Rev 21:12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and
twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of
the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13
three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south,
and three gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of
the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of
the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who
talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as
great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand
furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17
Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the
measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction
of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned
with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second
sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20
the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth
beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the
twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve
pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was
pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 But I saw no
temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to
shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it.
The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those
who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth
bring their glory and honor into it. 25
Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the
nations into it. 27 But there shall
by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination
or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Christmas is a time when we consider points of entry. In
Jesus’ life, at the fullness of time, He entered the world. He did not come in
the usual way.
The Bible teaches us Jesus existed from eternity past
with The Father in the kingdom of heaven, and it was only when the earth was at
the exact moment of Divine preparation that He made His entry. Conceived of the
Holy Spirit, Jesus was born of a virgin – that His life on earth would be
sinless. He entered the world on a mission.
The name, ‘Jesus,’ was given, as instructed by the angel
Gabriel. ‘Jesus’ means, “Jehovah is Salvation.” This would be the name above
all names, because of what the name conveys.
The very fact heaven is a gated place tells us not all
will gain entry. Some will choose to remain outside of heaven for all eternity.
The pass code for entry into heaven is an expression of
faith in the work Jesus came to do. You see, Jesus came to live a sinless life –
and then to die as a sacrifice for my sin. He completed His work. By simply
believing in Him my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. In this way,
Jesus Himself becomes the Door.
-Pastor Bill
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