Gates and Walls around the eternal holy city?

Hi mike ,

I too have wondered about this passage. 

I think it could mean one of two things

First what John describes as gates and foundation stones, may just be figurative, the gates represent the 12 tribes of the sons of Israel, and the foundation stones the 12 apostles. These are the essential building blocks of the eternal kingdom. The tribes of Israel entered into a relationship with God, they were the way to the kingdom initially under the Old covenant, the faithful Old covenant believers saw the promises of God from a distance, they lived at a time when the plans for the heavenly city were drawn up but not executed yet,  Jesus became the cornerstone of the heavenly city when He overcame death, the apostles became the foundation stones, and others are built upon them.



So what John saw as a city with gates and walls, may have just been figurative in nature - a picture used to describe New Jerusalem. 

However, John takes great pains to describe the measurements of  the city which are measured with the golden measuring rod, so it does seem that there is more to it than just metaphor. 

My own thoughts are that John intermixes the Millennial functioning of the city with the New Earth function.  For instance in verse 24 and 26, Kings of earth and nations bring their glory into it, but will there be Kings on the New earth? Will there be nations? 



I think that during the millennial kingdom New Jerusalem will hover over earthly Jerusalem and be visible to people on earth. 

It will be much like it was during the days of the temple under the Old Covenant (Numbers 9:15-23), except that people on earth will see the heavenly city which will be connected to the earthly one in some way. (The pillar of smoke and fire?)

The gates and walls are there to remind those who enter, how it all began. That God the creator of all things chose men to be the building blocks of His city. That the architect and builder used men in the construction, placing each stone in place. 

Just my two cents

Maybe a question to ask to dig deeper into this passage and understanding is what is the purpose of the lake of fire? Not by mans standards or theologies on the Lake of Fire. What does scriptures say about the Lake of Fire and what purpose it serves?

But first the words here are important. Here are a few to chew on:

2303 theíon – properly, sulfur ("brimstone," i.e. smoky, burning rocks), i.e. sulphurous, named for the sulphur-smell left by lightning; (figuratively) the fire of heaven, bringing down God's judgment to display His awesome, unstoppable power.

The word for brimstone however is the neuter adjective of
Theos (apparently the neuter of the adjective θεῖος equivalent to divine incense, because burning brimstone was regarded as having power to purify, and to ward off contagion

Full definition of theos and the iOS: theíos (an adjective, derived from 2316 /theós, "God") – divine, manifesting the characteristics of God's nature.

2304 /theíos ("divine nature") ties God's essence to His self-manifestation, permitting all people to know Him by observing His attributes.

And now how the word fire is used in this passage: 4442 pýr – fire. In Scripture, fire is often used figuratively – like with the "fire of God" which transforms all it touches into light and likeness with itself

God's Spirit, like a holy fire, enlightens and purifies so that believers can share more and more in His likeness. Indeed the fire of God brings the uninterrupted privilege of being transformed which happens by experiencing faith from Him. Our lives can become true offerings to Him as we obey this imparted faith from God by His power.

There is also the word tormented that is described as a state of being, not a result of the Lake of Fire: 4. universally, to vex with grievous pains (of body or mind), to torment: τινα, Matthew 8:29; Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28; 2 Peter 2:8; Revelation 11:10; passively, Matthew 8:6; Revelation 9:5; Revelation 20:10; of the pains of childbirth, Revelation 12:2 (cf. Anthol. 2, p. 205, Jacobs edition); with ἐν and the dative of the material in which one is tormented, Revelation 14:10.

That is all from Strong’s concordance.

So we have a lot of rather negative people of various degrees going into the Lake of Fire (but nothing beyond what majority of anyone has possibly done. Lie, steal, idolize, and etc.) that is burning with brimstone (or into the Holy refining Fire judgement of God which transforms all it touches into light and likeness with itself, which is the tormenting material being used) and afterwards there is more than one invite into the new Jerusalem and to the fountain of the spring of life through gates that are always open.

Isaiah and Paul say it best:
Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
Isa 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Isa 45:24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

And parallels with:

Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Yes, I would interpret the gates to be the tribes/nations of Israel to which all followers of Christ belong. That if an individual is not of Christ then that individual can not get in to the city; being restricted by the lack of salvation. So in this context there are not physical gates but eternal salvation of the twelve tribes of Israel.

The streets being paved with gold is the city having pure people. The city continues to be defined in these terms in Chapter 21.

So I guess in this context the city descending out of heaven is the saints returning to the earth or the eternal cohabitation of saints upon the earth from heaven. You know, the freedom of travel from heaven to the earth; out in the open for all to see. Truly free at last, free at last; thank God we are free at last. I think the city represents something like that.

Although, there is a real physical city with all the symbolism and so forth; real gates, real gold, real stones. But the gates do not actually keep anyone out but represent the restriction of those who do not have salvation. I suppose when we see the gates we are humbled with gratitude that they do not apply to us in a restrictive manner; we having salvation and not being restricted from Christ.

The interesting thing is that Christ is omnipresent from that location. He probably never leaves the city; being everywhere at once. I was watching a television program describing the string theory and multiple layers to reality. My concept of that theory helps me understand how Christ can be everywhere at once and interact with individuals personally. Thus, on this earth at this time Christ can interact with 7 billion people all at once and each having unique circumstances to be addressed. I have also wondered why a physical body is necessary for Christ at this time; neither adding to nor detracting from his omnipresence. Yet his physical presence is the central figure in the holy city (v. 22:1).

Check out the "kings of the earth" reference in Verse 21:24. These are the same kings of the earth that are referenced in Verses 19:19, 17:2, 18:8, 5:10, 1:6, etc.