Reading for May 19th

Read Revelation 21.9-27 In 21.9-22.5: The vision of the woman of the Lamb. After the general picture of the new creation we have a detailed portrayal of the new Jerusalem, preented as a paired vision to that of "the great city" (see 17.1). The bride motif points to the wedding that culminated the holy war myth. In verse 10: In the spirit, see 17.3. The mountain is traditionally the place of revelation (Ex 19.20-25); John's vision is built of that of Ezekiel (ch 40). In verse 11: The glory of God was traditional language for God's presence in the Temple (see Ezek 10.18; 43.4). God was described as jasper at 4.3. In verses 12-21: All the city's attributes as symbolic of the peole of God (whose number is twelve). The city has twelve gates because the peole of God enter here; the twelve angels are the heavenly counterparts to the messengers; reference to twelve tribes reminds us that those who enter "keep the commandments of God" understood as the foundation of God's new work (suggesting that John lived in the post-apostolic generation). The angel with a measuring rod provides the symbolic figures that interpret the meaning of the city. It is foursquare because it is of the earth. The English measure of fifteen hundred miles hides the signifcance of the Greek's 12,000 stadia. The city would be a hundred times larger than ancient babylon. The all is 144 cubits high (twelve squared), about 300 feet. Every jewel points to the richness of the city; those named correspond to the jewels associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac, in reverse order (see also Ex 28.17-21; 39.10-14). In verse 22: There is no temple because there is no longer a need to mediate God's presence this is in some tension with 3,12 on the literal level. In verse 24: The continued existence of the nations shows that with all this change John images the world organized in its usual fashion. Comments or Questions..