The River Of Life

Revelation 22: 1-6

John has just described how this New Jerusalem comes down to the new Earth directly from Heaven, all finished; then what it looks like and how the citizens of the city and the planet will interact and share freely with one another.

Now this same angel, that had poured out one of the vials of wrath, continued his revealing of the future to John.

(1) Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

This is the "living water" that Jesus told the Samaritan woman would become a "well of water springing up" from inside her (John 4: 14). Here it is a whole river! And it comes from the seat of God's government.

(2) in the middle of its street.

If the street is the central feature of this city, then this mighty River is even more central! It is flowing in the most accessible place it can be.

On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month;

And drawing the living water up their roots, all the Tree of Life trees are lining the River, ripening a different kind of fruit every month. I imagine that these 12 kinds of fruit will provide all the nourishment we will ever need there, if we need nourishment!

and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

I don't know what kind of beings will comprise these nations, but whenever they would have any kind of malady or wound or whatever, the medicine will be the leaves of the Tree of Life. Possibly, God will be healing His creations forever!

(3) There will no longer be any curse;

The curse was put upon this Earth, which had to include its environment, the universe, as a consequence of Adam's sin. Now that all sin has been atoned for and eradicated, and the Earth and its universe have been done away, there is no reason to put any other curse onto this new creation.

and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,

Heaven will have come to this new planet, because we're told that the throne of the Father and the Son will be there.

and His bond-servants will serve Him;

(4) they will see His face, and His Name will be on their foreheads.

We, as His redeemed and resurrected saints will be bound to Him, and His Name will be written all over our faces! We are His own children.

(5) And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them;

In our immortal spirit bodies we won't need to sleep, and since God is Light, there won't be any night in the city. It doesn't say that there won't be a sun, just that this city won't need it, or any other light, with our God being there with us.

and they will reign forever and ever.

And as His royal kings and queens, we will assist Him in governing the rest of this new planet, as well as whatever other creations God will decide to make throughout all future eternity.

(6) And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.

The angel assured John that what he was seeing and hearing was really real, and would really happen; there was no doubting or variability about the future God has planned for us. It will be so much more and better than we can ever imagine!

This word for soon is two words, en and tachos, both of which convey a sense of quickness, taking place in a very short span of time. Using them together intensifies this urgency of everything in this book of Revelation to be happening all together, overlapping, and being all finished in a short 7 years to be done!

O my Father, I am overcome with seeing all that You have planned for us! I understand how mere flesh and blood would never be able to survive on this new Earth, living in New Jerusalem with our Father God and our Lord God Jesus.

There is no knowing now what we will be doing then, there in that place. But I am sure it will be perfectly suited to how You have made me, Father, to accomplish what You designed me for. And each one of us. We all will have our work to do, to enjoy and have fun and rejoice in all You are and what You do, Father.

My dear Father, please send out Your children to let every living person know how much You love us all. Show us how to broadcast Your message to every nation, every tribe, every language, every individual person; so that everyone will have a clear understanding of what You have already done for each of us, to make an honest and informed decision to receive Your gracious and generous gift.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!