Have you ever paused to consider the dimensions of the New Jerusalem mentioned in Revelation?
“The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.” – Revelation 21:16, ESV
A perfect cube, roughly 2,200 kilometres in every direction, stretching far beyond Earth’s atmosphere! Should we imagine a literal cube-shaped megacity floating in space? Or is John using prophetic imagery drawn from the Old Testament? Is he employing symbols loaded with theological depth that would have been familiar to his first-century readers, and which should be familiar still today to those well versed in Scripture?
To understand Revelation, we must look back to the original biblical sanctuary, the original place in which God dwelt among His people, the Holy of Holies. In the wilderness tabernacle, God instructed that the innermost sanctuary, the Most Holy Place, be a cube: “And you shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall separate for you between the holy place and the most holy.” – Exodus 26:33, ESV
Commentators note that this chamber measured 10 cubits by 10 cubits by 10 cubits. The number ten in Scripture signifies completeness or perfection, for example, the ten commandments, the tithe, etc. By contrast, when John describes the New Jerusalem, the dimensions were 12,000 stadia (approximately 2,200 kilometres). Here we see the number ten compounded to give a thousand, and the number 12, which speaks of divine government over His people, such as the 12 tribes and the 12 apostles. Perhaps this is because 12 is derived from three (God) multiplied by four (His creation).
What is John saying? The dwelling place of God is no longer a small cube—it is cosmic in scale. The perfect cube shape of the Most Holy Place is amplified for eternity. God is not just dwelling among a few; He is dwelling with all His people, and doing so in wholeness, fullness, completeness.
The Holy of Holies becomes a city, a place where God rules over His people for eternity: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” – Revelation 21:3, ESV
The New Jerusalem is the ultimate and final expression of God’s plan. What was once the secret and sanctified Most Holy Place becomes the common yet perfect “home” of God’s people.
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” – Habakkuk 2:14, ESV
This is what we live for; this is our hope; this is our destination. This is what salvation is.
“This is what you are here for: to glorify God and enjoy Him thoroughly and forever, telling the universe how great God is.” – A.W. Tozer
