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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 7 - YES, I AM COMING SOON! (REVELATION 19:11 - 22-21)
PART 7.6 - THE NEW JERUSALEM: THE BRIDE OF THE LAMB (REVELATION 21:9 - 22:5)

2. The High Wall Around the Holy City (Revelation 21:12-14)


REVELATION 21:12-14
12 having a great and high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. 13 On the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

The Twelve Gates: In the shining glory of New Jerusalem John recognized at first a high wall enclosing the whole city. Twelve gates caught his eyes. At each gate stood a holy angel checking and examining all who came in and went out and refusing the access for unclean strangers. The brightness of the angel contrasted strongly with the glory of the city of God.

On each of the twelve gates one of the names of the twelve tribes of Israel was written. Not the names of the twelve sons of Jacob could be read on the gates, but the names of their sanctified descendants, namely, the four sons of Jacob who were borne at first by Leah (Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah), both sons who were borne by Rachel's maidservant Bilhah (Dan and Naphtali), both sons borne by Leah's maidservant Zilpah (Gad and Asher), both sons borne by his beloved Rachel (Joseph and Benjamin) and the last two sons borne by Leah (Issachar and Zebulun). All these men were no saints but coarse Bedouins whose transgressions are described frankly in the Book of Genesis (Genesis 29:31-30:24; 33:18-34:31; 35:16-26; 37:23-28; 38:1-30; 49:1-28; and other verses). John does not give detailed information whether the name of the tribe Dan had been blotted out from the list of the sons of Israel as this tribe had deliberately installed a regular idolatry. It is also not mentioned, whether Manasseh, one of the sons of Joseph, was named in place Dan as it is written in the name list of the twelve thousand chosen from each of the twelve tribes in the Book of Revelation 7:4-8.

But it is important that Jacob (the cheater) is not named by his own name but by his honorary name Israel (a man who wrestled with God; Genesis 32:23-33). This new name demonstrates that a man is not justified by his own works but only by faith which involves a break of his evil Ego. Like the robber on the cross who could not attribute anything to his salvation but only triumphed by his courage to believe, in the same manner not one of the sons of Israel was justified or became good by himself. Only by repentance and faith they were justified. The books of the Old Testament testify in an overwhelming manner the righteousness by grace from the Lord (Exodus 34:6-7; Joshua 5:13-15; 2 Samuel 12:5-15; Isaiah 6:1-7; Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16; and other verses). It was Abraham's obedience of faith by which the blessing was put upon the children of Isaac and Jacob (Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:26; Acts 3:13.25; see also Matthew 21:40-44; Acts 28:28; and other verses).

As already described in Revelation 7:4-8, not all who call themselves Israeli or Jew will be sealed (Romans 2:28-29; 4:11-12; 9:6-8.27; Revelation 2:9; 3:9; and other verses), but only those who turn to Jesus, their Messiah and Lamb of God, in upright repentance (Isaiah 53:1-12). Not any Jew will be justified without the subtitutionary atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Without the blood of the Son of God nobody will find righteousness and holiness which are being effective before God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Revelation 7:10; and other verses).

Apart from that it must be mentioned that nobody is able to enter the holy city who does not love the born-again children of Israel and follow their way to repentance and faith. The sanctified among the Jews have recognized and gone as prophets and priests the way of justification by grace as Paul confirmed the testimony of Habakkuk, “The just shall live by his faith!” (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17).

By means of the image of the heavenly Jerusalem we are informed in a drastic manner that nobody will be able to enter the city of God except by the names and scriptures of the spirit-driven chosen of the children of Israel (Romans 11:17-24). In the gospel of Matthew there are 42 quotations from the Scriptures of the Old Testament and in addition more than 120 indirect references to the Torah, the Psalms and the Prophets. To the first floor of a house you will normally get via the ground floor! In the long run nobody will understand the New Testament without the help of its fundament, namely the Old Testament.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we worship You because Your Holy Spirit inspired the prophets of the Old Testament with Your holy words. None of Your saints became righteous of Himeslf, but You delivered, justified, enlightened, sanctified and preserved each one of them by Your grace. Save us and our beloved ones too, so that we may become worthy of passing the check doors leading to the inside of the everlasting city of God. Amen.

QUESTION:

  1. What do the names of the doors and foundation stones in the New Jerusalem tell us?

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