1. What was one of Christ"s parting promises to His disciples?
"In My Father"s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. _I go to prepare a place for you._" John 14:2.
2. What does Paul say G.o.d has prepared for His people?
"But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore G.o.d is not ashamed to be called their G.o.d: for _He hath prepared for them a city_." Heb. 11:16.
3. Where is this city, and what is it called?
"But _Jerusalem which is above_ is free, which is the mother of us all."
Gal. 4:26.
4. For what did Abraham look?
"For _he looked for a city_ which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is G.o.d." Heb. 11:10.
5. What a.s.surance has G.o.d given to believers?
"G.o.d is not ashamed to be called their G.o.d: for He hath prepared for them a city." Heb. 11:16.
6. What did John see concerning this city?
"And _I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from G.o.d out of heaven_, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Rev. 21:2.
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
The Descent Of The New Jerusalem. "And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from G.o.d out of heaven." Rev. 21:2.
7. How many foundations has this city?
"And the wall of the city had _twelve foundations_, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." Verse 14.
8. What is the measurement of the city?
"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_." Verse 16.
NOTE.-The measure around it, as the words length and breadth, imply, and as was the early custom of measuring cities, is 12,000 furlongs. This is equal to 1,500 miles, 375 miles on each side, making a perfect square. The area of this city is therefore 140,625 square miles, or 90,000,000 acres, or 3,920,400,000,000 square feet. Allowing 100 square feet to each person, or a s.p.a.ce ten feet square, the city would hold 39,204,000,000 persons, or twenty-six times the present population of the globe.
9. What is the height of the wall?
"And he measured the wall thereof, _an hundred and forty and four cubits_." Verse 17.
NOTE.-One hundred and forty-four cubits are equal to 216 feet.
10. Of what material is the wall constructed?
"And the building of _the wall of it was of jasper_: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear gla.s.s." Verse 18.
11. With what are the twelve foundations adorned?
"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_." Verses 19, 20. See Ex.
28:15-21; Isa. 54:11, 12.
12. Of what are the twelve gates composed?
"And the twelve gates were _twelve pearls_: every several gate was of one pearl." Rev. 21:21.
13. What is written on these gates?
"The names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel." Verse 12.
14. Of what are the streets of the city composed?
"And the street of the city was _pure gold_, as it were transparent gla.s.s." Verse 21.
15. Why will this city have no need of the sun or moon?
"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: _for the glory of G.o.d did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof_.
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it." Verses 23, 24. See Rev. 22:5; Isa. 60:19, 20.
16. Why are its gates not to be closed?
"And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: _for there shall be no night there_." Rev. 21:25.
17. What will be excluded from this city?
"And there shall in no wise enter into it _anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie_." Verse 27.
18. Who will be permitted to enter it?
"_Blessed are they that do His commandments_, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev.
22:14.
NOTE.-The late English and American revisions render this, "Blessed are they that wash their robes," etc. The result is the same, for those who wash their robes cease to sin, and hence do G.o.d"s commandments.
19. When this city becomes the metropolis of the new earth, what will be the condition of G.o.d"s people?
"And G.o.d shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are pa.s.sed away." Rev. 21:4.
20. What will flow through the city?
"And he showed me _a pure river of water of life_, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of G.o.d and of the Lamb." Rev. 22:1.