The After-Life Journey For Those Who With Trusting-Faith
Believe Into Jesus Christ The Only-Begotten Son Of GOD As Their LORD And
Savior.
Below, I will utilize the KJV or King James Versions for the Scriptures. And when I speak of the after-life, I obviously speak of a state of when this body dies, and the soul and spirit of one who is in Christ is necessarily united with Christ in spirit and soul in a literal spiritual universe, not in anyway so much unlike a physical universe, but having so many less restrictions on being tangible and inter-active with what appear to be solids or phantom forms and shapes with the same attributes as solids than this physical one is capable of.
When the unbeliever dies, his or her soul descends / falls into the Earth's center into one of two places: Death, or Hell.
Death is not only primarily a state of being when someone ceases to have mortal life, it is also a place of the fallen soul which is often called Sheol in the Old Testament. Death, therefore, is also a spirit place of separation from all others without flames of torment.
Hell is a place that has both flames of torment and worms of aggravating sins that afflict the GOD-hating or Christ -hating soul and do not die. However, lately manner equate Hell as a state of being more than they realize it is primarily a place. But those details are for another time.
I will concentrate on the beginning of the after-life journey of those who are in Christ Jesus upon their deaths. It is not a complete listing, but it is a covering of many of the essential things believers will at first see after death and instantaneous transport by the means GOD chooses to take us there, presumably by angels. The flight may seem to be no more a journey than if we simply (in new and perfect unhindered spiritual bodies) slipped up one flight of a suddenly appearing stairs before us, and immediately crossed into another entirely separate dimension, or something to this effect...but part of the experience will be that whatever it is, if you are in Christ Jesus, you have NO need to fear or hesitate trusting into Jesus in any way. You have his guarantee of deliverance and acceptance by Him and by GOD the Father.
Below, I will utilize the KJV or King James Versions for the Scriptures. And when I speak of the after-life, I obviously speak of a state of when this body dies, and the soul and spirit of one who is in Christ is necessarily united with Christ in spirit and soul in a literal spiritual universe, not in anyway so much unlike a physical universe, but having so many less restrictions on being tangible and inter-active with what appear to be solids or phantom forms and shapes with the same attributes as solids than this physical one is capable of.
When the unbeliever dies, his or her soul descends / falls into the Earth's center into one of two places: Death, or Hell.
Death is not only primarily a state of being when someone ceases to have mortal life, it is also a place of the fallen soul which is often called Sheol in the Old Testament. Death, therefore, is also a spirit place of separation from all others without flames of torment.
Hell is a place that has both flames of torment and worms of aggravating sins that afflict the GOD-hating or Christ -hating soul and do not die. However, lately manner equate Hell as a state of being more than they realize it is primarily a place. But those details are for another time.
I will concentrate on the beginning of the after-life journey of those who are in Christ Jesus upon their deaths. It is not a complete listing, but it is a covering of many of the essential things believers will at first see after death and instantaneous transport by the means GOD chooses to take us there, presumably by angels. The flight may seem to be no more a journey than if we simply (in new and perfect unhindered spiritual bodies) slipped up one flight of a suddenly appearing stairs before us, and immediately crossed into another entirely separate dimension, or something to this effect...but part of the experience will be that whatever it is, if you are in Christ Jesus, you have NO need to fear or hesitate trusting into Jesus in any way. You have his guarantee of deliverance and acceptance by Him and by GOD the Father.
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were
dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in
the heavens.” (1 Corinthians 5:1 – King
James Version)
According to the Bible, a saint is someone who with trusting-faith believes into Jesus Christ as his or her LORD and Savior. We also may note that they know and acknowledge the atonement of what Jesus did at the Cross, that He died, and that on the Third Day He rose again from the Dead, and in less than 50 days from that Resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven visibly before witnesses and will someday come again. I’ll just leave it at that.
When the saint dies in this mortal life, he or she is viewed
by GOD as one who is merely putting off living in one form of a dwelling place –
this body -- and being taken up and
moved into another.
At death, the saint is instantaneously carried by the angels,
even as the beggar in Jesus’ verbal
biographical illustration was carried by the angels to a place of sanctuary and
comforting at his death.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried
by the angels into Abraham's bosom….
(Luke 16:22 – KJV)
And after the ascension of Jesus to Heaven, where are the
saints taken by the angels of GOD to?
Jesus said,
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my
servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
(John 12:26 – KJV)
Clearly, we believers, upon death, go to be with Jesus and
will also be honored for our trusting-faith by GOD the Father Himself.
In the Tribulation Period of Judgement yet to come upon the
world (when this is being written for before and during such a time) the Temple of GOD will be beheld in Heaven (Revelation
11:19) on the event of the Elijahn (seen and second) Rapture, which will be accompanied
by a blowing of the 7th Trump (cf. Revelation 11:11 ff.).
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from
God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon
them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them,
Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies
beheld them.
13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the
tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven
thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh
quickly.
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices
in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on
their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which
art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great
power, and hast reigned.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the
time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give
reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear
thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was
seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and
voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
(Revelation 11:11-19 – KJV)
The Saints, who are taken up here, will get to see something greater than a physical ritual Temple in Heaven first-hand. That Temple seen by those on earth in the Tribulation Period will NOT be beheld in a specific (rather than generalized) location where GOD the Father and GOD the Son are, as it will be somewhere outside the specific location of the city of New Jerusalem where the Throne of the Father and of the Lamb (GOD the Son) is located (Revelation 21:22).
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
I do not know if that means the Temple will be in Paradise itself, which is due East of New Jerusalem in Heaven, or if the Temple in Heaven will be at a location outside New Jerusalem apart from an Easterly direction, though I would suspect it be south and to the right...but I don't know as yet.
However, when believers into Jesus DO go to Paradise and then into New Jerusalem to see the Father and the Lamb in person, they at some point will also behold, though perhaps from a distance but with perfect and unhindered sight, the 24 elders who possess golden bowls who have for them -- (and now for new believers who will belatedly come to believe upon the Earth) – offered up golden bowls full of the fragrant prayers of the saints to GOD as their priestly ministry before GOD the Father and the Son of GOD now sitting beside Him.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
I do not know if that means the Temple will be in Paradise itself, which is due East of New Jerusalem in Heaven, or if the Temple in Heaven will be at a location outside New Jerusalem apart from an Easterly direction, though I would suspect it be south and to the right...but I don't know as yet.
However, when believers into Jesus DO go to Paradise and then into New Jerusalem to see the Father and the Lamb in person, they at some point will also behold, though perhaps from a distance but with perfect and unhindered sight, the 24 elders who possess golden bowls who have for them -- (and now for new believers who will belatedly come to believe upon the Earth) – offered up golden bowls full of the fragrant prayers of the saints to GOD as their priestly ministry before GOD the Father and the Son of GOD now sitting beside Him.
1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a
book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who
is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth,
was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and
to read the book, neither to look thereon.
5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the
Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book,
and to loose the seven seals thereof.
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the
four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain,
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent
forth into all the earth.
7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him
that sat upon the throne.
8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and
twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and
golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
(Revelation 5:1-8 – KJV)
As I indicated above, I am fairly certain that the first destination stop for the believer who is taken to Heaven will be to the East of the City of Heaven, a place we call Paradise. There, the river of GOD which originates from Jesus at his throne to the Right of GOD the Father in the center of New Jerusalem, I believe flows out of the city, to the East, and into and through Paradise if we follow the pattern left us in Scripture in Genesis 2:8,10
8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and
there he put the man whom he had formed.
10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from
thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
(Genesis 2:8,10)
and the fact that in Ezekiel 47:1-8,
1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.
7 Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.
the waters run out of the city of Jerusalem in the Millennial Reign and run due East of the city some miles before flowing both north and south at that time (as then they will be flowing downhill in both directions), the mountains of the Earth (except for Jerusalem) all being shaken and sifted flat (Isaiah 40:4)
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
by a planet that is knocked off its axis during the Great Tribulation period and reels to and fro like a hut (Isaiah 24:19-20a).
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage....
1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.
7 Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.
the waters run out of the city of Jerusalem in the Millennial Reign and run due East of the city some miles before flowing both north and south at that time (as then they will be flowing downhill in both directions), the mountains of the Earth (except for Jerusalem) all being shaken and sifted flat (Isaiah 40:4)
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
by a planet that is knocked off its axis during the Great Tribulation period and reels to and fro like a hut (Isaiah 24:19-20a).
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage....
But in the New Heavens and New Earth, it may be that the reconstituted Earth will a perfect world with no oceans, only rivers and small bodies of fresh waters with Jerusalem now at the perfect north center pole location, and New Jerusalem as a capstone 2/3rds the size of the moon in a perfect cube sitting on top of planet Earth and sustained by GOD's Almighty power and will, in which once again Christ from his own internal being waters the earth from where He sits on the Throne in New Jerusalem with the Father at that time (if I understand correctly these things).
Revelation 21:1 states of those times in the New Heaven and the New Earth, that
1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
But perhaps I am getting ahead of most readers, who are likely unfamiliar with these things.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe
also in me.
2 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.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again,
and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
6 …I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me.
(John 14:1-4,6 -
KJV)
When the trusting-faith believer into Jesus dies, they are
assured by Jesus a dwelling place in Heaven, and will not only be with Him, but
also they will be in the presence of the Father, and the Father is in Heaven
(Matthew 5:16, 34; Luke 11:2).
It is not uncommon to ask,
“What does Heaven look like?’ Our greatest treasure to that answer is found in the New Testament of the Bible, and especially is contained in the Book of Revelation, written by the Apostle John (after being exiled from Ephesus and all Asia and on the island of Patmos) in circa September of 53 A.D. (as I discuss and prove elsewhere).
We are informed that Heaven is a Kingdom, and that it is ruled
over. The Scripture tells us that the
Father sits on a Throne in Heaven (Matthew 5:34; Revelation 4:2-11); and that
the Throne of GOD the Father is in what is called New Jerusalem (Revelation
21:2-3; 21:1,3).
Revelation 21:2-3
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Revelation 22:1
1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Revelation 21:2-3
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Revelation 22:1
1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Currently, “Paradise” is a geographical location in Heaven,
and contains the tree of life that once was also in Eden upon the Earth (Genesis
3:22-24) as now being most certainly there in Heaven (Revelation 2:7). Here, East of the City of New Jerusalem,
believers into Jesus in the after-life will be able to partake of the Tree of
Life, having authority to eat its fruit, and after that partaking, they are
allowed entry into the city of New Jerusalem…but there seems to be an
indication that we will eat the fruit of the Tree of Life in Paradise first,
before entering into New Jerusalem, as the Scripture says:
13 I am Alpha and
Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14 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.
(Revelation 22:13-14)
In Revelation 22, the Tree of Life is known to be on both banks of the river of the water life which proceeds from the throne of the Lamb, and to be inside the city of New Jerusalem as well as outside New Jerusalem in Paradise.
NEW
JERUSALEM
The height, length and width of New Jerusalem is a cubic
dimension of 12,000 stadia to each:
12,000 stadia high, 12,000 stadia long, and 12,000 stadia wide. One stadia is 607 feet. One mile is 5,280 feet.
If we multiply 12,000 times 607, it equals 7,284,000
feet. Divide that number by 5,280 feet
and we have a calculation of 1379.5454 miles.
A height of just over 1379.5 miles, and equally so for the length and
width of it as well.
Roughly, New Jerusalem is about 2/3rds the size of the moon,
which has a 2,160 mile diameter and orbits the Earth at a distance of around
221,600 to 252,950 miles away.
New Jerusalem will sit upon 12 foundation layers (Revelation 21:19-20).
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, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
As I understand them, the perfectly clear like glass mineral colors of the foundations will likely be these identifying colors.
1. Jasper - reddish.
2. Sapphire - blue.
3. Chalcedony - milky white.
4. Emerald - green.
5. Sardonyx - brown and white bands.
6. Sardius - orange and brownish reds.
7. Chrysolyte - gold.
8. Beryl - yellowish jasper.
9. Topaz - yellow.
10. Chrysoprasus - golden green.
11. Jacinth - yellow and blue.
12. Amethyst - purple.
New Jerusalem will sit upon 12 foundation layers (Revelation 21:19-20).
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, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
As I understand them, the perfectly clear like glass mineral colors of the foundations will likely be these identifying colors.
1. Jasper - reddish.
2. Sapphire - blue.
3. Chalcedony - milky white.
4. Emerald - green.
5. Sardonyx - brown and white bands.
6. Sardius - orange and brownish reds.
7. Chrysolyte - gold.
8. Beryl - yellowish jasper.
9. Topaz - yellow.
10. Chrysoprasus - golden green.
11. Jacinth - yellow and blue.
12. Amethyst - purple.
New Jerusalem, for all its size, has only 12 gates, each at
the top foundation layer in the height of the very base of its walls, with 3
gates to each wall (3 east, 3 North, 3 West, 3 South). These gates will never close (Revelation
21:25),
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
and the thickness of the walls of the New Jerusalem make the passage as 144 cubits or 216 feet. The walls are as clear as a very thin pane of new glass (Revelation 21:17-18),
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.
and offer a golden glow when shining upon that which is outside of it. The gates themselves are all as if each were made from one pearl (Revelation 21:21a).
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
and the thickness of the walls of the New Jerusalem make the passage as 144 cubits or 216 feet. The walls are as clear as a very thin pane of new glass (Revelation 21:17-18),
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.
and offer a golden glow when shining upon that which is outside of it. The gates themselves are all as if each were made from one pearl (Revelation 21:21a).
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl:
Each gate will have what appears to be either 12 angels or 12 messengers who will likely move in and about the gates themselves and shall each bear the names of (Revelation 21:12), while the foundations of the 4 walls of New Jerusalem will have engraved in them the names of the 12 apostles of Jesus (Revelation 21:14).
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.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And it may be, that like with a minister who greets his congregation on the way out after a sermon, the angels of each gate might actually be charged with greeting us on the way in...so a joyous greeting of being welcomed to New Jerusalem, may also be in store for us as we enter the gate with thanksgiving, joy, and singing (if that is the case). These gates will have assigned watchers that can be described as guards, so I would expect that we would probably see one or two 4 faced Seraphim / Cherubim outside each gate on some sort of elevated platform or something in or from the wall itself, keeping watch as we walk past. I say Seraphim, because technically it was one of these types of creatures that kept the way to the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were banned by the LORD from eating its fruit anymore as stated in Genesis 3:24:
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Inside each gate, each 216 feet long in tunnel fashion and made to the sides and overheads as if all from one pearl, there will be both angels (who will likely be serving as porters, following the pattern of Nehemiah 11:19 and 1 Chronicles 9:19-33) and choirs (the 4 faced Seraphim / Cherubim, following the decription that these can sing and angels can only shout in Job 38:7) that will sing without ceasing and praising GOD. As the Levite singers ascended and descended steps at the Holy Temple of Jerusalem on Earth in times past, and will do so again in the future, so I would expect that there be a like number of steps and carved out without hands niches for such heavenly choirs to also perform in at each gate.
Indeed, such singing and making merry is a requirement, as given us in the Psalms:
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
(Psalm 100 - KJV)
19 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.
21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
(Psalm 118:19-21 - KJV)
Each gate will have what appears to be either 12 angels or 12 messengers who will likely move in and about the gates themselves and shall each bear the names of (Revelation 21:12), while the foundations of the 4 walls of New Jerusalem will have engraved in them the names of the 12 apostles of Jesus (Revelation 21:14).
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.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And it may be, that like with a minister who greets his congregation on the way out after a sermon, the angels of each gate might actually be charged with greeting us on the way in...so a joyous greeting of being welcomed to New Jerusalem, may also be in store for us as we enter the gate with thanksgiving, joy, and singing (if that is the case). These gates will have assigned watchers that can be described as guards, so I would expect that we would probably see one or two 4 faced Seraphim / Cherubim outside each gate on some sort of elevated platform or something in or from the wall itself, keeping watch as we walk past. I say Seraphim, because technically it was one of these types of creatures that kept the way to the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were banned by the LORD from eating its fruit anymore as stated in Genesis 3:24:
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Inside each gate, each 216 feet long in tunnel fashion and made to the sides and overheads as if all from one pearl, there will be both angels (who will likely be serving as porters, following the pattern of Nehemiah 11:19 and 1 Chronicles 9:19-33) and choirs (the 4 faced Seraphim / Cherubim, following the decription that these can sing and angels can only shout in Job 38:7) that will sing without ceasing and praising GOD. As the Levite singers ascended and descended steps at the Holy Temple of Jerusalem on Earth in times past, and will do so again in the future, so I would expect that there be a like number of steps and carved out without hands niches for such heavenly choirs to also perform in at each gate.
Indeed, such singing and making merry is a requirement, as given us in the Psalms:
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
(Psalm 100 - KJV)
19 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.
21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
(Psalm 118:19-21 - KJV)
Each gate has a street of pure gold (Revelation 21:21b)
and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
and likewise the city buildings themselves will also be as of pure gold, clear and transparent like glass (Revelation 21:19b)
the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
In the Millennial Reign, the path that the LORD takes in his return to Jerusalem in his glory shall be called "The Way of Holiness" (Isaiah 35:8a)
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it...
I suggest that each of the streets of gold that lead from each of the 12 gates will also be identified in like manner, as each gate will have from them a street that leads from whichever gate, and goes directly to the open Court at the Throne of the Father. Likely it will be over 650 miles journey, depending on if the Court area of GOD the Father's throne is more than 70 miles wide and long or not. It may be even larger than that of a Court area to hold in excess of 200,000,000 angels by design and perhaps over 2-3 billion human souls or more (for all I could even guess of how many especially out of the Tribulation and Great Tribulation that will be saved and will certainly be added) if we follow the pattern on the size of Israel's camp in the 1551 B.C. Exodus wilderness at a length of 9 miles for 3,000,000 people, and taking into account there must be a large crystal sea (Revelation 4:6) about the Throne also.
6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne,
and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
and likewise the city buildings themselves will also be as of pure gold, clear and transparent like glass (Revelation 21:19b)
the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
In the Millennial Reign, the path that the LORD takes in his return to Jerusalem in his glory shall be called "The Way of Holiness" (Isaiah 35:8a)
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it...
I suggest that each of the streets of gold that lead from each of the 12 gates will also be identified in like manner, as each gate will have from them a street that leads from whichever gate, and goes directly to the open Court at the Throne of the Father. Likely it will be over 650 miles journey, depending on if the Court area of GOD the Father's throne is more than 70 miles wide and long or not. It may be even larger than that of a Court area to hold in excess of 200,000,000 angels by design and perhaps over 2-3 billion human souls or more (for all I could even guess of how many especially out of the Tribulation and Great Tribulation that will be saved and will certainly be added) if we follow the pattern on the size of Israel's camp in the 1551 B.C. Exodus wilderness at a length of 9 miles for 3,000,000 people, and taking into account there must be a large crystal sea (Revelation 4:6) about the Throne also.
6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne,
Only we who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will in any way have access or the right to enter New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27)
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.
and that means NO other belief system other than those who trust into Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior and what He did for us at the Cross.
As Jesus says in John 14:6:
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
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.
and that means NO other belief system other than those who trust into Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior and what He did for us at the Cross.
As Jesus says in John 14:6:
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
For those in Christ, Death in this mortal life may often be a welcome relief or it can be a wonderful journey, depending on your state of being in this life. We are called to make a difference in the here and now, and inform others to trust into Jesus as their LORD and Savior. And if others have a problem with that...it's their problem, even as it will be their chosen and sought after damnation that they bring about upon themselves. Dust off the hands regarding those who adamantly chose to be lost, and find those others who are willing to hear and be saved, instead. Amen.
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