Wednesday, February 7, 2018

February 8, 2018

"It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." Revelation 21:12-14

Yesterday I established that Heaven is too awesome to describe but it is sure fun to try! Language has its limits but the majesty of Heaven does not.

The second fact about Heaven revealed in this text is that Heaven is only accessible to disciples.

Isn't it interesting that Jesus' last words on earth were an admonition to "make disciples"? Now it has even greater significance!

Notice there are twelve gates that grant access to Heaven. At each gate stands an angel and on each gate is the name of one of Jacob's sons representing the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

How wonderful is that?

God called Abraham to be the Father of a Great Nation that He could use to call people to Himself. To become the Father of a nation he must first become a father. And eventually God kept his promise by giving Abraham and Sarah a son they named Isaac. Isaac then had Jacob and Jacob's twelve sons were the Fathers of the Twelve Tribes.

For all of eternity we will be reminded of how God sought us and opened the way for us to enter His Heaven!

And the foundations of this eternal city are the Twelve Apostles! And where did the Twelve Apostles come from? They were discipled by Jesus!

So, this glorious, gleaming and eternal city is built on the foundation of discipleship for the purpose of becoming the everlasting home of disciples who have made other disciples!

Making disciples is not only the mandate for the members of the Church of Jesus Christ but it is also the means by how each of us will ultimately arrived there!