Bible Gem 2391 – Finally We Come to the River of Life (Revelation 22:1-5)

¹Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. ²It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. ³No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. ⁴And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. ⁵And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

Revelation 22:1-5

As I wrote in the title above, we have finally come to the River of Life. Yes, we are starting the last chapter of Revelation. I began Revelation with the initial Gem 2185 a month before I said I’d start into the book, just to give readers a heads up as to what lay ahead and suggest they read the book once through before we started. It has taken me 206 Gems to get to the point of beginning to gem the final chapter of Revelation. I sent Gem 2185 on May 1st 2023. It has taken me 3 years and 30 days to get to this point. I am well aware that you my readers have had a range of different reactions to the Revelation Gems. I listed in Gem 2185 the response I received back then.

“Wonderful, I am looking forward to it.” 

“Why on earth would you do that? Why waste time on Revelation; I have never seen anything useful in that book. All the symbols and mysterious things. Who can understand it?”

“Wow! You are a brave man Ian, tackling Revelation is going to be controversial and likely to stir up all sorts of opposition and criticism. It’s like each expert has a different take on Revelation.”

“My pastor (when I was 16), said after he had finished a Sunday night series on Revelation that he would not have done that if he had realised the amount of work it would take him.”

Some are so fearful they can’t get into Revelation while others are so fanatical they can’t get out of the book. 

David Pawson

If satan opposes this book so vehemently and God offers a reward for reading it – it’s a no brainer isn’t it? Don’t be afraid to read Revelation and don’t be so obsessed with it that you get stuck in it.

Ian

I have noticed over the last weeks as we have hit some controversial subject matter: e.g. Israel Folau’s verse (21:8) and the plight of the unsaved [Annihilationism vs Eternal Conscious Torment] that a number of people unsubscribed. Generally 50 subscribers are added each month, but on the two topics aforementioned I lost 35 and 17 subscribers respectively. Does that make me want to choose only nice topics or bemoan the fact I lost ‘likes’ or ‘subscribers’? Not in the least. I am well aware of the fact that Revelation contains verses that Christians and non-Christians don’t want to hear. I want to tell the truth and warn people of such verses, knowing not to do so will result in people I care about being excluded from life on the New Earth.

I tackled Revelation knowing it would be my most difficult challenge. Knowing also many people would react to the blood and gore all over the floor. In taking on this challenge my understanding of John’s warnings have crystallised. I understand more clearly the way in which his letter was put together and why. I have surprised myself when reading back over some of the Gem series I have written for Revelation. Wow, did I write that? Where did I get that from? I started out with 31 commentaries listed for you in 2185. I have finished up with 88 commentaries as my reference source. On a number of occasions I consulted all 88 to see what each commentator had to say about the most difficult verses. Many times I was not satisfied with what the commentators had to say and asked the LORD to give insight to what John meant. I have unearthed some very significant things that other commentators have not addressed.

Gem series among the Gems of Revelation:

•  The Letter to the Seven Churches (29) Gem 2194 to 2222.
• A Difficult Image: 24 Elders and Four Living Beings (5) Gem 2225 to 2229
• Tribe, Language, People, Nation – Does it Matter? (7) Gem 2239 to 2245
•  The Four Horses of the Apocalypse (4) Gem 2250 – 2253
•  Facing Death Not Afraid to Die (8) Gem 2293 to 2300
•  Learning to Laugh @ Lucifer’s Lame Lies (6) Gem 2304 to 2309
•  The Meaning of 666 (2) Gem 2311 to 2312
•  Finding Ha Makom in Revelation (6) Gem 2321 to 2326
•  A Short Chapter of Great Significance (7) Gem 2328 to 2334
•  Examining the Bowl Judgements (6) Gem 2336 to 2341
•  Narrative Art At Its Finest (7) Gem 2353 to 2359
•  Unravelling the Hidden Depth (6) 2361 to 2366
•  Beautiful Beyond Description (8) Gem 2382 to 2389

• Ian’s Favourites
• Recommended

Now let’s begin to explore this last chapter of Revelation. I linked it to the investigation of New Jerusalem because Revelation 22:1-5 is linked to what went before it. However, there are some key elements I have not commented on as yet. Let’s look at this opening paragraph of Revelation 22 in more detail.

The angel showed me [deiknumi] – pointed out, made known to me . . . the significance or connections. Does this scene take you back to Genesis? It should do. We have a river and the tree of life. The tree of life now instead of being in the middle of the garden is in the middle of the main street. Adam and Eve were barred from the tree, now the tree of life is there available in the centre of the main street, signifying it is more readily available than ever it was in Eden. Does it conjure up other links in your mind? It brings to my mind Ezekiel 47:1-12. Go and read this portion in your favourite version and see the similarities to the scene here in Revelation 22. It is a match you have to agree. Remember too John has to be thinking of the water of life, springing up to eternal life:

¹⁰Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” ¹⁴But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” ³⁷Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! ³⁸Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.

John 4:10, 14; 7:37,38t

These thoughts have to be have been in John’s mind as he saw what the angel was pointing out to him. Don’t miss the links which follow in this closing chapter; it continues from this point. Yes we have no sea, but we do have a river which Chris pointed out in Gem 2378. Did you notice the subtle change from Ezekiel 47, where the source of the river was from the south gate of the temple flowing to the east? Here in Revelation there is no temple. Rather the water flows directly from beneath the Throne of God and of the Lamb. It flows right down the main street, within reach of everyone who desires it. You can bet it flows to every part of New Jerusalem. All 12 gates allow access to every part of city. Not for exit as in the time of Ezekiel but for entry into the New Jerusalem. Why would you want to leave this idyllic city? It is interesting that there are two occasions in the Bible where the throne of God is combined with the Throne of the Lamb. It seems fitting that the combo should appear in this chapter in verse 1 and verse 3.

Let’s pause now to take in the trees down either side of the river. I am sure you will have noted I have bypassed the nature of the river down the main street. Some commentators stop at this point and discuss this arrangement; a river flowing down the main street. One suggests it might be in canals like Venice. I suspect the imagery is described in this way to convey the sense that God’s river of life flows all over and through the New Jerusalem. Now pause to take in the description of the trees in New Jerusalem and compare them with Eden. After all, the consummation of the Life of the Age to Come was in fact the restoration of life as it was in Eden. There were multiple kinds of trees in Eden in addition to the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Here in New Jerusalem there is a tree of life on each side of the river, bearing 12 different crops of fruit with a fresh crop each month. Wow talking about multiple cropping. Here is the epitome of agricultural success. And there will be no need for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for we will all know the depth of that concept without being told.

But hang on, we are not finished yet. It is not just the fruit that’s in focus; the leaves are also useful to the n^th degree. When we lived in Indonesia we were amazed by the knowledge of the local people in each area. They knew exactly what parts of the tree were useful for what. The fruit, seeds, nuts, leaves and bark or skin. They would tell us at what stage either part of each tree was useful for what and at what stage it was poisonous or harmful or useful as a medicine. We had a book by a local botanist which outlined the details of the healing and harmful properties of each plant. Is that what is behind this detail in the opening stanza of Revelation 22? No, because there is no disease present in New Jerusalem (NJ). All properties of the trees in NJ must be for health and wholeness, nothing harmful and with no medicinal purpose because there is no disease present. Not only that but there won’t be any unwanted plants in NJ – that’s right, no weeds. Oh bliss, no weeding to do in NJ. In Indonesia they even had trees which bore toys for the kids to play with, pods like mini footballs they kicked around, then picked another when the ‘ball’ was punctured.

I am sure you noted verse 3. ³No longer will there be a curse upon anything. I wonder if we will sweat in NJ. We won’t have to farm by the sweat of our brow. There will be no need for weeding and plant control. The trees and useful plants will just keep producing multiple crops each month. No having to wait for the season of your favourite fruit to come around again. It will just always be available; no longer any weather bombs bringing unseasonal heavy rain or destructive wind. Stop and ponder the notion again: there will be NO LONGER THE EFFECT OF THE CURSE ON ANYTHING. As Prof Brown used to say “suck on that sweetie for a while”.

Did you pause and take in the significance of verse 4? They will see His face and his name will be written on their foreheads. Double Wow!! I have told many in Deeper Level 101 the depth of meaning behind Exodus 33 where Moses asked to see three things: the face of God, show me your glory and show me your ways. God told Moses he couldn’t see God’s face but He would show him His afterglow. If Moses had seen the full radiance of God’s glory it would likely have killed him. But now in the New Jerusalem it appears that we can freely look God in the face given the fact that the curse has gone. Now that friends is remarkable! But not only that, His name will be written on our foreheads. The name of God will be written on your body showing to all in the New World you are God’s child. How cool is that! You know having the name on something indicates possession. Maybe we should go around the New World singing I am a Child of God, He calls me His son or daughter. And I don’t mean the New World supermarket; I mean the New World, the combination of the New Earth and the New Heaven, linked with the means of passing between the two. [See Gem 2389 and also the series of Gems from 1941 to 1949 or better yet follow the complete Gem series That Majestic Passage.]

I have one more verse to highlight in this introduction to the last chapter of the Bible. ⁵And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever. There will be no night! But LORD we have always had night and day as long as this world has been in existence. We love the fact that You created the heavens and the earth and You made the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. It has always been so. We are used to day and night; in fact we love sunrises and sunsets. Are you really saying that the sun will cease to exist? What will drive the atmosphere and the weather patterns on the earth without seasonal and diurnal differences in temperature? And what about the circadian rhythm to govern our healthy regularity? Will we not need to sleep anymore? Will we all become energizer bunnies and night owls with no need for early birds? Will there be no worms for early birds?

Oh LORD, I have so many questions. Just one more, who will we reign over during our reigning forever and ever?

Well you surely don’t expect me to answer all of your questions. Just ask God Himself and or Jesus, the Lamb. After all God did say:

Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.

Jeremiah 33:3

Don’t worry there are still treasures to reveal amongst the remaining verses of Revelation 22.

I believe this is the most links I have put in a single Gem; this Gem must set the record.

You are heir to the entire universe—what a difference that should make!! Let it sink in.

Ian

God’s aim isn’t just to get you into heaven, but heaven into you.

Max Lucado

Find a purpose in life so big it will challenge every capacity to be at your best.

Donald McKay

Most people don’t get beyond their first revelation. They enshrine it, build a fence around it and stay put. I am so glad John followed up by doing what Christ had shown him. Aren’t you?

Ian