In Revelation 21, the angel says to John, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb.”

But instead of showing him a person, the angel reveals a city — the golden New Jerusalem.

This beautiful symbolism teaches us something profound: the city represents God’s people.

You are the New Jerusalem.

This passage reveals how God sees you.

The description is breathtaking — streets of pure gold, twelve gates made of single pearls, foundations adorned with precious gems: jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, cornelian, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst.

Imagine the value of a pearl large enough to carve into a door!

This extravagant imagery illustrates your worth in God’s eyes — a price beyond calculation.

As we know, Christ did not redeem us with gold or silver, but with His precious blood.

In Ephesians 5, we learn that a husband should present his wife to the world “without blemish or spot or wrinkle.”

This mirrors how Jesus presents us to His heavenly Father — as precious and perfect. Christ has taken away our sins.

You might not see yourself this way. When you look in the mirror, you likely notice flaws and shortcomings.

But in Christ, God sees you differently — as someone of immeasurable value and beauty.

This is the wonder of Revelation 21.

The New Jerusalem isn’t just a future city; it’s a picture of how God sees you right now — His beloved bride, adorned in splendor, precious beyond measure.

Steve Andrews Jr is pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, MO.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #easter

If you have questions or topics that you’d like discussed on Higher Things, email them to content@higherthings.org

Subscribe to our channel to get notifications when we go live: http://youtube.com/@HTgospel4all

To support the work of Higher Things®, visit https://higherthings.org/morehi/giving/

For more information about Higher Things, go to https://higherthings.org
——
Join the conversation on Social Media:

http://facebook.com/higherthings
http://instagram.com/higherthings
https://www.tiktok.com/@higherthings