John describes his first glimpse of New Jerusalem. It comes down from heaven, denoting that God’s presence will live there in the city without the need of a temple building. It has an enormous wall with twelve gates and angels guarding each gate, honoring the twelve tribes of Israel, with twelve sets of stones building its foundation, honoring the twelve apostles.
In Revelation 21:9-14Revelation 21:9-14 commentary, commentary the Apostle John’s vision zooms in from proclaiming the advent of “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1Revelation 21:1 commentary) to a breathtaking, close-up look at the holy city, Jerusalem (v. 10). This is a new Jerusalem that John learns is also the bride, the wife of the Lamb (v. 9).
In the prior section we saw that this new Jerusalem was apparently pre-fabricated, as it descends from heaven already constructed. It is said to have been “made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2Revelation 21:2 commentary). Just as the crowd stands in awe of the beautiful bride entering the wedding ceremony, the new Jerusalem will descend from heaven in a dazzling manner.
The vision continues, and John observes Thenone of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb’ (v. 9).
The mention of the seven bowls ties back to Revelation 16Revelation 16 commentary, commentary where God poured out seven judgments against a corrupt world system. The seven bowl judgments came out of the seventh trumpet judgment, and the seven trumpet judgments came out of the seventh seal that was broken from the scroll of Revelation 5Revelation 5 commentary. That John could recognize that this angel was one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls tells us that the angels are separate persons, with unique characteristics.
Perhaps the fact that this particular angel is assigned to give John a “tour” of the new Jerusalem highlights the transition from old to new. This angel who was assigned the great responsibility of pouring out the final judgements on the previous earth is now giving John a tour of the new Jerusalem in the new earth.
The greatest difference between the old and new earth is arguably that, in the new earth, God has now come down to dwell among humanity (Revelation 21:3Revelation 21:3 commentary). Heaven is the place where God dwells, and now heaven has come down to earth. God’s glory will fill the earth, so much so that the sun will not be needed to bring it light (Revelation 21:23Revelation 21:23 commentary).
The new earth is prepared for its new King. And the new Jerusalem is prepared as the King’s bride, the wife of the Lamb. In Ephesians 5:25-27Ephesians 5:25-27 commentary, commentary the Apostle Paul describes how Christ “gave Himself up” for His Church so that He might “present to Himself the church in all her glory”—holy, spotless, and radiant, like a bride on her wedding day. It could be that part of the adorning of the new Jerusalem, the bride and wife of the Lamb, is that it will be filled with believers who make up the bride of Christ, as referenced in Ephesians 5:32Ephesians 5:32 commentary as a “great mystery.”
The city depicted as a bride would indicate that it is complete. Again, this would infer that it is filled with inhabitants. When the city descends from heaven, it might be filled with God’s people who are now relocating from heaven to the new earth. Jesus promised that He would go to prepare a place for His people in John 14:2-3John 14:2-3 commentary. It would seem the new Jerusalem is being worked on even now. Perhaps one of the things God’s people are doing while they wait for the new earth is working to help Jesus construct His new city.
Here in Revelation, the wife of the Lamb is fully prepared for Him. The city and all that is in it now serves as Jesus’s bride. This emphasizes that Jesus is now fully installed as the earth’s ruler and king. Jesus will reign over the earth, but He is still depicted here as the Lamb.
Jesus is the Lamb of the world because He gave His life that the world might live. This was the ultimate act of service (John 15:13John 15:13 commentary). That Jesus the king is still referred to as the Lamb highlights His humanity. Jesus become human that He might suffer and die for the sins of the world (John 3:16John 3:16 commentary, commentaryColossians 2:14Colossians 2:14 commentary). He came to serve, rather than to be served (Matthew 20:28Matthew 20:28 commentary).
Jesus will also rule the earth with a “rod of iron” (Revelation 2:27Revelation 2:27 commentary, 12:512:5 commentary). That He is the ruler and the Lamb who is a servant indicates that those who reign in the new earth will do so in love and service, seeking the best for others. This is likely a major reason why the new earth will be a place in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:132 Peter 3:13 commentary).
The “tour angel” now sweeps John away to a high mountain where he has a full view of the new Jerusalem: And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God (v 10).
That the holy city is coming down out of heaven from God indicates that John is getting to watch the new city descend from heaven and settle into its proper place in the new earth. Earlier in Revelation 21:2Revelation 21:2 commentary, commentary John noted that the New Jerusalem was “prepared as a bride,” hinting that the city was pre-constructed. Now John beholds it descending onto the new earth in visible splendor. This resonates with Jesus’s statement in John 14:2John 14:2 commentary, commentary “I go to prepare a place for you.”
We saw that God gave precise instructions to Israel on how to build the ark and tabernacle, then He descended to fill it with His presence (Exodus 25:40Exodus 25:40 commentary, 40:3440:34 commentary). This might be a foreshadowing of the new Jerusalem. It might be that, as we speak, Jesus is busy supervising the heavenly host in constructing the new Jerusalem. Then it will descend to the new earth, and He will descend along with it to fill it with His presence. Except this time the new earth will be His primary dwelling place and His presence will fill the entire earth (Revelation 21:3Revelation 21:3 commentary, 2323 commentary). Accordingly, the entire earth will be His temple (Revelation 21:22Revelation 21:22 commentary).
Throughout Revelation, a contrast emerges between the world’s chaotic system—often depicted as the sea (Revelation 13:1Revelation 13:1 commentary)—and God’s orderly, peaceful kingdom. In this new reality, “the sea [is] no more” (Revelation 21:1Revelation 21:1 commentary), symbolizing the departure of all chaos and sin. The city’s descent suggests that holiness no longer hovers far off in heaven; rather, God’s presence merges with humanity’s original design. This will, in turn, fulfill the deepest desire of every believer, which is to dwell in perfect fellowship with God, His people, and His creation (Revelation 21:3Revelation 21:3 commentary, commentaryMatthew 25:21Matthew 25:21 commentary). In Revelation 21:22Revelation 21:22 commentary, commentary we are specifically told that this new Jerusalem will not have a building that is a temple because God Himself will be present upon the earth. There is no need for a representation of His presence when He is physically present.
That John was carried to the great and high mountain by the angel in the Spirit infers a number of things. First, that this is a vision (Revelation 9:17Revelation 9:17 commentary). Second, that the new earth has great and high mountains. And third, that the new Jerusalem is vast enough to require a very high perch in order to be able to view it. As we will see in Revelation 21:15Revelation 21:15 commentary, commentary the city has a length, width, and height of fifteen hundred miles. That this great and high mountain gives sufficient perspective to see the great city would indicate that this mountain is of a size that dwarfs anything existing on the current earth. There is every indication that the geography of this new earth is completely different from that of the old. The reference to the great city as Jerusalem is likely an indication that this city will be the spiritual, cultural, and political capital of the new earth.
John is gaining a divine revelation from this great and high mountain. Mountains often appear in Scripture as vantage points for divine revelation—Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19Exodus 19 commentary). Jesus was transfigured on a “high mountain” (Matthew 17:1Matthew 17:1 commentary). Jesus also revealed His kingdom platform, describing righteousness to His followers, while on a mountain (the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7Matthew 5-7 commentary). Here, John’s spiritual transport highlights the supernatural nature of this vision: he is allowed to gaze upon God’s masterpiece that is the new Jerusalem.
John observes the city as having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper (v 11).
In the Old Testament, the glory of God often manifests as an overwhelming brightness, filling the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34Exodus 40:34 commentary) or the temple (1 Kings 8:10-111 Kings 8:10-11 commentary). Here, that glorious radiance permeates the entire city, driving home that this new creation is untainted by darkness or sin.
The Greek word translated glory is “doxa.” It refers to the essence of something being observed, as in 1 Corinthians 15:411 Corinthians 15:41 commentary, commentary where the moon is said to have a different glory from that of the sun. In this case, the glory of the city reflects not only God’s brilliance, but also His beauty. What humans refer to as beauty typically refers to something that has symmetry and integrity of design in its texture, color, size, and shape. John describes the beauty of the new Jerusalem as being like a very costly stone.
A very costly stone will often exhibit natural beauty that is highlighted by the careful craftsmanship of a skilled artist. In this case, God is that artist. The particular stone that John refers to as reminding him of the city’s appearance is one of crystal-clear jasper. Since this stone is crystal-clear, we might think of a sparkling diamond. In addition to here in Revelation 21:11Revelation 21:11 commentary, commentary the Greek word translated jasper appears in the following verses:
Revelation 4:3Revelation 4:3 commentary, commentary to describe the appearance of Him who sat upon the heavenly throne,
Revelation 21:18Revelation 21:18 commentary, commentary to describe the appearance of the wall that surrounds the new Jerusalem, which has the appearance of gold that is pure glass, and
Revelation 21:19Revelation 21:19 commentary, commentary where the foundation of the city is said to be decorated with stones, some of which are jasper.
This image of jasper might suggest purity, reflecting a reality that every remnant of sin has been cleansed. As we will see in Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary, commentary nothing impure will be allowed into the city. In the Old Testament, God’s glory was lethal if experienced firsthand (Exodus 33:20Exodus 33:20 commentary). Now it is the encompassing environment of the new earth and part of what eliminates death and sorrow.
It is inferred that redeemed believers, now in glorified bodies that have been refined in the fire, can stand in the fullness of His presence without fear (1 Corinthians 15:42-441 Corinthians 15:42-44 commentary). The episode of the three faithful Hebrews standing unharmed with the angel of the Lord in the fiery furnace might be a foreshadowing of the new earth (Daniel 3:25Daniel 3:25 commentary). God’s refining fire has cleansed every impurity and His people are now able to be in His presence (Malachi 3:2Malachi 3:2 commentary, commentary1 Corinthians 3:13-151 Corinthians 3:13-15 commentary).
God’s radiant presence will fill the earth and be reflected throughout the new Jerusalem. Scripture asserts that all who belong to Him will be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29Romans 8:29 commentary). God’s presence will be life and beauty to all the believers dwelling there.
This brilliance of the city being like a very costly stone could prefigure the eradication of sorrow, tears, and death for God’s people mentioned earlier (Revelation 21:4Revelation 21:4 commentary). Freed from the constraints of sin, God’s people who dwell in the new Jerusalem participate in the joy of their Master (Matthew 25:21Matthew 25:21 commentary). It might also reflect the radiant glory of God, which is a joy to the redeemed and a curse to the damned (Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary).
There is no hint of drifting on clouds playing harps. This is a stereotype not present in scripture. Rather, it comes out of Greek dualism, which holds that material things are evil by nature and spiritual things are good. Dualism held that the next life would be only spiritual in nature. The new earth is anything but. What is more solid and material than high mountains and dazzling gems?
The Bible’s account of the next life is the complete opposite of a spiritual-only environment. John is describing physical characteristics that awe and inspire. As we will see in Revelation 21:24Revelation 21:24 commentary, commentary there will be nations with kings that bring their glory into the new Jerusalem. This again is very physical and tangible. The inhabitants of this city enjoy an eternally dynamic environment teeming with life, creativity, and the everlasting presence of the Lord (Revelation 22:1-5Revelation 22:1-5 commentary).
Continuing, John describes how the city had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel (v. 12).
Ancient cities needed walls and gates for security; here, a great and high wall symbolizes God’s all-encompassing protection. Evil cannot encroach, because it has been judged and cast away (Revelation 20:10Revelation 20:10 commentary, 21:2721:27 commentary). This city is a sanctuary of unbreakable peace.
At each of the twelve gates stand twelve angels. We can presume they stand guard. Perhaps this is similar to the angel that guarded Eden, not allowing any human to enter (Genesis 3:24Genesis 3:24 commentary). We will be told in Revelation 21:25Revelation 21:25 commentary that the city’s gates will never be closed. In ancient cities the gates would be closed to protect against invasion. This indicates that there are no external enemies with sufficient power to ever threaten the city.
We are told the reason for the wall and the gates in Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary—to keep out anything that might pollute or defile the city. Only those whose names are written in the book of life may enter. We might imagine that the angels guarding each gate are monitoring those coming into the city to ensure that they are authorized to enter, somewhat like a gate agent at an airport checking tickets.
We see that each gate in the new Jerusalem bears the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. This demonstrates that God’s promises and covenants are irrevocable (Romans 11:29Romans 11:29 commentary). God will never reject His people (Romans 11:25-26Romans 11:25-26 commentary). God made a promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3Genesis 12:2-3 commentary and commentary reaffirmed it through Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants.
The names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel written on the gates might serve as a memorial to God’s faithfulness in fulfilling all His promises to them. Those whose names are written in the book of life, believers who avoid being consumed by the lake of fire, are all able to escape that terrible outcome because of the promise God made to Abraham that “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3Genesis 12:3 commentary).
That promise was fulfilled through Jesus, the Son of David, of the tribe of Judah, descendant of Israel. Galatians 3:7Galatians 3:7 commentary tells us that now all who are of faith are sons of Abraham. So, in that way, every human who is able to enter the gates might be considered as being grafted into the olive tree that is Israel (Romans 11:17Romans 11:17 commentary).
Israel’s story revolves around Jesus, God’s means to bless all nations through Abraham (Genesis 12:3Genesis 12:3 commentary). King David was promised that someone from his line would sit on the throne of Israel forever (2 Samuel 7:12-132 Samuel 7:12-13 commentary). Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. He will sit on the throne of the earth, as all authority has been given Him (Matthew 28:18Matthew 28:18 commentary). The fulfillment of God’s promise to “all the families” is in the Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world who is also the king who will reign.
It is because of Jesus the Son of David, who is also the Lamb, that believers can have their name written in the book of life. It is only those whose names are written in the book of life who will be allowed to enter the city (Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary). All the families of the earth can have their names written in the book of life through faith in Jesus. They simply need sufficient faith to ask Him for the water of life (Revelation 21:6Revelation 21:6 commentary).
John then observes, There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west (v. 13).
Four directions—east, north, south, west—convey completeness, reminiscent of how, in Israel’s wilderness era, the tribes encamped in four groupings around the tabernacle (Numbers 2:2Numbers 2:2 commentary). It also suggests that every corner of the new earth will have access points into the city, highlighting that this new Jerusalem is the center of life in the new earth. As we will see in Revelation 21:24Revelation 21:24 commentary, commentary the nations of the earth will come to Jerusalem and bring their glory into the city.
The arrangement of three gates on each side demonstrates symmetry and balance. This could be part of the reason John likened its appearance to a “very costly stone” in Revelation 21:11Revelation 21:11 commentary. Costly stones are typically highly symmetrical.
God’s design is always purposeful. 2 Peter 3:132 Peter 3:13 commentary says the new heaven and earth will be filled with “righteousness.” The word translated “righteousness” indicates harmony and integrity of design. This is what John is now describing.
God always designs an order that is good (Genesis 1:31Genesis 1:31 commentary). Part of His order of His Genesis creation included making humans in His image, which includes the capacity to make moral choices (Genesis 1:26Genesis 1:26 commentary). By choosing to walk in our own ways, humans disrupted God’s design integrity, bringing sin into the world; sin being a twisting of God’s (good) design. But Jesus, the Lamb, redeemed the world. And now all things are being made new (Revelation 21:5Revelation 21:5 commentary). This time God will disallow entrance into the city of anything that can defile (Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary).
God designed the ark and Israel’s worship practices (Exodus, Leviticus). Access into the Holy of Holies was restricted, lest anything that defiles might enter. Jesus made the way of entrance into His presence for all who believe (Hebrews 9:7-10Hebrews 9:7-10 commentary). This city’s uniform layout seems to welcome every nation and tongue that is allowed to enter, but not those who would defile the city (Revelation 7:9Revelation 7:9 commentary, 21:2421:24 commentary, 2727 commentary).
Not only the Old Testament patriarchs are included. There is also a tribute to Jesus’s twelve apostles. John states, And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (v.14).
Jesus promised His twelve disciples that they would “sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28Matthew 19:28 commentary). This promise was likely fulfilled during the thousand-year reign on the current earth that is described in Revelation 20:1-5Revelation 20:1-5 commentary. But still, here the apostles are memorialized by having their twelve names inscribed on the twelve foundation stones. This indicates that not only will God honor His promises to Abraham and Israel under the old covenant; He will also honor all the promises He made in the new covenant.
As Paul describes in Romans 11:19-26Romans 11:19-26 commentary, commentary Gentiles were grafted into the olive tree that represents spiritual Israel. We might wonder which twelve names will be included. It could be the eleven who were faithful, excluding Judas, along with Matthias, who was chosen to take the place of Judas (Acts 1:26Acts 1:26 commentary). Or perhaps the twelfth is the Apostle Paul, who described himself as “one untimely born” (1 Corinthians 15:81 Corinthians 15:8 commentary). These apostles laid the spiritual bedrock of the New Testament Church (Ephesians 2:20Ephesians 2:20 commentary).
The memorial to Israel (the gates) and Jesus’s apostles (the foundation) spans the narratives of the Old and New Testaments. God declared His creation “very good” (Genesis 1:31Genesis 1:31 commentary). When it fell into sin and darkness, He raised up Israel to be a priestly nation and show the world that the way of loving our neighbor is superior to the pagan ethos of exploitation and dissipation. He showed them how to keep this superior way of living through entering into a covenant with them, where the greatest commands were to love God and love others (Exodus 19:6Exodus 19:6 commentary, 88 commentary, Matthew 22:37-39Matthew 22:37-39 commentary).
When the Law was demonstrated to be insufficient to bring in righteousness, God established a righteousness apart from the Law through Jesus (Romans 3:21-24Romans 3:21-24 commentary). God inaugurated a new covenant through the blood of the Lamb (Matthew 26:28Matthew 26:28 commentary). God sent His Spirit to dwell in the hearts of those who believed, writing His law on their hearts rather than on a stone (2 Corinthians 3:22 Corinthians 3:2 commentary).
Jesus made this possible by willingly serving as God’s Lamb who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29John 1:29 commentary). He thus earned the right to open the seals of the scroll that set in motion the events that have now led to the termination of the previous age and the inauguration of a new age, with a new earth that is filled with righteousness (Revelation 5:5Revelation 5:5 commentary).
Just as Jesus embeds memorials for the twelve sons of Israel and the twelve apostles, He promises to create memorials for any believer who overcomes and lives as a faithful witness that does not fear rejection, loss, or death from the world:
“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.” (Revelation 3:12aRevelation 3:12a commentary)
Since there is no building that is a temple in the new earth, we can imagine that things like having one’s name written on the foundation or on the gate might indicate the sort of “pillar” that might serve as a memorial for the deeds done by an overcomer.
As we see the unfurling of this amazing city and its inhabitants, there is an indication that the earth is filled with God’s people and the entire community is dear enough and intimate enough to Him that it fulfills the Revelation 21:9Revelation 21:9 commentary description of the city as Jesus’s “bride.” We see a picture of a completed fulfillment of the two greatest commandments and Jesus’s command to love one another (Matthew 22:37-39Matthew 22:37-39 commentary, commentaryJohn 13:34-35John 13:34-35 commentary).
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Revelation 21:9-14 meaning
In Revelation 21:9-14Revelation 21:9-14 commentary, commentary the Apostle John’s vision zooms in from proclaiming the advent of “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1Revelation 21:1 commentary) to a breathtaking, close-up look at the holy city, Jerusalem (v. 10). This is a new Jerusalem that John learns is also the bride, the wife of the Lamb (v. 9).
In the prior section we saw that this new Jerusalem was apparently pre-fabricated, as it descends from heaven already constructed. It is said to have been “made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2Revelation 21:2 commentary). Just as the crowd stands in awe of the beautiful bride entering the wedding ceremony, the new Jerusalem will descend from heaven in a dazzling manner.
The vision continues, and John observes Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb’ (v. 9).
The mention of the seven bowls ties back to Revelation 16Revelation 16 commentary, commentary where God poured out seven judgments against a corrupt world system. The seven bowl judgments came out of the seventh trumpet judgment, and the seven trumpet judgments came out of the seventh seal that was broken from the scroll of Revelation 5Revelation 5 commentary. That John could recognize that this angel was one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls tells us that the angels are separate persons, with unique characteristics.
Perhaps the fact that this particular angel is assigned to give John a “tour” of the new Jerusalem highlights the transition from old to new. This angel who was assigned the great responsibility of pouring out the final judgements on the previous earth is now giving John a tour of the new Jerusalem in the new earth.
The greatest difference between the old and new earth is arguably that, in the new earth, God has now come down to dwell among humanity (Revelation 21:3Revelation 21:3 commentary). Heaven is the place where God dwells, and now heaven has come down to earth. God’s glory will fill the earth, so much so that the sun will not be needed to bring it light (Revelation 21:23Revelation 21:23 commentary).
The new earth is prepared for its new King. And the new Jerusalem is prepared as the King’s bride, the wife of the Lamb. In Ephesians 5:25-27Ephesians 5:25-27 commentary, commentary the Apostle Paul describes how Christ “gave Himself up” for His Church so that He might “present to Himself the church in all her glory”—holy, spotless, and radiant, like a bride on her wedding day. It could be that part of the adorning of the new Jerusalem, the bride and wife of the Lamb, is that it will be filled with believers who make up the bride of Christ, as referenced in Ephesians 5:32Ephesians 5:32 commentary as a “great mystery.”
The city depicted as a bride would indicate that it is complete. Again, this would infer that it is filled with inhabitants. When the city descends from heaven, it might be filled with God’s people who are now relocating from heaven to the new earth. Jesus promised that He would go to prepare a place for His people in John 14:2-3John 14:2-3 commentary. It would seem the new Jerusalem is being worked on even now. Perhaps one of the things God’s people are doing while they wait for the new earth is working to help Jesus construct His new city.
Here in Revelation, the wife of the Lamb is fully prepared for Him. The city and all that is in it now serves as Jesus’s bride. This emphasizes that Jesus is now fully installed as the earth’s ruler and king. Jesus will reign over the earth, but He is still depicted here as the Lamb.
Jesus is the Lamb of the world because He gave His life that the world might live. This was the ultimate act of service (John 15:13John 15:13 commentary). That Jesus the king is still referred to as the Lamb highlights His humanity. Jesus become human that He might suffer and die for the sins of the world (John 3:16John 3:16 commentary, commentary Colossians 2:14Colossians 2:14 commentary). He came to serve, rather than to be served (Matthew 20:28Matthew 20:28 commentary).
Jesus will also rule the earth with a “rod of iron” (Revelation 2:27Revelation 2:27 commentary, 12:512:5 commentary). That He is the ruler and the Lamb who is a servant indicates that those who reign in the new earth will do so in love and service, seeking the best for others. This is likely a major reason why the new earth will be a place in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:132 Peter 3:13 commentary).
The “tour angel” now sweeps John away to a high mountain where he has a full view of the new Jerusalem: And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God (v 10).
That the holy city is coming down out of heaven from God indicates that John is getting to watch the new city descend from heaven and settle into its proper place in the new earth. Earlier in Revelation 21:2Revelation 21:2 commentary, commentary John noted that the New Jerusalem was “prepared as a bride,” hinting that the city was pre-constructed. Now John beholds it descending onto the new earth in visible splendor. This resonates with Jesus’s statement in John 14:2John 14:2 commentary, commentary “I go to prepare a place for you.”
We saw that God gave precise instructions to Israel on how to build the ark and tabernacle, then He descended to fill it with His presence (Exodus 25:40Exodus 25:40 commentary, 40:3440:34 commentary). This might be a foreshadowing of the new Jerusalem. It might be that, as we speak, Jesus is busy supervising the heavenly host in constructing the new Jerusalem. Then it will descend to the new earth, and He will descend along with it to fill it with His presence. Except this time the new earth will be His primary dwelling place and His presence will fill the entire earth (Revelation 21:3Revelation 21:3 commentary, 2323 commentary). Accordingly, the entire earth will be His temple (Revelation 21:22Revelation 21:22 commentary).
Throughout Revelation, a contrast emerges between the world’s chaotic system—often depicted as the sea (Revelation 13:1Revelation 13:1 commentary)—and God’s orderly, peaceful kingdom. In this new reality, “the sea [is] no more” (Revelation 21:1Revelation 21:1 commentary), symbolizing the departure of all chaos and sin. The city’s descent suggests that holiness no longer hovers far off in heaven; rather, God’s presence merges with humanity’s original design. This will, in turn, fulfill the deepest desire of every believer, which is to dwell in perfect fellowship with God, His people, and His creation (Revelation 21:3Revelation 21:3 commentary, commentary Matthew 25:21Matthew 25:21 commentary). In Revelation 21:22Revelation 21:22 commentary, commentary we are specifically told that this new Jerusalem will not have a building that is a temple because God Himself will be present upon the earth. There is no need for a representation of His presence when He is physically present.
That John was carried to the great and high mountain by the angel in the Spirit infers a number of things. First, that this is a vision (Revelation 9:17Revelation 9:17 commentary). Second, that the new earth has great and high mountains. And third, that the new Jerusalem is vast enough to require a very high perch in order to be able to view it. As we will see in Revelation 21:15Revelation 21:15 commentary, commentary the city has a length, width, and height of fifteen hundred miles. That this great and high mountain gives sufficient perspective to see the great city would indicate that this mountain is of a size that dwarfs anything existing on the current earth. There is every indication that the geography of this new earth is completely different from that of the old. The reference to the great city as Jerusalem is likely an indication that this city will be the spiritual, cultural, and political capital of the new earth.
John is gaining a divine revelation from this great and high mountain. Mountains often appear in Scripture as vantage points for divine revelation—Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19Exodus 19 commentary). Jesus was transfigured on a “high mountain” (Matthew 17:1Matthew 17:1 commentary). Jesus also revealed His kingdom platform, describing righteousness to His followers, while on a mountain (the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7Matthew 5-7 commentary). Here, John’s spiritual transport highlights the supernatural nature of this vision: he is allowed to gaze upon God’s masterpiece that is the new Jerusalem.
John observes the city as having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper (v 11).
In the Old Testament, the glory of God often manifests as an overwhelming brightness, filling the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34Exodus 40:34 commentary) or the temple (1 Kings 8:10-111 Kings 8:10-11 commentary). Here, that glorious radiance permeates the entire city, driving home that this new creation is untainted by darkness or sin.
The Greek word translated glory is “doxa.” It refers to the essence of something being observed, as in 1 Corinthians 15:411 Corinthians 15:41 commentary, commentary where the moon is said to have a different glory from that of the sun. In this case, the glory of the city reflects not only God’s brilliance, but also His beauty. What humans refer to as beauty typically refers to something that has symmetry and integrity of design in its texture, color, size, and shape. John describes the beauty of the new Jerusalem as being like a very costly stone.
A very costly stone will often exhibit natural beauty that is highlighted by the careful craftsmanship of a skilled artist. In this case, God is that artist. The particular stone that John refers to as reminding him of the city’s appearance is one of crystal-clear jasper. Since this stone is crystal-clear, we might think of a sparkling diamond. In addition to here in Revelation 21:11Revelation 21:11 commentary, commentary the Greek word translated jasper appears in the following verses:
This image of jasper might suggest purity, reflecting a reality that every remnant of sin has been cleansed. As we will see in Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary, commentary nothing impure will be allowed into the city. In the Old Testament, God’s glory was lethal if experienced firsthand (Exodus 33:20Exodus 33:20 commentary). Now it is the encompassing environment of the new earth and part of what eliminates death and sorrow.
It is inferred that redeemed believers, now in glorified bodies that have been refined in the fire, can stand in the fullness of His presence without fear (1 Corinthians 15:42-441 Corinthians 15:42-44 commentary). The episode of the three faithful Hebrews standing unharmed with the angel of the Lord in the fiery furnace might be a foreshadowing of the new earth (Daniel 3:25Daniel 3:25 commentary). God’s refining fire has cleansed every impurity and His people are now able to be in His presence (Malachi 3:2Malachi 3:2 commentary, commentary 1 Corinthians 3:13-151 Corinthians 3:13-15 commentary).
God’s radiant presence will fill the earth and be reflected throughout the new Jerusalem. Scripture asserts that all who belong to Him will be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29Romans 8:29 commentary). God’s presence will be life and beauty to all the believers dwelling there.
This brilliance of the city being like a very costly stone could prefigure the eradication of sorrow, tears, and death for God’s people mentioned earlier (Revelation 21:4Revelation 21:4 commentary). Freed from the constraints of sin, God’s people who dwell in the new Jerusalem participate in the joy of their Master (Matthew 25:21Matthew 25:21 commentary). It might also reflect the radiant glory of God, which is a joy to the redeemed and a curse to the damned (Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary).
There is no hint of drifting on clouds playing harps. This is a stereotype not present in scripture. Rather, it comes out of Greek dualism, which holds that material things are evil by nature and spiritual things are good. Dualism held that the next life would be only spiritual in nature. The new earth is anything but. What is more solid and material than high mountains and dazzling gems?
The Bible’s account of the next life is the complete opposite of a spiritual-only environment. John is describing physical characteristics that awe and inspire. As we will see in Revelation 21:24Revelation 21:24 commentary, commentary there will be nations with kings that bring their glory into the new Jerusalem. This again is very physical and tangible. The inhabitants of this city enjoy an eternally dynamic environment teeming with life, creativity, and the everlasting presence of the Lord (Revelation 22:1-5Revelation 22:1-5 commentary).
Continuing, John describes how the city had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel (v. 12).
Ancient cities needed walls and gates for security; here, a great and high wall symbolizes God’s all-encompassing protection. Evil cannot encroach, because it has been judged and cast away (Revelation 20:10Revelation 20:10 commentary, 21:2721:27 commentary). This city is a sanctuary of unbreakable peace.
At each of the twelve gates stand twelve angels. We can presume they stand guard. Perhaps this is similar to the angel that guarded Eden, not allowing any human to enter (Genesis 3:24Genesis 3:24 commentary). We will be told in Revelation 21:25Revelation 21:25 commentary that the city’s gates will never be closed. In ancient cities the gates would be closed to protect against invasion. This indicates that there are no external enemies with sufficient power to ever threaten the city.
We are told the reason for the wall and the gates in Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary—to keep out anything that might pollute or defile the city. Only those whose names are written in the book of life may enter. We might imagine that the angels guarding each gate are monitoring those coming into the city to ensure that they are authorized to enter, somewhat like a gate agent at an airport checking tickets.
We see that each gate in the new Jerusalem bears the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. This demonstrates that God’s promises and covenants are irrevocable (Romans 11:29Romans 11:29 commentary). God will never reject His people (Romans 11:25-26Romans 11:25-26 commentary). God made a promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3Genesis 12:2-3 commentary and commentary reaffirmed it through Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants.
The names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel written on the gates might serve as a memorial to God’s faithfulness in fulfilling all His promises to them. Those whose names are written in the book of life, believers who avoid being consumed by the lake of fire, are all able to escape that terrible outcome because of the promise God made to Abraham that “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3Genesis 12:3 commentary).
That promise was fulfilled through Jesus, the Son of David, of the tribe of Judah, descendant of Israel. Galatians 3:7Galatians 3:7 commentary tells us that now all who are of faith are sons of Abraham. So, in that way, every human who is able to enter the gates might be considered as being grafted into the olive tree that is Israel (Romans 11:17Romans 11:17 commentary).
Israel’s story revolves around Jesus, God’s means to bless all nations through Abraham (Genesis 12:3Genesis 12:3 commentary). King David was promised that someone from his line would sit on the throne of Israel forever (2 Samuel 7:12-132 Samuel 7:12-13 commentary). Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. He will sit on the throne of the earth, as all authority has been given Him (Matthew 28:18Matthew 28:18 commentary). The fulfillment of God’s promise to “all the families” is in the Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world who is also the king who will reign.
It is because of Jesus the Son of David, who is also the Lamb, that believers can have their name written in the book of life. It is only those whose names are written in the book of life who will be allowed to enter the city (Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary). All the families of the earth can have their names written in the book of life through faith in Jesus. They simply need sufficient faith to ask Him for the water of life (Revelation 21:6Revelation 21:6 commentary).
John then observes, There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west (v. 13).
Four directions—east, north, south, west—convey completeness, reminiscent of how, in Israel’s wilderness era, the tribes encamped in four groupings around the tabernacle (Numbers 2:2Numbers 2:2 commentary). It also suggests that every corner of the new earth will have access points into the city, highlighting that this new Jerusalem is the center of life in the new earth. As we will see in Revelation 21:24Revelation 21:24 commentary, commentary the nations of the earth will come to Jerusalem and bring their glory into the city.
The arrangement of three gates on each side demonstrates symmetry and balance. This could be part of the reason John likened its appearance to a “very costly stone” in Revelation 21:11Revelation 21:11 commentary. Costly stones are typically highly symmetrical.
God’s design is always purposeful. 2 Peter 3:132 Peter 3:13 commentary says the new heaven and earth will be filled with “righteousness.” The word translated “righteousness” indicates harmony and integrity of design. This is what John is now describing.
God always designs an order that is good (Genesis 1:31Genesis 1:31 commentary). Part of His order of His Genesis creation included making humans in His image, which includes the capacity to make moral choices (Genesis 1:26Genesis 1:26 commentary). By choosing to walk in our own ways, humans disrupted God’s design integrity, bringing sin into the world; sin being a twisting of God’s (good) design. But Jesus, the Lamb, redeemed the world. And now all things are being made new (Revelation 21:5Revelation 21:5 commentary). This time God will disallow entrance into the city of anything that can defile (Revelation 21:27Revelation 21:27 commentary).
God designed the ark and Israel’s worship practices (Exodus, Leviticus). Access into the Holy of Holies was restricted, lest anything that defiles might enter. Jesus made the way of entrance into His presence for all who believe (Hebrews 9:7-10Hebrews 9:7-10 commentary). This city’s uniform layout seems to welcome every nation and tongue that is allowed to enter, but not those who would defile the city (Revelation 7:9Revelation 7:9 commentary, 21:2421:24 commentary, 2727 commentary).
Not only the Old Testament patriarchs are included. There is also a tribute to Jesus’s twelve apostles. John states, And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (v.14).
Jesus promised His twelve disciples that they would “sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28Matthew 19:28 commentary). This promise was likely fulfilled during the thousand-year reign on the current earth that is described in Revelation 20:1-5Revelation 20:1-5 commentary. But still, here the apostles are memorialized by having their twelve names inscribed on the twelve foundation stones. This indicates that not only will God honor His promises to Abraham and Israel under the old covenant; He will also honor all the promises He made in the new covenant.
As Paul describes in Romans 11:19-26Romans 11:19-26 commentary, commentary Gentiles were grafted into the olive tree that represents spiritual Israel. We might wonder which twelve names will be included. It could be the eleven who were faithful, excluding Judas, along with Matthias, who was chosen to take the place of Judas (Acts 1:26Acts 1:26 commentary). Or perhaps the twelfth is the Apostle Paul, who described himself as “one untimely born” (1 Corinthians 15:81 Corinthians 15:8 commentary). These apostles laid the spiritual bedrock of the New Testament Church (Ephesians 2:20Ephesians 2:20 commentary).
The memorial to Israel (the gates) and Jesus’s apostles (the foundation) spans the narratives of the Old and New Testaments. God declared His creation “very good” (Genesis 1:31Genesis 1:31 commentary). When it fell into sin and darkness, He raised up Israel to be a priestly nation and show the world that the way of loving our neighbor is superior to the pagan ethos of exploitation and dissipation. He showed them how to keep this superior way of living through entering into a covenant with them, where the greatest commands were to love God and love others (Exodus 19:6Exodus 19:6 commentary, 88 commentary, Matthew 22:37-39Matthew 22:37-39 commentary).
When the Law was demonstrated to be insufficient to bring in righteousness, God established a righteousness apart from the Law through Jesus (Romans 3:21-24Romans 3:21-24 commentary). God inaugurated a new covenant through the blood of the Lamb (Matthew 26:28Matthew 26:28 commentary). God sent His Spirit to dwell in the hearts of those who believed, writing His law on their hearts rather than on a stone (2 Corinthians 3:22 Corinthians 3:2 commentary).
Jesus made this possible by willingly serving as God’s Lamb who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29John 1:29 commentary). He thus earned the right to open the seals of the scroll that set in motion the events that have now led to the termination of the previous age and the inauguration of a new age, with a new earth that is filled with righteousness (Revelation 5:5Revelation 5:5 commentary).
Just as Jesus embeds memorials for the twelve sons of Israel and the twelve apostles, He promises to create memorials for any believer who overcomes and lives as a faithful witness that does not fear rejection, loss, or death from the world:
“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.”
(Revelation 3:12aRevelation 3:12a commentary)
Since there is no building that is a temple in the new earth, we can imagine that things like having one’s name written on the foundation or on the gate might indicate the sort of “pillar” that might serve as a memorial for the deeds done by an overcomer.
As we see the unfurling of this amazing city and its inhabitants, there is an indication that the earth is filled with God’s people and the entire community is dear enough and intimate enough to Him that it fulfills the Revelation 21:9Revelation 21:9 commentary description of the city as Jesus’s “bride.” We see a picture of a completed fulfillment of the two greatest commandments and Jesus’s command to love one another (Matthew 22:37-39Matthew 22:37-39 commentary, commentary John 13:34-35John 13:34-35 commentary).