There Is No Other Foundation
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11)
The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. (Zechariah 12:1)
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)
The First Foundation Is the Jasper Stone
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; (Revelation 21:19)
Chapter 21 of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ contains the wonder of the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. It is finally joined to the earth to show forth the glory of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The first foundation of the wall of this city is the jasper stone. In Chapter 21 the jasper stone has the preeminence and is compared with the glory of God. The wall itself is jasper, and is built upon the first foundation, the jasper stone. Eleven more foundations are built upon the jasper stone. In the wonderful book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the jasper stone is only mentioned in one other chapter, Chapter 4, verse 3, And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and [there was] a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. In Chapter 21, the jasper stone is mentioned three times which gives us a total of four in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The significance of the placement and the number is important to note.
We first notice the jasper stone. The throne sitter is likened unto a jasper stone. In the singular mention of Chapter 4 we see the preeminence of the Godhead represented by Jesus Christ upon the throne. In Chapter 21 we have the jasper stone three times giving us the total number of the Godhead bodily again representing the Lord Jesus Christ as the express image of God. In the four mentions of the jasper stone, we have the supremacy of the Almighty God over the whole earth. This is how the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ ends with the will of God over the whole earth. The jasper stone in Chapter 21 has the preeminence, and the wall itself is made of jasper. We also understand that the entire city is filled with the glory of God. This would include the jasper wall. The wall is built on the first foundation, and this is the jasper stone. Can you see the connection to the throne sitter Jesus Christ? For there is no other foundation for the saints of God. ¶ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11) In Revelation Chapter 21 it is the city that is filled with the glory of God, and the jasper stone has the preeminence. In Revelation 4:3 it is the glory of God Himself, and His preeminence upon the throne. The jasper stone is only mentioned three more times in the entire Bible. (Exodus 28:20; Exodus 39:13, and Ezekiel 28:13).
In Exodus 28 and 39 we have a connection with the twelve tribes of Israel, the stones upon the breastplate of the high priest represent the twelve tribes, however, there is a greater glory, remember that Aaron is a representative priest. Aaron represents the heavenly priesthood on earth, as Melchisedec fills His position in heaven, Aaron shadowed this position on earth. The breastplate was also to show forth the glory of God. On the breastplate of the priest, the jasper stone is last, or is it really first? In the order of a foundation, the tried stone, the polished stone, the stone most precious must be set first in order of the foundation. It is first once again, we have the mind of the Spirit, the first shall be last, and the last shall be first for the glory of God has the dominion of the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, what beauty in this jasper stone. It is the corner stone, as Christ is the corner stone of our faith. The very ground that we stand upon is the jasper stone.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (Ephesians 2:19)
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (Ephesians 2:20)
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (Ephesians 2:21)
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)
There is so much for our spirit and mind to consider. For in the beginning Christ created the heavens and the earth. He became the Master Builder, and He, Himself, became the foundation of every temporal object, and every movement of His Spirit. He has permeated His fullness to all things for He has created all things, and all things were created for Him. And He is the fullness of all He created. All things were created by Him, and without Him was not anything made. (John 1) As the foundation of all things both seen and unseen what defines this foundation of His deity? His foundation is His own righteousness. All must be in subjection to His own righteousness, therefore, making His righteousness the very foundation of His Person. All the foundations in the Bible reflected Him in some way. Even in the parable of the two houses, one built on sand, and the other built on a rock. This is the only Rock which is Jesus Christ. He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. (Luke 6:48)
The Bible closes with this last foundation in Revelation 21:19. 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; (Revelation 21:19) It is the foundation of the wall of the city of the living God. The very first foundation is the jasper stone, and the wall itself reflects the jasper, for it is anchored to the immoveable foundation. Let us go back to Revelation 4:3, And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and [there was] a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. Here we have the throne sitter described as a jasper and sardine stone. This connects us with the foundation stone which is the Lord Jesus Christ making the throne sitter the Son of God.
When the jasper stone was placed on the breastplate of the high priest (Aaron) it is last, and it is also the first foundation in order of the wall. In the building of the wall, the jasper stone must be placed first for all has to be built on the jasper stone, and that foundation is Jesus Christ. The wording in Revelation 4:3 is very important. Many have missed this, but the word ‘he’ is very significant, for it shows a personality, and I believe that it is place there to show His manhood as the GodMan. And as ‘he’ sat upon His throne, His glory was like a jasper stone.
Also, mentioned is the sardine stone. Some feel that this stone represents the diamond, however, the Holy Spirit uses the word ‘diamond’ in other portions of Scripture, we don’t need to put earthly value on these stones. For the value is in the throne sitter and not in the stones. This, the Holy Spirit, wants us to see the glories of Christ. The sardine stone was the first stone placed on the breastplate of the high priest of Israel. The Holy Spirit is showing us that in Jesus Christ all the value of the breastplate is encompassed by both the sardine stone and the jasper stone. Once again, we have the first shall be last, and the last shall be first because of the foundation stone which is Jesus Christ. When the wall is built, the jasper stone must be placed first for all things have to be built on that jasper stone. No other stone can take its place. And it represents our glorious foundation in our foundation stone, Jesus Christ.
In Revelation Chapter 4, we have both the glory and the strength of the throne in the two stones. We also have the witness of the number two of grace and glory of beauty and holiness, of mercy and truth that are met together in the throne sitter. To understand these things (like John) we must be carried away by the Spirit of holiness. Our eyes must be opened by the Spirit of God to see such wonder in order to see the great city of the living God. Remember that this is the HOLY city Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God filled with the glory of the throne sitter, the jasper stone, the tried stone, the pure stone, the foundation stone, and that foundation is His own righteousness. From glory to glory, the city is our city for it is filled with the glory of our God. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. (Revelation 21:11) In conjunction with this glory is the stone most precious, the jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Now let us consider 1st Corinthians 3:11, ¶ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. I am sure this verse is very familiar to many Christians, for they have laid their faith upon the immoveable and immortal foundation which is Jesus Christ. Therefore, let’s look at the power and strength of our foundation. First of all, it was Jesus Christ who laid the foundation of the earth. He is the foundation Himself, for in Him all things consist.
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16)
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: (Hebrews 1:10)
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. (Psalm 102:25)
In all that has been created there is only One Creator, there is only One Voice that has called into existence the things that did not exist, and that is the Voice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Ephesians 3:9)
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:10)
According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (Ephesians 3:11)
The book of Ephesians allows us a look back before the foundations of the earth. It allows us to see the working of the determinate counsels of God, and that the outward expression of God would be through Jesus Christ, therefore, He is the foundation before all foundations. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, (1 Peter 1:20) He was foreordained before the foundation of the world. What does this mean? Do we dare enter into the mystery of God? The Lord Jesus was brought forth, and chosen, and appointed to be the Lamb of God before the foundation of the earth. God had a plan, should not the Creator of all things have a plan? He didn’t throw dust into the air, He created the dust, then He put it together as the planet Earth. But before earth existed Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8) Yes, God had a plan. The one who placed the stars in the heaven had an intricate plan, and this plan was under His complete control and power. The plan of redemption was set in the heavens before it was established on the earth. It would take His foundation of righteousness to fulfill the plan of redemption, and to bring to pass the fullness of time. And now we are beholding Him in the last time. He is the jasper in Revelation Chapter 4, He is brighter than the sun, and we, as the children of God, are come to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, the city of the living God. But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Hebrews 12:22)
As I have mentioned, we, as Christians, have a sure foundation, and our conversation or manner of life is in the heavens with our foundation for He is the foundation of all things. For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20) As Christians we have a sure foundation that is steadfast and immoveable, and the foundation of Jesus Christ is the beginning of all foundations, He is the chief or existential foundation stone, and He is represented by the jasper stone as the first foundation, and only foundation of faith itself. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (1 Peter 2:6) The word ‘precious’ is the most precious of all stones. No other stone comes close to the preciousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now let us travel back to the prophetic word to Isaiah Chapter 28, verse 16, Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. The Spirit of God expands the jasper stone through the prophetic writings of Isaiah, again we not only see the tried stone, but we see the sure stone that gives us a sure foundation. It also reveals that the foundation of truth is within Jesus Christ. For the truth is in Jesus. We are seen before the earthly and the heavenly for one day soon Israel will behold her King. Jerusalem will be the glory of all the cities of the world. This will take place when all things come under the sovereign rule and will of the Almighty God, Jesus Christ. That which is of the earth will give way to the heavenlies. And the heavenly throne sitter will place His throne in Jerusalem. And the heavenly city of Jerusalem, the city of the living God, will be the glory of Israel. Once again, the voice of the Spirit reminds us of our sure foundation, our corner stone most precious, the foundation of jasper, and the throne sitter in all His glory for us to behold, not just a glimpse, but to behold Him throughout all eternity. He has built a house, whose house are we. But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6) He has gone to prepare a place for us. We are the jewels of His salvation which He purchased with His own blood.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.(John 14:1)
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. (John 14:2)
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. (John 14:3)
And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:4)
In all of John’s writings (the gospel of John, and his epistles and the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ and through all that was revealed to His servant John) John remained occupied with the throne sitter Jesus Christ, the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His Person. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3) The sure foundation of our jasper stone, the description of the Spirit of God is that He is most precious. God wants us to look on the most precious things of the seen, and to know of the surety that the unseen of the heavenly glories of Christ are of much greater and brighter than all the things that we see with our eyes. Never value the stone as man values them. Value these stones as the Spirit of God value’s them. For Christ was the rejected stone by man, and He was the stone of great price. Not only is there a glory of the seen, or the throne sitter, but there is a glory of the unseen God.
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15)
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16)
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)
We have been called of God to be occupied with Christ. To be occupied in Him and for Him, He is to fill us for He is the fullness of the invisible God. And so we must set our affections on things above, on His Person.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.(Colossians 3:2)
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
If we have a greater affection for Him than for the world, Christ will bring us to a greater understanding of His affection for us. For we have His affection, but we also have the Father’s affection for us as well. And the affection of the Father and the Son are united in both, and that affection is sent down from heaven by the Holy Spirit of God.¶ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24) The vast love of God comes from the very foundation of His Being, and He has bestowed that love on the children of men.¶ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1) He has bestowed His love not as the world loves, for His love is based on the very foundation of His righteousness. For He cannot deny Himself. It is man in his darkness that wanders endlessly looking for relief from his sin. This is why man is religious, and builds his gods after the fashion of a man, or the image of a beast. He will not base his desire in the immortal and invisible true God. For only the highest Himself can give salvation to man. In Isaiah we have the words of the Spirit of God describing the gods of mankind, how vain they are, and what they are made of, and the darkness that they bring into the souls of men.
To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? (Isaiah 40:18)
The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. (Isaiah 40:19)
He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. (Isaiah 40:20)
Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? (Isaiah 40:21)
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: (Isaiah 40:22)
That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. (Isaiah 40:23)
Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. (Isaiah 40:24)
To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. (Isaiah 40:25)
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. (Isaiah 40:26)
The Spirit of God has given us a declaration against those who are in opposition to the Almighty God. They declare that they have another God, it is now 2018, evil is spreading all over the world. Europe and Asia are falling to all of Satan’s practices, and the United States is hanging by a thread of truth. The wicked have revealed themselves as haters of God. Their own images are their idols, they worship themselves and their organizations, and they do not worship the Lord Jesus Christ as the ONLY and ONE true God of heaven and earth. Their hearts, their souls, and spirits are not occupied with the Lord Jesus Christ, but occupied with the inequity of Satan himself. One simple formula, and everyone who is born of the Spirit of God knows this formula because the Spirit of God dwells within them, that if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
The cross was the place of judgment. The sin of the whole world was judged against Jesus Christ, therefore, He, in His ascended glory, has the right to judge and is exercising, and will exercise, His right to judge the wickedness of mankind. The dispensation of grace is NOT a dispensation of sin. It is a dispensation of God’s righteousness in Jesus Christ, who is the Judge of the whole earth. He leads His own (those that He has bought with His blood) by still waters.
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he. (Isaiah 41:4)
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.(Psalm 23:2)
It is I; be not afraid
From the very beginning of His plan of redemption the highest Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, has been calling His own out of the bondage of sin beginning with Abel to this present age. It is the Lord Jesus who has enacted faith in the hearts of men. Faith is the gift, faith is the seed of grace, faith leads to grace, and grace leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to the Lord Jesus Christ. He began at the beginning to redeem a people for Himself. Darkness is over the eyes and hearts of men today because they have been misled by the Nicolaitans and the false teachers of this age. There is only one true God, and His name is Jesus Christ. In Isaiah Chapter 41, verse 4 ends with I am he. From the burning bush to the death of the cross, to the throne of glory, I am he, the Lord of glory Jesus Christ. This is the same Jesus Christ who stilled the storm, and the disciples wondered what manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him? But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. (Matthew 14:27) The Lord Jesus confirmed the same position that He held when Isaiah was given the Word of God as He told the Israelites in the days of Isaiah, I am he. He confirms this with His disciples, It is I, be not afraid. And in the ruins of the Church age He stands at the door, and knocks. He declares Himself as the God of heaven and earth when He said in Revelation, Chapter 3, I stand at the door and knock. Each ‘I’ is the single Person of God. The Holy Godhead manifested in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And to every believer, no matter how down trodden you are in this world, no matter what storms are against you, He says to you, It is I, be not afraid. Open the door wide and He will come in and sup with you. He will comfort you. He will strengthen you, and He will reveal His glory in your very heart, soul, and spirit, It is I; be not afraid.
Here am I; send me.
He has loved us into death, and unto eternal life. He has gone into the darkness of death so that He might fill us with His divine light. Herein is love that God, in Jesus Christ, laid down His life for us. No man took it from Him, He laid it down of His own will in the body that was prepared for Him before the foundation of the earth. In Isaiah 6:8, we have a wonderful revelation given by the Spirit of holiness. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. This conversation took place in the Godhead before the foundations of the earth. This conversation is part of the determinate counsels of God that we find in Acts Chapter 2 verse 23, Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Let us listen to the Spirit of God closely. The question is Whom shall I send? Who is qualified? Who can accomplish what we send Him to do? Who can fulfill our counsels? And who can bring to pass our will? There was only One, and He came forth, Here am I; send me. And so, a body was prepared for Him. He would come forth in that body to manifest the will of the Godhead bodily. He could say of Himself, I delight to do thy will, O God.
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Hebrews 10:5)
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. (Hebrews 10:6)
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Hebrews 10:7)
Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; (Hebrews 10:8)
Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. (Hebrews 10:9)
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)
Do you see the building of this foundation in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ from before the foundation of the world? He would be a tried stone, a polished stone, a rejected stone, however, He would be a sure foundation. The jasper stone, the first stone laid as a foundation in the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God is Jesus Christ. God gave us a witness of this stone all the way back in the book of Exodus. The jasper stone was on the breastplate of the high priest. Then the Spirit of God takes us all the way forward to the throne sitter in Revelation Chapter 4, and He is like unto the jasper stone. And then at the close of this wonderful book when all the determinate counsels of God are being concluded, we see this jasper stone as the FIRST foundation, the ONLY foundation of our faith, and the foundation of the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Not only do we see the foundation as jasper, but the Spirit of God refers to the finished wall as a jasper stone.
And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. (Revelation 21:18)
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; (Revelation 21:19)
Now, what does this tell us? The foundation of the counsels of God are built on Jesus Christ. The finished work of redemption is built on Jesus Christ. The glories that He will give His own are built on the finished work of Jesus Christ. This wall of jasper surrounds the city of the living God. This city is the city of refuge for ALL the redeemed. And the glory of this wonderful city of the living God is Jesus Christ. The wall completely surrounds the redeemed. The wall completely secures the redeemed. The wall completely separates the redeemed from all evil, and unto their Savior Jesus Christ. The jasper stone mentioned in Exodus Chapter 28 on the breastplate of the high priest ties the Lord Jesus to the divine Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 7) We also have the word of the Spirit of truth in Zechariah Chapter 6. We see a priest on His throne, and we see the jasper stone given to man to be both King and Priest to be the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings.
And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: (Zechariah 6:12)
Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. (Zechariah 6:13)
Before we begin with Zechariah, there is an earthly glory that will come upon Israel when the Lord Jesus subdues all His enemies, and establishes His throne on mount Zion in Jerusalem. This glory will be for Israel during the millennial kingdom, and will last for a thousand years. The Lord Jesus will be both King and Priest upon His throne. This will be His last earthly position for at the end of this thousand-year period, the nations will rebel against the righteousness of God energized by the old serpent himself Satan for he will be loosed from the bottomless pit. As he overthrew Adam in the garden of God, he will overthrow the nations and lead them to their own destruction at the great battle against the King of righteousness the Lord Jesus Christ. They will be defeated along with Satan, and the Lord Jesus Christ will cast them into the lake of fire where the false prophet and the beast have already been cast.
The glory of the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem is completely different. It is completely contained and kept by Jesus Christ the throne sitter of Revelation Chapter 4. Not one speck of unrighteousness will enter into the city of the living God. They who belong to Jesus Christ and to this city, will be ushered into the new heaven and the new earth wherein righteousness (only righteousness) will dwell. Concerning the Lord’s position as both King and Priest, we see the prophetic word of Psalm 2, verse 6 as King. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. We see the fulfillment of His priesthood and the glories of it in Hebrews 7:26. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; We see the union of both in Revelation Chapter 19, verses 11- 17.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (Revelation 19:12)
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14)
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; (Revelation 19:17)
Here we see the heavenly Priest and King as the Priest of God bringing His redeemed with Him. As the King of righteousness He is upholding all righteousness. This can only be accomplished by the highest Himself. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. (Psalm 87:5) Concerning the Lord Jesus Christ all the earthly things of goodness are only a shadow of His glory. The full effulgence of His glory is seen in heaven upon His throne. And because of man’s inadequacies to understand this glory, the Spirit of God compares this glory to the jasper stone and the sardine stone. This, once again, ties us back to the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, all brought about by the determinate counsels of God, and Here am I, send me.
Let us complete this wheel within a wheel. We go back to Exodus 28:17, we see on the breastplate of the high priest in the first row of stones the very first stone is the sardine stone, the same as the second stone mentioned in Revelation Chapter 4. These gems (both the sardine and the jasper) are only a shadow in comparison to the great glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit of God Himself who sets the full value of the true stone, the tried stone, the polished stone, the precious stone in Jesus Christ. Compare these Scriptures.
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (1 Peter 2:6)
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. (Isaiah 28:16)
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:33)
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? (Matthew 21:42)
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. (Psalm 118:22)
This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:23)
Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: (Psalm 118:19)
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
It is the Spirit of God who sets the value upon these treasures that are found in Jesus Christ. For these unsearchable riches that Paul tells us about are only found in the tried stone, the precious stone, in the very Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot imagine or understand the fullness of His intrinsic glory. In the book of Daniel Chapter 10, verse 6 (as in Isaiah) we get a glimpse of this glory, but only a glimpse. He is as the beryl stone, this stone can also be found on the breastplate of the high priest. The beryl stone begins the fourth row, the number four (4) speaks of the world, and being the last row could it not be the last message? The last Word to a world entrenched in sin and evil. The first stone on the fourth row, the beryl, speaks of His glory, and this is confirmed in the vision of Daniel.
Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: (Daniel 10:5)
His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. (Daniel 10:6)
And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. (Ezekiel 1:4)
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; (Revelation 1:14)
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. (Revelation 1:15)
This is what we see in this last row of stones upon the breastplate of the high priest. The beryl stone is the vision of His glory, the jasper stone is the Person of His glory, and between them both is the onyx stone (one of lesser value in the world of man) however, in between the two stones of glory is the humility of Christ in the onyx stone, a representation of the fullness of time, and the earthly manifestation of the Son of God. Man saw no value in the stone most precious. The Lord Jesus was disallowed by the builders, and rejected of man. He was in the world and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own (Israel) and they received Him not. The stone, the foundation of all truth, was refused for man had corrupted himself beyond all knowledge of the true God. They had taken the Word of God and made it of no effect, and could not bare the words or the presence of the living Word Himself. Although God was in their midst, they could only cry out, Crucify him, crucify him. If their hearts were for God they would have seen Him as Daniel (the man greatly beloved) beheld the Son of God Jesus Christ, however, they disallowed the stone most precious. For upon this stone, the Lord Jesus Christ is all the hope and faith of those who love Him. He is the most precious stone, and He is to look upon as the jasper stone. There is no other foundation. There is no other Savior. There is no other God. All the religions of the world have missed the mark by denying the One True God, the Only God, Jesus Christ, and to Jesus Christ every knee SHALL and WILL bow to the glory of the Son of God, and all this glory awaits the redeemed of the Lord. There will come a day as John, on the isle of Patmos, we will behold Him and see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Now we patiently wait, but we have the unseen witness of the Spirit of Christ within us. He fills us with the glory of Christ in our hearts, in our souls, and in our spirits, and now, within us we behold the fullness of that glory like John. In the words of the Spirit of truth, the day is coming when we shall be like Him for that glory will be manifested in the sons of God when our redemption is complete in Him by the shroud of His glory around us, and through us: the foundation the very first stone (the jasper), the building of His house (the jasper), the glory of His house (the jasper), the glory of His throne (the jasper), all this leads us to the glory of God, the stone most precious, the preciousness of Jesus Christ. Amen.
I deliberately did not include Ezekiel 28. I did not want to detract from the glories of the Son of God. I did not want one speck of His glory to fall to the ground. We will deal with Ezekiel 28 at a later time, God willing. The subject is dark and one must have beams of light from above to deal with this evil, therefore, until then, I will rest in the Spirit of God in His will and purpose on this subject.
© Copyright 2018, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJV)