The Sanctuary of the Tabernacle was a reflection on earth of the Celestial City, the new Jerusalem, which St. John saw “coming down from heaven” (Rv 21. 10). The foundation of the city walls was faced with all kinds of precious stones – the jewels representing the twelve apostles and the apostolic tradition of the Church – and its “gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.” In the Greek Koine text it is literally said that God “tabernacled” among human beings, “He will make His home among them; they will be His people, and He will be their God, GOD AMONG THEM” (Emmanuel) (See Rv 21st chapter). This is the beneficent vision which gradually begins to shine forth in the purity of the heart, “and the Lamb was a light torch for it” (Rv 21. 23).

The ancient fathers of the Icelandic church had a keen understanding of the sublime role of John's revelation as they shed light upon in the Book of Homilies or the Icelandic Philokalia,


And they added, “We should make this our own approach, if we desire to enter into heavenly glory through the gates of the teachings of the apostles. Every soul who desires a heavenly participation with God's apostles must become like Peter, that is, a living stone in God's temple as Peter said, “So that you too, may be living stones making a spiritual house” (1 Pt 2. 5). And they referred also to the age of these stones (cf. Ex 28. 10) in the spiritual life as God revealed them in Exodus 28 where the tribes walked in “the order of their age,” which we will return to in following meditation,

In this heavenly city are gates at the eastern and western, southern and northern sides. Those who in young age embrace the faith and live modestly as the four gospels proclaim, they walk into the city from the east, as the sun rises in the east at dawn referring to the young age of the human being. But there are also to be found there those who, as mature men, turn themselves to God from a sinful life. They refer to the noontide when the sun is in the southern heaven and shines brightly as the age of these men is at its prime. They enter the city from the south. Others wait until old age when they become plagued by their sins and weaker in strength. As the day gets cooler when the sun is in the western sky and descends, so also the human body weakens in old age and loses its strength. They walk into the city from the western side, if they confess the Trinitarian faith and obey the commandments of the four gospels. Some are negligent until extreme age. This age of men refers to the close of the day when the sun goes from the western to the northern sky. Then coolness is dominant since no warmth comes from the sun as it has vanished from sight. Thus the human body is cold and feeble at this age. But if they begin to regret their sins wholeheartedly and confess the Trinitarian faith and obey the commandments of the four Gospels, they will enter the city from the north. Thus the doctrine of the apostles is so profitable because it provides  eternal help for all who give them heed as they led some to God in young age, some in middle age, and still other as elders. [2]

This is indeed the core of the apostolic faith like a golden thread weaving through the tapestry of the Church’s tradition from the earliest of ages. Here the Celestial City is reflected in the earthly Tabernacle revealing two kinds of union with God, union of love alone and union with an inflaming of love, as John of the Cross emphasized,