N Nun.
105Your word is a (A)lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
106I have (B)sworn and I will confirm it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.
107I am exceedingly (C)afflicted;
(D)Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.
108O accept the (E)freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,
And (F)teach me Your ordinances.
109My (G)life is continually [a]in my hand,
Yet I do not (H)forget Your law.
110The wicked have (I)laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not (J)gone astray from Your precepts.
111I have (K)inherited Your testimonies forever,
For they are the (L)joy of my heart.
112I have (M)inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, even (N)to the end. (Psalm 119:105-112)
Why do we need the light from God’s lamp? Because we live in a land of darkness, the path of our journey is narrow, and without his light we could not find our way to his city.
God calls us who truly seek his light sojourners and pilgrims throughout his word. He makes it clear that this world in its present fallen condition is not our eternal home. In fact it is the place of our “affliction,” the place where God “chisels” us into this image. This world, this earth, is actually God’s quarry, the place where he mines and hews his sons. He intends to transform us through this afflicting pressure from mere dust to gems of the highest quality. Then, once his jewels have been perfected, he will place them one by one into the foundation of this eternal city.
And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, carnelian; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprase; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. (Revelation 21:19-20)
Each jewel listed here represents some aspect of the glory of the LORD. God, of course, does not mean to turn any of us literally into a gemstone. Neither will the foundations of New Jerusalem be adorned with overcomers who have literally become precious jewels. These descriptions, like many stories and representations in Scripture, convey word pictures or parables of a future spiritual reality. Paul expresses it one place like this, “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
The description of the foundation of New Jerusalem as gemstones reveals the beautiful glory that God’s overcoming sons add to his city. Overcomers make up part of the foundation of God’s city because they will be instrumental in bringing others also into the city. They will rule the earth with a rod of iron (God’s Law) and administer God’s justice with mercy. Their example and teaching will draw the nations into the Kingdom. The final transformation into God’s image will happen at the time of the first resurrection when all of God’s overcomers become glorified.
1Therefore, since we have this (A)ministry, as we (B)received mercy, we (C)do not lose heart, 2but we have renounced the (D)things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or (E)adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth(F)commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our (G)gospel is (H)veiled, it is veiled to (I)those who are perishing, 4in whose case (J)the god of (K)this world has (L)blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the (M)light of the gospel of the (N)glory of Christ, who is the(O)image of God. 5For we (P)do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “(Q)Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has (R)shone in our hearts to give the (S)Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7But we have this treasure in (T)earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of(U)the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8we are (V)afflicted in every way, but not (W)crushed; (X)perplexed, but not despairing; 9(Y)persecuted, but not (Z)forsaken; (AA)struck down, but not destroyed; 10(AB)always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that (AC)the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So death works in us, but life in you. 13But having the same (AD)spirit of faith, according to what is written, “(AE)I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak,14knowing that He who (AF)raised the Lord Jesus (AG)will raise us also with Jesus and will (AH)present us with you. 15For all things are (AI)for your sakes, so that the grace which is (AJ)spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. 16Therefore we (AK)do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our(AL)inner man is (AM)being renewed day by day.
17For momentary, (AN)light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18while we (AO)look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4)
This explains why each overcomer can proclaim, “111I have (K)inherited Your testimonies forever, For they are the (L)joy of my heart. 112I have (M)inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, even (N)to the end. (Psalm 119:111-112)
