Dear in Christ,
This post is about the dimensions of New Jerusalem and how impractical and hazardous it would be if a humongous cube called New Jerusalem were to be placed on planet earth. This post is an annexure to the study on Rev 21.
A vast majority of Christians believe that the New Jerusalem would be lowered from heaven, just like the sheet containing all kinds of unclean animals that a famished Peter saw in his vision, while he was in Joppa (Acts 10).
Assuming that the common understanding that the New Jerusalem would be literally, physically lowered from heaven to earth, please read the following scripture with me:
Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
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| The dimensions of New Jerusalem as compared to that of planet earth. |
Most do look at the symbolism of the number 12,000 rather than noticing the fact that the shape of the New Jerusalem is that of a huge cube with a length, breadth and height of 12,000 furlongs each. I wonder how many have converted 12,000 furlongs to miles to realize that the actual dimensions of New Jerusalem is 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) on each side. What is the big deal, right?
The mean radius of earth is 3958.75 miles (6371 kms). Even with the
present radius, an average of 500 earthquakes occur every year. Assuming a
1,500 mile tall New Jerusalem is placed on this earthquake prone earth, how
safe it would be?
Area
of New Jerusalem
The following map of the middle east may help you to visualize the area of New Jerusalem.
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| Another representative map showing the base area of New Jerusalem. |
How it would be if the New Jerusalem
of which the base area is 2,250,000 square miles (1500 x 1500 miles)
placed atop the present Jerusalem which has an area of 48.2 square miles?
An edifice of no practical use.
Assuming that the New Jerusalem in
fact comes down from heaven as a cube of which length, breadth and height are
1500 miles each, how useful it would be?
Those who climb up Mount Everest -
which has a height of 5.4 miles - have to carry oxygen cylinders with
them, because, as we go up air becomes thinner. Given this, how useful would be
an edifice of 1500 miles height?
In Christ,
Interesting comments, Tomsan. I was just reading that portion of scripture this morning. I had always pictured a cube 1500 miles on a side, but then I read that the new Jerusalem had a wall around it 216 feet high and i began to scratch my head. What if those weren't sides of a cube, but just dimensions? What if those dimensions described the extents of the city? What do you think?
ReplyDeleteDear Unknown, I strongly believe that "furlong" (στάδιον) is unit of measurement of distance between two points.
DeleteFrom Strong's G4712, στάδιον, stadion, stad'-ee-on
Or the masculine plural form, στάδιος stadios stad'-ee-os.
From the base of G2476 (as fixed); a stade or certain measure of distance; by implication a stadium or race course: - furlong, race.
It has been used several times to imply distance. See Luk 24:13; Joh 6:19; Joh 11:18; 1Co 9:24; Rev 14:20; Rev 21:16;
And the scripture clearly says it's the measurements of the city:
Rev 21:16 And THE CITY lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured THE CITY with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and THE HEIGHT of it are equal.
If you mean that 12,000 furlongs (1,500 miles) to be the perimeter of the city, is the height mentioned later, included in the 1,500 miles?
I am sure that my writing is not about the measurements of the city, it is about the absurdity of the belief that such a city would come down from heaven.
NEXT TIME AROUND, ACQUIRE A PROPER NAME BEFORE COMMENTING.