Eternity with God, Part Four
Notes
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Revelation 22:1 .
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
In this passage we see the final redemption of Eden as the the throne of God. John draws our minds back to Genesis 2:10 in speaking of “the river of the water of life.”
10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.
The river of Eden was the source of all life for the world.
John also draws are minds back to Ezekiel 47; Zechariah 14:8; and Joel 3:18, where the river is flowing from the temple in the Millennial Kingdom.
Those who do not believe in a literal thousand year reign of Christ see these references as describing the eternal state. I think it describes in part the Millennial Kingdom, which is a partial redemption of Eden, with Jesus the Christ ruling and reigning from the temple in Jerusalem.
This is not yet the eternal state, but a time to fulfill the land promises to Israel, and a time to show that it is not enough for Jesus to rule from Jerusalem; no, he must rule from the heart of every person, which is not the case in the Millennial Kingdom.
So in these passages we have the literal and metaphorical mixing. For just as clean water is essential to life, so to is the presence of the Trinity. In the last part of Revelation 22:1 we see that the water is flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb. The triune God is the Author of all life, as Jesus himself said in John 7:37-39.
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”
39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Here, the water not only represents the Father and the Son, but also the Holy Spirit, filling those who believe, and from their hearts, (which is the throne of one’s life), flows out rivers of living water to a lost and dying world. This results in eternal life to those who believe, as seen in John 4:13-14.
13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,
14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Good news! Eden will be fully redeemed, and Eden has begun to be redeemed in us who believe.
If you do not believe in Jesus, then today is the day. Believe! And receive his living water.
Church, we are God’s vessels, spreading God’s living water in the power of the Spirit through word and deed. May we keep Jesus on the throne, so the water runs freely.
This reminds me of the classic Sunday School song, I’ve Got a River of Life.
I've got a river of life flowing out of me!
Makes the lame to walk, and the blind to see.
Opens prison doors, sets the captives free!
I've got a river of life flowing out of me!
Spring up, O well, within my soul!
Spring up, O well, and make me whole!
Spring up, O well, and give to me
That life abundantly.
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Revelation 22:2 .
2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
The river of life flows down the middle of the street. It could not be missed in Eden. It should not be missed flowing from our hearts. It will not be missed in the Millennial Kingdom. It most definitely will not be missed in eternity.
All will know that the triune God is the Author and Sustainer of all life. Oh, thank you, Jesus, for coming so that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).
The tree of life is on both sides of the river, flowing from the triune God’s throne. It has twelve kinds of fruit, yielding each month, and it’s leaves are for the healing of the nations.
Let’s unpack what is being communicated through these images. When we read the tree of life, our minds should take us to Genesis 2:9; 3:22 and Ezekiel 47:12.
9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
We all know what happened. Humanity ate of the wrong tree - the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”
What, then, is the result of eating of the tree of life?
It is eternal life, which now comes through belief in Jesus.
In Ezekiel 47:12 we see how the river of life interacts with the trees in the Millennial Kingdom. Notice the similarities to the tree of life in the eternal state.
12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”
The tree of life, like the river, is a symbol for the life-giving presence of the triune God. Here, the fruit brings eternal life and the leaves bring healing to the nations.
It bearing fruit every month gives an idea of the passage of time, but with no night. Time will not be the same as it is now. It is definitely emphasizing the abundance of life, for no tree produces every month except the tree of life, which represents the life-giving presence of our triune God.
The fruit reminds us of the work of the Spirit bearing fruit in our lives through his transforming work described to us by Paul in Galatians 5.
This fruit in the eternal state will be in abundance as we are fully transformed, enjoying God in his new heaven and new earth.
Let’s take a look at the the leaves. “The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” The translators provide the verb “were” or “are” to this phrase, depending on your translation, since there is not a verb in the manuscripts. How then are we to take this idea of healing in the eternal state? Is present tense or past tense?
In the eternal state everyone is already healed through the work of the cross. Therefore, it is best to take the leaves as representing Christ’s death and resurrection which brought healing to the nations, and which will be consummated in the new heavens and new earth.
Revelation 22:3 .
3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.
This verse reminds us of three things concerning the eternal state:
First, there is nothing accursed in the eternal state. When I see this, I am reminded that we all are accursed, and if it were not for Jesus becoming a curse for us, we would not enter eternity to have a relationship with the triune God (Galatians 3). Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Second, we will be in the presence of God and the Lamb on the throne. We are going to be under the perfect rule of God. There will be no stifling the river of life. It will flow freely from the throne as he rules in our hearts and over all.
Third, we Church, his servants, worship him. The worship of God will be in all that we do in the new heaven and earth for every act will be an act of worship. It won’t be a discipline; it will be a constant reality of worship.
Revelation 22:4 .
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
Imagine, face to face with God.
We will be face to face, made fully self-aware, and fully known, yet fully loved (1 Corinthians 13:12). I do know if I can truly fathom the depth of that intimacy, that security. That full reality is coming. We can experience it dimly. Oh, but face to face is coming! Come! Lord Jesus, come!
You are his. His name is written on your forehead. Whatever you are walking through, he is there, working it to conform you into the image of his son, for his glory. In the eternal state you will always be his, shining his glory. You will understand what he was doing with you, his precious possession, for you will be fully aware.
Revelation 22:5 .
5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
God will unquestionably be the source of all life in the eternal state, whether it be the source of light, water or food. He is the provider of it all.
God, in the eternal state, chooses to share his reign with us. He, in fact, has chosen to share it with us now, for we are his ambassadors, bringing living water to all who believe in Jesus. In eternity, that shared reign will be the stewardship of the new heaven and earth, undiminished by sin, all for his glory. Oh, what a day that will be!
Revelation 22:6 .
6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”
God has spoken. He will accomplish what he has set forth to do. His words are trustworthy and true.
The eternal state is real. For those who believe, it is our hope. So believe and share in the hope of eternity with God, reigning with him.
He is coming! Come! Lord Jesus, Come!