There is perhaps a building that we are very familiar with, a place that has fond memories for us. Maybe it is a gateway or a street that we have passed many times, perhaps on our way to school. It is a place with which we associate happy memories; we come to love the very stones of that building. It is somewhere we delight to walk. But here in the New Jerusalem are living stones: ‘Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded’ (1 Peter 2:5-6). The buildings of this city will be people, not stones. They will be our familiar friends with whom we have fellowship in the Lord. None of this language is intended to constrain our thought about heaven. We should not transfer any earthly limitations to heaven in thinking of what it will be like. We are not to suppose that heaven is in one place or is this shape or has buildings or even literal gates. All is given to convey to us heavenly realities in earthly terms. The language of earth is stretched to the limit to do justice to heaven and the treasures of earth are extrapolated to lift up our minds to greater things above.