9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying , " Come here , I will show you the bride , the wife of the Lamb ." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain , and showed me the holy city , Jerusalem , coming down out of heaven from God , 11 having the glory of God . Her brilliance was like a very costly stone , as a stone of crystal-clear jasper . 12 It had a great and high wall , with twelve gates , and at the gates twelve angels ; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel . 13 There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west . 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones , and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb . 15 The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city , and its gates and its wall . 16 The city is laid out as a square , and its length is as great as the width ; and he measured the city with the rod , fifteen hundred miles ; its length and width and height are equal . 17 And he measured its wall , seventy-two yards , according to human measurements , which are also angelic measurements. 18 The material of the wall was jasper ; and the city was pure gold , like clear glass . 19 The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone . The first foundation stone was jasper ; the second , sapphire ; the third , chalcedony ; the fourth , emerald ; 20 the fifth , sardonyx ; the sixth , sardius ; the seventh , chrysolite ; the eighth , beryl ; the ninth , topaz ; the tenth , chrysoprase ; the eleventh , jacinth ; the twelfth , amethyst . 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls ; each one of the gates was a single pearl . And the street of the city was pure gold , like transparent glass . 22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple . 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb . 24 The nations will walk by its light , and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there ) its gates will never be closed ; 26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and nothing unclean , and no e one who practices abomination and lying , shall ever e come into it, but only e those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Revelation 21:9-27
Commentary on Revelation 21:9-21
(Read Revelation 21:9-21)
God has various employments for his holy angels. Sometimes they sound the trumpet of Divine Providence, and warn a careless world; sometimes they discover things of a heavenly nature of the heirs of salvation. Those who would have clear views of heaven, must get as near to heaven as they can, on the mount of meditation and faith. The subject of the vision is the church of God in a perfect, triumphant state, shining in its lustre; glorious in relation to Christ; which shows that the happiness of heaven consists in intercourse with God, and in conformity to him. The change of emblems from a bride to a city, shows that we are only to take general ideas from this description. The wall is for security. Heaven is a safe state; those who are there, are separated and secured from all evils and enemies. This city is vast; here is room for all the people of God. The foundation of the wall; the promise and power of God, and the purchase of Christ, are the strong foundations of the safety and happiness of the church. These foundations are set forth by twelve sorts of precious stones, denoting the variety and excellence of the doctrines of the gospel, or of the graces of the Holy Spirit, or the personal excellences of the Lord Jesus Christ. Heaven has gates; there is a free admission to all that are sanctified; they shall not find themselves shut out. These gates were all of pearls. Christ is the Pearl of great price, and he is our Way to God. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. The saints in heaven tread gold under foot. The saints are there at rest, yet it is not a state of sleep and idleness; they have communion, not only with God, but with one another. All these glories but faintly represent heaven.
Commentary on Revelation 21:22-27
(Read Revelation 21:22-27)
Perfect and direct communion with God, will more than supply the place of gospel institutions. And what words can more full express the union and co-equality of the Son with the Father, in the Godhead? What a dismal world would this be, if it were not for the light of the sun! What is there in heaven that supplies its place? The glory of God lightens that city, and the Lamb is the Light thereof. God in Christ will be an everlasting Fountain of knowledge and joy to the saints in heaven. There is no night, therefore no need of shutting the gates; all is at peace and secure. The whole shows us that we should be more and more led to think of heaven as filled with the glory of God, and enlightened by the presence of the Lord Jesus. Nothing sinful or unclean, idolatrous, or false and deceitful, can enter. All the inhabitants are made perfect in holiness. Now the saints feel a sad mixture of corruption, which hinders them in the service of God, and interrupts their communion with him; but, at their entrance into the holy of holies, they are washed in the laver of Christ's blood, and presented to the Father without spot. None are admitted into heaven who work abominations. It is free from hypocrites, such as make lies. As nothing unclean can enter heaven, let us be stirred up by these glimpses of heavenly things, to use all diligence, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God.