e described by the pen of inspiration. It was "a great
city"--how great we shall soon discover--the _holy_ Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God.

The ancient city of Jerusalem was regarded as sacred because in it God
had recorded his name, and it contained his holy temple, his place of
residence on earth. Thither the tribes of Israel went up to worship;
"Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." So, also, this New
Jerusalem was "_the holy city_," an antitype of the former. It is
described as "having the glory of God, and her light was like unto a
stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." "The
glory of God" was that visible manifestation, called the Shekinah, which
Jehovah made of himself in the tabernacle of his ancient people. The
following facts concerning it will give us an understanding of its
signification as connected with the New Jerusalem:

"Jehovah was the accepted King and Lawgiver of his people Israel, and he
had his tabernacle among them, where he abode by his presence, where he
might be approached and consulted, and make communications of his will.
That visible presence was 'the glory of God' or the Shekinah; and the
Jews regarded it with the highest possible veneration, as the embodiment
of the Deity. The sacred writers often speak of it in the same terms as
of Jehovah himself. They refer to this when they speak of _seeing God_.
'Then went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the
elders of Israel, _and they saw the God of Israel_.' Ex. 24:9, 10. 'I
saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his
train filled the temple.' Isa. 6:1. And again in verse 5: 'For mine eyes
_have seen_ the King, the Lord of hosts.' The spiritual essence of God
can not, of course, be revealed to mortal vision, yet there was a
manifestation of the Deity which was made visible to the eyes of men,
and which Moses and Isaiah speak of as _seeing God_. It is spoken of as
the _presence_ and _face_ of Jehovah. 'And he said, _My presence_ shall
go with thee, and I will give thee rest.' Ex. 33:14. 'And the Lord spake
unto Moses _face to face_, as a man speaketh unto his friend.' Ex.
33:11."

The New Jerusalem that John saw descending from God--which denotes its
heavenly origin--had "the glory of God: and her light was like unto a
stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." It
dazzled as the purest diamond. In verse 23 we are informed that i