Revelation 21:9-14 says, “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”  What an incredible sight this will be to behold!  I encourage you to read this entire chapter to learn more about this city.

As it often does, doors and gates speak of INCLUSION and EXCLUSION.  Included inside this city “having the glory of God” and “a wall great and high” are “they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Revelation 21:27)  ONLY believers, and ALL believers will be in that great city!  Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life are those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior.  The Lord Jesus said in John 17:12, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and NONE OF THEM IS LOST…”  Verses 16-17 give us an exact measurement of the city, which shows us that the Lord knows who will be there and the city’s size will be built to accommodate each one.

Walls also speak of exclusion.  We read in the first part of Revelation 21:27, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie…”  Along with that, let’s read Revelation 22:14-15, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”  Without, or on the outside, of this great city are the ones who have died in their sins and are still known by their sins.  Dogs are sometimes used in the scriptures to reference sinners as we read in Philippians 3:2, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.”  So, all those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior will be on the outside.  This doesn’t mean they are standing on the outside of a gate, hoping to get in.  No, they will be FAR outside the city.  Revelation 20:15 tells us, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Of this great city, we read in Revelation 21:23, “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”  (Read also Revelation 21:25 and 22:5)  Of those who reject the Lord Jesus, we read that they “shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:12)  Inside the city there is continuing light.  Outside the city there is no light at all, only darkness.  The Lord Jesus said in John 12:46, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”  My friend, I pray that if you have not come to the Lord Jesus as your savior that you would trust in Him NOW before it is eternally too late and you must spend that eternity in absolutely darkness.  (221.8)