The heavenly Jerusalem, as beautiful as it appears in the description, is not a physical place. Can you imagine a city made of precious jewel? The numbers are symbolic, for twelve is a sacred number. The beauty of the city or dwelling place reflects the interior experience that people will have when they encounter God in God's fullness. It is a state of consciousness or awareness. This is what God intends for us, and as we face the pain and ugliness that the world can sometimes show, let us meditate on God's dwelling place - our true home.

Nathaniel was one of those people who always said what he was thinking. He was not devious, nor did he hide behind a mask like so many. This impressed Jesus, even though Nathaniel did not have a high opinion of Nazareth! Jesus went on to shock him by stating that he had already seen him under the fig tree - he knew all about him! When Nathaniel effusively proclaimed Jesus Son of God and King of Israel, Jesus assured him that these titles were nothing compared to what the future would hold. The angels descending and ascending on the Son of Man meant that Jesus was to become the bridge between heaven and earth. Jesus is our bridge and our gate - through him we may always pass freely. We are never alone or in exile while on earth but are citizens of heaven - this is something we need to remember always.