The Wall and Gates of the City Revelation 21:12

After all the events of the tribulation period, the millennial reign of Jesus and the “Great White Throne” judgment, John the apostle wrote, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” John added how God will wipe away all tears and allow no more death, sorrow, crying or pain”, and He is to make “all things new”. He also gave a warning to those who are “fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death”, and he continued, “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come here, I will show your the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal”, and in Revelation chapter twenty-one and verse twelve John shares how the “city” had, “a wall great and high, and had twelve gates” where we read:

And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

The verse reads, “And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, ...” John began with the words, “and had a wall” which means “a wall around the city” “great” or “massive, large and abundant” “and high” which means “lofty, exalted and eminent”, “and had” or “and possessed” “twelve gates” which means “twelve portals or vestibules”, “and at the gates” or “and in the portals or vestibules” “twelve angels” which means “twelve messengers, envoys or ones sent”. John saw how the “city” possessed a “massive and lofty” “wall” as well as “twelve portals or vestibules”.

The verse goes on to say, “...and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:” John continued with the words, “and names” which means “words used for everything which the name covers including the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering” “written thereon” which means “delineated or formed with letters upon the gates”, “which are the names” or “that are the words used for everything which the name covers including the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering” “of the twelve tribes” which means “pertaining to the twelve nations or peoples” “of the children” or “belonging to descendants, posterity and kinship” “of Israel” which means “belonging to the nation whose name means he shall be a prince of God”. John noticed the “twelve gates” were named after the “twelve people groups” within Israel.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see how there is a specific structure to this “great city” which descends from heaven. God's engineering considered “the wall” and the “twelve gates” as He created this dwelling place, and He intentionally “labeled” each of the “twelve gates” after the “twelve tribes of Israel”. God uses the names given to the children of Jacob who became Israel to label these “gates”, and since He is this inclined to include His people with the “names” given to the “gates” of a city, how much more does He desire to include people within this city through a relationship with His Son Jesus? God wants everyone to be there, however, only those who receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” shall be. Let all who read these words consider the “wall” and the “twelve gates” of this beautiful “city” and receive God's invitation to be part of this wonderful place.

Next time John shares how the city had, “gates” on the “east, north, south and west”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.