Remember that God chooses to use literal things that are symbols. The cross we see behind many pulpits is literal, but it is also a symbol of the death of Jesus. It is both literal and symbolic at the same time. So, all through Revelation, we find the blending of the literal and symbolic.

Personally, I do believe there will be an actual city of incredible brilliance and glory, located somewhere above or within the atmosphere of the earth, but at the same time the city symbolizes activities and relationships that are going on within the community of the redeemed.

So we need to look a little more deeply into the symbolism to interpret these verses correctly...