Saturday, May 15, 2010

The Gems of Exodus and Revelation - Emerald

It's notable that the exact identity of a few stones mentioned in Exodus 28 and Revelation 21 are uncertain and differ from translation to translation. Since many of the stones are now contemporary birthstones, I will highlight them in the months in which they correspond, not necessarily in the order they are mentioned in scripture. It's also notable that the number 12 (the number of perfection in government, and completion) is a key theme throughout these particular posts.

In the Exodus Chapter 28 description of the breastplate of Aaron, Emerald was the third stone in the second row and represented the tribe of the seventh son of Jacob, Gad. The tribe of Gad would become known as fierce warriors and great protectors of life. It might be fitting then that a stone whose color represents life would also represent a tribe that would fight valiantly to protect it.

In the Revelation Chapter 21 description of the foundations of the New Jerusalem, Emerald decorates the 4th foundation and represents the apostle John. John and his brother James were the third and fourth disciples called by Jesus. Jesus would call them "Boanerges" which means something like "Sons of Thunder" - perhaps evidence of their zeal and temper, and perhaps of Jesus' sense of humor. John's brother, James, was the first of the apostles to die, where John, on the other hand, was the last. All of the apostles met a violent death, however, John died peacefully in Ephesus, where he pastored a church, at an advanced age around the year 100 AD.

Again, Emerald bearing the color of life, comes to represent (in the 4th foundation on the New Jerusalem) the one who enjoyed the longest life of all the apostles.

While in Ephesus, by order of the Roman emperor Domitian, John was exiled to an island called Patmos. In what is known as the cave of the Apocalypse (located on this island), the sacred text of the book of Revelation was given to the apostle John by Jesus (it is here that John recorded what is written in the New Testament book of Revelation). Other New Testament books accredited to John are the Gospel of John, along with 1st, 2nd and 3rd John.

Ten times in the New Testament, John proclaims Christ’s commandment to love one another. (John 13:34, John 13:35, John 15:12, John 15:17, 1 John 3:11, 1 John 3:23, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:11, 1 John 4:12, 2 John 1:5) It was a message that was important to him and one that should be important to us. The message is that there is no life without love, love for one another and love for Jesus, who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.
Emerald is the color of life. Emerald should serve as a reminder that we should (like the tribe of Gad) always fight to protect life, and we should (as Jesus taught and the apostle John wrote) always love, to perpetuate life.

NEXT POST: Alexandrite and Our Never-Changing God

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