And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel… And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Revelation 21:12,14
A fanciful story is told of a man who had just arrived in Heaven and was being given a tour. His guide led him to one large banquet hall where people were enjoying a wonderful meal. The guide informed him that this hall was for Baptists. He led him to another similar banquet hall where more people were celebrating and feasting. This room, the guide informed him, was for Presbyterians. And on it went, past several banquet halls filled with joyful saints. Finally, they came to a large closed door, with a small window, into which the man peered. Other than the closed door, the scene was the same, with saints in joyful celebration and feasting. The man asked the guide why the door was closed. ‘Oh, those are the folks from the Gospel Hall,’ the guide replied. ‘They think they are the only ones here and we’d hate to disappoint them.’ Actually, we know we are not the only Christians who will be in Heaven, although sometimes we act like we don’t know that. Actually, Heaven will be a dwelling place for more than just Christians.
Our text is describing the wall of the new Jerusalem, with its twelve gates and its twelve foundations. If only Christians are going to be in Heaven, why are the gates named for the tribes of Israel? And if only Israelites are to be in Heaven, why are the foundations named for the apostles? In a wonderful way, God will bring together two different groups for eternity, and the differences will not be as great as first appears.
When we consider the Old Testament saints, we can hardly call them Christians. They never heard of Jesus Christ, at least not by name. But when we consider their faith, we find it to be identical to ours, except in a different context. As Adam and Eve stood outside Eden, clothed in the skins of animals, they realized that those animals must die to provide a covering for sin, until the Promised One was to come. Noah was saved by his trust in God’s provision, and Abraham received promises based on his faith in the Word of God. Moses received the law, knowing that its provisions were impossible to meet and must be accompanied by appropriate sacrifices. All the faithful Israelites who trusted in the sacrifices as God required were doing the same as we do today, even though many of them did not have the understanding that we have been given. The blood that they shed on Jewish altars was representing precious blood that would be shed on Golgotha.
The Old Testament saints will be in for some wonderful revelations in Heaven, as they see the revelation of all that was behind their ordinances and sacrifices. But the New Testament Christians are also in for some spectacular eye-openers, even among those things that cause divisions among us now. -Jim MacIntosh