WHAT AWAITS THE BELIEVERS
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And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
The heavenly state which was before described as a city, and called the new Jerusalem, is here described as a paradise, alluding to the earthly paradise which was lost by the sin of the first Adam; here is another paradise restored by the second Adam.
A paradise in a city, or a whole city in a paradise! In the first paradise there were only two persons to behold the beauty and taste the pleasures of it; but in this second paradise whole cities and nations shall find abundant delight and satisfaction.
By its quality-pure and clear as crystal. 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.
The picture is drawn from Ezek. 47: 1-12. There waters flowed out from the Temple. Here they come from the throne.
On either side of the river, was there the tree of life (2).
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.
In Ezekiel's vision, “at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other” (Ezek. 47:7).
Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
But here it is the tree of life.
This phrase carries us back to the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9).
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
There man sinned and was driven out of paradise, so that he no longer had access to the tree of life (Gen. 3:24).
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
But in the New Jerusalem the redeemed find it growing in abundance.
This tree bore twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
(1.) It brings forth many sorts of fruit-twelve sorts, suited to the refined taste of all the saints.
(2.) It brings forth fruit at all times-yields its fruit every month. This tree is never empty, never barren; there is always fruit upon it.
In heaven there is not only a variety of pure and satisfying pleasures, but a continuance of them, and always fresh.
(3.) The fruit is not only pleasant, but wholesome.
The presence of God in heaven is the health and happiness of the saints; there they find in him a remedy for all their former maladies, and are preserved by him in the most healthful and vigorous state.
Ezekiel wrote of the trees on the river's bank that they would “bring forth new fruit according to his months … and the leaf thereof for medicine” (Ezek. 47:12).
And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
In the New Jerusalem there will be no more curse (3).
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
The Greek word is not the usual anathema, found half a dozen times in the New Testament, but katathema, which occurs only here.
Behm says that it is “probably another and sharper form of anathema.”
It means an “accursed thing.” Glasson says: “This perhaps looks back to Gen. 3:17-18.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
After the Fall … a curse was imposed; thorns and thistles began to grow … . Now the curse is taken away.
Thus the last chapters of the Bible balance the first, and Paradise Lost gives place to Paradise Regained.”
No evil thing or person can enter the New Jerusalem, be cause the throne of God and of the Lamb is there.
And his servants shall serve (or worship) him suggests that the next life will not be a time of idleness (7:15).
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
Furthermore, they shall see his face in perfect fellowship; and his name shall be in their foreheads (4).
And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
This is a sign of complete consecration to God and absolute ownership by Him.
Again (cf. 21:25) we are told that there will be no night there (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.
Consequently they need no candle, not even light of the sun (cf. 21:23); for the Lord God giveth them light— all the light we have comes from Him—and they shall reign for ever and ever.
This is not just for the thousand years of the millennial Kingdom (20:5).
On entering chapter 21 we moved from time into eternity.
Here everything lasts forever.