Introduction 

The Lord God Almighty is the Temple! 

God is Awesome! The angel who held the judgment bowls took John up in spirit on a tour of Heaven and showed him the wonder of wonders. It was vastly overwhelming and he had no words to express to us what he saw. He was shown the bride of the Lamb, and then taken to a great high mountain so he could see the vastness of the great city of Jerusalem descending from God. John saw God’s glory everywhere. The wonders that were seen sparkled like fine gold and twelve precious gemstones like clear jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysalides, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. He saw its gates and walls, its foundations and all whose names are written into these structures that cannot be described. The angel measured everything for John, seeking to help him grasp all of this splendor so he can take it back as hope to his people and to us who would come later. The gates that never close were made up from one pearl, and the streets were paved with transparent gold. Yet, there was no temple as he expected; instead, it was God Himself, The Almighty, the Lamb, who was the Temple. He was so radiant by His glory that no natural or artificial light was needed—no sun or moon or lamp. Thus, the nations of earth and its leaders would come together and walk in His Light. Because of this, there was no evil, no shame, no doubt, and no dishonesty—only His true followers who see and claim Christ as LORD!  

What do you think heaven will be like? Do you like the literal or the non-literal view? Why? How is this passage about the expression of God’s intimacy? 

How would you explain your walk with God as a path? What would that path be like? How can you make that path better? How can your walk with God be your way of life for the here and now too?