The seventh implication of the wall is that it protects God’s interest. It is the circumference of the interest of God, which is the kingdom of God. Whatever is protected within this wall is the very kingdom of God, and this kingdom of God is the economy of God to carry out God’s eternal purpose, which is made according to His desire. The church in every locality today should be such a separated and protected entity. There should be nothing in the church but God’s desire. Only what God wants is within the wall and nothing else.
The wall is also measured in “a measure of a man, that is, of an angel” (Rev. 21:17). It is in resurrection that man will be like the angels (Matt. 22:30). Hence, “a measure of a man, that is, of an angel” signifies that the wall of the city is not natural but in resurrection. The entire wall is something transformed and built up in resurrection. In this sense, all of us in the church life should be like angels. In our natural life we are not like angels, but in resurrection we are. Many of the sisters would like to be angels, but we must remember that if we want to be like an angel, we have to be in resurrection. In the natural life, everyone is a “scorpion, gopher, or turtle.” But hallelujah, there is a hope that in resurrection we could be transformed to be like angels.
The wall is something transformed and built up in resurrection so its measurement is one hundred and forty-four cubits, signifying absolute perfection and eternal completion of absolute perfections and eternal completions. A hundred forty-four is twelve times twelve. Twelve signifies absolute perfection and eternal completion in God’s administration. The wall refers to God’s administration because it encircles, sanctifies, and protects the city. Within this protected city is God’s throne to carry out His administration, which is absolutely perfect and eternally complete. No other number should be ascribed to the church life but twelve. In the New Jerusalem everything is perfect and complete for God’s complete and eternal administration.
Twelve foundations (Rev. 21:14a) signify the foundation of absolute perfection and eternal completion in God’s administration. The twelve precious stones of the foundation indicate the unsearchable riches of the all-inclusive Christ. Every foundation expresses a certain amount of Christ’s riches. The colors of the twelve precious stones of the foundations, which signify the twelve apostles, are as follows: the first is green, the second and third are blue, the fourth is green, the fifth and sixth are red, the seventh is yellow, the eighth is bluish-green, the ninth is yellow, the tenth is apple-green, the eleventh and twelfth are purple. The twelve layers of the foundation in the above colors give the appearance of a rainbow, signifying that the city is built upon and secured by God’s faithfulness in keeping His covenant (Gen. 9:8-17). The entire city is built upon the eternal faithfulness of the faithful God.
The names of the twelve apostles are inscribed on the twelve foundations (Rev. 21:14). As we have seen, the twelve names of the twelve tribes inscribed on the twelve gates of the city indicates that the twelve gates are there to fulfill the requirement of the law and to satisfy the law’s demand upon sinners. The twelve foundations bearing the twelve names of the apostles, who are the representatives of the grace of the New Testament, signify that the New Jerusalem is built upon the grace of God according to the New Testament. The entrance of the city answers the requirements of the Old Testament law, and the foundations of the city show us the grace of the New Testament. The law is for the entry, and the grace is for the foundation. We enter into the New Jerusalem according to the requirement of the law, and we are in the New Jerusalem according to and based on the grace of the New Testament.
The street of the city is gold (Rev. 21:21b), signifying God’s nature. The street is a part of the city proper and every part of the city proper is gold. The street being gold means that God’s nature is the way in the city and the way in the church life. We must do everything according to God’s nature since His nature is the way. For a man to divorce his wife is not according to God’s nature, so he should never take this way. In everything we do in the church life, we have to check with God’s nature. Even the way we dress and what we buy should be according to God’s nature. As brothers in the Lord we should buy our ties according to God’s nature and wear our shoes according to His nature. Some Christians who are concerned about being holy have regulations, but in the New Jerusalem there is only one regulation—the golden street. God’s divine nature is the unique regulation, and this is the way we have to take and the street we have to walk on. God’s divine nature is our way and our strength. I praise the Lord that in all the churches so many saints are not regulated by a written code but by the one golden street which is the divine nature of God. Revelation 21:21 tells us that “the street of the city was pure gold as transparent glass.” If we take God’s nature as our unique way we will be pure, without mixture, and transparent, without opaqueness.
In the middle of this street is the river of water of life (Rev. 22:1-2), which indicates that when you take the way according to God’s nature, the life of God flows within you. The divine life flows in the divine nature as the unique way for the daily life of God’s redeemed people. If I do not buy a tie according to God’s nature, there is no flow of life within me. However, if I buy a tie according to God’s nature, I sense the flow of life. If a husband is going to divorce his wife, this is against God’s nature and this will lead to spiritual death. However, if this husband would live with his wife and love her according to God’s nature, the river of life would flow within him. Whatever we do according to God’s nature, we immediately have the deep sensation of the flow of life watering us.
The one tree of life growing on the two sides of the river (Rev. 22:2) signifies that the tree of life is a vine, spreading and proceeding along the flow of the water of life for God’s people to receive and enjoy. The fruits of the tree of life will be the food of God’s redeemed for eternity. They will be continually fresh, produced every month, twelve fruits yearly. This means that when we walk and move in the divine nature of God, we not only sense the flow of life within us but also sense the supply of life, the nourishment of life, the spiritual food. When you take the divine way, the street of God’s divine nature, you have the life flowing in you and you also have the life supply nourishing you. Day by day, as we are living such a life and walking according to God’s divine nature, we enjoy the water of life and the tree of life as our supply. We all need a day by day experience of the divine street of gold with the river of water of life and the tree of life in its middle, signifying that the life water and the life supply flow in the divine way.