We learned earlier this week (in our journey through Revelation 21) that the City known as New Jerusalem will need no “light,” neither sun nor moon! Because JESUS is the Light thereof, His Radiance and His Glory!

Today’s verse adds one more facet of truth to that grand fact. “And the gates of it (this City) shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.” Revelation 21:25

Those Gates, remember?

Twelve of them!

Each being a huge Pearl!

Here’s the Scripture: “It had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: on the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several (individual) gate was of one pearl.“

And these majestic Gates will never be shut? That’s exactly what we’re being told today. This is unprecedented, as far as City life was concerned!

Truly, the main purpose of gates in those ancient days was “protection.” To keep enemies and predators away … especially at night, in the dark! You don’t shut a gate in the daytime! “And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.”

Then, WHY have these gates in the first place?

They apparently exist to deliver a message!

They do not function in any pragmatic way, obviously.

And I believe the message is this: something about those Pearls!

Which are emblematic of: Beauty and Value out of suffering, suffering on the part of an innocent party! I’m thinking of our Saviour on the Cross of Calvary!

Out of an oyster’s side comes the pearl. Out of Adam’s side came Eve. Out of Jesus’ (pierced) side came Blood and Water, in reality the possibility for the existence of the very Bride of Christ! The Church!

Never shut, these gates!

The City always accessible!

Never any danger!

Never an emergency demanding security measures!

Perfect Safety!

Oh yes, “There shall be no night there.”

Reminds me of what Jesus said back in John 3:19. “That light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

No darkness, then (one would assume) no need of sleep!

Eternal Rest!

Bodies that do not tire!

The more we learn about this future City … the lovelier it sounds!

Tomorrow (our upcoming lesson) being no exception!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell