Revelation (Written)

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. Revelation 21:23

Describing the glory of New Jerusalem, John had just noted that there was no temple in it, explaining why. Now, he continues by saying, “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it.”

The words are reflective of those of Isaiah 60 –

“Violence shall no longer be heard in your land,
Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders;
But you shall call your walls Salvation,
And your gates Praise.
¹⁹ “The sun shall no longer be your light by day,
Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you;
But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light,
And your God your glory.
²⁰ Your sun shall no longer go down,
Nor shall your moon withdraw itself;
For the Lord will be your everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning shall be ended.” Isaiah 60:18-20

This does not say that these heavenly orbs will not exist, but that there is no need for them. The idea takes the reader back to the very beginnings of creation –

^“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; ¹⁵ and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth’; and it was so. ¹⁶ Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. ¹⁷ God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, ¹⁸ and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.” Genesis 1:14-19

These luminaries were set in the heavens to “rule the day” and to “rule the night.” In the state of the New Jerusalem, there will be no need for such rule because a new order of things will exist. The idea of light has various meanings including spiritual revelation and understanding, knowledge, comfort, holiness, goodness, hope, grace, and so on. None of these things will be lacking, as John notes, “for the glory of God illuminated it.”

The Greek word is phótizó. It is a verb signifying to illuminate, bring to light, make evident, and so on. It is from the noun phós, meaning light, a source of light, or radiance. God’s glory is what brings forth the eternal light that shines in New Jerusalem. Daniel speaks of such things –

“And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
²² He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.” Daniel 2:21, 22

Jesus, speaking to the disciples, makes this comment concerning light and dark –

“Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰ But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” John 11:9, 10

And John conveys this note concerning light in his first epistle –

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5-7

These are but a few of the many verses that refer to the nature of light and darkness. There will be no time or place in New Jerusalem where the things that light signifies will be lacking. God’s transcendent glory will shine forth throughout the city, and it will dispel all darkness. This is because God’s glory will illuminate the city and, as John says, “The Lamb is its light.”

Rather, the translation should say, “The Lamb is its lamp.” The Greek word is luchnos. It signifies a lamp or an “illuminator.” It is Christ, the God/Man, through whom the light of God is transmitted. All of the attributes of light described above, and any that have been overlooked, are revealed in and through the light of God as it is revealed through Christ. As in the previous verse, the description of Jesus as the Lamb is given. It is through His sacrificial work that this is revealed:

Christ died for the sins of the people, purifying all hint of darkness from them.
Christ was buried, taking away all sin and darkness from them.
Christ rose again, victorious over death, demonstrating that He is God and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Understanding this, there is no distinction to be made between “God” and “the Lamb” in this verse. Because Christ is God, He is the light –

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:4, 5

The same word, phós, is used by John to indicate both the illumination of God and the illumination of Christ Jesus. It is His deity that is being referred to.

Life application: The New Jerusalem will have a completely different order for the existence of the people of God. In our current order, we have set needs that can only be met by the existence of the sun and by the revolution of the earth, moon, etc. Everything is carefully balanced so that the sun shines a certain amount of time, and it is hidden at others. The heating of the sun causes the water to evaporate, and its light produces photosynthesis in plants. The way the earth is designed now and the way it interacts with the heavenly bodies is what keeps life going.

However, in New Jerusalem the city will have no need of such things. Those living in this city will have a completely different source of life-giving energy and it will be far more glorious than what we currently have.

Our present order works for our benefit, but it also works against us. The sun’s rays can cause skin cancer. Sunbursts, which come sporadically, can affect our electric and communications infrastructure, etc. These things will no longer occur because in New Jerusalem the glory of God will be the Source of light.

As God is the Source and Creator of all things, nothing in the creation can compare to Him. Billions of constellations and billions of stars in each constellation all came from the wisdom of His mind and the power of His word. If the universe were to run down to the state of a cold dead battery a thousand times over, the power of God would still be as strong and glorious as it was at the original creation.

It is this Light and Life-sustaining Source that will illuminate New Jerusalem, with Jesus Christ as the lamp of that light. He is the One who is ever revealing the glory of the unseen God. We will see Him in all His fullness, and we will be eternally refreshed. It may be that there will be no need for sleep or eating, but eating will still be possible as there will be trees with fruit there (see verse 22:2).

In this beautiful city, we will be like the Lord in that we will be eternal, and we will be in a glorified state. There will be no sinful nature in us, and we will be eternally filled with His glory. What is coming simply can’t be grasped because we now get tired, we get old, and we die. None of these things will occur and there will be existence that isn’t concerned with time, haste, or stress.

This all awaits the redeemed of the Lord, and it is this glory that you too can participate in, if you will just reach out and receive God’s offer of reconciliation. Reach out today for the Lamb. Reach out for JESUS!

Wonderful Lord Jesus! How we look with anticipation to the glories that lie ahead. Now, even in our most joyous moments, we know that there is an end to them and that we will again come down from the fleeting peak of exhilaration we feel. But such won’t be the case when we are in Your presence. The state of awe and wonder will never end. May this day be soon! Amen.

Wednesday, 25 August 2021

But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Revelation 21:22

After describing the city’s sizes, walls, foundations, gates, and so on, John now specifically notes a wonderful truth that he has observed, saying, “But I saw no temple in it.”

The earthly dwelling of the Lord, be it in Shiloh or some other place – even until it came to be located in Jerusalem – was noted as a place where the tabernacle/temple was. The people came to that location to observe their pilgrim feasts in the presence of the Lord, meaning around the tabernacle/temple, but they were not allowed to enter His dwelling place – under pain of death. Only the priests could enter the Holy Place to conduct the daily affairs, and only the high priest – and only once a year on the Day of Atonement – could enter into the Most Holy Place.

Access to God by man was severely restricted. At Christ’s death, that was restored through faith in Christ. However, it is only restored in the sense that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit. We have access to God in a spiritual sense, but we are not in the physical presence of Christ at this time.

In New Jerusalem, of which the earthly tabernacle was patterned after, there is no temple (meaning a separate dwelling place for God) because the city itself is His dwelling place. As seen in the measurement of the city, it is laid out as a cube, resembling the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle/temple. The entire city is set up as a dwelling place for God, but also for God’s redeemed. This is what is being stated by Jesus all the way back in Chapter 1 –

“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ⁶ and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5, 6

Jesus’ words ultimately anticipate the state of God’s redeemed in New Jerusalem, living as a kingdom of priests. The function of a priest is to serve God. And this is what Revelation 22 says those in New Jerusalem will do –

“And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. ⁴ They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.” Revelation 22:3, 4

Man will dwell with God, and as servants of Him, we will serve Him. The details of the service are not given, but the fact that it is so is clearly stated. The seven letters, written to the seven churches, show the church today that this is our hope and anticipation. The thought is similar to that found, for example, in Ephesians 2 –

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-6

Paul is writing to saved believers who were (and to this day are) living out lives in earthly bodies. And yet, he writes as if we are already seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. In other words, there is – to God – the already-realized state because of faith in Christ, even if we have not yet attained that state in a physical reality.

This is the force of John’s words in Revelation 1. We are serving in the kingdom of God, right now, but we are also anticipating the full realization of that as well. This is why we do not need a temple today. Until we are glorified, we are God’s dwelling place. And yet, we await the final result of that in the city with no temple – because the city is the dwelling place of God.

John next confirms this, saying, “for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” The idea of these words is that the glory of God fills the entire city, being present there for all to behold. The way this is possible is because of the Lamb. Under the Mosaic Covenant, God resides in the temple, but to have access to Him, there must be a sacrifice. The author of Hebrews explains this –

“Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. ⁷ But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; ⁸ the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.” Hebrews 9:6-8

For us now, the sacrifice is complete, and God resides in us during this dispensation as we await the full and final realization of the promise (the sealing of the Spirit). That is explained as well in Hebrews 9 –

“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. ¹² Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:11, 12

In New Jerusalem, there is no need for a sacrificial offering because the Lamb is there. He is that full, final, and forever offering to God for the sins of the people. Christ, the God/Man, is the bridge between the two. It is He that makes this intimate and eternal fellowship with God possible. As such, there is one thing being described with two aspects to it. The Greek reads, “for Lord the God the Almighty, temple of it is, and the Lamb.”

This is the last use of pantokratór, or “Almighty,” found in Scripture. In Revelation 1:8, Christ was identified as such. He is God. But here, He is also identified as the arnion, or Lamb (a term consistently used of Him in Revelation). Again, He is God. And yet, they are spoken of as One in this passage. In other words, one could hold up a coin before flipping it and say, “This is the head and the tail of the bet.” It is two aspects of something being used to describe that one thing.

Life application: When Jerusalem was in proper covenant relationship with God, there was a temple standing where He would meet with His people. Solomon built the first. Upon its destruction, the Jewish people were exiled to Babylon. The next temple was built by Zerubbabel. This is described in various books and passages, but Zechariah 4 gives these details –

“The hands of Zerubbabel
Have laid the foundation of this temple;
His hands shall also finish it.” Zechariah 4:9

Although still considered the second temple, it was renovated to a large degree by Herod the Great. Eventually, the temple was destroyed again by the Roman armies under Titus in AD70, and the people were exiled for two thousand years – all due to their disobedience (meaning failure to believe – Hebrews 3:18, 19).

During this period of exile, God’s presence, His Holy Spirit, has dwelt among believers individually. We are the sanctuary where God dwells among men. When believers come together in prayer and worship, we are demonstrating the unity of the body of Christ. However, this period is coming to an end at a point known as the rapture of the church. When this occurs, it will be followed by the building of a new temple in Jerusalem which will be the fulfillment of the 70th week (a seven-year period) of Daniel’s vision in Daniel 9.

At the end of this seven-year period, Christ will return and rule from this same spot in the millennial temple for one thousand years. After that will come the New Jerusalem. King David looked forward to this time of intimate glory when he wrote the 27th Psalm –

“One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4

There is one way to be allowed access into the New Jerusalem – the spot where there will be eternal joy as the saints of the ages live in the presence of God and the Lamb. It is by accepting God’s offer of peace, Jesus Christ. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ, don’t put it off any longer.

No one knows the day of the Lord’s coming – either through death or the rapture. Because our future is unknown, we need to be ready at every moment for our date with destiny. Again, the words of David show us the hope and anticipation of this glorious time ahead –

“You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

It is all made possible because of what God has done in Christ. Hallelujah to our God! Hallelujah to the Lamb of God! Hallelujah to JESUS!

Lord, what a wonderful and glorious hope we have of an eternal walk in Your presence. There is no veil that will separate us from You as in earlier times. And there will be no sin that infects us as we strive to become holy as believers now. There will only be purity, holiness, fellowship, and splendor. Thank You for what the future holds! Thank You for Jesus! Amen.

Tuesday, 24 August 2021

The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. Revelation 21:21

With the foundation stones described, John now notes that “The gates were twelve pearls.” This is the last time that the margarités, or “pearl,” is mentioned in Scripture. The gates of pearl are contrasted to those of the millennial kingdom described by Isaiah –

“I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
Your gates of crystal,
And all your walls of precious stones.” Isaiah 54:12

The word used by Isaiah, translated as “crystal,” is found only that once in Scripture, eqdakh. It is from a root signifying either cassia, or – more likely – a root signifying “to kindle,” and thus “fiery.” It is that which then sparkles with a fiery glow.

As for the pearl, it is used in parables by Jesus to refer to the precious teachings (spiritual truths) of the gospel. That is seen, for example, in Matthew 7:6 and 13:45 –

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” (7:6)

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, ⁴⁶ who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (13:45, 46)

It is of note that the twelve foundation stones (written with names of the apostles) are of varied stones. As Christ is the Foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11), that would speak of the manifold ministry of Christ as described by the apostles. The twelve gates are written with the names of the twelve tribes (Revelation 21:12), and the gates themselves are all alike, being twelve pearls. Despite being twelve, being each a pearl speaks of unity of entrance. There is one type of access, the spiritual truth of Christ – and Him alone – by which access is attained.

Charles Ellicott wisely notes, “It is the only precious stone which the art and skill of man cannot improve. The tools of the artificer may give fresh lustre to the emerald and the sapphire; but he must lift no tool upon the pearl.” In this, nothing can be added onto the gospel message to make it more perfect. It is the message of God in Christ, granting access once again into His presence. With that thought in mind, John next says, “each individual gate was of one pearl.”

The translation by the NKJV is lacking. The word “gates” is plural and it is in the genitive case. It more precisely reads, “severally, one each of the gates is out of one pearl.” The precision of John’s words speaks of unity of the material in the production of the twelve separate gates. There is one, and only one, gospel message that allows man access into the city.

With that understood, John next says, “And the street of the city was pure gold.” The gold speaks of the divine and kingly nature of the One who rules there. Everything about the symbolism speaks of the constant reminder that man will dwell with the King, walking in His presence forever. Of this gold, John says it is “like transparent glass.”

The word translated as “transparent” is found only elsewhere in 2 Peter 1:19, diaugazo. It is a compound word signifying “through” and “shining at dawn.” Thus, it speaks of the glory of God radiating off of it as if it is transparent. Like in verse 21:18, it does not necessarily mean that the gold is transparent, but that it is so perfect and polished that it appears as such. The radiating glory of God will highlight everything that is reflected in its surface.

The picture given is that of perfection in all ways. Nothing but pure and undefiled glory will be seen as one enters and then walks through the expanse of the city.

Life application: The words concerning the gates convey to us the truth that Jesus is the only true way of entering into the glory which lies ahead. The street of the city conveys to us the truth that God has brought us back to Himself through Christ, the divine path of restoration. The radiant shining of the street will highlight the fact that only the glory of God, without any taint of sin or corruption will be seen. Full, final, and forever restoration between God and man is realized in this marvelous display.

What God has prepared for His people will be astounding and we shall never tire of it. Great days lie ahead for those who live by faith now. So have faith. Trust that God can bring you back to Himself, and that this restoration is found in JESUS!

O wonderful God and precious Lord! What a treasure it is for our hearts to read Your word and peer with anticipation into its pages. How its descriptions stir our souls and make us excited for the glory which lies ahead. Great are You, O God, and wonderful are Your promises to the sons of Adam who are born again through Christ! Amen.

Monday, 23 August 2021

the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.  Revelation 21:20

John continues the list of the gemstones that comprise the foundations of New Jerusalem, next noting “the fifth sardonyx.” It is a stone mentioned only this one time in Scripture, sardonux. It comes from two words, sardion and onux (a gem). It is believed it could be either a type of agate or a red sard mixed with white onyx. However, others place it as reddish yellow and nearly orange.

Next, it mentions “the sixth sardius.” This is the Greek sardion that was just used as the root of the sardonux. It was seen in Revelation 4:3 and now this is its second and last use. The sardius is generally accepted as corresponding to carnelian, and thus it is a red stone. It is reddish to blood red and is used in engravings.

After that is “the seventh chrysolite.” It is only found this once in the Bible. The Greek is chrusolithos, coming from chrusos (gold) and lithos (stone). Therefore, it refers to yellow topaz, amber, or golden jasper.

Next is “the eighth beryl.” Again, it is a word found only here, bérullos. It is a precious stone coming in various colors, the most common is sea-green in color. This is followed by “the ninth topaz.” This stone is also only mentioned here in Scripture, topazion. It is what is known as the golden topaz. At times it comes in a greenish-gold tone.

Following that is “the tenth chrysoprase.” It is another stone only seen here, chrusoprasos. Albert Barnes, via Robinson’s Lexicon, notes that “It is derived from χρυσὸς chrusos, ‘gold,’ and πράσον prason, ‘a leek,’ and denotes a precious stone of greenish golden color, like a leek; that is, ‘apple-green passing into a grass-green.’” It is quite probably referring to a variety of the quartz family which is apple-green and translucent. However, it could also be a type of chalcedony with a sea-green color.

After that is noted “the eleventh jacinth.” Again, as is so common with these stones, this is its only use in Scripture, huakinthos. Thus, it is also known as hyacinth. It ranges in color from bluish to bluish-purple somewhat similar to a sapphire. It could be referring to the zircon.

Finally, it says, “and the twelfth amethyst.” This last stone is also only seen here, amethustos. It is glassy-type quartz which is clear purple, violet, or related color. It is a compound word, coming from alpha (the negative particle) and methuó, meaning “to be drunk.” As such, Strong’s notes that it is “(a kind of rock crystal: the best specimens are the color of unmixed wine, whence perhaps the name), believed to stave off drunkenness.”

Life application: As can be seen, there is little agreement on several of these stones, and scholars do their best to identify them based on the original Greek. Being dogmatic about what the stones is ridiculous. John used words he was aware of to describe what was before him, and that is what matters. Many commentaries have made unfounded suppositions because they are dogmatic about what is being presented.

The important point is that the colors and materials will be as John saw them, and they will be marvelous to behold. All of this beauty and variety will be wonderfully stunning to the eyes and a delight to the mind as we contemplate the purity of the foundations that are on display. It will be a flawless, radiant wonder that will provide a suitable foundation for the walls of the city where the King of kings rules His people throughout eternity.

For us, what a glorious wonder we will behold! All of the beauty and majesty of the things we will see will be a delight, but in comparison to the Lord, their beauty will hardly matter. In the New Jerusalem, we will see the Source of all of it. We will see JESUS!

Glorious God, precious stones are found in the world today, but they inevitably contain imperfections and flaws. Not only because of the nature of the stones, but because of the imperfection of the stone cutters. However, what You are preparing for the foundations of the heavenly city will be perfect and flawless. How we long to see Your glory radiating through, and reflected by, them! May that day be soon. Hallelujah and Amen!

Sunday, 22 August 2021

The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, Revelation 21:19

The twelve foundation stones that had the names of the apostles of the Lamb written on them are now to be further described. As John says, “The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones.”

The idea being conveyed is that the foundation stones are actually composed of these gems. They are not merely bedecked with them, but it is what they are fashioned out of. Here we see a contrast to the city of Mystery Babylon noted in Revelation 17 –

“The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.” Revelation 17:4

Though she was adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls, her beauty was temporary and ended in destruction. New Jerusalem, however, is adorned with these things as well, but its foundations are solid and fixed. The city is pure, holy, and eternal. The symbolism for this goes back to a prophecy found in Isaiah –

“O you afflicted one,
Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,
And lay your foundations with sapphires.
¹² I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
Your gates of crystal,
And all your walls of precious stones.” Isaiah 54:11, 12

Of these stones, John continues, saying, “the first foundation was jasper.” This stone was just described in the preceding verse. In short, it is believed to be a blue-white diamond. John next says, “the second sapphire.”

It is a word found only here in Scripture. The Greek is sapphiros, coming from the Hebrew sappir. It is the same Hebrew word as that which was used to describe the pavement under the feet of the Lord when Moses and the leaders of Israel had their meal on Mount Sinai after the ratification of the covenant in Exodus 24:10. The Hebrew sappir, comes from the word saphar, meaning to count. Thus, it is probably a very hard stone used for scratching other surfaces. It is believed to perhaps be a lapis lazuli.

John next notes, “the third chalcedony.” The word is found only this once in Scripture. The Greek is chalkédón. Some say that the word comes from chalkos, signifying “copper” or “brass,” and from eidos, signifying “appearance.” Thus, it is copper-like in color. Others say that it is from the location Chalcedon, a town in Asia Minor where copper is mined. Thus, it is not copper-colored, but a stone from a copper area, and therefore has the green color of unrefined copper. As such, it is argued to be emerald green. Others say it is misty gray or some other color.

John continues with, “the fourth emerald.” Again, it is a word found only here in Scripture, smaragdos. However, it is the same stone as mentioned in Revelation 4:3, which is the adjective smaragdinos. The name “emerald” is used to translate the third stone in the first row of stones in the breastplate of the high priest in Exodus 28:17. The stone noted there in Hebrew is the bareqeth. That comes from the word baraq, which means “flashing” or “lightning.” That tells us pretty much nothing of value in determining what the stone there actually is, and it may or may not be the same stone as is seen now in Revelation. It is a green stone.

Life application: One thing to note is that “the foundations of the wall of the city” will be visible to all. In other words, they are a part of the New Jerusalem which will come down from heaven and sit on the new earth. The foundations will be above ground, not below. Therefore, they will be astonishingly beautiful to behold.

They are according to the names of the 12 apostles, and they will have a variety of beautiful colors to dazzle the senses. The meaning of the names of some of these stones has changed and the same terms have been used for a variety of different stones throughout history, so it is not entirely possible at this time to know for certain what they will look like.

These four stone foundations, along with those to be mentioned, will be wonderfully beautiful to behold. We have a city coming with foundations that will excite the eyes and stir our souls with its beauty. What is planned for the dwelling place of God’s redeemed will be beyond our comprehension. But none of what we see will even compare to the marvel of beholding JESUS!

Lord Jesus, all the gems and jewels in the world couldn’t compare to Your beauty. Amen.