John saw many strange and wonderful things from that island of Patmos, but I wonder if this sight didn’t cause a reaction quite apart from the rest. He saw the bride of Christ, the believing people of God in corporate form – that unknown number of those who have been born again of the Spirit of God and have come to know Jesus Christ.

In these verses 9-11, and beyond, we have John focusing on certain aspects of this wonderful sight. He is shown the various beauties, dimensions, and descriptions of what is truly indescribable. What he continues to do is to focus his eyes of the various aspects of this sight and bring out its respective beauty from various angles.

I remember being in the home of an elderly gentleman who had seriously impaired vision. He was a keen reader and he showed me his magnifying equipment and how a simple booklet with small print could be put up on screen and magnified greatly. Similarly, pictures were able to be seen in greater detail. With the equipment you could pan around and see things that perhaps you missed in viewing the overall view.

I believe that is what is happening here. John has already been shown the bride, but now he is shown again from a higher perspective. He is taken to a high mountain where he can see better. There he is able to consider the dimensions and see the beauty more clearly.

1. This Beautiful Bride is Worthy of Display⤒🔗

Remember that the Holy Spirit’s purpose in presenting this vision was to encourage the persecuted believers in all ages. This glorious sight was set before us as an impetus to fight the good fight of faith.

Sometimes people get so bogged down in the prophesies of Revelation that they fail to see the wood for the trees. The book is not simply predictive; it is wonderfully pastoral. Look up, saints. Set your mind on things above. We have a living hope, imperishable, kept in heaven – for you; you who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your saviour.

You are in this vision. This Bride is the blood bought body of God’s redeemed people. And here is this Bride on display! You, my believing brother and sister, are here on display for the apostle John! Now that is a wonderful thing but remember also that this angel that sets this sight before John is probably the same angel that set before John the Great Harlot (Revelation 17:1) If so, then what a contrast!

There, John has a very different sight displayed before him; one of filth, blasphemy, and spiritual adultery. But what does he see now? He sees a sight that is clean, pure and undefiled. He sees the fully sanctified and now glorified saints as a corporate entity now married to Christ. We may note one point of difference between what he sees in v 1, and v 9. He sees the bride. Now this is termed “the bride, the wife of the Lamb”. Now, because, “It is done”, the Bride is married – and there will be no divorce!

As we groan our way through this life, seeing ourselves falling again and again at the same hurdles, facing inner accusations that come from hell as to whether we are Christians at all, my sinning, but believing friend, the Lord would have you see this sight! “Come, I will show you the Bride”.

Here is the exhibit; the fruit of Christ’s saving work. He looks and he is satisfied. Should we not therefore look and rejoice? He loved the church and gave himself for her, to make her holy and to present her to himself a radiant church, without stain, or wrinkle, or any other blemish. Those blemishes and wrinkles and multitude of sins that you are aware of, he says, “I will remember no more”.

When this perishable clothes itself with the imperishable and death is swallowed up in victory, the Bride is worthy of display. And remember too that she is Wife – Hallelujah!

As husbands and wives in this life we will let each other down, and hurt each other, while at the same time we are grieved that we do. So with our Husband, we grieve Him with our many failures. But John sees that there is a perfection to the relationship. Then we are displayed as the Wife of One Husband. “I am His and He is Mine” is true now, but gloriously true then.

2. A Community in Communion with God←⤒🔗

This city is the community of the twice born now perfected and glorified. It is the Holy City; a holy community. In this life that holiness is imperfect but then the holiness is complete. What a wonderful thing to consider – a community of Christ-like people; a community which exudes the aroma of Christ in every interaction from person to person.

How much pain we cause each other because of our sin. How much of our words and thoughts are taken wrongly. But then all our interaction will be sinless as a perfectly holy community.

There will be a harmony presently unknown. We regularly sing the Psalmist’s comment – How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. But how little do we experience that goodness and pleasantness?

However, then it will be heavenly to enjoy such; as each one has a Christ­like interest in the other. There will be a mutually serving community of the new humanity.

Jerusalem the Golden, with milk and honey blest
Beneath thy contemplation, sink heart and voice oppressed.
I know not, O I know not what social joys are there.
What radiancy of glory, what light beyond compare.

This hymn speaks of “social joys”. Have you ever given thought to that phrase? This city is a holy social entity. There is a corporate holiness, but also a mutually interactive goodness one to the other.

So you see this vision is not totally beyond our understanding. There are certain factors which we can appreciate, and this is one of them. This is a vision of life in heaven as the glorified church; a community in communion with God.

The hymn quoted above continues to remind us that this glorified people has a radiancy of glory. This is what is revealed to John. John had already been shown how the Lord dwelt with His people and wiped away tears. Now John has the picture enlarged and magnified. God’s presence has an effect upon this community. It shines and radiates with shekinah glory like a crystal jewel.

I remember taking a visit to the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. I’m not greatly taken by sparkling jewellery but there was an amazing radiance coming from the jewels particularly as they were suitably displayed under appropriate lighting. The value was beyond imagination. The jewels themselves were so well set; some dark, some light, some opaque, some clear and flawless.

This city of redeemed humanity has a value beyond our comprehension. We talk of being bought with the blood of Christ but can we begin to comprehend the purchase price? God’s priceless jewels are his own beloved people, set together in city, shining, not with an external light upon, but an inner light within, and that light is something beyond compare; it is the Light of all lights.

This holy city that John sees is shining with the glory of God. She shines with a radiance so unspoiled, so undiluted, so unflawed, because it is the abiding presence of God in the midst of his people. Married to Christ, now in consummate union this Wife radiates, and does so perspicuously, as clear as crystal.

John speaks of it as being like a jasper. This stone was clear like the diamond, transparent, and brilliant. God’s glory will radiate brilliantly from within his people, in a visible, transparent manner.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we truly need to meditate much more on these glorious truths, visions and ultimate realities. The New Day truly is dawning.

I remember seeing someone on TV who was made to look older. By extensive makeup he was actually being made able to see what he would look like in 10 years, 20 years, 30 years. And of course increasingly it was not such a pleasant sight. In fact it was quite frightening as he saw for himself, on himself, the fruit of human decay.

Now closing in on mid-forties it is not difficult for me to realise I’m not as young as I used to be. While some may run the marathon as senior citizens, that’s the exception. It’s not very pleasant for the natural man to look ahead at his bodily decay. That’s why he doesn’t. He lives for today.

But why doesn’t the Christian look ahead more often? We’re not looking at decay. We’re not looking at a weakening and ageing. The best is yet to come and indeed it will only be beginning. We have a glorious future, a splendid Christ-like future, both in our communion with one another, and more importantly our unbroken communion with our merciful and gracious God.

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him. But God has revealed them to us through his Spirit.1 Corinthians 2:9