12 having also a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve messengers, and names written thereon, which are `those' of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel,
13 at the east three gates, at the north three gates, at the south three gates, at the west three gates;
14 and the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he who is speaking with me had a golden reed, that he may measure the city, and its gates, and its wall;
16 and the city lieth square, and the length of it is as great as the breadth; and he did measure the city with the reed -- furlongs twelve thousand; the length, and the breadth, and the height, of it are equal;
17 and he measured its wall, an hundred forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the messenger;
18 and the building of its wall was jasper, and the city `is' pure gold -- like to pure glass;
19 and the foundations of the wall of the city with every precious stone have been adorned; the first foundation jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Revelation 21
Commentary on Revelation 21 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 21
Hitherto the prophecy of this book has presented to us a very remarkable mixture of light and shade, prosperity and adversity, mercy and judgment, in the conduct of divine Providence towards the church in the world: now, at the close of all, the day breaks, and the shadows flee away; a new world now appears, the former having passed away. Some are willing to understand all that is said in these last two chapters of the state of the church even here on earth, in the glory of the latter days; but others, more probably, take it as a representation of the perfect and triumphant state of the church in heaven. Let but the faithful saints and servants of God wait awhile, and they shall not only see, but enjoy, the perfect holiness and happiness of that world. In this chapter you have,
Rev 21:1-8
We have here a more general account of the happiness of the church of God in the future state, by which it seems most safe to understand the heavenly state.
Rev 21:9-27
We have already considered the introduction to the vision of the new Jerusalem in a more general idea of the heavenly state; we now come to the vision itself, where observe,