📖 Biblical Definition
Gold in Scripture is divine metal. The ark of the covenant was overlaid with gold (Ex 25:11). The temple interior was gold (1 Kgs 6:20-22). The crown of the Messiah is gold (Ps 21:3). The street of the new Jerusalem is "pure gold, transparent as glass" (Rev 21:21). "Your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory" (1 Pet 1:7) — faith outranks the metal. Wise men brought gold to the infant Christ (Matt 2:11) as fitting tribute for a King. Gold marks royalty, divinity, and what is genuine under testing.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
GOLD, n.
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GOLD, n. [Sax. gold.] The most precious of the metals, incorruptible by fire, used for coinage and ornamental work. In Scripture, gold is the material of the ark, the tabernacle furniture, the interior of the temple, the priestly garments, the Magi's tribute, and finally the streets of the new Jerusalem. It is also the standard of value by which tested faith is compared — and found more precious. Gold endures fire; genuine faith endures more.
📖 Key Scripture
Matthew 2:11 — "They offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh."
1 Peter 1:7 — "The tested genuineness of your faith — more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire."
Exodus 25:11 — "You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it."
Revelation 21:21 — "And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern investors worship gold; Scripture relativizes it against faith and heaven's standard. Gold in heaven is pavement.
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In the new Jerusalem, gold paves the streets — the most precious earthly metal is used as the most walked-on material. The relativization is telling: what earth treats as ultimate, heaven treats as pavement. 1 Peter 1:7 makes the specific comparison: tested faith is more precious than gold. Christians who invest heavily in gold should remember the heavenly accounting. Faith outranks metal; treasure in heaven outranks treasure on earth.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
H2091 — zahav. G5553 — chrysos.
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H2091 — zahav (זָהָב) — gold; over 400 OT occurrences.
G5553 — chrysos (χρυσός) — gold; NT word.
Usage
"In the new Jerusalem gold is pavement. Earth's most precious metal is heaven's floor."
"Faith tested outranks gold tested. One perishes; the other is eternal."