The beautiful image of the heavenly Jerusalem is not a place. It is meant to describe that time when we will be in God's presence forever. The beauty of the precious gems and the numbers signifying perfection and completion alert us to their connection with God. Ironically, we do not have to wait until we die to experience this reality. We begin now, as we advance in love, humility, and holiness. Our faith is not just about going to heaven when we die, but experiencing heaven while we live.

Nathanial, also known as Bartholomew, was one of those individuals who always spoke his mind. He more or less made fun of the hometown of Jesus, but the Lord was not offended. He was amused and gratified with his honesty. Nathanial was impressed that Jesus saw him even before meeting him for the first time. He proclaimed him son of God and king of Israel, but Jesus replied that Nathanial had really not seen anything yet. The heavens would be opened, and he would see angels descending and ascending on the son of man. In effect, Jesus was saying that through him we have access to heaven and to the world of the spirit. Again, this is available to us even while we are alive. If we truly believe this and put it into practice, our lives could be greatly enriched. The Lord offers us so much; people are content with so little.