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The New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 has four sides, and each side has three gates; the total number of gates on the four sides of the New Jerusalem is twelve, and on the twelve gates are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (vv. 12-13).
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According to verses 2 and 3, the New Jerusalem is the tabernacle of God; the Israelites' encamping in Numbers 2 was around the tabernacle; this picture corresponds to the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:
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Just as the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 has four sides, so also the encamping in Numbers 2 had four sides.
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The New Jerusalem has three gates on each of her four sides, on which are the names of the twelve tribes; similarly, the twelve tribes of Israel's encamping in Numbers 2 had three tribes on each of its four sides.
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This all depicts the scene in eternity, showing that God's purpose in the universe is to be mingled with man in His Divine Trinity in order to become a unit of government; this unit of government can fight for His testimony.
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When the twelve tribes were encamped, they were like a city; the walls of the four sides of the New Jerusalem are the safeguard of the city.
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The twelve camps of the army encamped in array in Numbers correspond to the walls of the New Jerusalem; likewise, the coordination in the church is for safeguarding God's testimony.
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The administration of each local church should be "three times four," which equals "twelve," for the divine administration in a locality; this administration is an army that fights for God and maintains God's testimony.
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 21:12-13 It had a great and high wall and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names inscribed, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel: on the east three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.The New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 has four sides and each side has three gates. The total number of gates on the four sides of the New Jerusalem is twelve, and on the twelve gates are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (vv. 12-13). According to verses 2 and 3, the New Jerusalem is the tabernacle of God. The Israelites' encamping in Numbers 2 was around God's tabernacle; this picture corresponds to the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21. Just as the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 has four sides, so also the encamping in Numbers 2 had four sides. The New Jerusalem has three gates on each side, on which are the names of three tribes; similarly, the twelve tribes of Israel encamping in Numbers 2 had three tribes on each side. (CWWL, 1960, vol. 1, "Synopsis of Numbers," p. 76)
Today's Reading
The encamping in Numbers 2 is not a coincidence but a picture of the scene in eternity. God's purpose in the universe is to be mingled with man in His Trinity to become a unit of government. This unit of government can fight for His testimony. When the twelve tribes were encamped, they were like a city. The walls of the four sides of the New Jerusalem are the safeguard of the city. The twelve camps of the army encamped in array in Numbers correspond to the walls of the New Jerusalem. Likewise, the coordination in the church is for safeguarding God's testimony. The administration of each local church should be "three times four," which equals "twelve," for the divine administration in a locality. This administration is an army that fights for God and maintains God's testimony. (CWWL, 1960, vol. 1, "Synopsis of Numbers," pp. 76-77)In Matthew 13 there are negative things—the tares, the leaven, and the big tree—among the precious things. God in His economy does not care for these but for the wheat (the plant life), which will be transformed in nature to become gold, pearls, and precious stones (minerals). All these precious things will consummate in the New Jerusalem.
The children of Israel encamping in array typifies God's redeemed people being consummated in the New Jerusalem. According to our observation and the outward appearance of the situation of the church today, there does not seem to be any encamping in array....Of course, God's formed army does not include the tares; only the genuine believers in Christ throughout the generations are counted. All these believers, after being saved, sanctified, renewed, transformed, and conformed to the image of Christ, will be glorified. In this glorification will be seen the reality of the New Jerusalem as the consummation of God's work, in His New Testament economy, of the new creation in the old creation.
Eventually, God's work of the new creation will consummate in one entity—the New Jerusalem. There we will see God's redeemed people camping in array. Today, however, the situation among the children of God is a mess that causes us to mourn and weep. But we believe that out of this weeping there will be a jubilee. First, there will be a jubilee on a smaller scale during the millennium. Then there will be a jubilee on a full scale for eternity in the new heaven and new earth.
The entire Bible...shows us one thing—God's economy. God's economy is, first, to work out the old creation. Then out of the old creation, God uses four dispensations to bring forth the new creation. Today, this new creation consummates in the church; in the millennium it will consummate in the New Jerusalem on a smaller scale; and in the new heaven and new earth it will consummate in the New Jerusalem on a full scale. The consummation of the picture of God's economy revealed in the Bible is the New Jerusalem. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 18, 17-18)
Further Reading: Life-study of Numbers, msg. 3