Many people struggle to imagine what Heaven and the New Jerusalem will be like. We are only granted glimpses in Revelation chapter 21. There are varying interpretations of what the Heavenly City will look like. Is it a cube or more like a pyramid? What will the New Jerusalem be like? We’ll never know for sure this side of Heaven, but it is fun to wonder about it.
In his great little book The King is Coming (pp 196-197) Erwin Lutzer talks about a new interpretation regarding the dimensions of the city and it relationship to Ezekiel’s vision of the city. Here is what he writes in a footnote of his book:
Janet Willis, in her book What on Earth Is heaven like? (Greenville, SC: Ambassador International, 2011) gives extensive evidence that the size of the New Jerusalem will actually be much smaller than generally thought. She believes that in Revelation 21:6 John’s reference to 12,000 stadia (approximately 1.380 miles) should be taken as a cubic number of stadia (or miles) rather than a linear number because immediately after John gives the number, he follows with the phrase “it’s length and width and height are equal.” She bases her conclusions on the parallels between the New Jerusalem and Ezekiel’s vision of the city on the Holy Allotment (Ezekiel 45:1-7; 48:30-35). Based on other Scriptures, she believes it will be a step-pyramid-shaped “structure like a city” (Ezekiel 40:2, with its base approximately eleven miles in length and width, and its height eleven miles. Thus the overall dimensions would equal 1,331 cubic miles. This city would then be the throne or seat of Christ’s government situated on a plateau centered where Jerusalem is today. Resurrected believers would be going in and out of the city on special assignments and the like.
Janet’s intense interest in heaven came about after six of her children died in a horrific traffic accident in 1994. Whether or not her conclusions will be widely accepted remains to be seen, but after years of dedicated study, we are all helped and blessed by her intriguing insights regarding our future home.
I agree with Dr. Lutzer. Whether or not you agree with her, Janet’s story is one of hope and wonder. She stimulates us to dig deeper into the word of God in order to remind ourselves of the Blessed Hope.
Incidentally, I came across Dr. Lutzer’s little book in a Half Price Bookstore and I’m glad I did. It can be read in a short afternoon’s sitting and is a wonderful reminder of King Jesus’ coming. It also makes a great gift to give to a friend.
Janet Willis’ website can be accessed HERE
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