city of Revelation 21 and 22.  Some difficulty may be experienced by the

reader when he reads the dimensions of the heavenly Jerusalem, given in

Revelation 21:16:

'And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the

breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand

furlongs.  The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal'.

Commenting on this verse, and the problem that arises, Dr. Bullinger

wrote in his Apocalypse,* 'In this case the city will be 1,500 miles high',

and referring to another system of measurement says, 'Is 375 miles high

easier to believe than 1,500?'  We know that great changes will take place,

not only in the Holy Land but in the earth at large, and so a city of these

vast proportions, set in the centre of a world in which there was 'no more

sea', need not be disproportionate.  However, an article in 'The Faith'

suggested that the 12,000 furlongs refers to the area of the square base, and

the square root of 12,000 is 109, which, taking the stadium to be 582 feet

(see Twentieth Century Dictionary) gives about 12 Miles for the length of one

of the square sides.  By comparing this with Ezekiel 48:35 the 18 thousand

measures, or reeds of six cubits would give us, with 25 inches to a cubit, a

circumference of 42.6 miles, which, divided by four, gives 10.6 miles for one

side and so practically identical with the suggested measurement given above.

This means, if it be true, that the Heavenly Jerusalem would descend and rest

upon the basis formed by the restored Jerusalem on earth.  A city twelve

miles square is a reasonable proportion, and twelve miles in height could

symbolize worldwide dominion, 12 denoting governmental perfection.  However

we are perfectly sure that when the day of fulfilment comes, there will be

perfect harmony between the event and the prophetic record.  Whatever the

size of the city may be, it will fulfil perfectly the purpose for which it

was prepared.  It will be the jewelled centre of the new earth.  We return

now to the question, when will the New Jerusalem descend?  When the New

Jerusalem descends from heaven, there will be:

*

Later published by Kregel with the new title:

A Commentary on Revelation.

'no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any

more pain: For the Former Things are Passed Away' (Rev. 21:4).

'He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make All Things New' (Rev.

For the fuller consideration of the problem, that death continues on

the new earth, see article, New Heaven and New Earth (p. 74).