Image of New Jerusalem, Four Square Isaiah 54:11 “O you afflicted … behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires. And I will make your windows of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones.” I will lay thy stones with fair colors: Is it the symbolism of the new Jerusalem or a literal fulfilment as in Revelation 21:19-21? The Hebrew word for “fair colors” indicates the kohl, the black powder of antimony used by women in the East on eyelids and eyebrows, so as to enhance the brilliancy of the eyes (2Ki 9:30, 1Chr. 29:2, Jer 4:30). Antimony; בַּפּוּךְ֙ (bappūḵ), Preposition-b, Article | N. m. s. stibium, black paint, eye cosmetic. The description here is that the very stones should be laid in cement of this description, which would contribute greatly to the beauty of the city (Barnes). Behold, I will lay thy stones: It is common in the Scriptures to compare the prosperity of the church to a splendid temple or palace. Tobit (Tobit 13:16, 17; Rev 21:18-21) describes the New Jerusalem in the same manner: “For Jerusalem shall be built up with sapphires, and emeralds, and precious stones; thy walls, and towers, and battlements, with pure gold; and the streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with beryl, and carbuncle, and stones of Ophir.” These things are spoken, consisting in a plentiful effusion of excellent gifts, graces, and comforts upon the church, which will be followed with eternal glory in heaven (Rev 21:11, Barnes). And thy foundations with sapphires: In hardness it is inferior to the diamond only. Its colors are blue, red, violet, green, white, or limpid (Barnes). They design in the spiritual sense the materials of a Gospel church, which are beautified with the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God (Gill). Sapphires: with sapphires (bassappîrîm) בַּסַּפִּירִֽים Pre-b, Article | N. m. pl. Sapphire represents the sky blue of the firmament, as the “sapphire throne” of the Eternal (Exo 24:10, Ezek 1:26, 10:1), and the rubies and carbuncles may depict the fiery glow of the Divine love (Ellicott). I will make thy windows of agates: Hebrew, כַּֽדְכֹד֙ (kaḏ·ḵōḏ), N. m. s. a ruby, agate. According to Pliny, it is transparent like glass (crystal; and the LXX. jasper). The Hebrew names of precious stones is not perfectly known to the Jews themselves. It may suffice us to know that this was clear, transparent, and probably sparkling precious stone. And all thy borders: The utmost parts or walls, of pleasant stones. The church is here evidently compared to a building, whose foundation, pavement, gates, and windows are all named (Benson). The church is all glorious when full of the knowledge of God. It is a promise of the teaching and gifts of the Holy Spirit (Henry).
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