There never has been a like experience. It produced 12 kinds of fruit. The fruit is not only pleasant, but wholesome. (3.) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life: And the leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations; In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. But in this is shown what it is of importance to see the true nature of the kingdom or millennial reign. Their doom was awful, but by no means after the same sort as their two leaders. Sometimes they have contended for its application to pagan Rome. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mhm/revelation-22.html. It is Christ Himself about to be displayed in His rights as King of kings, and Lord of lords; and this in the face of the world. . 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. He which testifies these things saith, Surely I come quickly. . Clearly, therefore, it is future. Rivers carry away impurities. When the task was done "they bade them pronounce a curse in accordance with their custom upon any who should make any alteration either by adding anything or changing in any way whatever any of the words which had been written or making an omission" (Letter of Aristeas 310, 31 1). A boy can regenerate, so demons eat him for years. ", Here is this last chapter of the Bible we are shown the river of Gods love bringing eternal life and spiritual health to believers, and also carrying away all of our impurities--our sins. But from Eze 47:7, I prefer English Version. God uses them for this object,-the setting aside of her, the great religious corruptress, whose centre is found at Rome. No great rivers can flow through cities or bring life to and plains except there are high mountains as sources of those rivers. We have not to learn what the other mystery means; we know well that it is according to God and godliness. Of course they will be preserved through that crisis in some sort of way suitable to divine wisdom. 12 f., and the Iranian idea that (Brandt, 434 f.) the tree of many seeds had curative properties. There the saints shall see the face of God; there they shall enjoy the beatific vision. Here we learn at once of what His train consists. "He that testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. No literal description of heaven is here intended. "After these things I heard as it were a great voice of a great crowd in heaven, saying, Alleluia, the salvation, and the glory, and the power of our God: for true and righteous [are] his judgments: because he judged the great harlot, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. Our glorious adventure learning of Him. See on Luke 23:31, and see on Revelation 2:7. In the ancient temples there were not only female sacred prostitutes, there were also male sacred prostitutes; and these male prostitutes were commonly called dogs. In contrast, Gods blessing of fruitfulness will mark life in the new earth. We can therefore understand that the Tree of Life in Revelation 22:2 is symbolically the Lord Jesus Himself. "I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God" (alluding to this very city) "[is] with men." Has the cause of a rocket failure ever been mis-identified, such that another launch failed due to the same problem? But he said, "You need to consider that one day is as a thousand years to the Lord and a thousand years is as one day"( 2 Peter 3:8 ). THE CLAIMS OF CHRIST ( Revelation 22:12-13 ). Just the bequest of God's grace or the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ upon you. This too must not be viewed as if it were a loss. However, here are introduced the elements which add a rich softness to this city of elaborate beauty." (ii) There follows the list of those who are debarred from the city of God. On either side of the river was a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:2 . Besides the bride thus arrayed, "He saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb." And they said Alleluia a second time; and her smoke goeth up unto the ages of the ages." that those who were meant under the figures of the elders and of the living creatures assume the name and figure of the bride? I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and the morning star. Yet it will be found imperfect, for reasons which, I think, will be clear to any unbiassed mind. Here is the great excellency of this paradise. "Having a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names inscribed, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel." So let it be! Evidently that will be the function of this tree in the new earth as well, to sustain immortality. What is there to hinder it? We find a decree going forth that all the world shall be enrolled. What is this river? One runs: "In the age to come God will create trees which will produce fruit in any month; and the man who eats from them will be healed.". Questions about Heaven, Hell, and Eternity. Having been healed from the curse of sin, they can now enjoy the blessings of the tree of life that God originally intended for them. I. So, when you pray don't go out on the street corner and do a big thing so that everyone goes by and says, "What is happening? These are symbols, not literal thrones, rivers, streets, and trees. This also is a no less important element for understanding the chapter. *It now appears that the Cod. "I am the root and the offspring of David," he says. I'd rather be wrong in my literal interpretation of the book than to be wrong and add to the book by spiritualizing, or take away from it by spiritualizing.In other words, this book is not to be messed with, just to be believed and practiced. But there is a time coming when power will cease to be ordained of God; and this is the point to which the last condition of the beast refers. We have created different types of hybrids and different kinds of resistances and so forth.In fact, they have created a tomato plant now in Israel at the Beersheba University, a tomato plant that you can irrigate with seawater. John goes on to explain: "This he said about the Spirit which those who believed in him were to receive" ( John 7:38-39). The reason is manifest there is a hinderer "one that letteth." NAIROBI, Kenya As war consumes Sudan, nations from around the world have mobilized swiftly. But in the final and heavenly city on earth, sin and death shall utterly cease. The earthly paradise was well watered: no place can be pleasant or fruitful that is not so. And there shall in nowise enter into it anything that defileth, nor making abomination and a lie: but only those written in the book of life of the Lamb." Instead of judgment being executed on them, it was given to them. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, beholding the beast that he was, and is not, and shall be present." We may have a special task in it, but this is not the work for us, as it seems to me. When God is so gracious, His word rich, full, and deep, it does seem sad to see His children content with just enough to save their souls, or keep them from positive starvation. Or else with Durham suppose, the tree was in the midst of the river, and extending its branches to both banks. It is the truth, and not the wording of the truth, which must not be changed. How we need to walk in the light of God's Word.I'm sort of excited about the possibility of starting all over again, getting back into Genesis where it all began and see how the Lord works from the beginning to the end. It was the common tree in this blessed Paradise - of which all might partake, and which was everywhere the emblem of immortality. 7. By the tree of life is meant not the Gospel, nor godliness, nor eternal life, nor any other of the divine Persons, but Christ, who is the author of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal; See Gill on Revelation 2:7 and its situation between the street of the city, where the saints commune and converse together, and the river of God's everlasting love, which in this state will appear in its fulness and glory, shows that Christ will be seen and enjoyed by all in the most delightful and comfortable manner that can be wished for: which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; not one sort of fruit one month, and another sort another month, and so on, but twelve sorts every month; which is expressive of the fruits and spiritual blessings of grace from Christ, enjoyed by saints in the present state, and of that variety of happiness and pleasures to be had in this glorious state, and of the continuance of them; they being always ever fresh and new, and will be always sufficient for the twelve tribes of the true Israel of God, and for all that have embraced the doctrine of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; whose drink in this state will be the everlasting love of God, and whose food will be the fruit of the tree of life; both which they shall enjoy in great abundance: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations; not for the curing of diseases, or repairing of health; which in the present state of things is done by the application of the blood of Christ for the pardon of sin, which is a healing of diseases, and by the discoveries of the love of God; through the ministration of the Gospel, and the doctrines of it, which might be thought to be signified by leaves; for there will be no disease either of body or mind in this state; besides, the nations that will walk in the light of this city will be saved perfectly and completely, Revelation 21:4 but these leaves will be for the preserving and continuing the health of the people of God in this state, as the tree of life in Eden's garden was for the preservation of the health and life of Adam, had he continued in a state of innocence; and it denotes that everything in Christ will contribute to the comfort, health, and happiness of the saints. Revelation 21:12), but also, all the various tribes of the earth (Revelation 7:9, 11:9, 13:7, and especially 14:6; see footnote referenced below as "Eternal Gospel"). He also rips off an arm to use as a sword, Counting and finding real solutions of an equation, Using an Ohm Meter to test for bonding of a subpanel. There are two different interpretations of this passage. "The Spirit of prophecy" and such it is all through the Revelation after the seven churches are done with "is the testimony of Jesus." Can anything be less reasonable (even taking that ground, low as it is) than that the various rulers of the western powers, Catholic kings, join the Pope in destroying his own city, or his own church, whichever Babylon may be made? At one mile the water was to the loins. "[14] We still use this idiom, for example, when we remark that, "The date palm grows in southern California." The application to old pagan Rome is harsh and purposeless enough; but the attempt to refer it to Jerusalem is of all schemes the most absurd; for, far from being borne up by the imperial power, Jerusalem was trodden down by it. Directly he had sinned, the word of God came, and he was called. John returns to his vision that in the city of God there can never be any darkness nor need of any other light, for the presence of God is there. is a word to him that hears. . * Let us be glad and exult, and give the glory to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." x. But then while there is such a call to Christ, while the believer is not to be afraid, but to call on the Lord to come, the church does not forget those that are poor sinners, let them be deeply conscious of it, or let them be those that are only made willing by the grace of God (which is the feeblest expression of the sinner's need, just as you have the feeblest expression of the saint in the previous call). He comes to execute vengeance, and with a sign of death for rebels. To whom else could they say it? Revelation 22:2The New King James Version. So far they were right. In the hot lands water was, and is, literally life. "Let him that heareth say, Come." 22 # Matt. There is no lack of precision, but the very reverse. 4. It is impossible to refer it to the past with any show even of reasonable probability, I will not say of reality or truth. They were caught in flagrant treason and rebellion: what further need of any process of judgment whatsoever? In this way there never has been anything of the kind before. What is this brick with a round back and a stud on the side used for? You can have it back again." It clearly contrasts this mystery with another. 22:20,21 He who testifies to the truth of these things says: "Yes, I am coming soon." There is a real danger, subtle danger there. How I desire to see the New World, the new age with Jesus reigning as King and Lord.John's final parting words and the closing words of the Bible. It is true, the beast's judgment is only referred to as a defeat under the hand of the Lamb. We know that sometimes there were nine, sometimes eleven or more; but supposing this all perfectly certain, I affirm that, according to history, they did not receive their power as kings for one and the same time with the beast. Not so good. The tree of life in the Garden of Eden could perpetuate life forever (Genesis 3:22; Genesis 3:24). Compare also in the Apocrypha, 2 Esdras 2:12; 8:52-54. on either side of the riverAlford translates, "In the midst of the street of it (the city) and of the river, on one side and on the other" (for the second Greek, "enteuthen," A, B, and Syriac read, ekeithen: the sense is the same; compare Greek, Joh 19:18); thus the trees were on each side in the middle of the space between the street and the river. Here it is the city described in itself, on which we need not now enlarge. For suddenly shall ye be consumed and wither away. "Five are fallen, one is, the other hath not yet come." 19. The prophecy of Hosea is fulfilled. And I John saw these things, I heard them. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. of This is how, when, and where, the leaves of the Tree of Life, that is, the message of salvation, brought healing to just one of the many nations, just as Revelation 22:2 declares it is supposed to, and will, take place. It is very evident, therefore, that the saints in a glorified state are here represented as following the Lord out of heaven. It is Jesus Christ who in his Cross has provided that grace by which alone man can be forgiven; but man has to appropriate that sacrifice. The writer undoubtedly conceives of a single river running through the city - probably as meandering along - and that river lined on both sides with the tree of life. There will be no time for seeking mercy, as it were: whatever the state in which the Lord at His coming will find us, all is closed up and fixed. "And if any one was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire." In Second Enoch there is the picture of a river in Paradise, which issues in the third heaven, which flows from beneath the tree of life, and which divides into four streams of honey, milk, wine, and oil (2Enoch 8:5). By the crystal flowing river With the ransomed I will sing And forever and forever Praise and glorify the King". This brings in idolatry, real shameless idolatry too, not merely that subtle working of the idolatrous spirit that every Christian has to guard against. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Dog can denote a thoroughly immoral person, and that may be its meaning here. Again, that it supposes Rome after it had professed the name of Christ I think is not to be doubted, if only from the expression "mystery" attached to Babylon. (i) He has his reward with him and will render to every man according to his work. [Note: Dillow, p. God is in the midst of her. That living water fills their "leaves" and "fruit". It is perhaps more likely that he did not finally set in order this last chapter and that we have it in unfinished form. It does not refer to every individual word of the Revelation. Rev 21:5 "I am making all things new." But we as properly say, "Come." We have seen that these follow the Lord out of heaven, and are next seen enthroned. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; (b) There is the idea of eternity. Closely allied with this is the picture so common in Scripture of the fountain of life; we have it in Revelation 7:17; Revelation 21:6 in the Revelation. Amen. as the Complut. That kings had dallied with her, that the beast had once borne her up, will only turn to gall the more bitter to her, who, faithless to God, had staked the usurped and abused name of Christ to win what was now lost for ever. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. When the Lord takes His own throne, they take theirs by grace. [11] William Barclay, The Revelation of John (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1976), p. 221. It is interesting.God is going to have a tree that has twelve different kinds of fruit and every month a fruit will be ripe. It is of the seven in that point of view, because it is imperialism; but it is an eighth, because it has a diabolical source when raised up again. in the middle of its street. It is much more likely that the whole passage is a great invitation to all men to come to Christ. As this was a great and spacious city, one fountain was not sufficient to provide water for it, therefore a river is mentioned; a great river, by which it was sufficiently watered. It is simply said that the glorified are to follow the Lord in victorious power, and nothing more, "clothed in fine linen, white, pure." Accordingly it is another figure. ", All things are thus made new; and, further, "these words are faithful." In my opinion it is not absolutely so. Those who enter into the city of God are those who have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Where does "the healing of the nations" occur? All the sufferers, either in the early persecutions of Revelation 6:1-17, or in the later persecutions (see Revelation 15:1-8) up to Babylon's extinction, were now raised from the dead. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. The book begins by promising a revelation to be given by Jesus ( Revelation 1:1); this is the attestation of Jesus that, however the vision came, it came from him. "They have one mind, and give their own power and authority to the beast." But he tells us further that the Spirit of prophecy, who prophesies in this book, is the testimony of Jesus. This is of great importance, because if the new Jerusalem be, as I have no doubt it is, the bride the Lamb's wife, then we have her separate condition asserted in eternity. We desire that He should come quickly, but we leave this to Him, because we know His love, and can trust Him. Life in paradise is not spent in lazy idleness, but in the active worship and service of God. At the beginning there will have been carnage, as we know, among both the western powers and the eastern powers. Left to man himself no such river is possible. Not because any of their names were written therein, but in proof that they were not. By and by, after our translation to heaven, He will work, and as vitally in those who bow to God, when it will be the reception of the prophetic testimony which is here owned to be none the less the testimony of Jesus. On either side of the river. Behold ( Revelation 22:6-7 ). We find similar warnings in the Bible in other places. "These have one mind, and give their own power and authority to the beast," or their imperial leader. Still closer is Ezekiel's picture of the river which issued from the Temple ( Ezekiel 47:1-7). Not that there will be any sickness, but to preserve them in health, as Adam would have been preserved in health if he had eaten of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. So the Jews say (e), that the tree of life is in the midst of paradise, and its body covers all the garden; and that there is in it five hundred thousand different tastes; and that there is no likeness and smell like it. Is "I didn't think it was serious" usually a good defence against "duty to rescue"? Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. All the streams of earthly comfort are muddy; but these are clear, salutary, and refreshing, giving life, and preserving life, to those who drink of them. Heaven and the Afterlife: The Truth About Tomorrow and What It Means for Today by Erwin Lutzer. healing of the nations . Of course the other is true. 22:18,19 I give this warning to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. That kind of stuff is junky and there is no reward for that. What a solemn and weighty fact in the government of God! It is not what Christ puts on them, but a recognition even at this time of whatever has been of God the working I do not deny of the Spirit of Christ. And as for the twelve tribes of Israel, they are merely written there, nothing more. That is, Babylon is viewed in this chapter not so much in her mysterious and religious form, giving currency to every kind of confusion of truth and error, of good and evil, intoxicating, corrupting, and seducing, as all can see, through her wickedly religious influence; but she is viewed here as the most conspicuous aider and abettor of the world in its luxuries and delights and the pride of life, of what men call "civilization." Had he really penetrated under the surface, and seen that beneath the fair guise of Christendom the woman was, of all things under the sun, the most corrupt and hateful to God, it would not be so much to be surprised at. Patience or endurance of hope is what becomes us. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs So, this is for the churches. So, the Lord assures you these are true and faithful sayings. All is opened, and this because we have the Holy Ghost dwelling in us; "for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." There will be no more curse. Ezekiel 47:12. Revelation 2:7. On the Rock of Ages founded, What can shake thy sure repose? Today's Highlight in History: On April 22, 2000, in a dramatic pre-dawn raid, armed immigration agents seized Elian Gonzalez, the Cuban boy at the center of a custody dispute, from his relatives' home in Miami; Elian was reunited with his father at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington. He will not fail to take up the gage He has given our hearts. So abundant is its vitality that it bears a crop of fruit each month! When the beast dares to fight with the Lamb He shall overcome the beast; and they that are with Him, "called and chosen and faithful" terms, as a whole, entirely inapplicable to the angels. And there (or they) are seven kings." It was the destruction of the imperial unity of Rome that gave occasion for the well-known ten kingdoms which the barbarians set up afterwards. It is thus that God is wont to deal as a rule in His judgments, not necessarily on the one that first introduces an evil, but on those that inherit the guilt, and perhaps aggravate it, instead of taking warning by it. Consequently there will be an increase in population such as never has been approached since the world was made, yet it afterwards appears, that Satan will not fail to turn the masses of the nations into one vast rebellion against the objects of God's special favour on the earth the saints wherever they may be, and the beloved city of Israel, as we have seen. Were for the healing - That is, they contribute to impart life and health to those who had been diseased. Thus there is no question that some of the actors in the final scenes of the great drama were already there, as the reigning city, and the Roman empire.
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