Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 21:15
21:15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
There are three things which are measured by the gold reed as follows:
ad.2 Measuring the wall.
Revelation 21:17920
21:19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
21:20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
The foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem were adorned with the twelve precious stones.
Exodus28:15,17-21
28:15 " You shall make the breastplate of judgment. Artistically woven according to the workmanship of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, you shall make it.
28:17 "And you shall put settings of stones in it, four rows of stones: The first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; this shall be the first row;
28:18 "the second row shall be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
28:19 "the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
28:20 "and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold settings.
28:21 "And the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes.
The twelve precious stones were in the breastplate of the High Priest with the twelve names of the sons of Israel.
In Exodus28, the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written twice as follows:
Why were the names of the twelve tribes of Israel written twice?
Malachi3:6-9
3:6 "For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
3:7 Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?'
3:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
3:9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
It was because they had stolen the tithes and offerings which belonged to God. They did not confess it as the possession of God. They left Him and got the curse until being made equal to the Gentiles.
Malachi3:7b
3:7 ...Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?'
Zechariah1:3
1:3 "Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Return to Me," says the LORD of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts.
Malachi3:16-17
3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.
3:17 "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him."
God longs for Israelites' returning to Him to be His special treasure.
Returning to God, He will consider that the Israelites had never left Him, but they become a son who faithfully serves Him.
Romans11:11-23
11:11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
11:12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
11:14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
11:15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
11:16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
11:17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
11:18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
11:19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in."
11:20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.
11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Nevertheless, a part of Israel has rejected the Lord or not returned to God until being the natural branches which are cut. As a result, the upportunity and mercy of God are opened for the Gentiles to come to Him or become the wild branches which are grafted in among the true olive tree.
The longing or burden of God is that the Israelites can return to Him or the natural branches which have been cut can be grafted in. Such longing or burden is given to the Gentiles.
There are two kinds of God's longing as follows:
How can it be?
The Israelites and Gentiles become one perfect body of Christ. When Israel has received the Bride Tidings, the opportunity for the Gentiles will be closed.
[verse 22] Therefore, we must pay attention to the mercy of God and live in it. The facts found in it are as follows:
God blesses you.
Revelation 21:15
21:15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
There are three things which are measured by the gold reed as follows:
- The New Jerusalem city.
- The wall.
- The gates.
ad.2 Measuring the wall.
Revelation 21:17920
21:19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
21:20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
The foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem were adorned with the twelve precious stones.
Exodus28:15,17-21
28:15 " You shall make the breastplate of judgment. Artistically woven according to the workmanship of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, you shall make it.
28:17 "And you shall put settings of stones in it, four rows of stones: The first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; this shall be the first row;
28:18 "the second row shall be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
28:19 "the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
28:20 "and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold settings.
28:21 "And the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes.
The twelve precious stones were in the breastplate of the High Priest with the twelve names of the sons of Israel.
In Exodus28, the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written twice as follows:
- The two precious stones on the shoulders of the ephod. It refers to the responsibility.
Exodus28:9-12
28:9 "Then you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:
28:10 "six of their names on one stone, and six names on the other stone, in order of their birth.
28:11 "With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall set them in settings of gold.
28:12 "And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephodas memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders as a memorial.
The salvation of the house of Israel is the responsibility of Jesus, the High Priest. - [Exodus 28:15, 17-21] The twelve stones on the breastplate of the High Priest. It means that the house of Israel is the people whom God loves the most.
Exodus19:5-6
19:5 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Meabove all people; for all the earth is Mine.
19:6 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
It is the same as the special treasure of God or the priests and kings.
Why were the names of the twelve tribes of Israel written twice?
Malachi3:6-9
3:6 "For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
3:7 Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?'
3:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
3:9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
It was because they had stolen the tithes and offerings which belonged to God. They did not confess it as the possession of God. They left Him and got the curse until being made equal to the Gentiles.
Malachi3:7b
3:7 ...Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?'
Zechariah1:3
1:3 "Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Return to Me," says the LORD of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts.
Malachi3:16-17
3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.
3:17 "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him."
God longs for Israelites' returning to Him to be His special treasure.
Returning to God, He will consider that the Israelites had never left Him, but they become a son who faithfully serves Him.
Romans11:11-23
11:11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
11:12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
11:14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
11:15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
11:16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
11:17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
11:18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
11:19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in."
11:20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.
11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Nevertheless, a part of Israel has rejected the Lord or not returned to God until being the natural branches which are cut. As a result, the upportunity and mercy of God are opened for the Gentiles to come to Him or become the wild branches which are grafted in among the true olive tree.
The longing or burden of God is that the Israelites can return to Him or the natural branches which have been cut can be grafted in. Such longing or burden is given to the Gentiles.
There are two kinds of God's longing as follows:
- The
lost Israelites can return to God to be His possession. - The Gentiles can also become His possession.
How can it be?
- By the revival of Holy Spirit at the early rain in the Gospel Word or Good News for saving the sinners.
- By the revival of Holy Spirit at the latter rain in the teaching Word for sanctifying and perfecting the people who have been saved.
The Israelites and Gentiles become one perfect body of Christ. When Israel has received the Bride Tidings, the opportunity for the Gentiles will be closed.
[verse 22] Therefore, we must pay attention to the mercy of God and live in it. The facts found in it are as follows:
- Repenting.
Romans2:4-5
2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
2:5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
We make peace or confess and forgive sin one another, so the blood of Jesus washes away our sins. - Not losing heart in the ministry.
2 Corinthians4:1
4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
We do not get disappointed and hopeless as well leave God, but keep faithful and fervent in spirit in the service and ministry to God until the end line. - Willingly suffering in the flesh because of doing the will of God.
1 Peter2:19
2:19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
As a result, Spirit of Glory or Holy Spirit is poured out to us.
1 Peter4:14
4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of gloryand of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
Titus 3:5
3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Holy Spirit is able to renew our life from the meaningless words (dog) to the good ones to become God's witness. The unclean deeds (swine) are changed into the good ones. We can give to and visit others who are in need or we are used by God in the ministry for the edification of Christ's body.
Romans8:11
8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spiritwho dwells in you.
Holy Spirit is able to protect and preserve our life. The dead can be made alive. Holy Spirit solves all impossible problems and gives the beautiful successful future life in time of need.
[1 Peter 4:14] We get the heavenly joy which cannot be influenced by anything.
God blesses you.