Revelation 21:9-17

Last week we wrestled with how it will be possible to have no more tears, no more sorrow — true peace with the Lord forever, every tear wiped away. Revelation 21 and 22 are the most exciting chapters in all of Scripture for the believer, because they give us a glimpse of our eternal home: that we will gain entrance into this city and be with the Lord forever, made whole and new. We are the new Jerusalem being built by Christ himself into a dwelling place for God. "The one who conquers will have this heritage" (Revelation 21:7) — and those who conquer are the ones who have believed in the one who conquered, Jesus Christ. This is our birthright, our inheritance.¶

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."

Revelation 21:9 (ESV)¶

Symbol and structure, both at once¶

Throughout Revelation I have shared that there are very literal interpretations and very symbolic ones, and I have tried to show how we can distinguish between them. Here is a clear case. We are about to be given a description of a city and its physical attributes — yet the angel says he will show John the Bride, the wife of the Lamb. Earlier the city was "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:2). So the way John writes, we are being shown a symbol that represents the church of Christ — we are in fact the holy city. And at the same time it seems this will be an actual city where the people of God dwell. So I think this is another case where we hold it as both symbolic and literal.¶

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.

Revelation 21:10-11 (ESV)¶

The same language was used of a very different sign: "he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast" (Revelation 17:3). God helps us see that John is being shown the spiritual dimension of the church's structure and makeup. We, God's people, have the glory of God — for Christ "is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3). The light of Christ that dwells in us should radiate from us, and that light is rare and beautiful — rarer still today. Jasper is often a dark red, opaque stone, but here it is "clear as crystal," like blood made transparent: the radiance we shine, the glory we have, comes by the blood of Christ.¶

Twelve gates, twelve foundations¶

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.

Revelation 21:12-14 (ESV)¶

This is very similar to the description God gives in Ezekiel 47 and 48. The high walls show how strong and secure the people of God are in Christ — and that no one can enter over the walls; there is no coming in any way but through the gates. "He who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way... is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep" (John 10:1-2). The gates bear the names of the twelve tribes, because it was through Israel that the message came — the message that saves, by which all nations would be blessed; through Abraham and his offspring the word of the Lord came to the world. The way the spiritual leaders tried to shut, Christ opened for all: "woe to you, scribes and Pharisees... for you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in" (Matthew 23:13). And there are three gates on each side — not one gate, not one per side — so that from any direction you would not have to go far to find an entrance. God has provided everyone an entrance through Jesus, who is accessible to all. The twelve foundations bear the names of the apostles, because the church is founded on their message — Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Everything we believe in faith is founded on the message we received through the apostles.¶

A city measured, equal on every side¶

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.

Revelation 21:15-17 (ESV)¶

The city is equal on all sides, showing the equality in the church: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). All one. Twelve thousand stadia is about 1,400 miles — so 1,400 miles long, 1,400 wide, and 1,400 high. At nearly two million square miles, the ground floor alone would fit every human on the planet shoulder to shoulder; and if the city has levels through its height, the room becomes almost unimaginable. There is space for everyone who has ever lived — the promise was for all, the invitation truly is for everyone, and this city has plenty of room for all who call it home. The wall is 144 cubits, about 216 feet thick (the Great Wall of China is only about 26 feet thick) — a wall no enemy could ever penetrate. And note the strange detail: these are measurements "by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement." That tells us these are real numbers, meant to be understood by us. We can read the city symbolically and spiritually, but to John these measurements were also meant to be understood in literal, human terms. This week, consider how amazing it is to be a part of this great city — to call ourselves the people of God.¶