| Church School Lesson: No Place Like It |
"No Place Like It"
August 14, 2022
Background: Revelation 21:10-27; Revelation 21:10-21;
Key Verse: Revelation 21:14; Devotional: 2 Peter 3:8-13
Revelation 21:10-21 (NKJV)
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.
17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation 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, and the twelfth amethyst.
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
Revelation Chapter 21 (Commentary)
21:9-11 One of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues (21:9; cf. 16:1-21), shows John the new Jerusalem (21:10). Although believers will dwell across the entire new creation, the angel focuses John’s attention on the new earth’s capital. Because it will be arrayed with God’s glory, this city will be more radiant than a cut diamond (21:11).
21:12-14 The city’s massive high wall (21:12) signifies the identity of its inhabitants. First, the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons [are] inscribed on the gates (21:12), signifying that believers from Old Testament Israel will be present within it. Second, the city wall is pictured with twelve foundations and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are written on the foundations (21:14). This signifies the presence of believers from the church, which was established in the New Testament era. Old and new covenant followers of the Lord will dwell together in the new creation.
21:15-17 The angel measures the city, its gates, and its wall (21:15) to reveal that the city is a cube of 12,000 stadia in length, width, and height (21:16). A stadia is approximately 600 feet, which means each dimension of the city is approximately 1,400 miles—about half the distance from New York to Los Angeles. The most mind-blowing aspect of these dimensions is the height. It’s a multi-storied city that extends up—and this is just the capital of God’s new creation! The wall encasing this city will be 144 cubits, about 72 yards, thick.
21:18-21 The wall will be made of jasper, an opaque gemstone. The city itself will be pure gold (21:18). The foundations of the city wall are to be adorned with every kind of jewel (21:19). The list of them in 21:19-20 defies comment. Each of the twelve gates will be a single pearl, and the main street of the city will be pure gold (21:21). This is where we draw the idea that there are streets of gold in our eternal home—not of tar, not of cement, but of gold!