“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich.” Revelation 3:18
Dear Ones:
In the description of heaven that the Lord Jesus gave to John in the Revelation, he writes: “…and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” (21:21) What is this heavenly gold? First of all, it is a gold that is not of this world. Most certainly, the Lord speaks a great deal about the gold that we are familiar with, in order to give us some concept of its worth, and why it possesses such value. Perhaps the most important aspect of the gold of this earth is that its decay is almost imperceptible, even over vast amounts of time. It is valuable because of its longevity, its ability to remain, comparatively speaking, the same. There is another reason for the worth of gold, and it has to do with, not only the demand for it, but for its availability. Though the mines of earth have produced a rather large quantity of physical gold, yet, it still remains scarce when one considers the vast number of people who could benefit from it. Its demand causes it to be very valuable. What then of the gold of heaven? What is it, and what is its value? And how does one purchase such gold, and with what?
In Psalm 49:7, we begin to get a glimpse of the difference between that which can be purchased in earth, and from heaven. The psalmist writes: “…they that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother for him: for the redemption of their soul is precious…” What is the Lord saying here? That which has eternal value, as the gold of heaven, that which the Lord gives, cannot be purchased with the things of earth. The soul of man is eternal, and nothing on this earth, or by any means in this world, can redeem, or buy, out of the slave market of sin, the soul of any man. The worth of that soul is too great in the sight of God. How then is it to be purchased, bought, paid for, forever?
In the fifth chapter of Revelation, we find written the answer to our question concerning the redeeming of a soul, every soul, that will respond in faith to the overtures of the Spirit: “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” (v.9) There is but ONE Person who can redeem fallen man to God, and it is the Lord Jesus Christ. Specifically, it is ONLY by His precious blood, which possesses perfect worth, that the soul is redeemed. If the Lord Jesus is declared to be the worthy Lamb of God, who alone takes away the sin of the world by His shed blood, then how are we to buy from Him this gold of heaven? What is it, and how is it to be acquired?
In Isaiah 55, we read: “Ho, every one that thirsteth; come ye to the waters, and he that has no money, come ye, buy, and eat: come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Again, what is the Lord saying here? First, he is saying that He gives thirst, the thirst for that which is heavenly, that which only comes from God, and which God alone can give. Secondly, He makes very clear that the purchase of that which is essential to truly live, cannot be bought with the things of earth. The Lord then tells us how to receive, how to buy: “Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you…” (v.3) The purchasing power of the soul, to receive that which is of God, is determined by the willingness to hear, come to Christ alone, diligently receiving and obeying His word.
Dear Father, We would buy this gold of obedience by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad