Questions about the New Jerusalem and Revelation

[Theoretical]

9Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed-- 13on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16The city lies foursquare; its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia.[d] Its length and width and height are equal. 17He also measured its wall, 144 cubits[e] by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. 18The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. 19The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

(Revelation 21:9-21 - ESV)

I've heard very mixed things about the importance of numerical usage in the Scriptures (3, 7, 10, 12, 40, etc...). More specifically, I'm really curious about whether there's any significance to the usage of 12,000 stadia (which I've seen means between 1300-1500 miles) on each side. What's the best way to address arguments against the Resurrection and New Heaven and New Earth on this basis?

Is there significance in it being 12,000 of these units, and 144 cubits high? What's a sound approach to this passage?

 

[MW]

I take the key statement to be that the length and breadth and height are equal -- as with the holy of holies. Twelve is the number of the people of God, multiplied by a thousand, the heavenly number. This is the city of the heavenly people, and it is the very place where God manifests His holy presence. All of the other descriptions indicate permanence and blessedness in that presence.

 

[Theoretical]

I take the key statement to be that the length and breadth and height are equal -- as with the holy of holies. Twelve is the number of the people of God, multiplied by a thousand, the heavenly number. This is the city of the heavenly people, and it is the very place where God manifests His holy presence. All of the other descriptions indicate permanence and blessedness in that presence.

Thank you, Rev. Winzer. I still have just enough dispensationalist that still hasn't been hammered out fully to make me trip over passages like these. Oh well, I'm growing nonetheless and growing out of that mode of thought.

 

[MW]

Blessings for the Lord's day, Scott.