It had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common. John is trying to give us the impression of the immense size of this place, so he tells us that it is 144 cubits, but in his day a cubit was not nearly as precise as we make measurements today. The book of revelation cites numerous examples showing that the devil cannot touch gods people. We see that meaning reflected in 12 apostles and 12 tribes of israel. The number 12 is itself a symbol of the people of god which was first established in the 12 tribes of israel and then confirmed in the 12 apostles and both are united in the. The original version of 144 cubits consists of two twelves 12 is the number of gods government, and 2 is the number of witness.
The angel was using the same measurement that people use. Furthermore, they are called the firstfruits unto god and to the lamb in revelation 12. Not only so, but its walls are twelve times twelve or 144 cubits thick revelation 21. A hundred and forty and four cubits hekaton tesserakonta tessaro. New jerusalem city dimensions book of revelation chapter. It is not clear whether it is the height or the breadth of the wall that is meant, though hupsos height. So the wall is a witness of gods government in our lives. Another multiple of 12 12x12 144 as in revelation 7. Who are the 144,000 in the book of revelation mark finley duration. Who hath measured the waters of his hand, and took the measure of heaven to the feet, and in a measure the dust of the earth and weighed the mountains with weights and the hills in scales, this word inspires us to observe that the measures mentioned by john in the book of revelation in the new jerusalem can be represented by. As such, it is far more likely that 144,000 is a number that represents the 12 apostles of the lamb multiplied by the 12 tribes of israel, times 1,000. One interesting description presented in revelation. The impact of this on gothic architecture has not, as far as i am aware, been propperly explord, but safe to say the figure 144 is a recurring number in the dimensions of many church buildings. The measurements of the new jerusalem keith simons.
Now this verse is certainly not saying that the wall was a man of 144 cubits, which would be analogous to the way dr. The significance of this is that the walls of heaven heaven are, by st johns description, 144 cubits deep, by 144 cubits wide and 144 cubits high. John of patmos describes the new jerusalem in the book of revelation in the christian bible. The blessing is available right now, but the curse pertains to a specific time in earths history when the book of revelation will be presented to the people of earth as a testing. It is far more likely that 144,000 is a number that represents the twelve apostles of the lamb multiplied by the twelve tribes of israel, times one thousand. The figurative use of the number twelve and its multiples is well established in biblical. Revelation 21 tpt a new heaven, a new earth, the new. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits 200 feet thick. This entry is part 16 of 16 in the series revelation. The book of revelation has two mentions of this 144,000 and the first comes in revelation 14.
The number 12 constantly appears in johns description of the new jerusalem 21. Questions about revelation no temple in new jerusalem. Revelation 21 the passion translation tpt a new heaven, a new earth, the new jerusalem. Who are the 144,000 people mentioned in the book of. He also measured its wall144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angels measurement.
Tagged 000, 144, 144 cubits, 144000, 1st resurrection. The 144,000 what the bible says book of revelation. Background biblical title of the book is the revelation of jesus christ rev 1. They have a special relationship with the lamb, and they are sealed with a special name. For more on interpreting the numbers in the book of revelation go to numerology in the. But the book of revelation tells us of another special forces unit, a vast army of 144,000. It is important to note that 12 is the square root of 144. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits. Osborne notes that the cube shape matches the shape of the holy of holies 20 cubits each direction, 1 kings 6. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. The first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were sealed off they couldn.
The book of revelation promises a blessing to those who will read it revelation 1. The book of revelation is the book of hope in spite of all those fearful sceneries and mysteries described in it. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by mans measurement, which the angel was using. Even though we have to accept the measurements given at face value, i do not have a good answer. Commentary on revelation 2122 new heaven and new earth. In every case, the numbers are symbolic and may only be understood spiritually. The new jerusalem 16 the city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length.
This is its probable form, for a wall 144 cubits, or 216 feet thick, could not support a wall 1500 miles high, and a wall that high would hide the pyramidal part of the city from view. The exact meaning behind the numerology in the revelation might not always be as clear to our generation as it once was to the generation to whom it was first given. John writes that the wall is 144 cubits, which is assumed to be the thickness since the length is mentioned previously. He also measured its wall, one hundred fortyfour cubits rev 21.
And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. In the book of revelation, chapter 21, verses 1617, the new jerusalem is prophecied, a huge square temple, 12,000 stadia per side, the walls with a thickness of 144 cubits, precession numbers, bas. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal12,000 stadia in length and width and height. All these associations identify the 144,000 who are sealed with the city, which is called the bride, the lambs wife. The only tribe that was missing was the tribe of dan and this might be because of dans fall into idolatry and being cut off from the nation of israel. A great city like babylon had a thick wall, because that made the city strong jeremiah 51. This is because in the end good triumphed in the seemingly unending cosmic battle between the forces of good and evil. Since the holy of holies was the place where the shekinah resided, this is especially appropriate for the celestial city. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.