The Entrance into the City

Revelation xxi. 12, 13 y.

“A wall great and high... and twelve gates on the east, three gates; on the north, three gates; on the south, three gates; and on the west, three gates.”

The city of God seems here at once to repel and to invite. It has a great and high wall which fences it from the outsider. Yet it has twelve gates of entrance within the wall — as if it had no wish to ward off any one. On which side are we to dwell? Is it bard or is it easy to be a Christian, a member of the city of God? We must look at both aspects; there is a high wall, but there are twelve gates. There is a barrier of self-sacrifice which separates this city from every other city; and that is the wall. But there is infinite diversity in the sacrifice; and that represents the gates. The men in the city of God have all washed their robes in Christ; but they have not all washed the same robes. Paul and Nathaniel could never have got in by the same gate; each had to sacrifice in his own way. Paul gave up his will with great struggle; he had a strong soul, and the old life died slowly. Nathaniel yielded with little more than a sigh; he was born under the fig tree, and his heart was not capable of storm. Shall their experience be the same? How can it? Within the wall they will tell of separate worlds; Paul shall praise the thorn, and Nathaniel shall extol the fig tree.

I thank Thee, oh, Father, that Thy city has so many gates; I thank Thee that there is such provision for the twelve tribes of man. The holy temple of Thy Christ has doors on every side. Some open on the rugged north, to admit by ways of trouble. Some unbar to the sunny south, to let in by quiet paths. Some have their entrance from the east, to invite by the hope of morning. Some have their opening from the west, to kindle the torch of memory at the light of the setting sun. Not all have sought Thy Christ for one beauty. Some have come in at Bethlehem, attracted by the meeting of earth and heaven. Some have entered at Calvary, drawn by the weight of human sin. Some have found admittance at Olivet, inspired by the vision of immortality. And some have reached Thy temple by way of Samaria; they are captivated by the Christ of human charity, caught by the brotherhood of man with man. Within Thy holy city, within Thy holy temple, these diverse minds shall meet. Outside the gates they have quarrelled, wrangled, denied each his brother’s door. But, within, the various colours make one rainbow, and all the gates are gates of gold. Each reveals his own gem; each is enlarged by gazing on another’s, till from the blended fragments there is woven Thy crown of light, Thy light that has a place for every ray, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.