Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the “Gem Show” at the Erie County Fair Grounds. It was fascinating to see all the shapes, sizes and spectacular colors of so many different gems. They sparkled under the lights.

It brought to my mind the description found in Revelation, chapter 21, of the new heaven and earth and the New Jerusalem descending out of heaven. It’s glory is described as a jasper stone, clear as crystal (v. 11). The city is pure gold, like clear glass (v. 18). The twelve foundations of the wall of the city are built of precious stones (gems) – jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, chrysoprasus, jacinth, and amethyst. The gates are of pearl. (v. 19-21). Verse 23 says: “The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it for the glory of God did light it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

As beautiful as the gems at the show were, they fall far short of the glory that is going to be displayed at the end of time in the “New Jerusalem,” and as a child of God we will have the privilege of enjoying it all! For now, we can only imagine how beautiful and glorious that will be.