The Resplendent City - Measuring the City

 John continues his account: "Now the one who was speaking with me was holding as a measure a golden reed, that he measure the city and its gates and its wall. And the city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its breadth.  And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs; its length adn breadth are equal.  Also, he measured its wall, one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to a man's measure, at the same time and angel's." (Revelation 21:15-17)   When the temple  sanctuarty was measured, this guaranteed the fulfillment of Jehovah's purposes with regard to it.  (Revelation 11:1) Now, the angel's measuring New Jerusalem shows how unchangeable Jehovah's purposes are with regard to this glorious city. 

What a remarkable city this is!  A perfect cube 12,000 furlongs  (about 1,380 miles)  (2,220 km) ub perimeter,, surrounded bya wall 144 cubits, or 210 feet  [64 m], in height.  No literal city could ever  have such measurements. It would cover a territory about 14 times as larges as modern Israel, and it would tower almost 350 miles [560km] into outer space! Revelations was given in signs.  So, what do these measurements tell us about heavenly New Jerusale?

The 144 cubit-high walls remind us that the city is made up of 144,000 spiritually adopted sons of God.  The figure 12 that appears in the 12,000-furlong measurements of the city-with the length, breadth, and height being equal-is used figuratively in organizational  settings in Bible prophecy.  Hence, New Jerusalem is a superably designed organizationsl arrangement for accomplishing God's eternal purpose.  New Jerusalem, together with  the King Jesus Christ, is Jehovah's Kingdom organization.  Then there is the shape of the city: a perfect cube.  In Solomon's temple,the Most Holy, containing a symbolic representaton of Jehovah's presence, was a perfect cube.  (1 Kings 6:19, 20)  How fitting, then, that New Jerusalem, illuminated by the glory of Jehovah himself, is seen  as a perfect, large-scaled cube!  All its measurements are perfectly balanced. It is a city without irrgegularities or defects. - REVELATION  21:22.

Next time: The Resplendent City - Precious Building Materials.

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