In verse 16 we have the measurements of the city proper. “And the city lies foursquare, and its length is the same as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, at twelve thousand stadia; the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.” When I was young, I was troubled by the fact that the height of the wall was a hundred and forty-four cubits and that the height of the city was twelve thousand stadia. The measurements of the city imply that the city proper is like a mountain with the height of twelve thousand stadia, whereas the wall itself from the foundation to the top is a hundred forty-four cubits. Twelve thousand stadia are more than seven million feet, or more than one thousand three hundred sixty miles.
Another thing that troubled me about the city was that it has just one street. I wondered how this one street could serve all twelve gates. According to my opinion, there should have been at least twelve streets, one for each gate. One day, during my stay with Brother Nee in Shanghai, he pointed out that New Jerusalem is a mountain, and that the one street spirals down the mountain from the throne and passes by all twelve gates. No matter which gate we enter, we find ourselves on the same street. Because the street is a spiral, it is impossible for anyone to get lost in this city. Even if you walk blindly along this street, you will never lose your way.
Verse 16 says that “the city lies foursquare.” The length is the same as its breadth. The fact that New Jerusalem is square signifies that it is perfect and complete in every way, absolutely straight and not in the least oblique.
The length, breadth, and height of New Jerusalem are equal; it is twelve thousand stadia in each dimension. Twelve thousand is one thousand times twelve. Since twelve signifies absolute perfection and eternal completion in God’s eternal administration, twelve thousand signifies a thousand times this.
According to its measurements, New Jerusalem is a cube. The dimensions of the Holy of Holies, both in the tabernacle and in the temple, are equal in length, breadth, and height (Exo. 26:2-8; 1 Kings 6:20). The Holy of Holies in the tabernacle was a cube measuring ten cubits in each dimension, and the Holy of Holies in the temple was a cube twenty cubits in each dimension. That the length, breadth, and height of New Jerusalem are equal signifies that the entire New Jerusalem is the Holy of Holies. Therefore, New Jerusalem is the Holy of Holies enlarged to the uttermost.
In the Life-study of Hebrews we pointed out that our experience of the Holy of Holies must be constantly increasing (see message fifty-two, pp. 238-239). This means that in our experience the Holy of Holies must be continuously enlarged. Firstly, we have the smaller Holy of Holies in Exodus; then we have the larger Holy of Holies in 1 Kings; and ultimately we have the largest Holy of Holies in the book of Revelation. Eventually, our Holy of Holies will be more than one thousand three hundred sixty miles in length, width, and height.
Now we need to see what the principle of the Holy of Holies is. The principle of the Holy of Holies is that man can live and walk directly in the presence of God. According to the Old Testament, only the high priest was allowed to enter into the Holy of Holies. But the book of Hebrews reveals that through the redeeming blood of Christ, the Holy of Holies is open to all those who believe in Him (Heb. 10:19-22). All the redeemed ones may enter into the presence of God, live there, and remain there, enjoying fellowship in oneness with God. The coming New Jerusalem will be such a place. Everyone in it will see God, touch God, worship God, serve God, and even live and dwell in the presence of God. The church life today must be a Holy of Holies. The church must be a cube, and its nature must be utterly holy.
Verse 17 says, “And he measured its wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits, a measure of a man, that is, of an angel.” A hundred and forty-four is twelve times twelve. Twelve times twelve signifies absolute perfection and eternal completion of absolute perfections and eternal completions. How perfect and complete is the wall of the holy city in God’s eternal administration! This verse says that the wall is the measure of a man, “that is, of an angel.” 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.