The Twelve Gates Of The Holy City

Chapter Four

(Paved Streets)

Before continuing I would like to review the principles we have learned so far.

1. The City is a people and the Twelve Gates are how I get to be a part of those people.

2. The Twelve Gates are twelve experiences we go through in order to enter into that

fellowship and that habitation.

3. There is one street in the whole City and that one street denotes one walk and only one

way.

4. The invisible realm is going to be made visible

5. To understand the City, you must be in the Spirit.

6. The City has the glory of God which is His nature.

7. The Gates of the City are twelve pearls.

In Revelation 21:4 it says:

" And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

There is no more curse because there are no more enemies. What has happened by this time is that a ministry and a people have come forth that have put all enemies under their feet. Notice, it says that the old order of things have passed away. What we have known as Pentecost is passing away. Pentecost is not a denomination, it is a day. The 1st Day is seen in the Feast of Passover, the 2nd Day is seen in the Feast of Pentecost, and the 3rd Day is seen in the Feast of Tabernacles. What we have known is passing away.

I Cor. 13 is a commentary on Revelation 21:4. This chapter is another description of this full grown man that God is forming. He is building a body, a many membered man, of which Jesus is the head. The nature that energized that man is the very nature of God, which is love. This chapter is very profound, in that it takes you beyond the veil because it describes a person which is love. Jesus is the head, we are the body and this is a body of love and "Love never fails."

I Cor 13:8-9 says:

"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part."

Jesus, however, moved beyond this dimension because every word He spoke was anointed. He said, "I am the way and I am the truth." He did not know in part. HE KNEW! And in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

There is something greater than the feast of Pentecost because that which we have known is passing away. There will be a lot of tears but God will wipe them away. People who do not want to believe will say, "Well, tongues have ceased." With this kind of reasoning, so has knowledge. Paul is just simply saying that we know that the gifts of the Spirit are tools that produce fruit for the edification and the building up of this body or this man. These tools are to be around until this man gets built. In a similar vein, you will not need the architects either who are the five fold ministry.

Verse 10 says, "When perfection comes the imperfection disappears." He taketh away the first in order to establish the second. The old heaven and the old earth have passed away. This is a description of that perfect man, and is describing the City we have been talking about. That which is in part shall be done away.

There are three interpretations of this verse.

1. A thirty fold interpretation which says; when we get the full Cannon Scripture or the completed Bible, we will not need the power of the Holy Spirit. NONSENSE! This is nothing more than a cop out for a lack of fruit and ministry.

2. A fifty fold interpretation which says that when Jesus comes we will not speak in tongues anymore and there is some truth in this.

3. A hundred fold interpretation which Paul himself gives in Eph. 4:13 when he says,

"Until we all reach unity in faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining the full measure of perfection found in Christ."

Notice he speaks here also of knowledge. A full complete and accurate knowledge. In verse 11 Paul says:

"When I was a child (I spoke with tongues) I spake as a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child."

What he is saying is that when I was a child, I prophesied in part, I understood as a child and I moved in a word of wisdom, and also a word of knowledge, but:

"When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."

Not childish in the since that these things are bad, but childish in the reality that we have come into something that is more mature or the more excellent way. There is something beyond Pentecost.

"Now, we see through a glass darkly."

We do not see it all now.

"But then we shall see face to face."

The City has the glory of God and it is clear as crystal. When He says these things will pass away, God is moving us from the Feast of Pentecost to the Feast of Tabernacles. If you are encamped around the Pentecostal experience, it is passing away because there is more to God's purpose and plan. What is really happening, is that the Holy Place is moving into the Most Holy Place and you will either go on into the Holy of Holies or become a part of the outer court.

Many Spirit filled, full gospel churches are not much different than any other church in what they teach. The proof of the pudding is in the people.

Rev. 21:4 says:

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order is passing away."

The natural understanding of no more pain is, "Oh good, my back will not hurt anymore.", but this is not the pain spoken of here. I want you to know why there is no more pain.

Rev 12:2 says:

"She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth." (NIV)

(KJV) "And when being with child cried, travailing, pained to

be delivered."

Do you want to know what caused the pain? Do you want to be delivered? Paul said in Romans 8:18-23:

(KJV) "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

There is pain in natural child birth and there is also pain in Spiritual child birth. There is travail to be delivered. The creation shall be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. But not without some pain. This is the reality of the message I am bringing you about the City. The gates or the entrances of the City are made of pearls and with every gate, (which is a pearl) there is pain. I do not look forward to the PAIN and neither did Jesus.

The Bible says that Jesus endured the cross and there was pain in that cross. He despised the shame of it but for the joy, the reality of building this City and seeing this people who would reflect His glory.

My greatest fault is my impatience, and I ask you to forgive me. I get so impatient with those who want to see the glory, but will not go through the pain necessary to bring it about. So many have come our way and are excited about the ministry God has given us, but so few a are willing to travail and be put through the pain and agony of bringing it to pass.

I get so impatient with those who want to fuss and fight over petty differences, when there is so much more a stake. There is a price to be paid to enter this City and there are no free meals. Each person must enter each gate and suffer each experience by themselves.

John 16:20 says:

"I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child (man) is born into the world."

Notice: The man is born into the world. You may ask, "Well, if this be so, what will cause the pain in us in order to bring forth that which God is looking for." Rev. 16:10 says:

"The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne (or the seat KJV) of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. And they gnawed their tongues in pain and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done."

The beast is "SELF" and notice that the beast nature is reflected in their tongues and in their deeds. The source of their pain was in their seat. The seat of the beast which is their own selfishness. Then what causes us pain? The pain is caused when we have to get off the seat of our throne and allow Jesus (allow the Spirit) to rule. What I am saying to you very kindly is, "Don't complain to me about your pain and I won't complain to you about mine because we brought it on ourselves.

The pain is in the seat of the beast because it is in darkness. Darkness is ignorance or rebellion and hates the light (or the truth) and will not allow itself to be exposed. As a result, it is full of pain. The only reason the creation is groaning, is because it is in darkness. If the creation would come out of the darkness into the light the pain would go and the joy would come.

Isn't it sad that even though God poured out his wrath on their disobedience, they still would not repent? It says they cursed God because of their pains and their sores. Do you know what caused them to be sore? They had too much power in the seat.

The minute you come down off your throne and allow the Spirit to rule, watch what happens to your pain. All through out the Scriptures there is linked together the forgiveness of sins and the healing of your body. When you accept Jesus as your savior, He is not only your savior but also your healer. When you allow Him to become Lord there will be no more pain.

Revelation 21:5 says:

"He who was seated on the throne said, `I am making everything NEW!' Then he said, `Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'"

This verse is a command to those in the five-fold ministry. Write what I have shown you on the tablets of their hearts. In other words, instruct and teach them what I have shown you. Heb. 8:10 says:

"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts."

This is the purpose of the gifts of the five-fold ministry to the Church. Habakkuk. 2:2-3 says:

"Write down the revelation and make it plain on the tablets, so that a herald (or messenger) may run with it . For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and not delay."

To preach this, to teach this, and to walk in this you must come out of the natural and into the super natural and then you will be able to write this on the hearts of men and women.

John said in 1 John 2, "I write unto you little children I write unto you young men, I write unto you fathers." There will be ministries that can only write on the hearts of little children and they are very important. There will be others who can write on the hearts of little children and on the hearts of young men. But praise God there are ministries being raised up by God who can take the written word and make it come alive as they break the bread of life and write it on the hearts of little children, and young men, and even the fathers.

Revelation 21:6 says:

"He said to me, it is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life."

It is done. This is how God views things.

Ps. 2:1 says: "Let the heathen rage, and let the people imagine a vain thing." The heathen are raging, and worst of all God's people are imagining a vain thing.

Jesus told John, "I am the Alpha and the Omega." Jesus is the Alpha and His many brethren are the Omega. Jesus was the beginning of the creation of God. In Rev. 1:15 John describes the voice he heard as the sound of many waters. Paul said in Romans 8:29 , "Jesus was the first born among many brethren"

Why do you suppose John fell at his feet as though dead? He had seen the resurrected Christ! John saw the Omega! When God said, "It is done," and John saw it, he fell as one dead. Someone says, "Oh, Brother Johnson, I just do not believe that!" Let me show it to you.

Jesus, who is the Alpha and Omega - the beginning and the end, is the one speaking here. Notice what he says, "I will give to him who is thirsty to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life." Notice the Alpha and the Omega is going to give to those who are thirsty a drink. Rev. 22:17 says,

"The Spirit and the Bride say `COME!' and let him that hearth say `COME!' Whosoever is thirsty, let him

come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of thewater of life."

From Whom? The Spirit and the Bride because the Bride is a City and there is a river of life flowing out of the City, out of the people of God! It is not just the Alpha feeding the nations but also the Omega. Shouldn't this alone be good enough reason why we should bear the pain of the twelve gates? There is going to be a ministry of life flow out of that City.

Ezekiel saw the same thing and he said everywhere the river came it brought life. It is one thing for Jesus to say, "Come and Drink." But it is another thing for there to be a people in the earth who will say, "Come!, I am a well! I am a weeping fountain." The natural man scoffs at this but there are men and women on the earth right now that are weeping fountains. But do not put your eyes on them. Instead, look to the corporate body.

Eph. 4:15-16 says,

"Instead speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is Christ. From Him the whole body joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

Rev. 21:7 says,

"He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will by My son."

Rev. 21:8 says,

"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

The vile (KJV) `abominable' means that which defiles and pollutes to stink, to turn one's self away from on account of the stench -to abhor, detest. (Theyer's #947-948) You can compare verse 8 with chapter 22;14-15 which says:

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates of the City. Out side are dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood"

Dogs, (Theyer's #2965) = A shameless person, a man of impure mind - sodomites. Liars, (Theyer's #5574) = To deceive, to lie, to speak falsely, to show one's self deceitfully - to speak deliberate falsehoods. In Acts 6:13 it says, "They produced false witnesses, who testified........." The word false as used here in acts 6:13 is the same word as liars in Rev.21:8. This is simply saying that there will be nothing false in that City. No pretenders, no hypocrites, no one who talks it but don't walk it . There is only one street in the City - Straight Street. One way. One walk.

Rev. 2:2 says,

"I know you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles, but are not and have proven them false."

There will be some so called apostles on the dung heap outside the City and this City, which is the light of the world, will reveal everything which is false. So do not get upset with flesh and blood. Let them alone and let them go their way. If they are false, they will be found to be false. If they are true, they will be found to be true.

Rev. 21:9 says:

"One of the angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, `Come here and I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.'"

The word "COME" indicates that John is in the Spirit. Notice that this time the messenger did not say, "Come up here!" This is a call to those who are already up. They have already been raptured. Already been translated Already had a resurrected.

When I was converted I was resurrected from death to life. What I am inviting you to do now, is to take a closer look. Ezekiel 40:1-4 says:

"In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city-on that very day the hand of the Lord was upon me and he took me there. In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. The man said to me, `Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the house of Israel everything you see.'"

The greatest need among the those in the ministry is to drop what they are doing. It is not that important, because the Spirit is saying, "COME I want to show you something." Tell the house of Israel (the Church) all that you see. This is not being done. Because so many ministries are not in the Spirit realm and cannot see what God is doing. That is why nothing is happening.

There are, however, a few ministries that have laid down their works and have `come up' in the Spirit realm and are seeing what God is doing. We should be able to recognize these ministries if we can only see. Once we see, in the wisdom of God and the timing of the Spirit we must declare all that God is showing us to the Church.

I hate to tell you that there are men who have entered in to the Spirit realm and have seen what God is doing and because He wasn't doing what was in accordance with their theories and doctrines they left and never came back. Don't bother them. Just leave them alone. The light of the Holy City will reveal their works.

Then there are those who are being told what the Lord is doing and many are not going to like what we are seeing because they do not want to change.

In Ezekiel 43:10-12 it says:

"Son of man describe the house to the children of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins."

When you receive the revelation of the City, and the true purpose of God, you begin to realize that you have been believing in fairy tales all your life. And if you are in the five-fold ministry, you realize you have been feeding your people the husk. There is no life in it.

Ezekiel goes on to say:

"Let them consider the plan (Jesus) and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple."

KJV says, "Let them measure the pattern." When we measure the pattern (Jesus) we realize our absolute dependence on the Spirit of God to mold us into His image. Eph. 4 says, "Until we all come into the measure of the fullness of Christ." Just show this to the Church. Show them a Jesus they have never seen. Preach to them a Gospel they have never heard. But I warn you, Ezekiel, I send you to a rebellious house. If I sent you to the heathen they would hear you. But I send you to a perverse and rebellious nation. "and if they are ashamed of all they have done." The implication is that even after you show them the pattern, some will not be ashamed. They will continue in their iniquities.

"And if they are ashamed of all they have done then show them the design of the temple." You will never see the City until you examine the pattern and repent. The only ones who will see the Holy City are those who are ashamed of what they have done. Until the ministry humbles themselves and repents of their deeds, they will never see the design of the house.

"Make known to them the design of the temple - its arrangement, its exits and entrances - its whole design and all its regulations and laws." He is saying, "Ezekiel, tell them when to go out and when to come in and when to come in and when to go out." Someone says, "Well, Bless God, nobody is telling me when I can go out and come in." When you get ashamed enough of what you have done, you will listen.

Well, Bless God, I will go out and come in when I please! Maybe in some city built by man but not in this City!!

Rev. 21:10 says,

"And he carried me away in the spirit to a mountain great and high and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God."

And he carried me away. In Rev 17:1-3 we see the same words spoken here, "And he carried me away in the Spirit." There were two women he saw, one was a harlot, one was the Bride. He saw both of them when he was carried away in the Spirit. Rev. 17:3-6 says:

"Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious tones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished."

Now, here is Principle Number 8. If you proclaim the truth about either the harlot or the Bride you will be accused of being carried away. You will be accused with being out of your mind and that is exactly where you are. Out of your mind and into His.

John said that the messenger "showed me the Holy City." This comes only by the revelation of the Spirit. Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16:17, "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."

What I am teaching you here, I have set at the feet of ministry to receive, but it has been revealed to me by the Holy Spirit. And only He can reveal this book to you. Why don't you ask Him to do just that before you continue reading?

Lets look once again at Rev. 21:10 which says,

"And he carried me away in the spirit to a mountain great and high and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God."

I warn you to fasten your seat belts and hold on to the Word of God. I am going to begin to shake down some of the walls of confusion that have been surrounding your understanding of The Holy City. Notice that the first glimpse that John got of the Holy City was when he saw it "Coming down out of heaven from God." Wait a minute! Did that say that John saw the City coming down or descending out of heaven? From God? But I thought we were going to be caught up and dwell there with him???????

Matt. 8:1 says of Jesus,

"When he came down from the mountain side, great multitudes followed Him."

This is the harvest. "Came down" used here is the same word that is used in Rev. 21:10 and when the Holy City comes down you will see the nations of the earth walking in the light of that City, just as great multitudes followed Jesus.

Rev. 21:11 says: "It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal." The King James version says, "Having the glory of God." The Greek word for "having" is "echo" and means to have or possess. This City possess their possessions which is the nature of God. John 1:14 says, "The Word was made flesh and Dwelt among us and we beheld His glory."

In John 17:22 Jesus said, "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one." Heb. 1:3 says, "This son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being---." John 1:12 says, "To as many as received Him gave he power to become Sons of God."

Paul said in Romans 8:17-21:

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His Glory. I consider our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the Sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."

The City is "Clear as crystal" Rev. 21:21 says:

"The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The street of the City was pure gold, like transparent glass."

Exodus 24:9-10 it says:

"Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel, went up and saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself."

Isaiah 66:1 says, "The heaven is My throne and the earth's My footstool." Listen very carefully, if it is under His feet, it is still in the earth.! Let me say that again. If it is under His feet, it is still in the earth.!

Now, hold on again. John said , " The street of the City was pure gold, like transparent glass." John saw only one street in this City! He did not see many streets! He saw a paved work. The Hebrew word for paved mans to become white or transparent. (#3840) "And the street of the City was as pure gold, like transparent glass,"

They saw a paved work of something like a sapphire stone. The sapphire stone on the breastplate of the high priest had a name scratched on it which is the Second Gate to the City, Simeon, which means, `He who hears!'

Moses and those with him saw this in Exodus 24:9-10 which says:

"Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself."

They saw a paved work made of something like as sapphire as clear as the sky itself.

The Song of Solomon 5:14 speaking of Jesus says, "and his belly is as ivory over laid with sapphires." Out of his inner most being was the desire to hear what Father is saying, (John 6:45).

Rev. 21:21 says, "The street of the City was pure gold, like transparent glass." The word transparent comes from a Greek work (Diaphanes #1307) and means shine through. God is wanting to bring us into a lifestyle where the very nature and lifestyle and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ will shine through.

II Peter 1:19 says,

"And the word of the prophets made more certain, and you do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shinning in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."

The same word used in Rev. 21:21 for `transparent ' is used here in II Peter 1:21 and translated `dawn'. The day star is rising and I see something beginning to dawn. Jesus is beginning to shine through.

Isaiah 60:1-3 says:

"Arise, shine, for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord rises on you. See the darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the people, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."

It is not by chance that people will come our way. They will be drawn by the brightness of our dawn. As this revelation progresses, more and more people are going to become aware of the genuiness of that nature of Jesus in us. If we `come up in the Spirit realm' we will begin to that glory and that light in each other's lives. We will begin to see that transparency in each other. We will begin to see the nature and the light of Jesus Christ beginning to shine through. IT IS THE DAWNING OF A NEW DAY!