2006-10-22 05:21:00
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (Revelation 21:9-10)
The bride, the Lamb's wife are those who have purified the lower self which is now dominated by the higher. These are they who tune in to and receive from the inner voice of the Christ consciousness. Because they listen to this voice rather than the outward voices they are, as it were, married to the Christ within. This verse is also speaking of the collective bride, which is that group who has overcome the lower nature. They are the fruit of Christ's work that shall manifest at the end of the spiritual evolution of humanity.
To see and fully understand the bride of Christ John had to be "carried...away in the spirit to a great and high mountain." In this context a mountain symbolizes higher consciousness. To understand where we as humans are really going within the will of God requires more understanding than belongs to the human condition. To comprehend it one must be "carried ... away in the spirit" and see through the eyes of higher consciousness. In this high state he will see the possibilities of humanity living as one in a great group life.
John saw the New Jerusalem descending out of heaven. These are advanced souls who have gone on before us who have come to us to raise us up to where they are into a consciousness higher than we can attain on our own.
The old souls not of this earth and the newer souls of this earth become one in a great age of rest, peace and joy.
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)
Everything about the form of New Jerusalem has symbolic meaning.
The meaning seems odd the way it is worded. How is her light like a clear crystal? It helps to examine the Greek word from which "light" is translated. Instead of using the normal word for light, which is PHOS, John uses PHOSTER, which is used to describe the heavenly lights of the sun, moon and stars. Instead of referring to a light shining in the dark this indicates a thing which is the source of light.
The whole city of New Jerusalem is composed of light itself. Because light is clear as crystal, and the city is composed of light, then the city is translucent, for in the light those in the Christ consciousness see light and become a light to others.
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (Revelation 21:12)
The great wall symbolizes the great and numerous obstacles that each disciple must overcome before he can enter into this greater light.
The twelve gates has a multitude of meanings. Among them are:
The twelve angels represent barriers, which prevent those who are not ready from attaining the higher consciousness before they can handle it.
The names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel are keys the disciple must obtain to enter the higher consciousness and abide there.
On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. (Revelation 21:13)
The four sides symbolize the lower nature and the three gates the life of the Spirit. This tells us that those who enter the city must have the lower quaternary, the four parts of the lower self, dominated by the life of the Spirit.
Lack of money is the root of all evil.
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)
Copyright © 2006 by J J Dewey, All Rights Reserved