II. THE CONTENTS OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
A. God’s Glory as the Uncreated Light
and the Lamb as the Lamp
Now we want to see the contents of the New Jerusalem. First, the New Jerusalem has God’s glory as the uncreated light and the Lamb as the lamp to shine forth the divine brightness through the entire city (Rev. 21:23, 11; 22:5b). In the New Jerusalem, there will be no man-made or God-created light, because God’s glory is the light. Within the lamp, Christ, is the light, God. By this way God shines through the entire city. God is the light; Christ is the lamp; and the church, the New Jerusalem, is the lamp container. The New Jerusalem is the lamp container, the container that contains the lamp with God as the shining light.
B. The Throne of God and of the Lamb
The throne of God and of the Lamb is also in the New Jerusalem. This is the throne of the redeeming God, for God’s administration in His eternal kingdom for eternity (Rev. 22:1b, 3b). This throne of authority for God’s administration in the whole universe is also the throne of grace. We know that it is the throne of grace because out of it flows the river of water of life with the tree of life growing in it. These are not indications of authority but of grace. The river of water of life is grace. The tree of life with its twelve fruits is also grace. The throne is of God and of the Lamb. God and the Lamb are not separate. They are one. Our God is the Lamb-God, the redeeming God, for God’s administration in His eternal kingdom for eternity.
C. A Street from the Throne of God
and of the Lamb
The New Jerusalem has a street from the throne of God and of the Lamb spiraling through the entire city to reach the twelve gates of the city on its four sides, for communication (Rev. 22:1c). The New Jerusalem has only one street. This street is not straight but a spiral. It spirals down from the throne to reach all the twelve gates. There are three gates on the north, three gates on the south, three gates on the east, and three gates on the west. This one street from the throne reaches all the gates by spiraling. This is for communication. Even today in the church there is only one spiraling street. There is no cross street on which to turn. No one can be lost on this one street. Every entrance can be reached by this one street. This is very meaningful. Quite often, some saints like to turn, but in the church life there is no turn. We just have to go on and on upon the one street.
(The Central Line of the Divine Revelation, Chapter 28, by Witness Lee)
