The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 477

set forth by the fi!!UN! of the gates of "one pearl.,. Who could compute the price of such a pearl? ft will be the glory of· the perfect Church that " one pearl,'' and that' "the Pearl of great price," even Christ himself, is presented to every man. at every entrance to the Church, so that notie can come eave by him. And even "ths street·n was of "pure gold," The street, the places of concourse, the ,ways in which the people of the city walk, are• golden, That is, they are waya of holiness, godly wayii,·ways good and precious, ways of pleasantness and paths of peace. , The spiritual l!,o~l?-tY, and richea of this way ar<:i what is meant, and w.hat each heart know11 to ·V. I'i'II ii:ATURITY o• SPIRITUAL OHARAOTEB. As the or<linances of the tabernacle .md · temple gave way to the ordinances of Christ, so these ordinances will themselves give. way to the worship "in spirit and in truth,'' which shall be the most perfect worship ofall. "When that which is perfect is come, then that which is imperfect shall be_ done away" {l Cor. xiii. 10). The temple was to the Jews the means of access to a revelation of, and a place of instruction concerning, God. But in Christ's verl pre11en,ce no medium is needed, for access is direct to God. And in a Church that aspil'eB 11,{ter this model there will be not a discarding and rejection of all ordinances and forms, but there will be a growing independence of them. Whilst prized and used, they will not be indispensable. Being what we are, we may be thankfal that still the ordina:uces of religion-'--sacred seasons, sanctuaries, and services-«re continued to us still But there, in the holy Jerusalem, they will not be needed. And like 88 the ~brine, the most holy place in the tabernacle and temple, was lit up with no earthly·light, but with the Shechirum-cloud, the visible glory of God, so shall it be in the city of God. Translated, this means that in the perfect Church the glory of the grace of Christ in her shall render unnecessary all lesser glory, though in ih.e eyea of men such glory should be as the sun and moon for grea.tnesa. ·· , VL HER ATTRACTIVENESS. Nations outside the city are clearly supposed. "Nations," not "nations of the saved," is the true reading (see Revised VeNion). The heathen are meant. Then will be the true missionary age. Then shall be fulfilled, as cannot be now, the promises of the universal spread of the knowledge of the Lord (cf. Isa. Ix. 11). The heathen shall come and their kings, and they shall consecrate their all to Ohri~t. _ And this shall continually be going on. For (v«. 27) the gates shall never be shut, but kept ever open for this blessed infiow ·of all to Christ., She is likened to a city, for cities are centres of_ influence, and affect for good driffafl around. 'l'hink of what London and like cities do in this way. And •tth& holy Jerusslem" shall thus influence and attract " the nations,'1 who shall. gladly walk in her" light." The blessing of God, the absence of which is the meaning of "night" in St. John's language, shall be ever present (cf. John xiii. 30, "And it was night"). Hence the blessed power of this city over the heathen around, · VII. HER HOLINESS. (Ver. 27.) Note this freq11ent form of expression. Denyint one thing and asserting its extreme contrast. "'l'here shall nol enter any," etc., but there shall enter those in the book of life (of. eh. iii. 5, 14 I will notblot out ••• but. I will confess," etc.; cl:t. xx. 6, •• the second death ••• but they shall be priests," etc.). The darkness of an evil condition is named to be denied, in order to serve aa a foll to the glory of the blessed condition which is affirmed. And so lt ii here. The ~rfoct holiness of the city is rendered more conspicuous by the ui;nial_ of" entrr.nce to all abomination, Let ua remember, therefore, •• Without holiness no man shall 1166 the Lori!.~ VIII. HEil PROVISION AllD BLESSEDNESS. (Oh. xxii. 1-5.) 1. ..4, to thefe,t, thia consists of the river (ver. 1) and of the tree of life (ver. 2). The provision is plenteous, as is a river for they that would drink, and 88 are the trees bearing its twelve harvests year by year, and standing on either side the river. Acceslli'ble, also; for the river flows through the street of the city, and the trees are on either side. No flaming sword now bars access thereto, but it is in view and in reach of and for the enjoyment of all.. By these symbols of the river and the tree are meant-as when we read (ha. xxxiii, 16) of bread and water being sure-:--a.11 necessary food. But as all ber• refers t(l a!'1rlt~ things, we take. out Lord's own interpretation, and read in' the 'ii.vet the fufoess of the Holy Spirit's blessing. Here we rec~ive that blessing as It reftoeahing dew or as drops of rain, but there it 8hall flow forth as a river from the throne of God 1$. nl• 1-27.] _'i'HE RE-VELATl01't .OlP 81'. JOiiN 'rBE -:t>JVlNl!l -62S