I remember reading several years ago about a Filipino fisherman who made an amazing discovery off the coast of the Palawan Islands: a two-foot-long pearl inside a giant clam (26-inches to be exact). The article said that the fisherman took the treasure home and hid it under his bed – not telling a soul of his windfall. Then misfortune struck and his humble home burned down, but the 75-pound pearl survived. His next move was to take the pearl to a jeweler for a big payout. According to officials in the Philippines, the pearl was valued at $100 million![1]
Did you know that pearls are mentioned twice in the New Testament? Jesus told a short parable about “the pearl of great price” in Matt. 13:45-46 and in Revelation 21:21 we read that in eternity future, the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem are made of a single pearl.
What’s the connection? The symbolism of Jesus’ parable was meant to illustrate how He (pictured as the merchant), paid a premium price to purchase the pearl (a symbol of the church). Just as the merchant sought out the pearl, so too Jesus sought out the church and paid the highest price to claim her, by giving His life on the cross (Luke 19:10; 2 Cor. 8:9; Rom 8:32).
Interestingly, a pearl is a product of pain. Pearls are the only precious gems made by a living organism. A foreign object, such as piece of sand or grit, finds its way into the oyster. The oyster begins to secrete a substance called Nacre to build a protective cover over the object. The pearl cannot be extracted from the oyster until it’s dead. Just so, the Church was birthed from the pain and suffering of Christ (Eph. 5:25).
This insight sheds light on heaven’s pearly gates. The great preacher of yesteryear, W.A. Criswell, once pointed out, “There’s a sermon in those pearly gates. The pearl is formed by an animal in travail and suffering. Moreover, gates provide access. The pearly gates symbolize that our access into the city of God was formed through the suffering of Christ on our behalf. Each time we walk through the gates of pearl, we’ll be reminded that only reason we are there is because of the pain and suffering of the Lord Jesus, whose wounds granted us access to God.”[2]
A pearl is taken from garbage to glory. Just so, the Church is taken from the refuse of the world (1 Cor. 6:9-11). A pearl goes from depth to height. Just so, the Church will be raised incorruptible to be with Christ (1 Cor. 15:50-55). A pearl goes from darkness to light. Just so, the Church will shine as a trophy of grace throughout eternity (1 Peter 2:9) and become an item of adornment. A pearl is formed gradually, invisibly and indivisibly. Just so, the Church is being formed over time (1 Peter 2:4-5) and will one day be united in heaven with saints from all ages.
One more thing about those
gates, the Bible also says, “they will never be shut” (Rev. 21:25). Praise God!
In the ancient times, the main reason to close the city’s gate was to keep intruders
out. But in that perfect state there will be no need for gatekeepers because sin
and Satan will forever be defeated by the King of Kings! -DM
[1] Roberta
Nass “This $100 Million Pearl Is the Largest and Most Expensive in the World,” Forbes,
10 August 2016
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertanaas/2016/08/23/100-million-pearl-hidden-under-bed-sets-world-record-as-largest-most-expensive-pearl-in-the-world/#128273f979b0>
[2] W.A.
Criswell, Expository Sermons on
Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1969), 130.
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