What will be the purpose of the walls around the New Jerusalem?

Answer

Beginning with Revelation 21:9, John records his final vision depicting the city of God, the New Jerusalem where believers in Christ will spend their eternal lives. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all of God’s promises. It exemplifies the total goodness of God, its infinite brilliance “like that of a very precious jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal” «having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; », (Revelation 21:11). It is here that Scripture provides us with a description so magnificent that we catch a glimpse of the glories of eternal heaven. In this passage, an angel of God has taken John to the top of a great and high mountain. From there, John looks down upon this Holy City and attempts to describe the indescribable. The city is like a massive, crystal-clear diamond with the glory of God shining from its center over all the new heavens and the new earth. All of eternity is bathed in its splendor.

Then in verse 12, John transitions from describing its general appearance to its exterior design starting with the walls. Human words are inadequate to describe what John is trying to convey, which is why he repeatedly uses similes, often saying “it is like” something else. However, he provides us with just enough to stir our hearts and excite our souls. God, through John, brings us as close to understanding this place as our finite minds can grasp.

The walls of the city, described as “great and high,” are a clear symbol of exclusion of all who are unworthy to enter the city. While innumerable believers will partake in its glory, there is the sobering reminder that only the redeemed are allowed to enter. Within the wall are twelve gates guarded by twelve angels and inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. In keIn keeping with the square shape of the city, the gates are located on each of the four sides as specified in verse 13. It is noteworthy, however, that not only are the twelve tribes of Israel represented but also the twelve apostles. This should conclusively address the matter of the inclusion of Old Testament saints. It appears to be the divine intention to indicate that the New Jerusalem will have among its inhabitants not only believers of the present age but also Israel and the saints of other eras.

However, a final question remains: if those within the walls of the New Jerusalem are the saved, then who are those outside its walls? The last three verses of chapter 21 provide us with the answer: “On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:25-27). The city’s gates in the wall will never be shut. It is not that outside of the New Jerusalem, unsaved people are still roaming around, but this portrays a city with open gates on a new earth where believers will dwell throughout eternity. Ancient cities closed their gates at night for security reasons. However, since there will be no night there, and since all evil will have been eliminated, these gates will remain open continuously. Revelation seems to depict a significant amount of activity coming and going from the city, but all who enter and exit are those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. The unredeemed are far outside the city’s walls—in the “outer darkness” of hell «But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. », (Matthew 8:12), consigned to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15)—and can never approach the Holy City.

Jesus Himself, along with John, identifies the “impure” as those who will not gain access to the city: “Outside are the dogs who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” as well as the “cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, and all liars” «For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. », (Revelation 22:15). In contrast, those individuals whose names are inscribed in the Lamb’s book of life are granted access to the Holy City; they possess eternal life and belong to their faithful Savior Jesus Christ. The Lamb, who redeemed them with His blood Rev: 5:9, will never erase their names from His book «He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. », (Revelation 3:5) and will grant them the right to the tree of life and entrance into the city «Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. », (Revelation 22:14).

While the depiction of the city does not address all our inquiries regarding the eternal state, the revelation provided to John portrays a beautiful and glorious future for all who place their trust in the living God. Conversely, it discloses that when the end arrives, there will be no further opportunity for repentance and admission into heaven. The reality is this: spiritual transformation occurs in this present life, not in the

afterlife.