The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

purpose of bringing all the obedient of mankind into a willing and voluntary
acknowledgment of its benevolent and righteous rule, the open gates may properly be said
to represent the means by which the way to eternal life was secured--the sacrifice of Christ,
the merit of which was appropriated for and passed through the hundred and forty-four
thousand, and then was applied in behalf of the whole world. The words of the ancient
Prophet seem to open the way to understand this symbol. He is referring to the earthly
conditions of Millennial times, and says: "Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation that
keepeth the truth may enter in." (Isa. 26:2.) Understanding these New Jerusalem gates in
the light of the Prophet's words, we believe they would represent the one way to come
fully into and under the sway of the blessings of this heavenly Jerusalem government, and
secure them in full. This one way is that of keeping the Truth, the Law. This privilege of a
probation under the New Jerusalem government we learn from many Scriptures was
secured through the ransom sacrifice of our Lord and Savior. A diligent and faithful use of
the privileges thus purchased will enable the inhabitants of the new-earth order to both
love and obey the Truth, the Law of God, and to enter through the gates of that Holy City,
that is, to become the recipients of everlasting life on the plane of human perfection.
The prophecy recorded in Isa. 26 applies to the Old Testament overcomers, the Ancient
Worthies, who represent the earthly phase of this heavenly Jerusalem government. One
has said:
"From Rev. 21:12 we learn that the gates or entrances of the City, which are twelve in
number, are inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. This is in harmony
with what we have learned of the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God, that the Ancient
Worthies from the various tribes of Israel, selected during the Jewish Age, will be the
visible representatives of the Heavenly Kingdom in the earth, through whose
instrumentality the nations may enter into the blessings of the Kingdom."
"And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof,
and the wall thereof."--Ver. 15.
St. John, beholding the vision of the New Jerusalem, seems as in other places in the
Revelation to represent or symbolize those in the Church while in the flesh having
revealed to them the truth concerning the significance of the Holy City, in its relation to
the new-earth order and its inhabitants. The "angel" would represent all who in the past
have assisted in the unfolding of this vision. Nearly all the eminent Historical
commentators have contributed to some extent to this end. Among these, however, none,
so far as we have been able to discover in their writings, have interpreted clearly the full
significance of this New Jerusalem government, as it will relate to the Church in glory, and
to all mankind, until we reach the harvest period, when as Jesus promised, there would be
a special dispensation of truth on this subject. The reed that St. John saw in the hand of the
angel, for measuring the City, we believe represents the Divine standards, the principles of
truth and righteousness, the revealed will of God, as seen in His Plan; the organization
and conduct of the Holy City will therefore be according to the Divine standards, and will
be in harmony with the strictest lines of justice and righteousness.