In Revelation 21 we see materials such as gold that is transparent like no one has ever seen. Precious stones like Jasper that are also clear with a greenish hue and other stones. We see giant pearls as the gates of the city. What do all of these have in common? They all were formed out of difficult environments. Gold we know is not naturally gold as we see it, but it is refined in the refiner‘s fire. Pearls are produced from a grain of sand that irritates the oyster until it gives up its prized gift. And precious stones do not come out of the ground like we see them in our jewelry, but rather are selectively chosen chiseled out of rock and cut to perfection. Do you see how in our life in Israel’s life and every believers life that God has brought irritations, fire and testing, and chiseling and cutting that we might be suitable material mature and complete as we march through time, through the tribulation, and through the millennium prepared as a perfect bride for his habitation?Did you know that in the garden of Eden there were four rivers and on the shores of those four rivers these three things could be found: "And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there." (Genesis 2:12) Bdellium is a pearl like substance along with precious stones/onyx and gold. These are the seeds for God‘s eternal purpose. Do you think this is accidental that these are mentioned in Genesis or just coincidence? By no means. God has an eternal purpose, he plants all the seeds, and he has watched them grow into reality here in Revelations the last two chapters.
