Revelation 21:21; And the Twelve Gates Were Twelve Pearls
Revelation 21:21 (KJV) And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
John describes the gates and the streets in v21 – And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Can you imagine twelve massive pearls, each large enough to be made into a gate? Such gates would be priceless, and beautiful, and in this holy city they are safe from vandalism and theft.
John wrote in Revelation 21:18 that “the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass,” and now we see in 21:21 that “the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent as glass.”
Revelation 21:18 (KJV) And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
All these precious stones and metals are shouting limitless wealth. This city, like this world that we all get to live in, has resources that can scarcely be imagined.
Notice that in both verses 18 and 21 the gold is called “pure” and likened to “transparent,” clean glass. This gold has a quality and purity superior to the best gold in this world locked away in safe keeping, but it isn’t locked away in a vault. Rather, God uses it to pave the streets!
We can think of Moses being instructed to remove his sandals because the ground was holy where God appeared to him (Exodus 3:5), and this picture of streets paved with pure gold that is transparent like clean glass points to the ultimate holy ground.
Exodus 3:5 (KJV) And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
The people who walk these streets are going to have clean feet because of the blood of Christ. The inhabitants of this city will be holy, and the streets of gold will never be smudged with dirty feet because there won’t be any dirty feet there.
They have all been washed by the servant who loved them to the end (cf. John 13:1-20).
John 13:1-20 (KJV) Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
[James M. Hamilton, Revelation – The Spirit Speaks to the Churches, Crossway, 2012, 35 The New Jerusalem]