Copyright © 2024 Heidi Rabe
Diagram of the New Jerusalem Foundations
East Side of the New Jerusalem
"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..." (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..." (Revelation 21:19).
North Side of the New Jerusalem
"The fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius..." (vv. 19-20).
"The fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius..." (vv. 19-20).
South Side of the New Jerusalem
"The seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz..." (v. 20).
"The seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz..." (v. 20).
West Side of the New Jerusalem
"The tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst" (v. 20).
"The tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst" (v. 20).
Over the past several years, I have been trying to understand the miracle pictures. My husband is a fairly good artist (and I'm not at all), so sometimes he gives me his view on the illustrations. He discovered a number of images that have been extremely important to this study. The most important one is of the body of the Lord Jesus. As we look at it from the east side of the picture, Jesus is the foundation for the New Jerusalem. His body is lying down.
It was one thing to see the mountains and river, but it was completely overwhelming when I initially saw the illustration of Jesus. I didn't know how to process it since it was so mind-boggling. Believe me when I tell you that I know how you're feeling. To see an illustration of the Lord, and to know that God designed it Himself, is not something easily understood (especially at first). I work with these images often, so at times they seem normal. But then I stop and think about what I'm seeing and doing, and I'm completely overwhelmed once again. You can probably understand why I'm not shouting about this gift from the rooftops. In light of the times in which we live, people would trample these illustrations with horrendous words without giving it much thought. Yes, I'm protective of the illustrations on one hand. And yet I share them with you through writing and the Internet. I figure that those who are supposed to see the pictures will eventually be led to this destination. I am not going to force anything on anyone, but rather I pray for God to work in the hearts of people.
It is important to note that the foundations of the city are not simply in the ground. Rather, I believe they represent foundational aspects within the redemptive plan. Jesus, as we know well, is the chief cornerstone. He is the fulfillment of the Law, and He is the Temple. These are the things we find beautifully illustrated in Scripture, as well as in His pictures.