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 .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Revelation 21:12-20
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.