The FOUNDATION STONES of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone.

We come to an interesting view of the new Jerusalem. Given that the city is the bride of Christ (verse 9), this is John's attempt to describe the colors reflected by the transformed believers. This is an odd concept, for how many of us are able to describe our own spiritual side (or color)? We use terms like saved, born-again, or believer to describe the actual time in our spiritual walk when the conversion to believing in Jesus Christ took place. But how would you color the fruits of the Spirit, for example? What color is kindness? What color is purity (jasper - see previous verse)? And so on.

From a spiritual viewpoint, these FOUNDATION STONES signify basic tenets of the believer's faith or our relatedness to Jesus Christ (verse 14). Many commentators feel these FOUNDATION STONES are related to the 12 stones on the breastpiece of the High Priest (Exodus 28:15-30 and Exodus 39:8-21). There is some merit to that relationship given our priestly status (Revelation 1:6).

However, since the FOUNDATION STONES are directly related to the apostles who were chosen as Jesus Christ's followers, it is more appropriate to say that these FOUNDATION STONES are reflections of the groom/husband Jesus Christ. Just as you can't tell the color of a stone in a completely dark room, so too, it takes light to show the colors of these FOUNDATION STONES. Jesus said He is that Light (verse 23).

Ella A. Rust^* clearly denotes each of these FOUNDATION STONES as reflections of Jesus Christ:

The Twelve Foundations*

The first foundation stone was jasper;

"The first foundation was jasper: . . . " This jasper is light, clear as crystal and is emblematic of Jesus Christ in His Divine Glory. He is God.
John 10:30, "I and my Father are one."
John 14:9. When only in a measure God's glory is manifested and filled the tabernacle and the temple, even men of God could not enter because the brightness was so great. Believers are founded on God.

and second, sapphire;

". . . the second sapphire; . . . " The pure blue sapphire presents to us in symbol Jesus Christ as the Truth.
John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me."
1 John 5:20.

the third, chalcedony;

". . . the third, chalcedony; . . ." The chalcedony in color is grey, blue, purple and yellow. We believe that it is an emblem of "grace and truth."
John 1:14, ". . . full of grace and truth."
John 1:17, ". . . grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
Rom. 3:24, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Grace is the favor and free pardon of God through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Purple is a sign of royalty and yellow, resurrection. As Son of God, He arose triumphant in His Godly power, and grace and truth are extended in Him in His resurrection glory.
Eph. 2:8, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God."
Col. 1: 13, 14 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." In Jesus Christ we have the unmerited favor and pardon of God in His love and mercy.
Grey and blue joined together bring into our minds the thought of a dove.

". . . the fourth, an emerald;"

Rev. 4:3, ". . . and there was
Ezek. 1:28, "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." The rainbow is a token of mercy. The emerald in its beautiful green represents the great mercy which is extended toward the saints in Christ Jesus.
1 Tim. 1:2, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord."
Titus 3:5, ". . . according to his mercy he saved us, . . ."
James 5:11, ". . . the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy."

the fifth, sardonyx;

"The fifth, sardonyx; . . ." Sardonyx stones are bluish white. Jesus Christ is Truth and in that Truth, or in Himself He is the spotless Lamb of God. Exod. 12:5.
2 Cor. 5:21, ". . . who knew no sin; . . ."
Heb. 4:14-16, ". . . yet without sin."
1 Peter 2:22, "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."

the sixth, sardius;

". . . the sixth sardius; . . ." The sardius, a blood red stone typified the Lamb of God on the cross for our sins.
1 Peter 2:24, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, . . ."
Heb. 9:22
Rev. 1:5, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood."

the seventh, chrysolite;

". . . the seventh, chrysolyte; . . ." Purple and green in color the chrysolyte sets forth our Saviour and Lord as the merciful Son of God, the Prince of peace.
Isa. 9:6.
Rom. 5:1, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

the eighth, beryl;

". . . the eighth beryl; . . ." A beryl is bluish green. Green is also an emblem of life and fruitfulness. Jesus Christ is Life in Truth, or in Himself and the Life-giver by the Word and the Spirit.
John 14:6, ". . . I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me."
John 5:26, "For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;"
1 John 5:12, "He that hath the Son hath life; . . ."
John 10:27-30, "And I give unto them eternal life; . . ."

the ninth, topaz;

". . . the ninth, a topaz; . . ." Because golden in color, a topaz symbolizes our Lord and Saviour as the precious Rock, everlasting, unchangeable, and incorruptible, Gold is unchangeable.
Heb. 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." "--to the ages to come--." --Scofield.
Heb. 7:24, "But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood."
Ps. 103:17, "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting."
"It is impossible so to crush an amethyst that it loses its structural pattern. All you can do is to make of an amethyst many smaller ones.
This same fact is noted in the case of all the other precious stones as well. No matter what their pattern may be, it remains all through the crushing process, with the geometric perfection thereof unimpaired." --Harry Rimmer.
Jesus Christ never changes. He is the same Foundation from everlasting to everlasting.

the tenth, chrysoprase;

". . . the tenth, a chrysoprasus; . . ." This stone is bluish, green, and yellow. Ps. 68:13, ". . . yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold." We believe that these words refer to the resurrection of the Jews as a nation. They shall yet mount up with wings through the redemption wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ and in His worth.
Yellow, undoubtedly, is an emblem of Christ's resurrection in His Godly power. Blue, truth, and green, life have risen again from the tomb. Resurrection was possible because the grave could not hold His body. He was sinless, pure as the purest gold, and precious.
John 15:15-17, In His own Godly power He lay down His life and He took it again.
Acts 2:24, "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."
Rom. 4:25, "Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification."

the eleventh, jacinth;

". . . the eleventh, a jacinth; . . ." The jacinth is violet or red with a mixture or yellow. The sacrifice on the cross and love are inseparable, and red represents both. Without love our redemption would never have been accomplished.
John 15:13, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Rom. 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." In His resurrection glory He still loves us, because His is a Godly and an everlasting love.
Song of Sol. 8:7, "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: . . ." Christ's love cannot be broken.
Rom. 8:35-39, ". . . shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

the twelfth, amethyst.

". . . the twelfth, an amethyst." The amethyst is purple in color and represents royalty. Jesus Christ is the Royal Heir to the throne of David and the Royal Elder Brother to His saints. He is the only begotten Son of God and through faith in Him, we become God's sons.
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."
Rom. 8:14-17, As children of God, we are joint-heirs with Christ and we shall reign with Him.
Rev. 1:6, "And hath made us king and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen." Because Christ is the rightful King, He has the power to make us kings and priests.
In these marvelous foundations Jesus Christ is symbolized in twelve different aspects. He is God, Truth, Grace and Truth, The Mercyseat, the spotless Lamb, the Sacrifice, the Prince of Peace, Life, the Rock, the Resurrection, Love, and the Royal Heir. On this Foundation the New Jerusalem is built safe and sure.

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One final thought: a rainbow of colors in the new Jerusalem is to eternal life as the rainbow promised to Noah (Genesis 9:8-17) is to continuing life on earth.