And one of the angels…came and spoke with me saying: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mount, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her radiance was like a precious stone, like a Jasper stone sparkling like crystal. She had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names inscribed which are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. On the east were 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 upon them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And the one who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and its walls. And the city lies foursquare, and its length is the same as its width. And he measured the city as 12, 000 stadia: its length and width and height are equal. And he measured its wall at 144 cubits…And the material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation of the walls were adorned with every precious stone…And the twelve gates, each was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

And I did not see a temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminates it, and the Lamb is its lamp. And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. And its gates will not be closed…for there will not be night there…And nothing unclean will enter it…but only those who are written in the book of life of the Lamb.

And he showed me a river of the water of life, bright as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street. And on both sides of the river there was the tree of life producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there will be no curse any longer. And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will serve Him in worship. They will behold His face, and His name will be on their foreheads…and they will reign forever and ever. Revelation 21: 9 – 22: 5

Earlier, in 21: 2, John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, descending from heaven. Now an angel gives him a closer look at the city, which is identified in terms of being the bride, the wife of the lamb; for it contains, and is thought of itself as the church.

It is also, we learned from 21: 3, the tabernacle of God in which He dwells with His people. Therefore, no temple is needed within it, for with God’s pervasive presence, the city itself functions as a temple. In fact, John describes the city in terms of the Old Testament temple. For instance, back then, God’s glory filled the tabernacle, proving His presence (Exodus 40: 34, 35).

John also notices about the city, its internal and external brilliance that is God’s radiant glory, sparkling like diamonds or crystals. Its glowing, dazzling intensity probably would have the city seen as a star in the universe. After all, the city becomes God’s headquarters in the physical realm.

Another indication that the city functions as the temple is the measuring of the city, its gates and walls. That action is similar to Ezekiel’s vision in which the earthly temple was measured (Ezek. 40-42). The city, John sees, also has a great and high wall. So did the restored temple in Ezek. 40: 5.

Yet another characteristic of the Old Testament temple is seen in the city’s cube shape. The Most Holy Place in the Old Testament was cube shaped (1 Kings 6: 20). At that time, the high priest was the only one who could enter the Most Holy Place and God’s presence. It makes sense that the city is shaped like the Most Holy Place because all of the city’s inhabitants can now enter into the immediate presence of God.

The city’s wall has twelve gates; each gate is a giant pearl. There are three gates on each side of the city. Because the gates are erected at the city’s north, east, south, and west, the gates signify a universal entry. Jesus said that many will “come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God” ((Luke 13: 29).

John also makes note that there is an inscription on the gates: the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. He points out too that the city’s wall, made of jasper, has twelve foundations, upon which are inscribed the names of the twelve apostles. This, the number twelve and the names, all represents the church of the Old and New Testaments. The city’s inhabitants make up the totality of God’s people from every age of the present earth’s history.

At each of the gates, John sees an angel standing as a gatekeeper. Their guardian presence symbolizes “and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21: 27). The city is eternally safe and secure, especially due to God’s presence.

As mentioned earlier, the city, its wall and gates are measured. Perhaps the angel makes this an issue to satisfy what he thinks is a natural question on John’s mind: Is the city’s size sufficient?

Each side of the city is 12, 000 stadia. That equates to each side being, roughly, 1,400 miles in length. The measurement is the same for the city’s height. The measurement of the wall’s thickness is even cited: 144 cubits (roughly 72 yards). Incidentally, the wall is not a defense, for the enemies of God and His people have been destroyed. Like the angel at each gate, the wall is simply a symbol of safety and security that brings to mind God speaking about the restored Jerusalem. “For I will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst” (Zechariah 2: 5).