Revelation 21:18 Commentary and Bible Study

The walls of jasper are without flaw, and consequently perfectly transparent. This verse adds that the city was made of pure gold, but gold that is again able to transmit light through it. The transparency of the city is therefore highlighted in two different ways. This is an important. ‘God is light’, says John. Light is used as a picture even of the church in its witness to a lost world. By contrast the world is in darkness and does not know where it is going. Christ the light of the world and the only one who can overcome the darkness of Satan’s kingdom. So he appeared to Saul of Tarsus on the road as a great light. Even now Christians are reminded that they belong to the light and must walk as children of light. How could there be any darkness in the New Jerusalem which represents the church in her state of perfection, utterly purified from all sin and filled with the influence of the Lord? There can be no place within her that is inaccessible to his light. There is no shadow of turning which can grow into another rebellion against his lordship. God of course sees all things whether or not we try to hide from him. But the church in heaven will welcome his presence into every part. It is a cause of wonder that God should make solids through which light can pass. Because he has done so we have one more analogy of the world to come.