How phantasmagorical his visions were! John saw something indescribable and yet he tried with all his might to depict what Jesus looked like on the throne in the book of Revelation. In his book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan reminded me of two words John used to describe Jesus on the throne. Jasper and carnelian.
“At once I was in the Spirit and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian.” Revelation 4:3
According to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, “Jasper is an opaque, impure variety of silica, usually red, yellow or brown in color,” while carnelian “is a reddish-brown mineral which is commonly used as a semi-precious gemstone”.
Gems. Jesus was being described as gems, precious jewels!
I think it’s natural for us to try to put words to who Jesus is and what our faith is like. There’s something in us that struggles to define and describe our God. We are not amiss when we do this. We just need to realize that our descriptions won’t ever come close to who God really is. He really is indescribable. But I credit John’s description. He saw a vision worth revealing and it made it into the Bible, so we need to pay attention.
I don’t know what to make of it really. It causes me to wonder what our heavenly bodies will look like. It stirs exciting guesses of what Jesus may look like in heaven (and gives me hints of what he may have looked like on earth). It also does one more thing. I think any time I’m quick to call one of my three sweet girls precious gems, I’ll think about who was called that first. I’ll recognize that in all their preciousness, my girls will never radiate like the one on the throne.
Thankful his word is living and active!
Thankful his word is living and active!
I'd never thought of Jesus in terms of gems! I guess I've never paid attention to that description in Revelation. How interesting, though, to picture him that way and to think that our descriptions will never come close to what he's really like.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love Francis' book. Oh my goodness! God is teaching me SO much through Crazy Love. I'm only able to process a little bit each day. Loved reading your post. Sweet blessings, Amy
ReplyDeleteYeshua is the son of the almighty, his agent, and equal. The son represents the father, but he is not the father. It is a spiritual matter. Christians are the unwise virgins of scripture: Proverbs 6:23. Paul(Shaul/Hades) of Tarsus, the 13th Apostle, is the leader of the Christians. The parable is clear half the believers were "unwise." Consider that the KJV was commisioned by King James, an Anglo-Saxon homosexual, and Freemason, along with his editor/lover Francis Bacon. You have been reading error all along. You Tube: Nosheol Tarsus.
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