February 27: A KINGDOM WHICH CANNOT BE SHAKEN

Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Revelation 21:14

We usually think of foundations as being for individual buildings. Engineers are concerned with structural security, especially in the event of an earthquake, as deaths occur mostly from crumbling buildings, and not the earthquake itself.

Today, we are called to stretch our minds to consider that an entire city (and not just any city, but God’s Heavenly City) is built on a magnificent twelve-layer foundation that honors the twelve apostles of the Lamb! Our God is ever at work to help us enlarge our thinking while learning spiritual lessons in our personal relationship with Him. When Jesus’s apostles were living their lives, could they have known the far-reaching impact of their relationships with Him? They were men of humble means, yet their surrender to the will of their beloved Lord has enlarged His kingdom incalculably, influencing billions! This is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.*

We again encounter the number twelve, that symbolic number representing leadership. God honors His faithful (see 1 Samuel 2:30). Peter surely had no idea that his name would appear on one of the foundations for the Heavenly City of God when he said, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

The Bible carries a consistent theme of an ongoing building project. We are taught that a special home for each of His followers is under construction in Heaven (see John 14:3), and we are also taught that personal spiritual growth is a building project. Jesus said, “Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24) Paul admonishes each of us to take heed how he builds (1 Corinthians 3:10).

The twelve apostles of the Lamb represent the New Testament church. Paul fostered unity between the Jewish and Gentile followers of Christ by speaking of the church as a single unit built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets [with] Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). With the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel on the entrance gates and the twelve apostles of the Lamb on each of twelve foundations, God’s faithful ones through all the ages are gloriously represented in the divine architecture of the New Jerusalem. The twenty-four elders now in Heaven (Revelation 4:4,10; 5:8,14; 11:16; 19:4) are live representatives in Heaven of both Old and New Testament believers in Christ, who are soon to join them Heaven . . . at His coming (1 Corinthians 15:23).  And thus we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17b).

*Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Hebrews 12:28