Related articles and links |  1 of 3

It was the perfect moment of a perfect sunset hour as our car sped on toward San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. "Look, the part of that structure at the left of the approach really looks as if it were made of gold! The sunset light giving just that effect must have given the Golden Gate its name. What a fantastic sight! An illusion of gold." Our appreciation of the designing and engineering skill and of the sheer wonder of the effect continued as we drove over the bridge itself.

Then as we gained altitude on the road on the other side and looked back at the city, seemingly hung between sky and bay water, glistening with the light of the setting sun in myriads of windows in tall buildings, it gave the illusion of a golden city as high as it is wide, floating in space. After the evening filming was over, in a nearby town, the drive back brought us to the same spot in moonlight; thousands of twinkling lights caused that city on a hill to give the illusion again of being hung in space among stars and moon, almost a cube, reflected in water, breathtakingly beautiful. Perfection? Dream's end? Paradise found?

And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and skewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like jasper stone, clear as crystal … and the city Beth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of ,precious stones (Rev. 21:10-11, 16-19).

Is this heavenly city a real place? Do you believe our eyes will see it, our hands touch the material it is composed of, our nostrils become filled with the air we can breathe there? What is real?

Jesus says, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also (John 14: 1-4).

In Hebrews 11:16 the promise of Jesus to prepare a place is confirmed by a strong statement from God the Father: "But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." God here is telling us that the very real existence of this city, a place we are going to come to know by experience in the future, is one very valid reason why he, God the Creator, can state that he is "not ashamed to be called their God."

But I saw with my own eyes San Francisco as a golden, glistening city of fairy beauty, floating in space. Was what I saw with my own eyes real? Was it not painted with sunlight, moonlight, and imagination? What is more trustworthy, our eyes as we watch a magician, our eyes as we "add and subtract" with our own imagination, or God's clearly stated factual promises? God is trustworthy. God's Word can be depended upon. He is not ashamed of his promises, and we need never fear that we will later be ashamed of believing him.

next page... |  1 of 3

June (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47