Rev 21:18-21 | KingComments | STEP | . The city has “the glory of God”. That goes beyond the robe of the bride, which is woven by herself, although the robe is given to her by God. In Christ we see the light of the glory of the knowledge of God ( ) and here the church has that glory. The church is as completely in harmony with God as Christ is. As the glory of God is seen in Christ, so the glory of God is seen in it (cf. ). What has been revealed in the Lord Jesus will also be seen in this city. Considering that this applies to people who by nature had no part in the glory of God ( ), isn’t it an indescribable grace? It is indeed nothing but grace through which you have been made partaker of it ( ). Therefore you are now able to boast in the hope on the glory of God ( ) that has become a reality in this section. The glory of God, as it is expressed in Revelation 4 ( ), is in all kinds of ways also the part of the church. The jasper stone which is mentioned there, you also find here, and also in . This stone can be compared to the diamond known to us, which can be cut in such a way that the light is reflected in a variety of magnificent colors. The glow of light, which will soon be visible in full unhindered glory, should now already be radiated by the church (cf. ). That is only possible by the Spirit ( ; ). . The church is built in a way that it can reflect or transmit the glory of God without anything interrupting or obscuring that glory. This is because she has a wall and gates and foundations. A wall ensures safety ( ) and holiness and divides between the holy and the profane ( ). In this city all the saints have gathered who have glorified God in their life on earth. The wall makes sure that nothing can enter the city that does not belong there ( ), which now is still possible in the church ( ; ). But it is a wall with gates. Gates are related to government. In former days court cases were held in the gates of cities ( ). The great emphasis on the gates underscores the significance of the city as a governing body. The gates allow the good to enter and keep the evil outside. A gate also means a secure and controlled access to the temple. Gates form a connection between the city and the earth during the kingdom of peace. The angels are the servants at the gates, they are the guards. Their task as channels of God’s blessing as in the Old Testament is over. That task is for the church ( ). The wall with its gates is to the greater glory of God ( ). Names are written on the gates. That has to do with the custom that gates were named after the cities which they were leading to. The Damascus gate, for example, is the gate through which you come on the way to Damascus. The gates with the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel indicate that the blessings of the church will go primarily to Israel. . With the holy city Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God ( ), it is the same as with the tabernacle in the wilderness. In each wind direction there were three tribes and the tabernacles was in the center ( ). All blessing goes out from the center and all worship goes to this center: 1. It begins with the “east”, the side where the sun rises. The light of the new day of the kingdom of peace is present. 2. The “north” reminds of the time that God had to judge His people through the means of the nations from the north because of their unfaithfulness, a time that is over. 3. The “south” speaks of the summer warmth, the summer that has come. 4. The “west” is the side where the sun goes down, which shows that there also comes an end to the kingdom of peace. An application can be made for the proclamation of the gospel in our time and also for the church now. We must try to reach all nations with the gospel and also all age groups and social layers of the population, that is, everyone, without distinction. A church needs to have both a high wall and well-functioning gates. Some churches have so many open gates that there is no longer a wall. The other way around can also be the case. In that case a church has only a high wall and no gate at all. In both cases there is no separation for the Lord. . After the gates, the wall is described in more details. The foundations are not the twelve sons of Israel, but “the twelve apostles of the Lamb”. The twelve sons of Israel have never been connected to the Lamb on earth. The twelve apostles have become the founders of the church ( ) after the Holy Spirit came and the church came into existence. The foundation is Christ ( ). This is the city with foundations Abraham looked for ( ). . Then John notes that the angel has “a gold measuring rod” in his hand. The rod is of gold and therefore meets the glory of God. The city and its gates and walls must be measured with a Divine measure. Earlier John was ordered to measure the earthly Jerusalem ( ). Only, there was no mention of a rod of gold, nor should John measure a certain part. When God measures something or gives the order to measure, He makes clear that it belongs to Him and that it is recognized by Him (cf. ; ). ‘Measure’ also means to determine the position and the calling of the city, with the boundaries attached to it. It must be established that the city and all that is in it, all that is decided there – of which the gate speaks – is in accordance with the glory of God. The same is true of the holiness of the city, of which the wall speaks. . The city is not only square – which is indicated by the statement “its length is as great as its breadth” –, but also cubical, for its height has the same measurement. That reminds us of the Holy of Holies, which by its measurements was also a cube (cf. ; ). By her length and breadth it stands in connection with the earth and by her height in connection with heaven. The “fifteen hundred miles” which the angel measures, can be compared to about two thousand two hundred twenty kilometers. That the city has perfectly equal sides says something about the perfect balance in all that God brings about. He gives the right weight to every truth of His Word. We see that in the way He carries them out. He never emphasizes one truth to the expense of another truth. That the city can be measured indicates that it is limited. That goes for everything that has to do with man. Only God is endless and man is by definition limited. At the same time, the church is perfect in accordance with the eternal counsels of God and the measure cannot be measured (cf. ). . With the “seventy-two yards” or “one hundred [and] forty-four cubits” (NKJV) the thickness of the wall is probably meant, which therefore counts between sixty-five and seventy meters. Anyway, it is a full measure – one hundred and forty-four is twelve times twelve. At the same time it also implies that each man can have only a limited imagination of the ‘measures’ of the church. In this measurement “a man” and “an angel” are placed on the same level. Both of them are creatures and therefore limited in fathoming all the glory of God. . In you saw that jasper is a picture of the radiance of the glory of God. The wall of the city is of this same material. The glory of God functions as a protecting and dividing wall. The glory of God prohibits and prevents anything unclean entering the city. If the glory of God also manifested itself more among us, much would be held back that does not fit in the light of that glory ( ; ). This is the fourth mention of the wall of the city: 1. In the mark of the wall is mentioned: great and high. 2. In the foundations of the wall are mentioned. 3. In the wall is spoken of in connection with its measure. 4. Finally speaks about the building material, the material of which the wall is composed. The city is “pure gold, like clear glass”, that is, that the city is of transparent gold. In the old creation that is not possible, but it is in the new one creation. It makes clear that the city is made of a material that is fully transparent, without any dark spot, without any blemish or anything unclean. The city is in this characteristic equal to God. How could the city of God have something that is dark or blemished? Everything is transparent and meets the glory of God. Now read Revelation 21:11-18 again. Reflection: What aspects of the city are mentioned and what do they represent?

‏ Revelation of John 21:18-21

The Holy City, the New Jerusalem

Rev 21:11. The city has “the glory of God”. That goes beyond the robe of the bride, which is woven by herself, although the robe is given to her by God. In Christ we see the light of the glory of the knowledge of God (2Cor 4:6) and here the church has that glory. The church is as completely in harmony with God as Christ is. As the glory of God is seen in Christ, so the glory of God is seen in it (cf. Jn 17:22). What has been revealed in the Lord Jesus will also be seen in this city.

Considering that this applies to people who by nature had no part in the glory of God (Rom 3:23), isn’t it an indescribable grace? It is indeed nothing but grace through which you have been made partaker of it (2Cor 4:6). Therefore you are now able to boast in the hope on the glory of God (Rom 5:11) that has become a reality in this section.

The glory of God, as it is expressed in Revelation 4 (Rev 4:3), is in all kinds of ways also the part of the church. The jasper stone which is mentioned there, you also find here, and also in Rev 21:18-19. This stone can be compared to the diamond known to us, which can be cut in such a way that the light is reflected in a variety of magnificent colors. The glow of light, which will soon be visible in full unhindered glory, should now already be radiated by the church (cf. Phil 2:15). That is only possible by the Spirit (Acts 7:55; 2Cor 3:18).

Rev 21:12. The church is built in a way that it can reflect or transmit the glory of God without anything interrupting or obscuring that glory. This is because she has a wall and gates and foundations. A wall ensures safety (Zec 2:5) and holiness and divides between the holy and the profane (Eze 42:20). In this city all the saints have gathered who have glorified God in their life on earth. The wall makes sure that nothing can enter the city that does not belong there (Psa 122:3), which now is still possible in the church (Gal 2:4; Jude 1:4).

But it is a wall with gates. Gates are related to government. In former days court cases were held in the gates of cities (Rth 4:1). The great emphasis on the gates underscores the significance of the city as a governing body. The gates allow the good to enter and keep the evil outside. A gate also means a secure and controlled access to the temple.

Gates form a connection between the city and the earth during the kingdom of peace. The angels are the servants at the gates, they are the guards. Their task as channels of God’s blessing as in the Old Testament is over. That task is for the church (Heb 2:5). The wall with its gates is to the greater glory of God (Isa 60:18).

Names are written on the gates. That has to do with the custom that gates were named after the cities which they were leading to. The Damascus gate, for example, is the gate through which you come on the way to Damascus. The gates with the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel indicate that the blessings of the church will go primarily to Israel.

Rev 21:13. With the holy city Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God (Rev 21:3), it is the same as with the tabernacle in the wilderness. In each wind direction there were three tribes and the tabernacles was in the center (Num 2:17). All blessing goes out from the center and all worship goes to this center:

1. It begins with the “east”, the side where the sun rises. The light of the new day of the kingdom of peace is present.

2. The “north” reminds of the time that God had to judge His people through the means of the nations from the north because of their unfaithfulness, a time that is over.

3. The “south” speaks of the summer warmth, the summer that has come.

4. The “west” is the side where the sun goes down, which shows that there also comes an end to the kingdom of peace.

An application can be made for the proclamation of the gospel in our time and also for the church now. We must try to reach all nations with the gospel and also all age groups and social layers of the population, that is, everyone, without distinction. A church needs to have both a high wall and well-functioning gates. Some churches have so many open gates that there is no longer a wall. The other way around can also be the case. In that case a church has only a high wall and no gate at all. In both cases there is no separation for the Lord.

Rev 21:14. After the gates, the wall is described in more details. The foundations are not the twelve sons of Israel, but “the twelve apostles of the Lamb”. The twelve sons of Israel have never been connected to the Lamb on earth. The twelve apostles have become the founders of the church (Eph 2:20) after the Holy Spirit came and the church came into existence. The foundation is Christ (1Cor 3:11). This is the city with foundations Abraham looked for (Heb 11:10).

Rev 21:15. Then John notes that the angel has “a gold measuring rod” in his hand. The rod is of gold and therefore meets the glory of God. The city and its gates and walls must be measured with a Divine measure. Earlier John was ordered to measure the earthly Jerusalem (Rev 11:1). Only, there was no mention of a rod of gold, nor should John measure a certain part.

When God measures something or gives the order to measure, He makes clear that it belongs to Him and that it is recognized by Him (cf. Zec 2:1-2 ; 12; Eze 40:3 ; 5). ‘Measure’ also means to determine the position and the calling of the city, with the boundaries attached to it. It must be established that the city and all that is in it, all that is decided there – of which the gate speaks – is in accordance with the glory of God. The same is true of the holiness of the city, of which the wall speaks.

Rev 21:16. The city is not only square – which is indicated by the statement “its length is as great as its breadth” –, but also cubical, for its height has the same measurement. That reminds us of the Holy of Holies, which by its measurements was also a cube (cf. 1Kgs 6:20; Eze 41:4). By her length and breadth it stands in connection with the earth and by her height in connection with heaven.

The “fifteen hundred miles” which the angel measures, can be compared to about two thousand two hundred twenty kilometers. That the city has perfectly equal sides says something about the perfect balance in all that God brings about. He gives the right weight to every truth of His Word. We see that in the way He carries them out. He never emphasizes one truth to the expense of another truth.

That the city can be measured indicates that it is limited. That goes for everything that has to do with man. Only God is endless and man is by definition limited. At the same time, the church is perfect in accordance with the eternal counsels of God and the measure cannot be measured (cf. Eph 3:18-19).

Rev 21:17. With the “seventy-two yards” or “one hundred [and] forty-four cubits” (NKJV) the thickness of the wall is probably meant, which therefore counts between sixty-five and seventy meters. Anyway, it is a full measure – one hundred and forty-four is twelve times twelve. At the same time it also implies that each man can have only a limited imagination of the ‘measures’ of the church. In this measurement “a man” and “an angel” are placed on the same level. Both of them are creatures and therefore limited in fathoming all the glory of God.

Rev 21:18. In Rev 21:11 you saw that jasper is a picture of the radiance of the glory of God. The wall of the city is of this same material. The glory of God functions as a protecting and dividing wall. The glory of God prohibits and prevents anything unclean entering the city. If the glory of God also manifested itself more among us, much would be held back that does not fit in the light of that glory (Acts 5:13; Gen 28:17).

This is the fourth mention of the wall of the city:

1. In Rev 21:12 the mark of the wall is mentioned: great and high.

2. In Rev 21:14 the foundations of the wall are mentioned.

3. In Rev 21:17 the wall is spoken of in connection with its measure.

4. Finally Rev 21:18 speaks about the building material, the material of which the wall is composed.

The city is “pure gold, like clear glass”, that is, that the city is of transparent gold. In the old creation that is not possible, but it is in the new one creation. It makes clear that the city is made of a material that is fully transparent, without any dark spot, without any blemish or anything unclean. The city is in this characteristic equal to God. How could the city of God have something that is dark or blemished? Everything is transparent and meets the glory of God.

Now read Revelation 21:11-18 again.

Reflection: What aspects of the city are mentioned and what do they represent?

God Almighty and the Lamb Are Its Temple

Rev 21:19-20. Then the foundation is looked at more closely. The foundation is adorned with all kinds of precious stones, yes, it consist of precious stones. They all together appear to be a foundation of twelve layers. Each layer is a foundation, so that the city lies on twelve foundations. Those foundations are not hidden in the ground, but are visible. The city can be seen in its entirety because it is seen as descending from God from heaven without coming down to earth.

The ranking of the foundations is given:

1. The “first foundation stone”, the lowest one, on which all other foundations are laid, is again “jasper”, the image of the glory of God. The color is that of a transparent crystal.

2. The “second” foundation stone is “sapphire”. The color of sapphire is beautifully blue.

3. “Chalcedony”, the precious stone of which the “third” foundation consists, appears only here in the Bible. Its color is green-blue.

4. The color of “emerald”, the “fourth” foundation stone, is radiant green.

5. The color of “sardonyx”, the “fifth” foundation stone, may be lightly flamed black, brown, red and white striped.

6. “Sardius”, the “sixth” foundation stone, must have a beautiful red color.

7. “Chrysolite”, the “seventh” foundation stone, is of golden yellow color.

8. The color of “beryl”, the “eighth” foundation stone, can be different. This precious stone has amongst others a red, blue, green, yellow, purple and even a colorless variant.

9. “Topaz”, the “ninth” foundation stone, is deep splendid yellow.

10. “Chrysoprase” the ”tenth” foundation stone, is according to the meaning of its name, golden green.

11. The color of “jacinth”, the “eleventh” foundation stone, is not known (to me).

12. “Amethyst”, the “twelfth” foundation stone, has a violet color.

Although the exact color of each precious stone is not known, you nevertheless still have an impression of the overwhelming brilliance and splendor that the colors of the superimposed foundations exude. They blend together and each color enhances the other colors. It must be a pleasure for the eyes to look at that. It is about building materials that never perish and about colors that never fade away. The whole reveals the power and wisdom of the Creator.

You also come across twelve precious stones in Ezekiel 28 (Eze 28:4 ; 13). Those precious stones reflect the glory of creation. You also find twelve precious stones in Exodus 28 (Exo 28:17-21). There they are connected to the breastplate of the high priest and reflect the glory of his service which he does for the sake of the twelve tribes of Israel.

All precious stones are different. We will all be clothed with the glory of God, but it will never be forgotten how the glory of God on earth has been expressed in a unique way in every redeemed person. They altogether form a unique display of the glory of God. Each child of God can show something of God’s glory in his life. In the precious stones gold represent the common glory – the whole city is of gold (Rev 21:18). The precious stones themselves represent the glory that each individual believer has and which distinguishes him from every other believer, while on the other hand he complements the other believer with it and enhances his glory.

Rev 21:21. Each of “the twelve gates” consists of a pearl. That reminds one of the value that the church has for the Lord Jesus. The church is a pearl of great value to Him (Mt 13:46). The twelve gates will eternally remind to all sides in creation that He has given Himself for her. If the church is as precious as a pearl to Him, can the fellowship of saints be unimportant or insignificant to us (cf. Heb 10:25) or would we despise the least member of it (Mt 18:10)?

Another special characteristic of the city is that there is only one street. It is impossible to get lost or to walk off the road. All believers there go one way. It is impossible that there will be division. As the city is of pure gold, gold that is like clear glass (Rev 21:18), so the street is also of “pure gold, like transparent glass”. The street refers to your walk in this city. There will be no danger for pollution, for in that city you are in accordance with the golden transparency of the street. At the same time it is an appeal to walk now already as you will do there.

Rev 21:22. John does not see a temple in the city. This is, because it is not about the earthly Jerusalem that the prophets are speaking about, for there will certainly be a temple there (Ezekiel 40-43). A temple reminds one of sin, for the temple is a separate place in the city. That means also that there is a certain distance between God and His people. The veil in the temple emphasizes the separation between God and His people.

That distance and that separation are not present between the church and God and the Lamb. God dwells in the church and He Himself is its temple as well as the Lamb (cf. Isa 8:14). The church is in the direct, immediate presence of God and the Lamb, without any distance or separation.

Rev 21:23. The city as a whole is the temple of God. God dwells in the city and in that way the city is the temple. There is no separate temple. Likewise, there is no separate light, the sun or the moon, shining on the city from outside. If God dwell in the city, He is its light. His glory could never be illuminated by something different that would have a greater glory. The brilliance of His glory lies over the whole city.

And wherein is the brilliance of His glory to be seen? In the Lamb. The glory of God will always only reach the city through the Lamb (2Cor 4:6). We know and see the Father only through the Son (Jn 14:6 ; 9). The sun and moon are means to pass on the light in the creation. In Genesis 1 you see that there is first light on the first day and that then on the fourth day the sun and the moon are called by God to show up.

But the city of God is not illuminated by natural, created means. There is a direct illumination coming from God Himself. That the Lamb is the lamp actually indicates that the Lamb is the means, but that doesn’t change anything about the fact that God’s light is directly present, for the Lamb in Whom this light is visible, is also God.

Rev 21:24. The church passes on the light of the glory of God, which lies over it by the Lamb, to the earth. The church is like the sun for the nations. Through the light of the Lamb the church gives light in which the nations will walk. The church, which we are, will be the channel through which the blessing is passed on out of heaven to the earth. We ourselves will enjoy in our glorified bodies the blessings that surpass the earthly blessings.

The kings of the earth will bring their earthly glory to it (cf. Psa 72:10-11; Isa 60:3 ; 5-7 ; 9). How exactly we should imagine this is not clear to me. Perhaps we should think of the appearance of heavenly saints to these nations on earth. After all, the church will reign together with Christ as the wife of the Lamb. These heavenly saints represent Christ. By acknowledging them as channels of heavenly blessings, the nations will honor Christ.

Rev 21:25. Where the light of God rules, there is no darkness. The day will not be followed anymore by the night. The morning without clouds (2Sam 23:4), the day without anything that causes shadow or darkness, has come for the heavenly church. All things are fully transparent. There will be no fear for thieves who would want to enter, for all darkness has disappeared and is gone forever (1Jn 2:8b). The city will be all light and glory.

Rev 21:26. It is said one more time that the glory and the honor of the nations will be brought into it. It makes clear how much the church is the center of blessings in the kingdom of peace. It is in itself not the source of it, for all blessings come from God. But it is the means by which God makes His blessings go to the earth.

The nations will respond to that with appropriate gifts. It will not be so much about material gifts, but about the recognition that they in no way have any glory and honor that serve to magnify themselves as if they owe that to themselves. The nations did behave like that in the time of the rejection of Christ. Then the church was not esteemed, but was rejected and persecuted. Now it is exactly the other way around. God makes sure that His church is honored according to the extent that it was dishonored (cf. Rev 3:9).

Rev 21:27. Into the city can come only what contributes to the glory of it. It is impossible for anything to enter it that could possibly damage the glory of the city. Everything associated with sin, gets no chance to enter the heavenly city. Should there be anything unholy that tries to enter it, or anyone who does wrong things, the light will immediately expose it. Nothing that belongs to darkness will manage to unremarkably enter the city. The light is at the same time its safety.

But there are those who do enter the city. These are believers, people “whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life”. It is not the nations of the earth, for flesh and blood cannot enter it. Neither are they the believers of the church, for they are the city. So which believers are they? They are all the Old Testament believers who died and the martyrs who are killed after the rapture of the church. They are not part of the church, but they do share in all the blessings God has promised to all who have put their trust in Him. They will enjoy those blessings in the heavenly part of the kingdom of peace.

Now read Revelation 21:19-27 again.

Reflection: What is different in the new Jerusalem compared to the old Jerusalem?