The Story
The New Jerusalem is the holy city that John saw coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. It is a city in the shape of a perfect cube, measuring 12,000 stadia on each side, symbolising perfection and completeness.
The city has twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles, and twelve gates bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. Its streets are made of pure gold, transparent as glass, and there is no temple in it, for God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
There will be no more night, nor any need for sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates it and the Lamb is its lamp. The river of the water of life flows from the throne of God, and the tree of life yields twelve crops of fruit.
Features
- 1Perfect cube shape
- 212 gates bearing the names of the tribes
- 312 foundations bearing the names of the apostles
- 4Streets of transparent gold
- 5River of life and tree of life
- 6No temple — God is the temple
- 7No sun or moon — God is the light
Biblical References
Revelation 21:1-27 - Description of the city
Revelation 22:1-5 - The river and the tree of life
Hebrews 11:10 - The city with foundations
Galatians 4:26 - The Jerusalem above
Spiritual Significance
Represents God's eternal dwelling with His redeemed people.