'Walls' and gates in the new Jerusalem

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Scott Bushey

Puritanboard Commissioner
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12 and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 on the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The Cambridge Paragraph Bible: Of the Authorized English Version (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1873), Re 21:9–14.

In the garden, there were no walls or doors; what will walls and gates in the New Jerusalem, accomplish? Walls are, generally, means of security; they are used to keep things out. Consider the temple and why there were walls and drapes, etc.
 
In the garden, there were no walls or doors; what will walls and gates in the New Jerusalem, accomplish? Walls are, generally, means of security; they are used to keep things out. Consider the temple and why there were walls and drapes, etc.

You are asking a question about the value of walls? Have you learned nothing from the reign of Emperor Trump? ;)
 
From Beale's commentary:

"The wall represents the inviolable nature of the city's (= the renewed covenant community's) fellowship with God, as implied by v. 27 and 22:14-15. This alludes to Isa. 26:1-2: " In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security. Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter."

Forgive any errors as I manually typed this on my phone.
 
Walls denote safety and security. But I am not sure how literal it will be.

I always thought we would be free to roam all the new creation and wander the New Earth. Adam got a Garden and animals....why do I have to settle for a fenced-in urban dwelling? So I am sure it will be better than the Garden and will have those same things of the Garden, plus more.
 
"Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false" (Revelation 21:27). So of course, there must be walls. But I agree that they might not be literal.
 
"Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false" (Revelation 21:27). So of course, there must be walls. But I agree that they might not be literal.

Jack,
Again, if u are following the narration in Rev 21, there is nothing 'unclean' or 'anyone who does what is detestable or false' left to enter, but the glorified.
 
Jack,
Again, if u are following the narration in Rev 21, there is nothing 'unclean' or 'anyone who does what is detestable or false' left to enter, but the glorified.
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.
15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying." (Rev. 22:14-15)
 
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.
15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying." (Rev. 22:14-15)

Ian,
The term 'outside' (in the KJ's 'without')is not intended to imply that these sinners are in any way in a position to *sneak* into glory or even remotely local to the New Jerusalem.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The Cambridge Paragraph Bible: Of the Authorized English Version (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1873), Re 20:11–15.
 
Hello Scott,

Back to your OP — given the apocalyptic genre — would it not be congruent with the rest of the vision of New Earth and New Jerusalem upon it, that the walls symbolize (as has been noted above) security against and separation from all that is not holy? And the precincts of the city—its dimensions—are we to think it is foursquare / 1,400 miles (2,200 km; “twelve thousand furlongs” Rev 21:16 AV), a great cube going up into the stratosphere? Or is this a Hebraic poetry of sorts indicating absolute perfection? (Consider, the only other perfect cube in Scripture is the temple’s holy of holies – 1 Kings 6:20, cf Ezek 41:4.)

I think, following GK Beale, that New Jerusalem is the actual city, and the actual people, of God upon renewed paradise Earth, one grand temple containing the glory of God and of the Lamb (we humans united with Him, ourselves also this temple containing His wondrous majesty and presence).

The walls would be “an hundred and forty and four cubits”, Rev 21:17 (200 feet / 65 meters) high (and thick?). Again, using imagery symbolic of ancient fortifications, a massive protective measure indicating the impossibility of being breached. For the Almighty is the protector thereof, and the wicked and abominable—all of them—are inescapably put by Him in the place “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41). The sentence of the omnipotent and omniscient One is immutable.

To be alive in glorified bodies on this renewed planet united with Him who is the infinite fount of all glory, love, joy, and pleasure, amidst His pristine and living creation — well, this talkative creature is rendered speechless by the wonder of what awaits us who, by His grace and power, endure the fiery trials that also await us considered worthy to suffer for His name’s sake.
 
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Jack,
Again, if u are following the narration in Rev 21, there is nothing 'unclean' or 'anyone who does what is detestable or false' left to enter, but the glorified.

This is one reason I say the walls might not be literal. We're dealing with an apocalyptic book, which means that much of what we read is symbolic imagery. Perhaps we should not expect an actual walled city that has evil people right outside the gates, unable to get in. Some of the larger passage, in fact, suggests it won't be that way, while other parts of the passage present exactly that imagery.

Therefore, we must look for the meaning behind the imagery. One key point of meaning is that the heavenly "city" is a secure and undefiled place. The imagery of walls fits that message.
 
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