Walls, Gates and a Foundation

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel … It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. … The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Rev 21:10-14

I am sure someone is asking, Is this literal or symbolic? Perhaps it is both. I believe there will be a great, visible city of incredible brilliance and glory, which also will picture activities and relationships going on within the community of the saints, characterized by stability, symmetry, light, life and ministry. That is what is described here. The literal is very evident; the symbolic perhaps needs a bit of interpretation.

The high wall of the city speaks of separation and of intimacy. If you want to have an intimate garden party, you meet in the yard behind a wall. It speaks of intimate fellowship and separation from intrusion. All Scripture speaks of God's desire to have what he calls a people for my own possession. Everything in the universe is his, but the saints are peculiarly God's own possession, because he made them in his image. He can share with them the deepest things in his life and in his heart. They satisfy and fulfill him just as a bride satisfies and fulfills her husband.

The gates describe means of access in and out of the city. Jesus says, Whoever enters through me will be saved, and he will go in and out and find pasture (John 10:9). That may be a portrayal of the widespread ministry of believers throughout eternity. The new universe will surely be as big or bigger than it is now, and it is mind-blowing in its immensity now! There will be new planets to develop, new principles to discover, new joys to experience. Every moment of eternity will be an adventure of discovery. Those gates are named for the tribes of Israel. It is a perpetual reminder that, salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22). This pictures the truth of the Old Testament prophets and the godly practices of the nation. Many Old Testament passages that now puzzle us will come to life. We will be led to new adventures we have never dreamed of.

The foundations speak of that which gives stability and permanence. They are named for the 12 apostles. We learn in the first chapter of Acts that Judas was replaced by Matthias. These foundations speak of New Testament truth and practice. Things that we only faintly grasp now will be wonderfully understood and experienced then, especially three things that abide forever: faith, hope, and love! These three, says Paul, But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). I find myself unable to express fully the beauty that is portrayed here, but I hope that the inner eye of your imagination will make much of it.

Father, open the eye of my heart that I might know the hope of my calling in Christ. Amen.