The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone: The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. Revelation 21:19-20 BSB
Dearest saints, when we read about the New Jerusalem in the Apocalypse of John, one of the unassuming features often overlooked are the 12 foundation stones of the wall of the city. It is easy to gloss over a list of 12 names and think nothing more of it. We usually find ourselves fascinated with the more intriguing imagery within the City, a river of life, trees of life, and a city and streets made of gold so refined that they are transparent as glass.
Interestingly enough, the foundations of most structures are built in a way so as not to be seen. They are usually laid at deep subterranean levels. They are not intended to be beautiful, aesthetic, or pleasing to the eye. Rather, their purpose is wholly industrial and functional. They serve to bear all the weight of the above superstructure. But, as we shall see, the foundations of the heavenly City are very different indeed, and they have a beautiful story to tell.
So let us stop here for a moment outside walls of the City, and let us listen carefully to what the beloved John is actually describing here, for these are no ordinary foundations!
No Longer Common, But Holy and Precious
What John describes in Revelation 21 is a city with 12 foundations made of very common semiprecious and precious crystalline stones, found in abundant quantities across the earth.
These 12 crystals are variegated, striped, mottled, speckled, multi-layered, multi-coloured, and contain both pure elements and impurities, much like Jacob’s goats! God loves to redeem the ignoble and weaker things of the earth (Genesis 30:32; 1 Corinthians 1:27-28; 1 Peter 5:5).
The 12 crystal varieties that make up the foundations are typically mined from mountainous regions, kame deposits, and escarpment regions of flood-deposited sediment. And just as each of these crystal deposits would be brought out of the dark recesses of the earth, so God raises up His chosen and elect people out of darkness to become precious “living stones” unto Himself (1 Peter 2:5).
Most of the listed foundation stones of the City are common crystals, usually abundant and not very costly. However, they are all priceless gems to the Most High who purchased them at such a great cost, through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Additionally, the crystal varieties selected for the heavenly foundations are formed through cataclysmic processes (volcanic activity, flooding, seismic plate shifting) which involve intense pressure, heat, turbulence, a rich mixture of minerals, silica, and elements, oxidation, water turbulence, and crystallization.
In the very same way, God forms his “living stones” through the holocaust of the cross and our own personal storms as we follow Christ by faith, through fire, through water, through trial, through testing, and great tribulation.
In verse 14 John tells us that the foundations are inscribed with the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. In this way, these apostolic foundations represent the nations that would flow to Zion through the written testimony of the Lord’s 12 apostles, who sent their inspired Gospels and epistles into all the world to build “a holy temple in the Lord” with Jesus Christ himself being the chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-21). The gathered nations are the heritage of Christ’s apostles. These common stones have been transformed into Holy and precious “living stones” through the blood of the Lamb! From common crystals to precious jewels of the Father, and a dwelling place for the Spirit.
Not Just a City
Let us now look closely at the text of verse 19. It specifically tells us that these foundation stones are for the wall of the city. The massive wall and its gates rest on these colossal foundations. Since the wall of a city and its gates are usually located at the main-floor level, the description provides a reasonable indication that these foundation stones act as massive platforms which set the entire City aloft from the lower ground-elevation. Undoubtedly, these beautiful foundation stones would be fully exposed and polished to magnify their stunning radiance and multi-coloured splendour. Given these details, it is also very likely that these foundation stones would act as stepped staircase leading up to the glorious gates of pearl. What we have before us is a massive elevated city structure, soaring up into the heavens, resplendent and stunningly beautiful!
But let’s look again at the imagery John is presenting to us here. The scene is not merely of a majestic elevated city. John wants us to understand that this imagery is explicitly intended to represent a divine Mountain! The City is built on massive semiprecious layers of crystalline gems that are always found in far smaller deposits in other mountain locations. The enormous stepped layers of these foundations form the superstructure of the ascending Mountain-City. This is the City that has foundations “whose designer and builder is God!” – Hebrews 11:10
Therefore, what John wants us to see is that this is the grand Mountain of all mountains, par excellence! This is the Most High’s very own treasure City. There is no other Mountain so rich in jewels and kingly treasure as this one. This is none other than the holy Mountain of God, Mt. Zion (Isaiah 2:1-3; Hebrews 12:22). This is the lofty temple City, the New Jerusalem that the Lord has chosen to dwell within forever, in the midst of His people.
“It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills.” – Isaiah 2:2
Further, this is a priestly mountain. The foundations are made up 12 priestly stones, echoing back to the jeweled breastplate that Aaron wore, representing all the people in their multi-coloured and multi-ethnic variety. Indeed, John confirms this in chapter 5:10, “you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God.” This priestly Mountain is the dwelling place of all the redeemed peoples, nations, languages, and tribes of the earth who reign together with Christ their King, forever.
A Divine Design
The construction design of the Holy Mountain reflects the spiritual imagery that the Scriptures describe concerning Messiah’s Kingdom: that out of Mt. Zion would go the Word, the Spirit, and the anointing oil flowing down from Israel (the gates) to all the surrounding nations (the foundation stones). The divine layout also fulfills the picture of God’s promise to Abraham, “In your Offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” – Genesis 22:18.
Beloved, this is the Holy Mountain that God chooses for Himself. It is Zion, the City of the Great King, where Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son of David, reigns in the midst of His redeemed saints forever.
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the City of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in Heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a New Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” – Hebrews 12:22-24
Dear brethren, set your hearts here! This is the end goal. This is the prize. Our present world is quickly passing away, praise be to God! Do not be led astray by the false Zion that is currently being promoted in the Middle East. That city, like its old covenant, has passed away and has come to have no glory at all (2 Corinthians 3). The Hagar below is still in bondage with her children (Galatians 4). The more chaotic and obscene our world becomes, the more our hearts should deeply long to go to the true heavenly City! This is home. Let us then be like father Abraham, who looked forward to this City: “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a City.” – Hebrews 11:16
Amen!
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