. There will be “no temple,” since Jesus Christ is the Temple of the Holy City. Neither shall there be any sun or moon giving out light, for ‘Jesus is The Illumination’ of the entire City; therefore, there shall never again be any night. Only the Day-Light of the Son of God! Nor shall there be any evil or uncleanness, but only pure Perfection Forever. The ‘Gates of Pearl’ shall have no locks, since they are open all the time to “the sanctified” only. IN SUM: It is called “The City of God” since it shall be His Abode, and ours, the Bride of Christ, for all Eternity.

THE COMMENTARY. “God has various employments for His holy angels. Sometimes they sound the trumpet of Divine Providence and warn a careless world; sometimes they discover things of a heavenly nature of the heirs of salvation. Those who would have clear views of Heaven, must get as near to Heaven as they can, on the Mount of meditation and faith. The subject of the Vision is the Church of God in a perfect, triumphant state, shining in its lustre; glorious in relation to Christ; which shows that the happiness of Heaven consists in intercourse with God, and in conformity to Him.

The change of emblems from a Bride to a City, shows that we are only to take general ideas from this description. The Wall is for security. Heaven is a safe state; those who are there, are separated and secured from all evils and enemies. This City is vast; here is room for all the people of God. The Foundation of the wall; the promise and power of God, and the purchase of Christ, are the strong Foundations of the safety and happiness of the Church. These Foundations are set forth by twelve sorts of precious stones, denoting the variety and excellence of the Doctrines of the Gospel, or of the graces of the Holy Spirit, or the personal Excellences of the Lord Jesus Christ. Heaven has Gates; there is a free admission to all that are ‘sanctified;’ they shall not find themselves shut out. These Gates were all of pearls. Christ is the Pearl of Great Price, and He is our Way to God. The street of the city was Pure Gold, like transparent glass. The saints in Heaven tread Gold under foot. The saints are there at rest, yet it is not a state of sleep and idleness; they have Communion, not only with God, but with one another. All these Glories but faintly represent Heaven.” – MATTHEW HENRY, ‘Exposition of the Old and New Testaments,’ 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

Now that’s a lot, beloved, but stupendously, gloriously, powerfully and eternally, though still ‘mysteriously,’ True!

LAST THOUGHTS

So now let’s take stock, best we can, of what we have just covered, vast and nearly incomprehensible as it is. To conclude, therefore, I want to turn to the author of a book I gave my Dad just before he passed December 20, 2010 at the age of 87, in Stockton, California.

WHAT WILL HEAVEN BE LIKE? Here are excerpts from Bible scholar, pastor, prolific author and fierce Never Trump colleague of Russell Moore in the early days of American Decline, RANDY ALCORN, in his warm and wonderful book, ‘Heaven,’ published in 2004. What follows are what I shall call, ‘Snapshots of Heaven’ from his inspired pen.

“Nothing is more often misdiagnosed than our homesickness for Heaven. We think that what we want is sex, drugs, alcohol, a new job, a raise, a doctorate, a spouse, a large-screen television, a new car, a cabin in the woods, a condo in Hawaii. What we really want is the Person we were made for, Jesus, and the Place we were made for, Heaven. Nothing less can satisfy us.” – cf. John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ (1667)

“Is It Unloving to Speak of Hell? If you were giving some friends directions to Denver and you knew that one road led there but a second road ended at a sharp cliff around a blind corner, would you talk only about the safe road? No. You would tell them about both, especially if you knew that the Road to Destruction was wider and more traveled. In fact, it would be terribly unloving not to warn them about that other road.”

“Every Kingdom work, whether publicly performed or privately endeavored, partakes of the Kingdom’s imperishable character. Every honest intention, every stumbling word of witness, every resistance of temptation, every motion of repentance, every gesture of concern, every routine engagement, every motion of worship, every struggle towards obedience, every mumbled prayer, everything, literally, which flows out of our faith-relationship with the Ever-Living One, will find its place in the ever-living Heavenly Order which will dawn at His Coming.”

“Think of friends or family members who loved Jesus and are with him now. Picture them with you, walking together in this Place. All of you have powerful bodies, stronger than those of an Olympic decathlete. You are laughing, playing, talking, and reminiscing. You reach up to a tree to pick an apple or orange. You take a bite. It’s so sweet that it’s startling. You’ve never tasted anything so good. Now you see someone coming toward you. It’s Jesus, with a big smile on his face. You fall to your knees in worship. He pulls you up and embraces you.”

“Meanwhile, we on this dying Earth can relax and rejoice for our loved ones who are in the presence of Christ. As the Apostle Paul tells us, though we naturally grieve at losing loved ones, we are not ‘to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope’ (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Our parting is not the end of our relationship, only an interruption. We have not ‘lost’ them, because we know where they are. They are experiencing the joy of Christ’s Presence in a Place so wonderful that Christ called it ‘Paradise.’ And one day, we’re told, in a magnificent Reunion, they and we ‘will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words’ (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).”

AN ANECDOTE. Sometime around 1986 or so, I presented a working paper to the academic community at Regent University on the topic of ‘Christian Zionism.’ I recall that when I blatantly declared that I was “a Christian Zionist,” you could almost hear the air rush out of the room, the collective gasp was so great.

Then I DEFINED it for everyone, to calm their doctrinal jitters: “Christian Zionism is a belief among some Christians that the return of the Jews to the Holy Land and the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 were in accordance with Bible prophecy.” – cf. ‘Wikipedia,’ rev. Feb. 22, 2022

Yet this Declaration still stirs the angry blood of millions of people today, including a sizable group of Chistians.

Editor GERALD MCDERMOTT published a stellar book in 2016 by leading Christian academics entitled, ‘The New Christian Zionism: Fresh Perspectives on Israel and the Land.’ Though I could write volumes on this massive idea, suffice for now for this Commentary, the following proposal.

THESIS. Because the Jews are still ‘God’s chosen people,’ and because Jerusalem shall be the Capitol of the entire Cosmos for eternity, and because we are but “grafted in branches to the Root of the Tree” – and now and forever, ‘A Christian Zionist,’ owing my eternal allegiance to One City, and none other. – cf. Genesis 12:1-3; Romans 11:1-5

CODA. The World says, “You only go around once.” The New Agers claim, “You go around again and again and again, till you get it right!” But Orthodox Christian Faith says this: ‘You go around TWICE: First, ideally, to grow and learn from our mistakes while on the Earth in this natural life. Second, ideally, to then forever practices and perfect those skills and activities in Paradise.

Or not.

So, in raw confession of my great inadequacy to capture what ‘The Afterlife’ with the Lord will be like, I turn to a far better author than us all: PAUL THE APOSTLE, who once visited ‘Third Heaven,’ and there heard “inexpressible words, which are not lawful for a man to utter.” – 2 CORINTHIANS 12:4

However, he also wrote this.

“But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden [from the human understanding] and now revealed to us by God—[that wisdom] which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification [to lift us into the glory of His presence]. None of the rulers of this age or world

perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, ‘What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed].’” – 1 CORINTHIANS 2:7-9, AMP

I leave it right there, having exhausted my ability to even scratch the surface of so vast a subject as God’s Plan for Eternity for each of us who are truly, fully, ‘in Christ.’ Think on these wondrous matters in the days ahead, beloved, and be deeply calmed and encouraged by them. For it truly may be said:

The very, very Best is most assuredly soon yet to come.

Ever your servant, DK

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