1. You jewels of our Master, who shine with heav’nly rays,
Amid the beams of glory, reflect immortal blaze;
You diamonds of beauty, with pleasing lustre crowned,
Of heavenly extraction, to Zion’s City bound.
2. When we behold your order, and harmony of soul,
And hear divinest numbers in pure devotion roll,
The gems of truth are glowing with such enliv’ning grace,
We view the Saviour’s image, impressed on every face.
3. Speak often to each other, to cheer the fainting mind;
And often be your voices in pure devotion joined;
Though trials may await you, the crown before you lies;
Take courage, brother pilgrim; and soon you’ll win the prize.
4. You shall be mine, says Jesus, in that auspicious day,
When I make up my jewels, released from cumbrous clay;
He’ll polish and refine you, from worthless dross and tin;
And to his heav’nly kingdom will bid you enter in.
5. As Aaron with his girdle, in shining jewels dressed,
Bore all the tribes of Israel inscribed upon his breast;
So will the Priest of Zion, before the Father’s throne,
Present the heirs of glory, and God the kindred own.
6. We’ll range the wide dominion of our Redeemer round,
And in dissolving raptures be lost in love profound;
While all the flaming harpers begin the lasting song,
With hallelujahs rolling from the unnumbered throng.
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In the immediate sense, this song is a friendly nod to the members of our church center in Germany, whom you see performing in the pictures at the upper left corner of these web pages.
In the prophetic sense, it compares the redeemed to the breastplate of the High Priest, as described in the Old Testament:
Exodus 28
15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.
17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.
21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
This was a picture of what the tribes were to become in the Lord’s hand. Being transformed by the power of His cleansing grace, and educated in the principles of His holy Law, their characters were to sparkle and shine like precious gems.
This blessing was later repeated when Jesus proclaimed to His followers,
Matthew 5
14 You are the light of the world.
There is another wonderful promise related to this in Malachi, which applies especially to those who will survive through the seven last plagues, and live to see Christ return:
Malachi 3
17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.
What is it that constitutes a person as a “jewel” in God’s sight? It is the possession of the garment of salvation, the righteous character of Christ, which all may receive by faith, and make their own by obedience:
Isaiah 61
9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord has blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth her bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Revelation 19
6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns.
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Revelation 7
14 And I said unto him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
