The City of God, The Church of God,
and the Child of God
Revelation 21:9-14 (21:9-22:5)
[9] And there came unto me one of the seven angels
which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues,
and talked with me, saying,
Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
[10] And he carried me away in the spirit
to a great and high mountain,
and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God,
[11] Having the glory of God:
[11] Having the glory of God:
and her light was like unto a stone most precious,
even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
[12] And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates,
even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
[12] And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates,
and at the gates twelve angels,
and names written thereon,
and names written thereon,
which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
[13] On the east three gates; on the north three gates;
on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
[14] And the wall of the city had twelve foundations,
and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
[13] On the east three gates; on the north three gates;
on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
[14] And the wall of the city had twelve foundations,
and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Introduction:
The Characteristics of Cities in the Ancient World
The Different Characteristics of Modern Cities - e.g., the need for "star wars" defenses today
Outline:
1. The Holy City is a walled City.
2. The Holy City is a gated City.
3. The Holy City is a City with foundations.
I. The Holy City is a walled City.
[12] And had a wall great and high...[15] And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. [16] 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. [17] 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. [18] And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
1. The Walls of the City of God
What purpose do walls serve?
Security - walls provide a barrier between you and the enemy
There is exclusion. (John F. Walvoord - “an obvious symbol of exclusion”?!?!)
“The mention of a wall is not to suggest the necessity of security precautions in the eternal state....The wall is simply part of the description of an ideal city as conceived by ancient peoples accustomed to the security of strong outer walls.”
(Note 31: “For the wall as a metaphor of security see Isa 26:1; Zech. 2:5.”)
Robert H. Mounce, pp. 378-379
“On the gates of the city are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and on the foundations the names of the twelve apostles. Just as Paul’s use of the olive tree symbolizes the joining of Jew and Gentile in the plan of God, so John’s use of the one wall around the holy city (21:12) illustrates the oneness of the people of God in its highest and most spiritual sense.”
Isaiah 26:1 - In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
Zech. 2:5 - For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
Isaiah 62:6 - I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence
“On the gates of the city are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and on the foundations the names of the twelve apostles. Just as Paul’s use of the olive tree symbolizes the joining of Jew and Gentile in the plan of God, so John’s use of the one wall around the holy city (21:12) illustrates the oneness of the people of God in its highest and most spiritual sense.”
Isaiah 26:1 - In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
Zech. 2:5 - For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
Isaiah 62:6 - I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence
Also:
Leviticus 25:31 - But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubile.
Deut. 28:52 - And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.
Joshua 6:5 - And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
Joshua 6:20 - So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
2 Kings 14:13 - And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
Psalm 51:18 - Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Psalm 89:40 - Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
Proverbs 18:11 - The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
Proverbs 25:28 - He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Isaiah 49:16 - Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Isaiah 60:10 - And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
Isaiah 60:18 - Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
Ezekiel 42:20 - He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.
2. The Walls of the Church of God
The Church has walls!
There must be exclusion!
The Discipline of the Church of God - binding
Deut. 28:52 - And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.
Joshua 6:5 - And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
Joshua 6:20 - So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
2 Kings 14:13 - And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
Psalm 51:18 - Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Psalm 89:40 - Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
Proverbs 18:11 - The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
Proverbs 25:28 - He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Isaiah 49:16 - Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Isaiah 60:10 - And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
Isaiah 60:18 - Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
Ezekiel 42:20 - He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.
2. The Walls of the Church of God
The Church has walls!
There must be exclusion!
The Discipline of the Church of God - binding
The Keys of the Kingdom - Mt. 16:19 (13-20) - And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
This is one of the essential Marks of the Church!
3. The Walls of the Child of God
The Christian must have walls
there must be exclusion in the Christian life
the discipline of the Child of God
3. The Walls of the Child of God
The Christian must have walls
there must be exclusion in the Christian life
the discipline of the Child of God
Defensive weapons - Eph. 6:10-18
The Lord
The Power of His might
The Whole armor of God -
1) truth
2) righteousness
3) preparation of the Gospel of Peace
4) faith
5) salvation
6) Word of God
7) prayer
II. The Holy City is a gated City.
[12] 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: [13] On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates....[21] And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
1. The Gates of the City of God
What purpose do gates serve?
Controlled access points
There is inclusion.
Ezekiel 48:30-35 - [30] And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures. [31] And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. [32] And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. [33] And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. [34] At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. [35] It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.
Who is included?
Who is allowed to enter the gates?
[25] And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. [26] And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. [27] And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
The Lord
The Power of His might
The Whole armor of God -
1) truth
2) righteousness
3) preparation of the Gospel of Peace
4) faith
5) salvation
6) Word of God
7) prayer
II. The Holy City is a gated City.
[12] 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: [13] On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates....[21] And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
1. The Gates of the City of God
What purpose do gates serve?
Controlled access points
There is inclusion.
Ezekiel 48:30-35 - [30] And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures. [31] And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. [32] And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. [33] And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. [34] At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. [35] It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.
Who is included?
Who is allowed to enter the gates?
[25] And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. [26] And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. [27] And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Also:
Genesis 22:17 - That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Psalm 24:7 - Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psalm 24:9 - Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psalm 87:2 - The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Psalm 100:4 - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psalm 118:19-20 - Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: [20] This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.
Psalm 122:2 - Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
Psalm 147:13 - For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.
Proverbs 8:3 - She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
Proverbs 8:34 - Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
2. The Gates of the Church of God
The Church has gates!
There must be inclusion!
The membership of the Church of God - loosing
Genesis 22:17 - That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Psalm 24:7 - Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psalm 24:9 - Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psalm 87:2 - The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Psalm 100:4 - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psalm 118:19-20 - Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: [20] This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.
Psalm 122:2 - Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
Psalm 147:13 - For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.
Proverbs 8:3 - She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
Proverbs 8:34 - Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
2. The Gates of the Church of God
The Church has gates!
There must be inclusion!
The membership of the Church of God - loosing
The Keys of the Kingdom - Mt. 16:19 (13-20) - And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
The preaching of the Gospel
3. The Gates of the Child of God
The Christian has gates! (e.g., eyes and ears)
There must be inclusion in the Christian life
The influences on the Child of God
III. The Holy City is a City with foundations.
[14] And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb....[19] 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; [20] 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.
1. The Foundations of the City of God
What purpose do foundations serve?
It shall not be moved!
There is a basis.
Eph. 2:20 - And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Heb. 11:10 - For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
2. The Foundations of the Church of God
The Church has foundations
The bases for the Church of God
3. The Foundations of the Child of God
The Child of God has foundations
The Root and Ground of the settled child of God
3. The Gates of the Child of God
The Christian has gates! (e.g., eyes and ears)
There must be inclusion in the Christian life
The influences on the Child of God
III. The Holy City is a City with foundations.
[14] And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb....[19] 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; [20] 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.
1. The Foundations of the City of God
What purpose do foundations serve?
It shall not be moved!
There is a basis.
Eph. 2:20 - And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Heb. 11:10 - For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
2. The Foundations of the Church of God
The Church has foundations
The bases for the Church of God
3. The Foundations of the Child of God
The Child of God has foundations
The Root and Ground of the settled child of God
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