Angels Rejoice as We Enter New Jerusalem
In Luke 15:10 Jesus said, “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.” In Revelation 21:12 we read that New Jerusalem “had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels.”
We see twelve angels at the twelve gates (Rev. 21:12), signifying that the angels watch over the entry into the New Jerusalem (Luke 15:7, 10; Heb. 1:14). …The angels are spectators. The entire realm of God’s New Testament economy is actually “a big show.” To enter into this show you need a free ticket, and in this show there are spectators. These spectators are the angels. If you do not confess the name of Christ, you cannot get a free ticket. However, if you call on the name of the Lord Jesus, you get a free ticket into the holy city, and the angelic spectators will rejoice and welcome you in.*
Romans 10 declares that believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth brings us into salvation. Then verses 12-13 tell us that “the same Lord of all is rich to all who call upon Him” and “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
To be saved is to partake of the Lord’s riches, not only initially but throughout our live. And we expect this richness to increase in the next age and unto New Jerusalem.
The angels rejoice over the finding of the lost sheep and lost coin in Luke 15. Certainly they will not stop rejoicing there but will continue to rejoice as we call on the Lord, enjoy His riches daily, and fully enter through the gates into New Jerusalem.
* From chapter 35, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.
Photo courtesy of unsplash.com.
Posted by Don on March 17, 2023
