The gates of this city are open in every direction. This speaks to the catholicity of the church. This in turn means that churches in the present dispensation need to be welcoming to persons of any race or people or language.
The gates of this city contain the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was with the people of these twelve tribes that the Lord established his covenant and gave his gospel (as contained in the Pentateuch). The Lord gave the explicit instruction that any revelation in time to come had to be built on (not beside) the foundation contained in the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 13:1–3; Deuteronomy 18:15–22). The message proclaimed by the twelve apostles is built squarely on that Old Testament foundation and typifies the ultimate assembly of the redeemed. This speaks to the apostolicity of the church. This in turn means that churches in the present dispensation need to ensure that all preaching is built squarely on that same foundation, permitting no additions or deletions (Revelation 22:18–19).
The walls of the city are such that the safety of its inhabitants is guaranteed. In the spiritual battles of the present age, this underscores the need for Christians to be living members of the church, submitting to its preaching and its discipline. Being churchless or doing it alone is unsafe. Similarly, those inside need to know themselves safe in the church’s bosom, and taste that safety.
12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed