Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
Comment: The description is of something very beautiful and huge. The size of the wall suggests security not from war, as evil has been finally dealt with, but security (positive assurance) for those inside the city, security in Christ. But who can imagine a city which is a cube and each of the three dimensions of the cube being 2,250 Km? The body of believers who have previously been taken into heaven (the rapture as described by many theologians) has been described as ‘the Bride of Christ’ as they returned to the New Earth. Has the metaphor changed? Has the concept of ‘bride’ been changed to ‘city’? And why do the 12 gates have on them the names of the twelve tribes of Israel? Do the names on the foundation of the wall of entrance to the city symbolize the gospel which the Apostles have given to the world, taking it to many Gentile countries – the gospel by which people entered into a restored relationship with God? Does the size of the city represent the vastness of whole body of believers (down the millennia and world wide, both Jew and Gentile) who have entered into a forgiven living relationship of child with God though the gates of true repentance and real faith? Maybe the beauty of the whole city illustrates the many cultures from whom the believers come. I wait to understand fully that of which I now have but a glimpse!
Prayer: I stand amazed at this beautiful picture of what Your plan leads us into, Father!
As I read it! 