Some days walking through the forest is magical. Right now, everywhere I look, the pawpaw understory of bright yellow leaves greets me. Some of the leaves are already scattered on the woodland floor, paving it with gold. In other places, maple and beech leaves rain down upon me as if I am in a windstorm. The sunlight filtering down through the canopy and the golden leaves remind me of walking on the street of gold in heaven.
John describes the new Jerusalem as being made of pure gold. But this gold is different than what we now see on earth. It is refined, without impurities, and transparent as glass. That gold will reflect the brilliant glory of God, and we will have no need for a sun or moon with Christ as our light.
Each year the colors of autumn differ. This year, its primary hue seems to be gold. Some of the trees have turned bright gold, and others are golden brown. When the setting sun catches this display, it’s magnificent. The cottonwoods put out yellow leaves that soon turn to a soft gold alongside the path. So many shades of yellow and gold appear in the forest. Even the late wildflowers such as the goldenrod and asters put out the final streak of golden light for us to enjoy.
Though I am struck by the beauty of the yellow and gold leaves as I walk the soft pathway, this beauty is only temporal. The next time I venture forth on this path, most of the leaves will have turned brown and gray. So I revel in the light coming down and the fluttering of golden leaves that every soft breeze provokes.
Sometimes the light picks out the deep ruby reds of the Bradford pear and sweet gum leaves. Other times, it is a deep purple. And amidst this riot of color, some bright green leaves refuse to cater to the season. In Revelation, John talks about the walls of the new Jerusalem adorned with precious gems. Indeed, the trees reflect the ruby, sapphire, emerald, and other gemstone colors around me.
In this world, gold is a precious commodity. It is scarce and needs refining before it can be used in jewelry or manufacturing. How different our perspective will be in heaven. Everything will be pure. Even we will have been refined. All that is visually delightful will be available to everyone. What we consider precious here will be part of our inheritance. But it will be the light of God that illuminates our lives, minds, and everyday environment. And that light will shine everywhere, including in our hearts and spirit.
“The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.”
Revelation 21:18-20 NIV
