The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. (Revelation 21:21 NKJV)

With the Precious Stones of the Foundations of the New Jerusalem completed, it is interesting to look at the next verse. The twelve stones were mentioned in Revelation 21:19,20. Yet, in the next verse two more precious stones or minerals are mentioned; Gold and Pearls.

It says that each gate was all one pearl. As I told a friend recently, I would have liked to see the size of that oyster!

American Oystercatcher (Conserve Wildlife Foundation photo)

Better yet, to see an Oystercatcher pick it up THAT OYSTER, like this one. All kidding aside, can you image a pearl large enough to be a whole gate? That is amazing and only God, the Creator could do that.

We have already produced a few articles about Pearls:

Avian And Attributes – Pearl

Birds in Hymns – He The Pearly Gates Will Open

Freshwater clam with cultivated pearls ©WikiC

Pearled Treerunner (Margarornis squamiger) ©WikiC

“Heaven has gates; there is a free admission to all that are sanctified; they shall not find themselves shut out. These gates were all of pearls. Christ is the Pearl of great price, and he is our Way to God. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. The saints in heaven tread gold under foot. The saints are there at rest, yet it is not a state of sleep and idleness; they have communion, not only with God, but with one another. All these glories but faintly represent heaven.” [Matthew Henry Concise Commentary]

Pearly-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila pileata) by Dario Sanches

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. (Matthew 13:45,46 KJV)

None of the birds have Pearl as it’s last name, but here are birds that have Pearl at the beginning of their names:

Pearl Kite (Gampsonyx swainsonii)
Pearl-bellied White-eye (Zosterops grayi)
Pearl-breasted Swallow (Hirundo dimidiata)
Pearled Treerunner (Margarornis squamiger)
Pearl-spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum)
Pearly Antshrike (Megastictus margaritatus)
Pearly Parakeet (Pyrrhura lepida)
Pearly-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila pileata)
Pearly-breasted Conebill (Conirostrum margaritae)
Pearly-breasted Cuckoo (Coccyzus euleri)
Pearly-eyed Thrasher (Margarops fuscatus)
Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant (Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer)

These birds were included because they like to catch oysters as their name implies:

Oystercatcher, African
Oystercatcher, American
Oystercatcher, Black
Oystercatcher, Blackish
Oystercatcher, Canary Islands
Oystercatcher, Chatham
Oystercatcher, Eurasian
Oystercatcher, Magellanic
Oystercatcher, Pied
Oystercatcher, Sooty
Oystercatcher, South Island
Oystercatcher, Variable

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Wages or a Gift