“Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass“
21:12
“Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
John saw a gigantic city surrounded by a high wall with 12 gates with an angel at each gate. A wall both excludes and includes. This wall cuts off the glory of God from any outside intruder. This wall guards God’s glory.
Each gate carried the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Twelve angel sentries stood at each gate.
21:13
three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
Three gates stood on each of the four sides of the city (21:16). This is not the same as the earthly Millennial Jerusalem (Ezekiel 48:31-34).
21:14
Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The twelve foundations of the city of the New Jerusalem carried the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Both Israel and the church will be in the New Jerusalem. The names of Israel’s twelve tribes are on the gates (21:12).
21:15
And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
The angel measures the city, the gates, and the wall with a gold measuring rod (10 feet long).
21:16
The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth.
The city was the same distance by length as well as its breadth.
And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs.
The city is 1,367 miles high, as well as in its breadth and length. The description here could depict a pyramid or a cube.
Its length, breadth, and height are equal.
The base of the city was 5468 miles in circumference, not including its height.
21:17
Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
The city wall is 216 feet high. The phrase “according to the measure of a man” means that the angel from heaven uses human standards of measurement.
21:18
The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
The wall of New Jerusalem was made of blue jasper stone and the city of pure gold like clear class. The constant mention of transparency calls for contemplation on the conduction of the glory of God.
Gold is precious because it does not lay open in fields. What is precious to us is common in Heaven.
21:19
The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
God decorated the twelve foundations of the wall with twelve stones. Jasper is blue in color. Sapphire was pure blue and comparable to a diamond in hardness. Chalcedony is blue plus other colors such as purple and yellow. The emerald is bright green.
21:20
the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
The sardonyx is bluish-white. The color of sardius is ruby-red or amber. The sardius stone and jasper reflected the glory of God in chapter four (4:3). The chrysolite is gold (the modern chrysolite stone is pale green). The eighth stone, beryl, is transparent sea green. The topaz is transparent yellow-green. The chrysoprase is green mixed with yellow. The jacinth is violet or red mixed with yellow. The amethyst is purple in color.
The combination of these colors provides an arrangement of beauty to the city. The aesthetics of the city will strike the eye with an arresting spectrum of beauty. These aesthetics reflect God’s beauty.
21:21
The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl.
The twelve gates were twelve single pearls. This is the verse where we get the term “pearly gates.” Each of these gates has a pearl large enough to make an entrance out of it.
And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
The city streets were pure gold, like transparent glass. This is obviously a city with great splendor.
The Bible does not have a great deal to say about the details of the eternal state because it is unfathomable to earthly minds. It is impossible to describe our current vocabulary. We have no vocabulary for eternity. The description of eternity is limited by language. Our eternal home will be an exceedingly valuable place (1 Peter 1:3-5, 7-18; 2:11).
Principle:
Heaven is a select place for select people.
Application:
What a privilege to have reservations in Heaven! We have a great future as children of God. We have made our down payment on our home in Heaven. Not just anyone can get a reservation there. It is a city exclusively reserved for God’s own.
Just because we walk into a garage that does not make us a car. Just because we walk into a chicken coop, that does not make us a chicken. Walking into a church does not make us a Christian. The only way we will make it to Heaven is to embrace Jesus the Lord as the One who paid for our sins by His death on the cross.
There will be a great many more people in Heaven than the people in this city. Heaven will include everyone who has ever come to the Messiah/Christ. The only way we can go to a perfect place is to be perfect. We cannot be perfect in ourselves. Only Jesus can declare us to be as righteous as Jesus is righteous.
