The New Jerusalem Revelation 21:9-27 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
The Lamb’s wife is a city [Revelation 21:10]. This presents a bit of a problem, at first, because the Lamb’s wife is the church [Ephesians 5:23-32]. But consider these details.
- Cities are typically called “she” and cities that are linked in some way are typically called “sister” cities.
- City in Spanish is translated “ciudad” which is feminine: La Ciudad.
- The devil’s woman [Revelation 17:3] is a city [Revelation 17:18] which happens to be a “whore” [Revelation 17:1].
- The earthly Jerusalem is a woman received by God as his wife but who played the whore [Ezekiel 16].
- The Lord’s city, New Jerusalem, is a woman [Revelation 21:2] which happens to be his bride [Revelation 21:9-10].
- Paul referred to this city as “an holy temple” and the “habitation of God” which is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone” [Ephesians 2:19-22, Revelation 21:14].
- Abraham looked for this city “whose builder and maker is God” [Hebrews 11:9-10].
- When you and I get saved we come to this “heavenly Jerusalem” through “Jesus the mediator of the new covenant” [Hebrews 12:22-23].
- This city is called “the mother of us all” [Galatians 4:26] in the same way that Adam’s wife, who came from his body [compare Gen 2:21-24 with Ephesians 5:30-32], was called “the mother of all living” [Genesis 3:20].
Now the city is described in detail in the remainder of the chapter.
- She descends out of heaven [v.10, Galatians 4:26, Hebrews 12:22]
- She is lit by the glory of God [v.11, v.23 compare Acts 26:13, John 8:12] which looks like a crystal clear jasper stone; as a result there is no night there [v.25]
- She has a great wall of jasper 144 cubits high [v.12, 17-18] built on 12 foundations named for the 12 apostles [v.14] and each foundation a separate precious stone [v.19-20]
- She has 12 pearl gates, three on each side, named for the 12 tribes of Israel [v.12-13, 21] and each with its own angel; the gates are never shut [v.25]
- She is shaped as a cube, the length, breadth and height each measuring 12,000 furlongs (1,500 miles) [v.16]
- She is pure transparent gold with transparent pure gold streets [v. 18, 21]
- She has no temple for the Lord and the Lamb are the temple of it [v.22, compare Ephesians 2:19-22]
- She shall provide the light for the saved nations [v.24]; these are the nations judged “righteous” at the judgment of nations following the Second Advent [Matthew 25:31-40]. They will bring their glory and honor into the city evidently to worship the Lord [v.24, 26, compare Is 60:11 for earthly Jerusalem]
- She remains pure since only they who are written in the Lamb’s book of life and nothing that defiles may enter [v.27]