GLASS TREASURE

New Jerusalem Foundations Part One

HEIDI RABE

Copyright © 2019 Heidi Rabe

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 198627778X ISBN-13: 978-1-9862777-8-5

Photography by Heidi Rabe All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information

storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing by the author. Requests for permission should be sent to buttontreephotography@gmail.com.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Scripture taken from the New International Version®. Copyright © 2011 by

Zondervan. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights

reserved. Scripture taken from the New Living Translation®. Copyright © 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.

For my Lord, who is the beginning of this journey and the end, the Alpha and Omega.

May I see you more clearly each step of the way.

CONTENTS

1 Jasper 1

2 Sapphire (Lapis Lazuli) 25

3 Chalcedony 65

4 Emerald 105

5

6

Sardonyx

Sardius

179

247

1

NEW JERUSALEM FOUNDATIONS JASPER

This book, I believe, will be the most significant writing that I have shared up until now. There is so much information, so my goal is to keep it as simple as possible and try to get to the point.

It all began around the holidays. My husband, Kirk, gave me twelve gemstones, which represent the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem. As I looked at each one, I suddenly realized their meaning. It was as if the stones fell into place right before my very eyes. I couldn’t believe it! Then, two weeks later, the gemstones in the breastplate began to make sense.

My hope is to share the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem with you first (the first six in this book). Then, we will take a look at the twelve stones in the high priest’s breastplate. It may take three or four books to cover all the material.

What is fascinating is that we are going to begin with jasper, which is the first stone in the list of foundations. In the breastplate list, however, it is the last stone (Exodus 28:20). I am very excited that we get to begin with my favorite stone. And then, of course, we will study it once again near the end of this journey. All the stones are most certainly precious. They are all necessary, for each one has a purpose. Each has a specific place within God’s glorious stories.

So, how did this journey begin in my life? About eleven years ago, I decided to learn more about Heaven after several loved ones passed away. Studying Heaven led me to learn about the New Jerusalem, which then brought me to Israel, the Western Wall, and finally to the tabernacle and temple. In 2015, the Lord gave me miracle pictures in a button. Yes, that is what I said. He used His glorious light to create images inside of a pink faceted button. It sounds crazy, but it is pure genius! The more I learn about Scripture, the more I am amazed by His goodness, His perfection, His skill, and yes, His great love. There is no human artist, no scholar, who could have come up with something so beautifully intricate.

The beloved disciple, John, explains that “he [the angel] carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Je-ru’-sa-lem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (Rev. 21:10-11).

In Revelation 21:11, John says that the light was like a precious stone, specifically a jasper stone. He describes it as “clear as crystal.” When I looked up the words “clear” and “crystal,” I learned that they are exactly the same words in this verse. According to the Strong’s Concordance, the Greek word is krustallizo, which means “to make (resemble) ice (‘crystallize’): —be clear as crystal.” When I attempted to fit this word into the same phrase two times, I came up with the following: The city’s light resembled ice crystals forming.

Since I am originally from Minnesota where we have the Winter Carnival every year, I suddenly thought of an ice castle. Some of the mountains in Israel receive snow and ice as well. Therefore, John likely experienced wintery elements during his lifetime. When he saw the Holy City descending, he may have thought about a wintery mountain scene. If you have ever seen an ice castle, it is usually lit up from within. When John saw the New Jerusalem, he likely saw the brilliance of God’s glory radiating through the city like light would pass through ice.

This is the jasper stone I received as a gift. The side resembles crystal or ice. Just

imagine God’s light shining through it.

Whether a stone is opaque, translucent, or transparent, perhaps God’s light will shine so brightly in the New Jerusalem that it will pierce through everything. That could be why we read about streets of pure gold, as transparent as glass (Revelation 21:21). Of course, the element itself will be pure. For example, the river of the water of life will be safe to drink since there won’t be any harmful bacteria. The river will flow directly from the throne of God and of the Lamb (22:1).

It is possible that God’s glory, His light, will pierce through even the thickest or densest of stones. For example, it could make a jasper stone appear translucent or transparent. Earth as we know it now is beautiful, but there are depths to God’s creation that we do not see or understand at this time. One day, we will see Jesus in all His glory. We will see His new creation and the hidden treasures of it. There will be a depth of beauty that we have never even dreamed. In a way, we have only scratched the surface of His amazing creation.

God’s light, of course, pierces through the darkness into the darkest places, whether it is within the human heart or a stone from the earth. When light on a jasper stone is said to be “clear as crystal,” it doesn’t necessarily mean that the stone itself is clear like crystal. Rather, I think it refers to the light of God’s glory. It is the ability of God’s light to show or reveal things in their purest form, to highlight God’s creation, making it as beautiful as possible through His glory.

We presently see things, both naturally and spiritually, with limited vision. The light we behold is only a sliver of God’s glory. We would not, perhaps could not, survive in the fullness of His light. We could not process, neither physically nor spiritually, the fullness of His glory. Saul suddenly comes to mind. He was temporarily blinded after seeing God’s light, and this was not even the fullness of it (Acts 9:3). One day we will need glorified bodies so we can stand in God’s presence. This will be the only way we will be able to handle it, to live through it, and to abide in it.

Recently, I learned about picture jasper. Apparently, through a process of petrified mud dripping into gas pockets of molten lava, patterns begin to form within jasper stones. These patterns create amazing landscapes. Some of them even look like mountains and rivers. A part of me has to wonder if John may have had picture jasper in mind when he wrote about the heavenly city. The main miracle picture has been cropped below. To me, it resembles picture jasper.

Rainbow

It is interesting to note that jasper often has stripes of color, bands of color. It is said that this stone contains every kind of color, much like a rainbow, although not necessarily with the same pattern. One would need a magnifying glass, a microscope, or perhaps God’s light to shine through it, in order to see all the colors. I tend to think that He has chosen the jasper stone, or perhaps He specifically created it, to describe His city due to its bands of color.

The beloved disciple says, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them…” (Revelation 21:3). Then, in verse 22, John says, “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” We can see from this verse that the Lord and the Lamb are the temple in the New Jerusalem. Jesus also says that He is “the light of the world” (John 8:12). I had to stop and think about this for a moment: Jesus is the Temple, and Jesus is the Light. That means that we should be able to see the temple within light, which would mean that we should see the temple within a rainbow. I decided to map out the colors to see how they fit together. Before I share the chart with you, however, I must first point out two colors within the Lord.

Over the past three and a half years, I have been trying to understand the miracle pictures. My husband is a fairly good artist (and I’m not at all), so sometimes he gives me

his view of the illustrations. He discovered a number of images that have been extremely important to this study. The most important one is of the body of the Lord Jesus. As we look at it from the east side of the picture, Jesus is the foundation for the New Jerusalem. His body is lying down.

It was one thing to see the mountains and river, but it was completely overwhelming when I initially saw the illustration of Jesus. I didn’t know how to process it since it was so mind-boggling. Believe me when I tell you that I know how you’re feeling. To see an illustration of the Lord, and to know that God designed it Himself, is not something easily understood (especially at first). I work with these images often, so at times they seem normal. But then I stop and think about what I’m seeing and doing, and I’m completely overwhelmed once again. You can probably understand why I’m not shouting about this gift from the rooftops. In light of the times in which we live, people would trample these illustrations with horrendous words without giving it much thought. Yes, I’m protective

of the illustrations on one hand. And yet I share them with you through writing and the Internet. I figure that those who are supposed to see the pictures will eventually be led to this destination. I am not going to force anything on anyone, but rather I pray for God to work in the hearts of people.

Here is the illustration of the Lord Jesus from the south side. At the bottom of the picture, His legs are reddish-orange. This color, I believe, represents the jasper stone. It could also be thought of as burnt red. At the top of the illustration is the Lord’s face, which is surrounded by a violet prayer shawl. This is the sapphire stone, also known as lapis lazuli. Here we see the first color of the rainbow (red) and the last color (violet). Jesus is the Light of the world!

Rainbow Chart

Tabernacle/Temple (please note: the dimensions are not precise)

(Jasper)

1

Red

Altar of Sacrifice

The Good

Shepherd

Blood & Earth

The Covenant

with Adam

(Topaz)

2

Orange

Fire

The Light of the World

Fire by Night

The Covenant

with Abraham

(Beryl)

3

Yellow

Lampstand

The True Vine

Olive Oil

The Covenant

with Abraham

(Emerald)

4

Green

Table of Shewbread

The Bread of Life

Tree of Life & Manna

The Covenant

with David

(Jacinth)

5

Blue

Laver

The Resurrection and the Life

Water & Sky

The Covenant with Noah

(Sapphire)

6

Indigo

Veil & Altar of Incense

The Gate (or Door)

The Law & the Spirit

(fulfillment of the Law)

The Covenant

with Moses

(Amethyst)

7

Violet

Censer & Ark

The Way, The Truth &

The Life

Cloud by Day & Throne

The New

Covenant

1 & 2 15

4

6

3

7 5

The one thing I struggled with was where to place the altar of incense in the rainbow chart. Within God’s pictures of the heavenly tabernacle, the censer and the altar of incense appear to be one and the same. It is important to remember that the censer was brought into the most holy place on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:12-13). Please note that Heaven itself is the most holy place. One day, when the New Jerusalem is brought to the New Earth, we will actually experience Heaven on Earth. Ultimately, this is what the human heart and mind have longed for all along, whether we realize it or not.

Since the altar of incense was placed before the veil in the earthly tabernacle, I decided to keep it with the veil in the chart. The censer, however, is in the most holy place.

Please note how the color green falls right in the middle (or center) of a rainbow. If you think about it, the Tree of Life was in the center (or midst, KJV) of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9). If my interpretation is correct, it has found its way into the middle of God’s light as well.

I know it may seem strange to associate the table of shewbread and manna with the color green. When we come to the emerald stone in chapter four, however, we will take a closer look at the amazing connection.

Censer

Wise Builders

Although it may take a couple of pages to introduce God’s glorious foundation, I promise that what we learn will help us as we study the gemstones in His kingdom.

First of all, it is important to note that the foundations of the city are not simply in the ground. Rather, I believe they represent foundational aspects within the redemptive plan. Jesus, as we know well, is the chief cornerstone. He is the fulfillment of the Law, and He is the Temple. These are the things we find beautifully illustrated in Scripture, as well as in His pictures.

So, let’s take a look at true and false teaching. When Jesus taught His disciples on the mountainside, He covered many topics including true and false prophets. The Lord’s warning, perhaps now more than ever, applies to us today. He says that “they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15, NIV).

I find it interesting that Jesus spoke of false prophets right before He taught on building a house. The Lord’s point is simple: we can build on truth or on something false. He says, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (vv. 24-25).

The Rock, of course, is the Lord Jesus. He is a perfect example of the wise man who built His house on the rock. When His kingdom comes, no stream will overtake it and no wind will tear it down. It will stand strong forever and ever.

People during biblical times wondered who Jesus was: a prophet, a good teacher, the son of a carpenter? So, Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15, NIV). Peter answers, “You are the Messiah [the Christ], the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Peter was blessed that the Father revealed this to him (v. 17). This revelation, this truth, is the rock on which Jesus builds His church (v. 18).

As we will see throughout our study, everything in the New Jerusalem points to Jesus. Without a strong foundation in Christ, our lives would crumble. Remember the wise man who built his house on the rock? There is no foundation more secure than our Rock, the chief cornerstone, Jesus (Matthew 21:42; Romans 9:33). In fact, the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are written in the twelve foundations (Revelation 21:14). How they are written, I’m not exactly sure. But these men shared the Good News of Jesus and, as a result, helped spread the message of salvation through Christ. It is interesting to note that the apostles were Jewish, and they also believed in the Lord Jesus. It seems fitting that they are called “the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (v. 14). A lamb was used as a sacrifice in the temple, and Jesus became that perfect Lamb

of God without spot or blemish. Here we see the transition, completion, or connection from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant. First Peter 1:19 says, “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”

Another great verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11, which tells us that “no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (NIV).

The position of the entire picture above represents the exterior of the east side of the New Jerusalem. Here we see Jesus as the foundation, as well as the chief cornerstone. Isaiah 28:16 says, “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zi’-on for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation.”

The Wall

There is currently a political battle over whether or not to build a wall in the United States. Some people will use God’s kingdom as an example to explain why a wall is reasonable. I am not going to give you my opinion one way or the other about earthly walls. I would, however, like to share how I came to see the wall in the New Jerusalem in a different light.

The beloved disciple explains that “the building of the wall of it [the city] was of jasper…” (Revelation 21:18). According to the Strong’s Concordance, the Greek word for “building” is endomesis, which means “a housing in (residence), i.e. structure: —building.” And the word “wall” is teichos, which is “a wall (as formative of a house).” So, looking at these two definitions, we can see that it isn’t so much a wall that we might find around a city to protect it. Rather, it is the exterior structure of the city, specifically God’s house. It could be thought of as being like the exterior walls of a house or the curtains of the tabernacle tent.

In the main picture, the wall

resembles a tent. Notice

how it appears to hang like a

curtain.

I like to think that it’s not so much about being walled out, but rather being housed in. This house, God’s house, God’s temple, will be a place of worship, service, and fellowship. In Revelation 21:3, John explains that “the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” There won’t be any death, sorrow, crying, or pain since the former things will have passed away (v. 4). When the New Jerusalem arrives, it will mark a joyful season, an eternal season, with God in His heavenly home on the New Earth.

One important aspect of the wall is that it is made of jasper. Isaiah 60:18 tells us that “thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.” As we have already learned, a jasper stone may contain all the colors of a rainbow. When we look at a jasper stone, we can see the bands of color, which are similar to bands of light. We see the Temple of the Lord and His Salvation in His light, in His rainbow, and now in His precious jasper stone wall.

Please note how the Lord’s body

is parallel to the wall. Both contain stripes,

or bands, of various colors.

Around the Throne

In Revelation, chapter 4, the beloved disciple describes the throne in Heaven. In verse 3, John says, “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.” We will refer to this verse again when we study the sardine (sardius) stone and the emerald stone. My personal and very humble interpretation is that the first two gemstones point to Jesus’ death (jasper and sardius), while the third represents His hidden life (emerald). Basically, John could see the Lord’s salvation around His throne.

I must mention that the layout of the heavenly throne room is slightly different than the earthly tabernacle and temple. Hebrews 8:5 explains that the priests “serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things….” Since Heaven is the most holy place, God’s throne is open and accessible to all. On earth, however, only the high priest could enter the most holy place once a year. When Jesus died, the veil tore in two, making a way for all people to have the opportunity to enter God’s eternal presence (Matthew 27:51). Through Christ, the throne became open and accessible to all (similar to Heaven). As we study the various gemstones, we will see the heavenly throne room more clearly.

Altar of Sacrifice

Throughout this book, we will take a look at all seven “I am statements.” I would like to begin in John 10:11 where

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

When we rotate the picture 180 degrees, we arrive on the west side of the New Jerusalem. This is my favorite side since we see Jesus as the Temple.

If you look carefully, a lamb is lying down on the altar of sacrifice (highlighted by the jasper stone). This lamb represents the perfect Lamb of God—Jesus. The reddish color can remind us of His blood that was shed.

When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). And around the throne in Heaven, angels say in a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Revelation 5:12).

The Lamb

The placement of the lamb is fascinating. It is a part of the Lord’s legs.

When we turn the picture ninety degrees, we see the lamb. The wound is found in the back of its neck or head.

The Lord gave Moses and Aaron precise instructions for the Passover meal. In Exodus 12:46, He says, “Do not break any of the bones” (NIV). When Jesus was crucified, the Jewish leaders asked Pilate to break His legs. When the soldiers came to the Lord, however, He was already dead. Therefore, one of the soldiers pierced His side instead (John 19:31-34). Just like the Passover lamb, none of Jesus’ bones were broken. (Please remember this point for later.)

Here we see Jesus’ legs from the south side.

The arrow points to a wound through His

ankle.

The lamb has a black face.

When we look at the picture from the east side, the Good Shepherd is next to the jasper stone.

Psalm 80:1 says, “Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh” (NIV). This verse may refer to our Shepherd-King’s throne in Heaven or His earthly throne in the tabernacle or temple. According to the Strong’s Concordance, the Hebrew word for “shepherd” is ra-ah. It means “to tend a flock,” “to rule,” and “to associate with as a friend.”

The kings of Israel were known as shepherds, although many of them didn’t do what they should have. Instead of caring for the flock, they focused on themselves (Ezekiel 34:2). The Sovereign Lord says, “You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd…” (vv. 4-5, NIV).

The Lord, however, promises to care for His sheep in His kingdom. He says, “I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down…” (v. 15).

Psalm 23 suddenly comes to mind. Perhaps you can recite it from memory. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul” (NKJV). When a sheep can finally lie down to rest, this means that all its needs have been met. No parasites will bother the sheep. There is plenty of food and water, and it is safe from its enemies.

Jesus is not simply one of a handful of good shepherds. He is the one and only Good Shepherd! He tells us that “the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11, NIV).

As a Gentile believer, I find comfort in Jesus’ words. The Good Shepherd explains, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (v. 16).

The Shepherd-King is standing on the jasper stone. He is wearing a

purple robe, and its train is flowing down the stone

steps.

Foundations

In Revelation 21:19, John explains that “the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones.” The word “foundations,” according to the Strong’s Concordance, is the Greek word themelios. It means “something put down” or “a substruction (of a building, etc.).” And the root word is theo, which means “to place (in a passive or horizontal posture).” When Jesus laid down His life for us, He did so for eternal purposes. There is only one Rock that provides a permanent, everlasting foundation. What was put down, or laid down, was Christ Himself. In John 10:17-18, Jesus says, “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (NIV).

The word “founded” in Matthew 7:25, interestingly enough, has a similar meaning. Jesus tells His disciples that “the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”

Jesus is both the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God who was slain. Whenever we see a jasper stone, it should remind us of His shed blood on the altar of sacrifice, which is the cross, the tree.

Before this chapter ends, I would like to share one more picture of my jasper stone from a slightly different angle. What I love about this particular stone is its shape. It looks like a heart, as well as a lamb’s head. Perhaps the most well-known verse in the Bible is John 3:16. It says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” From this verse we can see that it was because of God’s great love for us that He gave His Son, Jesus, to be the perfect Lamb.

And that is why the jasper stone is my favorite foundation—it all begins with His love.