THE DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

The Description of the Holy Jerusalem  

Rev. 21:11-23

"Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 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 in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."

This is the city for which Abraham looked, a city which hath foundation whose builder and maker is God. This is a real city, the home where the heavenly bridegroom and his bride will dwell throughout eternity. This city is going to come down upon the earth. The earth is the proper sphere and abode of man, and therefore is the place where this city will finally be placed. But this is God's building. As far as I can see, everything about this city is literal. When it says gold, it means gold. A sevenfold description follows.

Jasper is the symbol of conflict, and includes a new order.

The Effulgence of the City vss. 11, 23

"The glory of God."

This is holiness and it streams from the Son of God, the Lamb.

The Entrance of the City vss. 12, 13, 21

"And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel."
"On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates."
"And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass."

Angels are at the gates, and the names of the 12 tribes of Israel are upon them. That is to remind us that "salva­tion is of the Jews." The pearl is to remind us that the only way into the city is through the risen side of a crucified savior.

"twelve pearls" The pearly gates, each consisting of 1380 miles of solid pearl, are never closed (Revelation 21:25), thus providing access to the city at every level throughout its great height.
"street of the city" The “street of the city” must be an inter-connected complex of both horizontal streets and vertical streets (like elevator shafts), all of translucent gold. The glorified bodies of the saints will be like that of Christ (Philippians 3:21), capable of moving at great speed through space (note John 20:17; also Daniel 9:21-23), and therefore can easily move both horizontally and vertically about the city. How it is that the streets of pure gold can also be like transparent glass we do not yet understand. However, “the gold is mine, saith the LORD” (Haggai 2:8), and He can do with it as He will. The city will be of indescribable beauty in its total aspect (1 Corinthians 2:9).

The Foundations of the City vss. 14, 19-20

"And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.""And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst."

These twelve foundations are adorned with all manner of precious stones, and each foundation is made of a particu­lar precious stone. On each foundation is a name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. This is to remind the saints that the apostles are the foundation of the church, being so placed by the Son (Eph. 2:20-22).

"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."

The Magnitude of the City vs. 15-16

"And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal."

A 1500-mile cube, or a pyramid with a square base of 1500 miles and with a height of 1500 miles. At the top of the pyramid the capstone will appear, the chief cornerstone, the light of the city, and the temple.

"twelve thousand furlongs" The Greek word here is stadia, and the equivalent of 12,000 stadia is approximately 1380 miles, which is the length of each side of this gigantic cubical city (some writers have suggested that the city might be of pyramid shape, but pyramid-shaped towers—ever since Babel—have been associated with pagan idolatry, whereas the cube, beautifully suggesting the divine Trinity (see note on Romans 1:20) is the shape specified by God for the holy place in the temple (1 Kings 6:20).

1377 miles x 1377miles x 1377 miles.

The Enclosure for the City vs. 17-18

"And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass."

The wall about the city is for the purpose of reminding all that this is the private home of the bride. This wall reminds one that the Lord provides protection for His people. The character of the protection is indicated by the material of which the wall is made, namely, jasper, which is clear as crystal, like diamond, and is the glory of God, His holiness (vs. 11, 23).

The Material of the City vs. 18, 21

"And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.""And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass."

Within the city limits the buildings are all made of pure gold (vs. 18), so pure that it is like glass. Even the streets are made of pure gold, so pure that it is trans­parent. With all this gold about, it reminds the saints of the absolute righteousnes of Christ that was made available at the cross, upon which we must stand, and with which we must be clothed throughout eternity.

The Worship of the City vs. 22

"And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."

There was no temple within this city, for God was there in the person of the Lamb. The saints can look upon His face directly and adore His wonderful Person. Symbols, signs, sacraments, and systems of worship will be done away forever.