Revelation (Written)

Saturday, 21 August 2021

The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. Revelation 21:18

John continues describing New Jerusalem, saying, “The construction of its wall.” The word translated as “construction” is found only here in Scripture, endomésis. It refers to the material itself. One might say, “It is constructed of wood,” or “It is constructed of concrete.” In the case of the wall of New Jerusalem, it is constructed “of jasper.”

This is the same material noted in verse 11. As noted then, jasper (Greek: iaspis) is believed to be the same as the last stone mentioned in the breastplate of the high priest in Exodus 28:20. In the Hebrew there, the name is yashepheh. That comes from an unused root meaning “to polish.” It is believed to be jasper because of the same general-sounding name – yashepheh/iaspis/jasper.

Some commentators believe this refers to a blue-white diamond. Jasper was mentioned in verse 4:3 when describing the glory of God in Christ –

“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. ³ And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.” Revelation 4:2, 3

The connection between the two, Christ and the wall, would then give its own symbolism. Believers are said to be “in Christ” numerous times in the epistles. As the wall is that which surrounds the city, it forms an obvious picture of the eternality of the salvation of the saints, and the absolute security of that salvation. This hard, impenetrable, and beautiful construction speaks out a timeless truth that the saints of the ages can hold fast to, knowing that –

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2, 3

Next, John says, “and the city was pure gold.” Gold is the royal metal. It is a symbol of wealth and purchasing power. In the Bible, it is used as a symbol of royalty and divinity. The city is thus reflective of the One who rules the city. Christ is the King, the divine Son of God.

Elsewhere, Peter says (1 Peter 2:5) that believers are “as living stones” and are being built up as a spiritual house. Thus, the construction of the city speaks of the connection between Christ and His people. We shall be “like” Him, and we shall be – as Paul says – “joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). This then speaks of the sharing of believers in the glory and riches of Christ. Finally, John says the gold is “like clear glass.”

The same adjective is used to describe both the gold and the glass, and it should be rendered the same in both uses, “pure gold, like pure glass.” The word translated as “glass” is only found here and then again in verse 21. It “refers to any transparent substance (like crystal), i.e. ‘see-through stones.’ On both of its occasions in the NT, 5194 (‘pure, transparent glass’) refers to the New Jerusalem – ‘apparently a metaphor (personification) of all the glorified saints, serving as the eternal dwelling place of God’ (G. Archer).” (HELPS Word Studies).

The idea is not necessarily that the gold is see-through. It is that just as glass is bright and reflective, so is the gold. It will be so smooth and polished that it will appear like a mirror. This was anticipated in the temple that Solomon built –

“And he prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple, to set the ark of the covenant of the Lord there. ²⁰ The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid it with pure gold, and overlaid the altar of cedar. ²¹ So Solomon overlaid the inside of the temple with pure gold.” 1 Kings 6:19-21

In New Jerusalem, everything will reflect the glory of God. John Gill’s analysis of the symbolism is flowery and beautiful, saying, “the rich and happy state they will be in, as well as their purity and freedom from all sin and corruption, and the clear knowledge of things they themselves will have, and others will have of them; their hearts and actions will be open to all; nor will this gold have any rust upon it anymore, or ever be changed, and become dim.”

The symbolism is given to relay spiritual truths of the glory that lies ahead for all who have come to God through His Christ.

Life application: The earthly tabernacle and temple were representations of Christ and of heavenly things related to Him. Each article, material, dimension, and so on were given to teach us spiritual truths about Him. They also anticipate the place where we will dwell with Him for all eternity.

If you have not read and studied the details of those earthly edifices, take time to do so. The description in Revelation gives a broad brushstroke of the glory to come, but the descriptions of the tabernacle and tent give the finer details. In them, we can see many wonderful truths concerning God’s redemptive process as it is worked out in the stream of human existence through His Messiah, our Lord JESUS.

How wonderful it will be to walk in the New Jerusalem and see what You have created! O God, we have hints of what is coming in Your word, but we can only speculate on much of the marvelous perfection of what lies ahead. Thank You for the beautiful taste of the glory to come as it is revealed in Your word! Hallelujah and Amen.

Friday, 20 August 2021

Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. Revelation 21:17

The previous verse had John noting the length and breadth of the city, along with its height. The description continues with, “Then he measured its wall.”

It is disputed if this is the wall of the city itself, or a wall that surrounds the city. Verse 21:12 seems to indicate a separate border wall. For now, the description says it is “one hundred and forty-four cubits.” The number 144 is the twelfth number in the Fibonacci series. If this is the actual wall of the city, it is referring to its thickness. The “gates” of the city would be within that thickness, leading to the inside of the city.

Or it could be referring to the height of the wall that surrounds the city. If so, it is actually a teeny border wall in comparison to the actual walls of the city. But it is still rather immense. Some believe it is actually a border wall that is twelve cubits by twelve cubits, or 144 square cubits. That would make the wall even teenier in comparison to the main walls of the city. This would not be a “great and high wall” as was noted in verse 21:12.

Either way, the wall is measured in a different scale than the city itself was. The city was measured in stadia ,a Greek unit, but the wall is measured in the unit péchus, another Greek unit, meaning cubits. It is a Hebrew measuring system where the measurement goes from the tip of the middle finger to the bend in the elbow, or about eighteen inches, though its actual length is debated. In Hebrew, it is called the amah, or “mother” measurement. As the wall’s gates are according to the names of the children of Israel, this could be the reason a Hebrew measuring system is used. As far as the use of the cubit, John says it is “according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.”

Various ideas about what this means are given. A few are –

“It is to be the dwelling-place of men; and even, therefore, when an angel measures it, he measures it according to the measure of a man” (Milligan).

“Men shall then be equal to the angels” (Jamieson-Faucet-Brown).

“According to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel; as men use to measure, and as this angel measured, who appeared as a man in this action” (Matthew Poole).

As can be seen, there is no great consensus as to what John is saying. Robert Young avoids the debate by translating the word literally, saying –

“and he measured its wall, an hundred forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the messenger.”

The debates concerning these things will be settled for us someday, but John is describing what he sees, and that is sufficient for us to know that certain truths are being conveyed that will be fully appreciated by us in the future.

Life application: Whatever the provided details actually describe, it is interesting that the measurement of the walls reveals a part of the geometric pattern (Fibonacci series) which is found throughout nature This shows an underlying wisdom and intelligence that is not readily apparent.

Such unusual geometric patterns are found elsewhere in the Bible, in both the text itself and also in what the text describes. As these patterns were unknown to those who received them, we can see that there are hidden treasures from God in His word that are as rich and wonderful as His love is for the people He is speaking to. His hand is upon every detail of His creation – from the form of the galaxies to the form of seashells. His wisdom is displayed in the structure of DNA, and it is revealed in each radiant new sunrise.

It is good to search out the mysteries of the universe, and it is good to search out the mysteries of the Bible as well. In so doing we learn more about the mind of God and the enormity of His wisdom. Let us never become so dulled in our thoughts that we could assume we have learned all there is to know about the Bible. Should we do this, the greatest treasure God has given us would sit gathering dust when it could be used to gather even more understanding of His glory.

So, pick up the word, read it, study it, and cherish it. Above all else that it contains, the main subject of it is God working in the stream of time and within the framework of creation to bring us back to Himself, and He is doing that through His Messiah, our Lord JESUS.

O God, give us the desire to pick up Your word, read Your word, and search out its mysteries all the days of our lives. Help us to use the gifts You have given us in a way that will bring out its hidden secrets. Yes, astonish us, O God, with Your wonderful word! Thank You for the Holy Bible. Amen.

Thursday, 19 August 2021

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. Revelation 21:16

Before measuring the city, John notes that “The city is laid out as a square.” The word is found only here in the Bible, tetragonus. It is a compound word signifying “four corners.” But a four-cornered city could be rectangular or some other shape, so John next carefully defines what that means, saying, “its length is as great as its breadth.”

In this, one can see calling the tetragonus “square” is correct. Of this, Albert Barnes rightly notes –

“It was an exact square. That is, there was nothing irregular about it; there were no crooked walls; there was no jutting out, and no indentation in the walls, as if the city had been built at different times without a plan, and had been accommodated to circumstances. Most cities have been determined in their outline by the character of the ground – by hills, streams, or ravines; or have grown up by accretions, where one part has been joined to another, so that there is no regularity, and so that the original plan, if there was any, has been lost sight of. The New Jerusalem, on the contrary, had been built according to a plan of the utmost regularity, which had not been modified by the circumstances, or varied as the city grew. The idea here may be, that the church, as it will appear in its state of glory, will be in accordance with an eternal plan, and that the great original design will have been fully carried out.”

As such, it fits the thought of Paul’s words where he speaks of the blindness of Israel happening until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” God has an exact and precise listing of human souls that are set for certain purposes. Later Paul says –

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22

Building a house implies a builder of a house. And a house is built based on a plan, implying an architect. In this, the builder will know the costs, amounts of materials, and so on that are required to build the house. What God has purposed will be perfectly set forth in New Jerusalem to accommodate those who dwell there.

Even in the seemingly chaotic stream of time in which we live, where things don’t seem to make any sense at all to us, God is working through those things to complete something perfect for His redeemed. With this understood, John next says, “And he measured the city with the reed.”

In this, a long journey would have taken place. Rather than a line of flax or a wheel with a measuring counter on it, or even a GPS to determine the size, it says the city was measured with this golden reed (rod). The measuring would be a long journey because John says it is “twelve thousand furlongs.”

A furlong is 220 yards, and so that distance would equal 2,640,000 yards or 1500 miles. However, the Greek word translated as furlong is stadia. A stadia is 607 feet long, and so the more likely distance is about 1380 miles. As it is squared, this would equate to a footprint of 1,904,400 square miles.

As such, many scholars immediately decry the size as figurative, not literal. If that is so, John could easily have said it was 20 miles square and then given the same other information. Even if symbolism is involved, there should be no reason to not assume that the size of New Jerusalem is not exactly as stated here. If all things are made new, a place for such a city to sit could easily be a part of that renewal.

With this in mind, John finishes the verse with, “Its length, breadth, and height are equal.” As such, this is not just a perfect square, but it is also a perfect cube. It is a whopping amount of space. But the importance of the description takes the reader right back to Exodus 26 where the dimensions of the Most Holy Place can be inferred to be 10x10x10 cubits, or a perfect cube.

This is certainly the case in the temple fashioned by Solomon. In 1 King 6:20, it says, “The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits  high.” This would be the Most Holy Place of the temple, again a perfect cube. The New Jerusalem is likewise a perfect cube, thus the implication is that the dwelling place of God (the Most Holy Place) is also the dwelling place of man – as was explicitly stated in verse 21:3.

The Most Holy Place, that was forbidden for anyone to enter – except the high priest, and only once a year (and not without blood) – was symbolically opened up for any and all at the death of Christ when the veil was torn upon His death. That symbolism now meets up with the reality in the New Jerusalem. And this then completes the thought of Paul from Ephesians 3:19 where the only other time the words “length,” “breadth,” and “height” are used in a single verse. There it says –

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14-19

In his words, Paul adds in “depth.” There is a perfect cube coming called New Jerusalem. It encompasses the length, breadth, and height of the symbolic dwelling place of God with men, and within it – in its depth – is that dwelling place. This is where “the love of Christ which passes knowledge” will be explored for all eternity.

As God is infinite, He obviously encompasses and extends throughout all of the universe, but the place where He has chosen to dwell in the fullest sense is in this magnificent structure that was anticipated all the way back in a cubed room in a tabernacle in the desert where no man was allowed to enter, under pain of death. But through the blood shed by the One whom all of those implements of the tabernacle anticipated, eternal life is now found in the glorious, cubed edifice known as New Jerusalem – the Most Holy Place.

Life application: New Jerusalem is one big city. It will be big enough to fit the redeemed of all ages, not only because of its breadth and length, but because of its height as well. Because of Christ’s cross, access to God for fallen man is restored. What is available for anyone who has called on Jesus will be realized in its fullness when the redeemed enter the New Jerusalem.

God has prepared a city with foundations for His people, and some wonderful day, we will be ushered into it and into the presence of God for all eternity. Have you reserved a room yet? If not, call on Jesus and enter into the sure promises of what He has prepared for His people. Come through the shed blood of God’s Son and receive the inheritance that He offers. Yes, come today to God through JESUS.

O God! How wonderful it will be to dwell in Your presence in a city that is perfect in every detail and one that reflects Your wisdom and order. We wait in anticipation for the wonderful day when we first walk through its gates to behold the splendor of Your glory! And then, there in that beautiful place, we shall be filled with the wonder of who You are for all eternity. Amen.

Wednesday, 18 August 2021

And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. Revelation 21:15

With the twelve foundations noted as having the names of the twelve apostles, John now says, “And he who talked with me.”

Again, it is a present participle – “And he who is talking with me.” John is writing as if the events are occurring for us just as they did for him at that moment. This would be the one described in verse 21:9, one of the seven angels. John is writing as if the events are occurring for us just as they did for him at that moment. Of the angel, it next says he “had a gold reed.”

Several times, a man with a reed is noted in Scripture. It is an implement used for measuring. This is seen, for example, in Ezekiel 40 –

“He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway.” Ezekiel 40:3

In this, the line of flax was for measuring greater distances, and the measuring rod for shorter distances. This was also seen in Revelation 11:1 –

“Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.’”

The idea of measuring an area is implied in both the building of the tabernacle and the temple as well. The measurements of those edifices are given, and thus measuring implements were used to measure with. Of this “reed” noted in Revelation, as it is gold, it would be better to call it a “rod” because the word “reed” implies something grown. This is a gold rod that is used “to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.”

Instead of a reed, a wooden rod, or a line of flax, gold is used. Thus, it implies absolute purity. Nothing defiled or defiling will be seen in New Jerusalem. The measurements are taken to demonstrate the order, mathematical precision, and perfection of the edifice. In Ezekiel, the reason for the measurements is stated –

“Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. ¹¹ And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them. ¹² This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.” Ezekiel 43:10-12

There was a perfection to what was described, and Israel was to see that and understand that the wisdom of God was involved in every detail of the design. Likewise, we are given hints of what is coming in New Jerusalem to perceive the magnitude, majesty, and marvel of what lies ahead. The order and divine perfection of what is measured is to show that God has a plan, it is precise, and it is perfect in every detail.

Life application: God, throughout the Bible, can be noted as demonstrating order and harmony. There is both intelligence and wisdom to be found in the things He has created, not random chaos. Nothing orderly can come from what is chaotic either. Paul speaks about such knowledge in Romans 1 –

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:20, 21

When we attribute order to chaos, as evolutionists do, we take the glory that God deserves and accredit it to random chance, thus bringing God’s wrath upon ourselves. This is noted in Revelation because order is once again seen in the New Jerusalem. It is a city with walls and foundations, and it is a set size, determined by God. Because the angel who is talking with John is going to measure it, the city is physical, not spiritual. Its sizes should be taken literally, even if they carry spiritual symbolism. Attempting to totally spiritualize what is provided is then contrary to what God intends for us to understand.

This is the same with other times in the Bible that Jerusalem is measured out. Along with Ezekiel 40, Zechariah 2 also speaks of measuring the city –

“Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. ² So I said, ‘Where are you going?’
And he said to me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.’
³ And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, ⁴ who said to him, ‘Run, speak to this young man, saying: “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. ⁵ For I,” says the Lord, “will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.”’” Zechariah 2:1-5

Both accounts in Ezekiel and Zechariah are likely referring to the millennial temple and city. We are being given these specific insights and measurements as indications of reality, not spiritual truths – even if spiritual truths are contained within them.

Because of the order of both of these future cities of Jerusalem, we can also be certain of the order and harmony God is working in our lives. God isn’t preparing cities of specific sizes while overlooking the number of residents that will occupy those cities. In other words, God has it all under control.

The future is known to Him, and if you have called on Him through His Messiah, He has prepared a place for you in that future. Be of good cheer, God is doing something wonderful, and that will become perfectly evident in the time to come. Trust that and be thankful to Him for making it possible through the coming of JESUS!

What comfort it is to know that in the building of a city for Your people You have considered the people for Your city! Thank You, O God, for Your attentive care of us and for the great plans You have laid out for our eternal state. What a wonderful, beautiful Creator You are! Amen.

Tuesday, 17 August 2021

Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Revelation 21:14

With the description of the wall and gates complete, John next turns to the foundations of the wall, saying, “Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations.” A foundation is a support for an edifice. It is the substruction of a building upon which everything else rests. The idea of twelve foundations can be taken in a couple of ways. One is that the foundation stones would be separate stones going from gate to gate. Another is that the stones are laid one upon another.

An architectural reason for them being on top of the other would be strength. However, whatever God builds, it is going to be permanent and unyielding based on its construction. As such, either way is possible. The point of there being twelve stones, however, is based on the spiritual meaning of what is being conveyed. There may be twelve literal stone foundations, but – like everything being described – there is a symbolic and typological reason for it. That is then seen in the next words, saying, “and on them were the names of the twelve apostles.”

As noted, a foundation – even if it is made up of many things – is one thing. It is that upon which everything else rests. The typology is plainly evident and can mean only one thing, but it takes care and consideration to understand it. Paul says in Ephesians 2 –

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22

The prophets – all of them, and in every word placed into Scripture – ultimately called for the message of Jesus Christ, the coming Messiah. When Christ came, the apostles spoke forth the fulfillment of Messiah’s coming, and they did so in a united voice. They all proclaimed exactly the same gospel message, as is evidenced by Paul’s words of 1 Corinthians 15 –

“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ¹¹ Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” 1 Corinthians 15:9-11

There is one united message which forms the basis of the apostles’ proclamation, Jesus Christ. Grace through Jesus is God’s one purpose of the written word. To say otherwise is a false and heretical teaching. Every detail of what is presented in the law, the prophets, the gospels, the epistles, and which is summed up in Revelation, points to the coming of Messiah and the grace of God found in Him. Everything else has been a means of instructing the people of the world that they cannot reach back to God apart from Jesus Christ.

And yet, the false teachings of deceitful liars crop up in the Hebrew Roots Movement, in the teachings of Judaizers, in the doctrine of hyper-dispensationalists, and in numerous other aberrant sects, cults, and false gospels that proclaim God is doing “more than one thing.” He is not. Paul explains this “foundation” in 1 Corinthians 3 –

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:10, 11

In other words, the foundation stones, upon which are written the names of the twelve apostles, are the united (single) message which is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their proclamation is one. Just one message is given by the twelve apostles. The author of Hebrews repeats this same sentiment immediately after a note about Abraham, the father of justification by faith –

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Hebrews 11:8-10

This is the exact building that is now being described. It is the building proclaimed by the prophets, explained by all twelve apostles, and which points to God in Christ – the single, unified message of Scripture. John finishes with the note that they are apostles “of the Lamb.”

The sacrificial role of Jesus Christ, meaning His death as the Passover Lamb, is the hinge upon which everything else turns. It is a single, unified message of all of the apostles. This is made plainly evident by the two noted apostles of the book of Acts, Peter and Paul, in their epistles –

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” 1 Corinthians 5:7

“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; ¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ²⁰ He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, “but was manifest in these last times for you ²¹ who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” 1 Peter 1:17-21

Paul, referring to the Passover (the Lamb), speaks of the exact same redemption as Peter when he refers to the Lamb (the Passover). The symbolism of the foundations is as clear as crystal. And yet, false teachers throughout the world attempt to divide up the message of Christ, again and again, in order to put forth a false gospel. It is, as Paul says in Galatians 1, anathema. It is the message inspired by Satan (the devil) – 2 Timothy 2:26.

There is one gospel, there is one thing that God has been doing and continues to do, and it is reflected in the beautiful symbolism of the foundation stones of New Jerusalem.

Life application: The wall is where the gates are, and those gates are represented by the twelve sons of Israel. Thus, the wall, with its foundations, is the uniting of the message of Israel and the church. The same message which allows access to God through the people of Israel (the hope of God in Christ) is that which was then proclaimed by the apostles – the foundation which is God in Christ. There is no division between the two.

This is alluded to in Ephesians 2:11-18. In the temple which stood in Jerusalem, there was a wall of separation that kept gentiles out of a large portion of the temple area. Paul tells us in the book of Ephesians that this wall is removed in Christ –

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— ¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:11-18

This is then followed up by the obvious words of Paul (cited above) concerning the foundation of “the apostles and prophets” with Christ being “the chief cornerstone.”

The foundation of what God is doing is built on this foundation. Some prophets who predate Israel – such as Abel, Enoch, and Abraham – are noted as prophets implicitly or explicitly. There are many prophets who came from Israel as well, noted throughout the Old Testament and as far as John the Baptist – “Christ is coming!” This is noted in Acts 3:24. The apostles, as noted above, proclaim the same message, Christ – “Christ has come!”

In this is the foundation of God’s household and their united proclamation of Christ. As such, one central precept of the Bible is that God uses people to proclaim His word, and it is His word that tells us of Jesus. The New Jerusalem is an eternal city for the people of God, and it is the home of the Living God who reveals Himself through the second member of the Trinity – Jesus Christ. Any attempt to divert attention away from this is to be rejected.

Another note to consider is that on the twelve foundations are written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Judas is obviously not going to be listed, but a question that then arises is “Which names will be listed?” In Acts 1, a person named Matthias was chosen to replace Judas, and in Acts 6:2 these twelve are noted together. However, Paul is the “apostle to the Gentiles” chosen by Jesus personally. Which will be listed? It is something that is left unstated.

The point of the symbolism is that of the unity of government (the number twelve). Just as there were actually fourteen sons of Israel (Jacob adopted Ephraim and Manasseh for inheritance purposes), and as those sons are variously listed in the rest of Scripture, there are fourteen named apostles (Judas, Matthias, and Paul all reckoned in this). Thus, the “names” of the sons of Israel on the gates, and the “names” of the apostles on the foundation, may not be their actual names at all, but this is simply a way of saying that the proclamation of these is united. That proclamation is JESUS.

Lord Jesus, even in Your words of revelation, you have kept things hidden from us. You do this because You are sovereign. Therefore, help us to explore Your mysteries and love Your word, but also help us to patiently wait on the unveiling of the mysteries yet to come. Thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful promises that we have and the anticipation of more to be revealed! Amen.