New Jerusalem: Mutual Indwelling of God and Man
The description of New Jerusalem in includes many “twelves.” The city has twelve gates which are twelve pearls with twelve angels and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 12:12, 18). It has twelve foundations with the names of twelve apostles (v. 13). New Jerusalem’s size is twelve thousand stadia (v. 16) and the wall is 144 (12 X 12) cubits high (v. 17).
In the Bible, twelve shows eternal perfection.
There are three gates on each of the four sides of the holy city….The number four refers to God’s creation. In Revelation 4:6 we see that the four living creatures represent all other living creatures (cf. Ezek. 1:5-14). Four refers to us as God’s creatures, and three refers to the Triune God….The number twelve is mingled, or blended, by three times four. This means that the entire New Jerusalem is a blending, a mingling, of the Triune God with us human beings. God is mingled with His creature man in His eternal administration in the New Jerusalem.*
This blending was spoken of by the Lord Jesus in John 14:20 referring to His upcoming resurrection, “I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” Moreover, in John 15:4-5 He charges us, “Abide in Me and I in you.” This mutual abiding continues from His resurrection unto eternity.
New Jerusalem is an eternal mutual indwelling, a coinherence, of God and man.
* From chapter 35, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.
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Posted by Don on March 8, 2023
