CHRIST'S BRIDE IN REVELATION

I was reading this morning in Revelation 21 and 22.  These chapters finish out the book and there was something very interesting that I have not yet completely understood.  I want to get my ideas out into a blog in the hopes that the thinking that goes into writing this blog may help me learn more about what it is I am thinking about.  The text is Revelation 21:9-11.  Really, you will have to read from verse 9 through the end of the chapter to really see some of the things I am talking about, but verses 9 through 11 concerns the issue at hand.  They read:

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,  having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

 So this angel comes up to John and tells him that he is going to show him the wife of the Lamb. To me, this is the church, the people who have been born again. You would think that wherever John is taken he will see a multitude of people. Instead, in the next verse we see Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven from God.  Now, I realize in verse 27 of chapter 21 says that only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life will enter this city, but it just seems odd to me that immediately following this angelic announcement that John is going to see the bride of Christ, the rest of the chapter is spent describing the city and not the people in it. I am thinking that a lot of what is described about the city applies to Christians, but I am not certain how or even why.

Take for instance, the foundation stones of the city wall described in verses 14&19-20. These may be related to the stones in the ephod that the priest wore described in Exodus 28:15-30. I am not certain how, but I may be on to something. After all, Christ is our High Priest.  And surely His people are kept on His heart at all times. I am sure this is one of the spiritual significances of the ephod on the priests garments described in the OT, but I do not see the significance in Revelation 21:14 where the apostles names were on the 12 foundation stones.  In the OT the twelve tribes names were engraved on the 12 stones. Here in Revelation we find the 12 apostles names on the stones in the city. The very city that was said to be the bride of Christ.

And so here is where I am at. I see this city described in Revelation 21 as representing the bride of Christ, the people. But I have not really figured out all the ins and outs of what the significance is to the things described. Why does he say in verse 21 the streets of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.  How is gold ever like transparent glass?  These are the questions that are currently plaguing me. If you have any insight as to how I might better view this 21st chapter of Revelation I am open to your ideas. Leave a comment or send an email to me:

freeindeed101@gmail.com