The Transparent Wall of Separation.
“It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal.” Revelation 21:11
As I reflected on this verse a sadness came to me. If the walls of that City will be like glass, at the second resurrection the unsaved will be able to look right through and see everything going on inside that City. Think about some of the sad moments that will take place outside those walls of the New Jerusalem?
I pictured in my imagination a man who had such a wonderful family, and who almost made his decision for Christ — he intended to do it sometime. As he comes forth in the second resurrection, he looks around for his wife and two girls. Nothing but open, empty graves meet his vision, and his ears are assailed by the cries and curses of the lost. He is swept up in the maelstrom of frenzied preparation for ‘the battle.’
As he approaches the gleaming, transparent walls, he is overwhelmed by the splendour of the scene. Far in the distance, he sees the outshining of the glorious rainbow surrounding the throne of God. The River of Life flows forth from the throne, and great branches of the Tree of Life arch over the river, bearing their magnificent fruit of immortality. The man is transfixed by the beauty. Glorious, radiant angels move around inside the City. He gazes at the streets of purest gold and the indescribable mansions on every side. As he stands spellbound, he thinks, “What a fool I was to lose all of this.”
Then, I picture this man as his eyes try to encompass all the grandeur of the landscape. Moving figures inside begin to come into clearer focus. Suddenly, his heart skips a beat, as he catches a glimpse of some familiar forms on the other side of the wall. His eyes light up with recognition of his wife and grown children as they draw nearer. The man waves and beckons. He cries out to catch their attention, but the words bounce back as an empty echo from the shining walls.
Then, and only then, will the true horror of his situation be realized. A flood of memories will fill his mind. He remembers so vividly the prayers of his little girls for their daddy to be saved. He lives over again the tender convictions that brought tears to his eyes, the struggle with conscience, and the decision to wait. The words of his wife now return to torment him. “Honey, why don’t you surrender to Jesus? Don’t worry about your job. I will work, and we will get along. The Lord will provide. I love you so much, and Jesus loves you.” He had fought the stubborn rebellion but slowly yielded to the practical demands of his job and his carnal friends. Now he would give anything in the world to return to that moment. If only he could take his girls in his arms again, and kiss his dear wife, assuring them that their prayers have been answered.
Oh, the remorse of that moment! The man stretches out his arms and cries out, “Please pray for me once more!” But it is too late, and before the jasper-clear wall, I can see that father and husband fall on the ground, screaming and pleading for one more chance that can never be granted. Surely, this will be the greatest punishment for those who finally realize what it means to be lost.“What Shall It Profit a Man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?” Jesus said. (Matt 16:26)
Oh, how l wish I could paint this picture so graphically concerning surrender and its importance that every person would settle it with God before going to bed tonight. We must know that we have given ourselves completely to the Lord Jesus Christ. I know there are some who would say, “Let’s not get fanatical, let’s not do anything extreme. Let’s just wait, and things will take care of themselves.” The very same people who say that now will some day be crying out on the other side of the wall of the New Jerusalem and saying: “Oh, why didn’t someone tell me? Why didn’t somebody make me do it when I had the opportunity?”
I am amazed at the way people are influenced by their friends—by the words of those who are very well-meaning. What comfort will those words be when the friends are also on the outside of the wall looking in? Sometimes people are held back by possessions, or jobs, or bank accounts; but what comfort will it be to have a great, heaping pile of earthly treasure and still be on the outside looking through the walls?
If you wait, refusing to make a decision to follow Christ all the way, I can promise you one thing, someday you are going to know that the still, small voice of the Spirit has made its final plea. The Bible will be closed up forever on the pulpit, and the pews will be completely emptied of all the people. Suddenly, every man, woman, and child will be called to face God. The busy life of this world will grind to a crashing halt. The music will suddenly be turned off, the bright lights will go out into darkness forever, and the radio, TV and computers are going to melt together. No one will go about his or her business, because God will suddenly intervene and call every man, woman, and child to account. The world will be torn by the devastating earthquake we read about in Revelation 16. The sea will be lashed to a fury by the voice of the hurricane. The inhabited islands of this earth will move, turn slightly, and drop out of sight. Great mountains will twist and turn and then be thrown out onto the plains disintegrated by the mighty, volcanic action of the earth. Dark, angry clouds will fill the sky, clashing against each other. The lightning will reach out from those clouds to envelop this earth in a great sheet of flame. Men, white as ghosts, will run to and fro, frantically seeking for some shelter; and they will find none. And then, amidst the screams of terror, the great hailstones of God will come crashing down with a sickening thud, making kindling wood out of all the buildings and houses of this earth.
How cheap the dollar is going to look then. How ridiculous it will seem to that man who allowed the mockery of some friend to hold him back from making that decision. On every side voices will be heard crying out, “Too late! Too late!” And those words will echo all around the earth, while the redeemed look up and say, “Lo, this is our God. We have waited for Him and He will save us.”
So, the story of this lost planet closes just exactly like it began. After the fire has destroyed the wicked, and burned out all the curse of sin, God will make it over again. This earth, delivered from all the blighting effect of transgression, will be recreated into the original paradise that God intended it to be. “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness”