Summary:
Based on the description of the holy city in Revelation, teachings applicable to our lives today are drawn. Some examples:

• The holy city has gates on the North, East, South, West, indicating how we should preach the good NEWS in 4 directions.
• Only the temple is measured; outside the temple is not measured, and it is a place meant for Gentiles. The difference between inside and outside the temple is just one step. We need to be watchful of our footsteps today. Are we stepping inside or outside the temple?

Rev 21:12-13
Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

In previous sermons, it was mentioned that the holy city has a great and high wall which protected the people of God within the city from the enemies outside the city.

Here it says there are 3 gates at the north, south, east and west. This means the door of the gospel needs to be opened in 4 directions. The gospel is the good news. This NEWS should be spread North, East, West and South. We should preach the good news to the 4 directions so people from 4 directions can enter the city.

There are 12 angels at the 12 gates. Gates are where people enter and exit. Who will keep watch of this important place? Who will guard them properly so we can sleep without fear? We are often afraid of the work of the devil because we often hear the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The devil wants to tempt believers and destroy the church. But let’s not only know there’s the work of the devil, we must all the more know there’s the work of the angels.

Heb 1:14
Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

Angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation. In the Old Testament, we see how angels helped the people of God. In the New Testament, we see how angels helped the disciples of God. From testimonies of modern day believers, we hear of how angels helped them. We need not fear the work of the devil. Remember the angels are helping us.

On the 12 gates are the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. Why was there the need to write the names of the 12 tribes of Israel? Because God first chose the Israelites, and the holy word of God was passed to them. The promise of God was given to Abraham and His descendants - the Israelites. The Messiah also came out from Israel. All people would be blessed because of Abraham. Having the names of the 12 tribes of Israel hence shows us that the holy city is entered by those who were given the promise in the Old Testament.

Rev 21:14
Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The wall of the city had 12 foundations and it had the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. Not that they were very great and did many great works, but because the Lord Jesus gave the gospel of salvation to the apostles. The gospel received by the apostles is the foundation that builds up the church. The foundations having their names written on it hence shows the holy city has the truth given by the Lord as its foundation.

Today are the Old Testament and New Testament written on the walls and foundations of our hearts?

Rev 21:15
And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.

A reed is a ruler that measures. Gold has unaltering properties. A golden reed tells us the measure/standard used by God doesn’t change, because the truth of God doesn’t change. We often use the standard of men to measure ourselves. We hence think we’re better than others, or at least, not worse than others. Some believers think the standard of God is too high and too difficult to achieve. Can we not use the standard of God to measure ourselves?

Revelation tells us some believers don’t use the standard of God to measure themselves. Why? If we don’t measure ourselves against the standard of God, is it good or bad?

Rev 11:1-2
Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.

If we don’t enter the temple to worship but are outside the temple, we don’t need to be measured, because the outside of the temple belongs to the Gentiles. Are we going to be like a gentile and not step into the temple of God to worship Him? What’s the distance between the inner and outer temple? Actually it’s only one step. If we take one step forward, we’d be in the temple. If we take one step backward, we’d be outside the temple. But the consequence of being in or out of the temple is the difference between heaven and earth. Those inside the temple will go to heaven but those outside will go to hell.

We need to be watchful of our footsteps today. Are we stepping inside or outside the temple? If we truly worship God, should we not step into the temple to worship Him? Should we not accept God’s standard and live according to it? If we want to be like Gentiles and step outside the temple, the Lord Jesus says such people don’t need to be measured.

Rev 21:16
The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.

While the city is laid out as a square, there’s also a square in the temple. This is the Holy of Holies. It’s length, breadth and height are 20 cubits. But the new Jerusalem has a length, breadth and height of 12 furlongs. Why is the holy city so much bigger than the Holy of Holies? Because the Holy of Holies is not to be entered by anyone but the high priest who can only enter once a year. So it doesn’t need to be so big. But the new Jerusalem can be entered by everyone to worship God. We see the Lord has prepared such a huge place for everyone to enter and receive His blessings. But it’s a pity not everyone is willing to come before the Lord. In the future can people say: God you’re biased, you don’t love us. Why didn’t you choose and save us? Actually God wills for everyone to be saved, not just a select number of people. God’s selection of people is public and fair, because He chooses people who believe the salvation of God. But not everyone is willing to believe the salvation of God. If you reject the salvation of God, what more can you say? God gave us freedom of choice and grace. But we choose things that are not good for our faith. It’s us who aren’t willing to come before the Lord.

Jesus cried for Jerusalem. He said, “I am willing the gather chicks under my wings like a mother hen. But you’re not willing.” (Matt 23:37)

Today we need to be willing to come before the Lord.

A square also represents perfection/completeness and stability. Each side of a cube is a square. All 6 sides are symmetrical. No matter how it’s placed, it’ll be stable and won’t tilt. The holy place is a square because the salvation of God in the mercy seat is complete and stable. The holy city is also a square because the Kingdom of God is perfect and doesn’t move. The Holy Spirit of God also ought to be a square. Each side should be complete and stable.

Phil 1:27
Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel

Paul reminds us for our conduct to be worthy of the gospel of Christ. In certain aspects, our conduct is worthy. But are all aspects of our life worthy of the gospel of Christ? We are the people of God and we need to come to worship the Lord in His temple. We have succeeded in this aspect as we have come before Him to worship. But have we done so in other aspects? We shouldn’t only be worthy of the gospel of Christ in some aspects, but all aspects. Maybe in some aspects we stand fast. We are faithful to the Lord Jesus and the church. But in other aspects, are we also able to stand fast? We may stand fast but we may not be able to stand fast in the future. We need to let our conduct be worthy of God in all aspects and stand fast. If we aren’t able to for some aspects, even unbelievers will mock us and ask, “What kind of Christian are you?”

Rev 21:21
The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Using the pearl to make the gate has special significance.

Matt 13:45-46
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Do you think it’s worth it? Selling all you have for a pearl of great price! If it was just an ordinary pearl, it definitely wouldn’t be worth all you have. But if we know this pearl is the salvation of God that leads us to heaven, and that only the salvation of God can lead us to the Kingdom of Heaven, we would be willing to pay all to buy it. We know we have to put down everything in our lives when we die; it will become vanity. Are we willing to put all these down to buy the pearl?

If we obtained the whole world and lose our lives, is it worth it? Isn’t it worth it to use all we have to buy the pearl - salvation?

Some may say: Isn’t salvation freely given to men? Why do I need to sell all I have to buy this?

This isn’t using money. Even if we use all our money, we wouldn’t be able to buy the salvation of God. Because we aren’t able to buy it using our material things, God freely gave salvation. But salvation isn’t just plopped into our laps. We need to use faith to come before God to receive salvation. We need to put in time and overcome obstructions along the way to obtain it. Salvation is freely given to men. But the parable tells us we need to give up and sell all we have to receive salvation.

Truthseeking friends listen and come to believe in the truth but aren’t willing to give up many things, so they aren’t able to come before the Lord and aren’t able to receive salvation grace. A pitiable matter.

For some people, it’s very easy to come before the Lord, but they choose not to. For some people, it’s very difficult to come before the Lord. Despite all the obstructions, they try all means to come before the Lord because they know the preciousness of salvation grace. They are willing to sell all they have to obtain the pearl of great price.

We have many obstructions and difficulties that weigh our hearts down. Are we able to overcome it to come before Jesus? With COVID-19, coming before the Lord to worship is not an easy feat. This is our test. If we really esteem salvation and know the pearl is so precious, we’d be willing to sell all we have and come before the Lord. We haven’t even reached the stage of selling all we have. We aren’t even willing to ‘sell’ some of our time or inconvenience ourselves slightly. How can we ever sell all we have or our lives?

Rev 21:21
The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Previous sermons talked about how the holy city was pure gold. This verse says even its streets are pure gold.

A story: A rich man wants to go to heaven. He requested the angel to allow him to bring an object to heaven. The angel wondered what object was so important and permitted it. The rich man brought all his gold. The angel laughed. The rich man didn’t know what the angel was laughing at and thought: “The angel must not have seen so much gold before!” When he entered heaven, he saw the roads of heaven were paved with pure gold. He was so surprised! The angel said, “I don’t know why you want to bring more pavement to heaven!”

This story tells us not only is the entire holy city made with pure gold, even the streets are paved with pure gold! Do we esteem pure gold? Don’t you know the holy city is made of pure gold?

Not only that, the pure gold in the holy city is like transparent glass. It’s not only precious, it’s pure. We won’t notice the little stains on some things if we don’t pay attention to it. But if it was transparent, we would notice the lightest stain; it would be magnified.

The streets of heaven are made of pure gold like transparent glass! This street refers to the path that we take today. Are all the actions we do on our path of faith pure like transparent glass? If it’s not clean and transparent; if there’s anything we conceal and hide, then we will be reprimanded by God. It’ll be like how the Lord Jesus rebuked the Pharisees. On the surface they seem pious and God fearing, but their insides cannot be seen. Jesus said they’re like white washed tombs beautiful on the outside but dead on the inside. The Pharisees used long prayers to cover up the greed in their hearts. It would be hard to believe they were greedy! “How can such a spiritual person who makes long prayers to God steal things?” But we forget many people use reverence as a form of gain. Reverence is our loyalty to God. But if it becomes one of our means, we will be rebuked by the Lord just like the Pharisees. More importantly, we will be judged by God in the future. What is hidden will be revealed in the future. Before the judgement seat of God, what more can we cover up or hide? The Lord wants His people to be transparent and not packaged; to be a true Israelites and not a Pharisee who puts on a mask.

Rev 21:22
But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

John didn’t see a temple in the city. He must’ve been surprised, because the temple of God was in the old Jerusalem. But he immediately remembered and so said the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. This had been said before but the people didn’t understand it then.

Who first said this? It was John.

John 2:19-22
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

John wrote the gospel of John. At that point in time, the disciples didn’t understand. But after Jesus resurrected, they remembered and believed.

Jesus offered His body as the propitiation. Men no longer need to go to the temple to atone for their sins. Through the blood of the Lord Jesus, we are able to enter the temple. We no longer need the old temple, we have the Lord Jesus as the temple. We come before God through the Lord Jesus. We no longer need to go to the temple to come before God like people in the Old Testament. That’s why Jesus says no one can come to the Father except through Him. Our sins need to be forgiven. We need to enter and come before the Lord Jesus. How can we not trust the Lord Jesus?

Be serious and ask ourselves. We believe in the Lord Jesus but do we trust in Him? How do we rely on and trust in Him?

Rev 21:23
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

The illumination of the sun and moon refers to the glory of the world. It’s what’s admired and pursued by people of the world. But the glory of the world is like a shooting star - it may be brilliant but it’ll disappear. The city didn’t need the sun and moon to illuminate it because it had the glory of God. This means the abidance of God is the greatest glory! That’s sufficient for illumination.

When the ark of the covenant was captured, the people lamented the glory of God was not with them anymore. The glory of God no longer illuminated them. They lived in darkness.

Are we pursuing the illumination of the sun and moon of this world or the glory of God? Let’s not let the glory of God depart from us. Without the glory of God to illuminate us, the darkness is very scary.

“The Lamb is its light.” This means we need to have the Holy Spirit to shine in us.

Eph 1:17-19
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

The Holy Spirit shines on the eyes of our heart, that we may know the hope of the calling of God, what are the riches of the glory of our inheritance. Then our faith will be strengthened with the true light of the Lord shining on us. We will have glory and joyful hope. Then we can persevere and walk to the end. We need to ask for the Lord - the true light - to shine on us. Till He comes again and receive us.