Revelation

This illustration of the Biblical passage Revelation 21 depicts a vision of a “new Jerusalem” that descends from heaven – a gift from God that is imagined as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. This divine union of heaven and earth was envisioned in both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. In the former, the prophet Ezekiel imagines the holy city rebuilt in an idealized, heavenly state, with the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life at its center. Later prophetic and apocalyptic texts, such as Zechariah and Isaiah, expand on these themes, with Isaiah describing the city as adorned with precious stones. In the Christian Bible, the New Jerusalem descending from above signifies that “God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell among them” – a concept that is also echoed in the Torah.

This assignment immediately intrigued me, not only for the theme that runs as a common thread through both Judaism and Christianity, but for the challenge to depict the union of heaven and earth. The polarity and union of opposites is a concept I love to explore in my art.

The idea that our eternal Creator could have any human attributes whatsoever, and even dwell among us here on earth, was new in those ancient times. Prior to that, polytheistic pagan traditions of the region envisioned the gods as capricious forces of nature, prone to wrath and demanding appeasement in the form of idol worship, human sacrifice, and more. This affirmation of the indwelling nature of the divine was a step toward humanism. This earthward evolution seems most positive to me, and conjured up images of hope, symbolized here in the colors of sunrise. Matter and light are broken up like the tiles of a mosaic, interspersed between the outstretched arms of divine consciousness. I could have made any number of designs out of this basic idea, but this one seemed most like the flowing garments of a bride.

Pastel colors engage beautifully with earthy hues, and I thoroughly enjoyed the peaches and lavenders, the pale yellow and rosy pink that darken into terra cotta, offset by sky blue . . . I was in heaven juxtaposing these colors. Every building has a one or two angular edges, but fades out on the other side as a gradient. This way, the shapes that make up this mosaic are both partly defined and blending together.

Jerusalem has been called the “naval of the world,” “city of peace,” and “city of gold.” For anyone who has tread upon the ancient cobblestones of the Old City that date back three thousand years – this sense of sacred place is palpable. There is simply no other place like it on earth.

A good week to all –

D. Yael Bernhard

https://dyaelbernhard.com

Have you seen my other Substack, The Art of Health? In addition to being a visual artist, I’m also a certified integrative health & nutrition coach with a lifelong passion for natural food cooking and herbal medicine. Now in its second year, this illustrated newsletter explores cutting-edge concepts of nutrition. I strive to make relevant information clear and accessible, and to anchor essential health concepts in unique images. Check it out, and if you like it, please subscribe and help spread the word. Your support keeps my work going!