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Sapphire (Lapis Lazuli)
Description: Pliny the Elder lived around the time that the Book of Revelation was written. In his writing, he describes sappir as "being like the night sky, spangled with stars." This points to the lapis lazuli stone.
Vine's: The "sapphire" has various shades of blue and ranks next in hardness to the diamond.
In the temple: veil
Representation: entry into God's presence, giving of the Law, giving of the Holy Spirit, circumcision of the heart, engraving the Ten Commandments (sapphire set)
Strong's Concordance
Greek Definition:
sappheiros (4552): a "sapphire" or lapis-lazuli gem:--sapphire.
Hebrew Definitions:
cappiyr (5601): from 5608: a gem (per. as used for scratching other substances), prob. the sapphire:--sapphire.
caphar (5608): to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by impl.) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intens. to recount, i.e. celebrate:--commune, (ac-) count, declare, number, penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.
References: paved work of sapphire stone, a stone in the breastplate, throne, wisdom, description of the Beloved, and New Jerusalem foundation
Feast: Pentecost
Some translations refer to a sapphire as "lapis lazuli." This stone highlights the giving of the glorious Law, as well as the giving of the glorious Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. In the main miracle picture, the sapphire foundation and the Lord's veil are one and the same.
Click on the file below to see a diagram of the New Jerusalem foundations.
| foundationdia.pdf |