These are the precious words of the King James Bible, God's Holy Word. Every born-again believer will someday walk the streets of gold, in the city of pure gold! This city is the new Jerusalem, spoken of in Revelation 21:2. From this city, God will reign over the earth forever. Interestingly, God specifically mentions "gold." I never really gave much thought to the fact that heaven has streets of gold, and I never even noticed that the entire city is made of pure gold. Wow!, that's a lot of gold! I have recently realized something about gold that has opened my eyes as to perhaps "why" God has made the heavenly city out of gold. To understand this, you need to understand the history behind money in the United States. Originally, the only money used in this nation was silver and gold. For convenience sake, dollars (paper monies) were created as certificates of deposit representing EQUAL amounts of silver or gold (for example, 271.4 grains of silver equaled one dollar). This system was fair because a "dollar" represented a TRUE value (in gold or silver). In 1913, something very horrible happened in America known as the "federal reserve bank" (or central bank). This new evil invention of greedy men allowed the printing of paper money with a FALSE value; that is to say, the new dollars had NO real value! The creation of the central bank allowed the US government to borrow money, thus going into debt. We've gone further and further into debt ever since, very serious debt! Then President Nixon in 1972 removed our remaining TRUE valued money from the gold standard as well. Today, the US dollar is worth little (and it's value is fast declining). This article is being written in May of 2003, while the US dollar has been declining in value for the last year. World financier and multi-billionaire George Soros has recently been stocking up on foreign currency, betting against the US dollar. What is happening to America? Our money has NO TRUE value anymore (it representing NOTHING)! Our money is only worth what the federal reserve bank says it's worth (comforting huh?). Likewise, the stock market is a big mirage of artificially inflated man-made FALSE values (called stocks). Your paying 20, 30...sometimes even 100 times what a stock is TRULY worth (called the stock's P/E ratio, price-to-earnings ratio). Over ninety-five percent of the stock market has NO TRUE value. Sadly, our economy is also in bad shape. America no longer produces anything (very little). Only 12% of the steel used in our nation is manufacturer at home. Much of our steel comes from China. As a matter of fact, just about everything in the United States comes from China. What does America manufacture of TRUE value anymore? We've become a service-oriented society, doing each other's laundry for a living. We're passing money back-n-forth, but what does America actually manufacture? We have become a nation of FALSE economy (with a negative return on productivity). So where is this all going to eventually lead? The answer is scary indeed! History shows nation after nation crumbling to the dust of the earth, we are no different. America is morally bankrupt, and so is our nation soon to be financially. If what I fear unfolds in the decades ahead...there will be a shortage of food, there will be a massive job shortage, crime will run rampant, government will become a police state, many Christians will be ruthlessly killed, every citizen will be forced to have an identification chip implanted into their body (presently, you can't get a driver's license in Texas without being "thumb scanned"), we will become a "cashless society" (your implanted chip will contain your credit card information, social security number, etc.), vaccinations will be forced upon the adult public (it's already happening to our children), masses of society will be legally drugged by their doctors to make more money (this is already happening), illegal drug abuse will become much worse (as the government becomes more desperate for money/power), churches will lose their tax-exempt status, the Bible will be labeled as "hate-literature" and banned in many places (for Scriptures such as Leviticus 20:13), sodomy will be openly practiced and greatly promoted (which is already happening), the world will run out of oil, American citizens will be labeled as "terrorists" for standing up for their Bill of Rights and their US constitution (this is starting to happen already). Ultimately, money will be lying in the streets and people will be dying of starvation as massive deaths occur due to crime, rape and every atrocity imaginable happens before our eyes. It's already happening in many places around the world (but the news rarely tells us about these tragic occurrences). So you see friend, money is basically worthless if it is not representative of something of true value (such as a commodity: corn, oil, cattle, sugar, gold, etc.). Our money represents nothing! It is backed by a government which is in serious debt and chaos. Money which is NOT representative of any TRUE value is in constant danger of losing it's artificial value. The Russians found this out overnight when their ruble was devalued to almost nothing. Their stock market lost 90% of it's value almost immediately. People then were lined up for miles simply to get a loaf of bread. If you think America is immune to such things, think again! The Great Depression did happen in the United States. Today, MANY people are recommending buying GOLD. Why? Because if our money ever does devalue downward to nothing, gold will still retain it's TRUE value on the world markets. Gold will always have a TRUE value. By the way, I am NOT making any financial recommendations to you because I am not a financial "expert." I am simply voicing my opinion as I see it. I had heard people recommend buying gold for many years and never really gave much thought to it, until I learned THE TRUTH behind the stock markets, US money and our economy (all of them being mirages of wealth, having no TRUE value of their own). If you'd like to learn more about the things I am telling you, then go to www.moneyfiles.org I can now understand perfectly why many people would want to buy gold, it is TRUE value. Having said all this, I want to share with you why I believe heaven is made of Gold...very simply, heaven is TRUE value. I thank God that heaven will not have a P/E ratio or a discount value. Heaven is what it is! Jesus has promised to prepare a place for me in heaven "where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt"
I believe this is why God chose that heaven's city and streets will be made of pure gold (and I love that..."pure gold"). You see, here on earth money can be stolen by thieves (Enron executives and burglars). Materialistic belongings can be destroyed or lost by flood, fire or theft. Nothing is secure in this heathen world. I sincerely believe that God knew how much it would mean to us to know that heaven is a place of TRUE value. We live in a world of FALSE value, a world of temporary worth, nothing is guaranteed (except taxes and death). Heaven will be a place of integrity and true ownership. Here in the United States, we don't really own land, we are legally required to pay property taxes (which is nothing less than reduced rent). Jesus has promised to prepare an individual place in heaven for each believer. This is what the word "mansions" means in John 14:2, "a dwelling place." A dwelling place wouldn't be much of a home if I didn't own the property now would it? I personally believe that we will each own property in heaven. I want good ole dirt land. Remember that the city of the new Jerusalem will be placed upon the earth at the end of the millennium. Let me explain below. The apostle John was permitted to see things which would occur in the future; therefore, the Bible can be considered as "history written in advance." The apostle sees this great new city descending upon the earth at the END of the 1,000 year millennium. Notice Revelation 21:1...
The earth will be renewed (renovated) with fire after the millennium is completed. Everything will be different. God will live upon the earth.
The earth has been established by God forever, it will NOT be destroyed as some have taught. The Godhead will dwell in perfect harmony with all His children (only born-again believers), angels and the rest of creation for all eternity upon the earth. The new Jerusalem will be the city of our great Saviour, God and King--Jesus Christ!
Again, the word "mansions" simply means "places to live." There will be plenty of property in heaven for us to be happy. Personally, I pray that the Lord will give me several hundred acres of land...it's what I've always wanted. I don't want much when I get to heaven, just tax-free land and a place to hang my hat. Jesus has promised to "prepare" a place for us to live in eternity. This means Jesus is customizing our future home for us, He knows exactly what will make us happy beyond our deepest imagination. Yes, there will be much sorrow during the millennium for those believers who have squandered their life, never having won anyone to Christ. For those who have been abusive and evil throughout their lives. However, the Bible teaches that at the end of the millennium ALL tears will be wiped away.
What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see; when I look upon his face, the one who saved me by His grace; when He takes me by the hand, and leads me through the promised land; what a day, glorious day, that will be! There will be joy in heaven for those believers who have lived for God, leading others to Christ throughout their life on earth. Other believers will be sad and even miserable in heaven because they lived selfishly on earth, having become choked by the cares and riches of the world. As we read in the verse above, these tears will all be wiped away after the 1,000 year millennium period. All believers will ultimately be happy in heaven. John 16:22 assures us that we will have joy and that "no man" shall take our joy from us ever again. We will be with Jesus for all eternity...in a place of TRUE value...with a home and property of TRUE ownership...with friends of TRUE friendship...with a God of TRUTH...in a city of GOLD. Will you have many tears in heaven? Will you be in heaven? Are you a true believer, a Christian? Have you been born-again, having your sins forgiven by Christ? In Jesus' name, Dave Stewart
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