In Revelation 11:1-2 John was given a reed to measure the Temple of God, but the house only. The Temple court with the Altar of Sacrifice and the Brass Laver were left out, because everything in the outer court was given over to the gentiles, who treated the holy things with contempt. However, in Revelation 21:15 the angel, who was with John (cp. Revelation 21:9), had a golden reed, and he used it to measure the city of New Jerusalem with its walls and gates. Every one of its four sides, together with the height of its walls were equal, measuring 144 cubits each (Revelation 21:15-17).
This, of course, isn’t the measurement of a literal, physical city. Rather, it has spiritual significance. The number 144 is 12 squared (12 x 12 = 144). The number twelve is a significant number in that it represents perfection in government or one might say it is perfect judgment. For example, according to Genesis 1:16, the sun rules the day, while the moon and the stars rule the night, and in doing so, they ‘travel’ through the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Moreover, there are twelve patriarchs from Seth to Noah (before the Flood) and twelve afterward from Shem to Jacob. There are also twelve sons of Israel. All of these men ruled and judged their people. There are also twelve Apostles (who were to rule from twelve thrones – Matthew 19:28), and every believer is judged by their testimony about Jesus, as it is recorded in the Gospel narratives. There are also twelve gates into New Jerusalem, and “…nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27). In other words, the gates act as filters, each determining who may and who may not enter New Jerusalem.
The point is, the measure of 144 cubits is spiritual in nature and pertains to the Lord’s perfect government and judgment of his people. The New Jerusalem cannot be literally or physically measured, because the Bride of Christ (the Church) is scattered all over the world. We are a nation that is not a people group (Deuteronomy 32:21; Romans 10:19). We are not an entity that can be touched (Hebrews 12:18). Therefore, the measurement of New Jerusalem has spiritual significance, not physical. It pertains to the judgment of the saints, as we shall clearly see.
John further describes the city in terms of it being made up of and founded upon precious stones and metals. Each of its twelve gates was made up of one pearl, while its roads were of a kind of clear gold (Revelation 21:18-21). Remembering what John saw was difficult to put into words, which would convey adequate understanding (2Corinthians 12:4), some of the precious stones mentioned aren’t even known today, so we can only guess what he means. The point is that the city isn’t a physical city that one could walk around or find on a map. Rather, these precious jewels point to the reward of the saints for their labor, while they live out their physical lives. Notice:
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1Corinthians 3:11-15 KJV)
When the saints die, they pass through the second death (the lake of fire), which cannot hurt them (Revelation 2:11), but it does declare what sort their labor is (1Corinthians 3:13). Whatever the lake of fire cannot burn up, are the rewards of the saints, which they are able to convert from their physical lives into something precious in the life after this life (1Corinthians 3:14; Revelation 14:13).
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