Revelation 21:9b-14
Chapter 21
9
The New Jerusalem
Then, one of the seven angels approached me, one of those with the seven bowls filled with the last seven plagues. And he said, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”10
He took me up in a spiritual vision to a very high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
11
It gleamed with the glory of God, like a precious jewel, with the color of crystal-clear jasper.
12
Its wall, large and high, has twelve gates; at each gate are twelve angels. Written above the gates are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.
13
Three gates face east, three face north, three face south, and three face west.
14
The city wall rested on twelve foundation stones, inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Commentaries
The New Jerusalem.
From a high mountain, the antithesis of the desert where he contemplated the great prostitute (17:3), John, the seer, with the power of the Spirit, receives a profound prophetic vision: a new city. The entire city radiates with God’s light. A detailed description of its architectural features follows. The new Jerusalem, shining with God’s light, becomes a symbol or a beacon for all humanity. The universal calling of the Church is highlighted once again.
With the beginning of chapter 22, we shift from the symbolic view of the city to that of paradise. These first five verses express a longing found in all religions, each naming it differently: the dream of Eden. It is a quest for lost origins, a nostalgia for divine peace with all creation restored. God’s light is so intense that the astral lights (sun and moon) and the lamps of worship seem dim in comparison. The symbolism of this mysterious light illustrates the divine life that magnificently surrounds all humanity. It is an abundance of life, imperishable and eternal.