God's City.

A city unlike any other ever in existence is what waits for those who would be God's. A city those who would be God's have looked for thousands of years ago. This same longed for city is the city we long for as well. A new home unlike anything we could ever know right now on earth.

Revelation 21

verse 15. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates.thereof, and the wall thereof.  16.   And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.  17.   And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.  18.   And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

(Excerpt taken from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith 1897-1911 Editions)

The City's Dimensions. - According to this testimony the city is laid out in a perfect square, measuring equally on all sides. The measure of the city, John declares, was twelve thousand furlongs. Twelve thousand furlongs, eight furlongs to the mile, equal fifteen hundred English miles. It may be understood that this measure is the measure of the whole circumference of the city and not merely of one side. This appears, from Kitto, to have been the ancient method of measuring cities. The whole circumference was taken, and that was said to be the measure of the city. According to this rule, the New Jerusalem will be three hundred and seventy-five miles on each side. The length, breadth, and height of it are equal. From this language, the question has arisen whether the city was as high as it was long and broad. The word rendered equal is isoV (isos); and from the definitions given by Liddell and Scott, we learn that it may be used to convey the idea of proportion: the height was proportionate to the length and

p 757 -- breadth. And this idea is strengthened by the fact that the wall was only a hundred and forty-four cubits high. Taking the cubit at about twenty-two inches, the length which is most commonly assigned to the ancient cubit, it would give only two hundred and sixty-four feet as the height of the wall. Now, if the city is just as high as it is long and broad, that is, three hundred and seventy-five miles, this wall of less than three hundred feet would be, in comparison, a most insignificant affair. Probably, therefore, the height of the buildings of the city is to be judged of by the height of the wall, which is distinctly given. 

The following criticisms on verse 16, the verse which gives the dimensions of the heavenly city, are undoubtedly correct:  -

"It has been inferred from the above text that the New Jerusalem city is to be as high as it is long, and that its length will be twelve thousand furlongs, or fifteen hundred miles. It seems to us entirely unnecessary to place such a construction upon the language. The word equal does not always mean the same as to dimensions or position; it is frequently used in the sense of proportion. If we were to say that the length and the breadth and the height of the city were in proportion, we should not violate the language." This view is taken by Jas. Du Pui, A. M., in his Exposition of the Apocalypse. The following from Thomas Wicks, author of Lectures on the Apocalypse, presents the same idea:       "The language, however, will bear another meaning, which is far more natural. It is not that the length and breadth and height were severally equal to each other, but equal with themselves; that is, the length was everywhere the same, and the breadth everywhere the same, and the height the same. It was perfect and symmetrical in all its proportions. This is confirmed by the fact distinctly stated, that the wall was one hundred and forty-four cubits high, or two hundred and sixteen feet, a proper height for a wall; while it is said that 'the length is as large as the breadth."'      This writer allows but eighteen inches to the cubit.

The Greek word isos, which is translated equal, will, according to Pickering, bear the meaning of proportion. Greenfield, in defining one of its cognate words (isotes), gives to it the

p 758 -- sense of "equal proportion," and refers to 2 Cor. 8:13, 14 as an example where this definition is quite admissible.

It would appear, therefore, that the height of the city was proportionate to its length and breadth, and not that it was as high as it was long. The text certainly admits of this interpretation; and this frees the language from all ambiguity, and the city from all disproportion, and shows perfect harmony in the general description.

The building of the wall was of jasper. Jasper is a precious stone usually described as of "a beautiful bright green color, sometimes clouded with white or spotted with yellow." This we understand to be the material of the main body of the wall built upon the twelve foundations hereafter described. And let it be remembered that this jasper wall was "clear as crystal" (verse 11), revealing all the glories within.

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'an hundred and forty and four cubits'  Interesting isn't it? 144 cubits.

144,000-

Rev_14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

God does everything for a reason, everything. Do we always comprehend the reasons, no. Do we have to? No. Will we one day understand? Yes. We are allowed to comprehend everything necessary to our salvation, and by the grace of our Lord and Savior we will! 

Knowing the dimensions of the new city Jerusalem truly amazes us doesn't it? Such a city! That our God and our Savior will be in that city with us is most amazing… and we will definitely find out more about that very soon!

A new home, a home that will boggle our minds with wonder, truly we long for this city, this perfect city!  This world isn't our final home, this world wasn't Abraham's home… remember this…

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Heb 11:9  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

We are strangers and pilgrims on earth! Our country is heaven, our city is the new Jerusalem!

Please, Father, may we live with you in this new country, in this new city! By Your Love, Your Grace, Your Mercy!

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever! AMEN!