<p>21:12 <i>She had a wall great and high, having twelve gates; and at the gates were twelve angels, and the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel written thereon- </i>The 12 gates of the Heavenly Jerusalem are identified with 12 Angels, whereon are written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. This suggests that the tribes of Israel are reflective of the situation in Heaven, where there are Angels representing each tribe. This identity between heavenly Angels and the believers they represent on earth is a common theme in Revelation. This connection between Angels and Israel is commonly found in the Old Testament. Dan. 8:24 speaks of Israel as &ldquo;the people of the saints&rdquo; (RVmg.), although v. 13 speaks of &ldquo;the saint&rdquo; (RV &ldquo;holy one&rdquo;) as an Angel. 1 Sam. 17:45 parallels the Angelic hosts, and the hosts of Israel&rsquo;s armies; they were to follow where the host of God went, just as David&rsquo;s army had to follow the sound of the cherubim &ldquo;marching&rdquo; over the mulberry bushes (1 Chron. 14:15). And whilst we follow where we are led, we are identified with our Angels to the extent that what is done to us is done to them. To defy the armies of Israel was thus to defy the armies of Heaven (1 Sam. 17:45). Thus the four faces of the Angel cherubim were reflected in the four standards of the camp of Israel; the people were intended to &ldquo;keep in step with the Spirit&rdquo;, following where they went, as they had done in the wilderness years. They were to walk &ldquo;each one straight before him&rdquo; (Is. 57:2 RVmg.), as each of the cherubim went straight ahead (Ez. 1:12). And we too are to follow where our Angel potentially enables us to go. The Angel went in to Jericho to take the city; and the Israelites went &ldquo;straight&rdquo; ahead, following the Angel, and thus took the city (Josh. 5:13,14; 6:20).</p>