Temple Baptist Church - 4-17-2022
Revelation 21:27-22:5
A. We saw last week that the New Jerusalem was going to be a place of unimaginable beauty. Walls of Jasper, gates of pearl, foundations garnished with precious stones, a street of transparent gold, ivory palaces, angels attending the gates, having the glory of God, and the light of God to lighten it: like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone as clear as crystal. A place of unimaginable size. 1500 miles long, 1500 miles wide (From New York City to Colorado and from Canada to Miami, Fl), and 1500 miles high containing 3,375,000,000 cubic miles cube laid beside cube would stretch to the sun 36.29 times,
B. As we end chapter 21, we see that the New Jerusalem is a Holy Place. A place of absolute purity. Once again in the last verse of chapter 21, the Bible reiterates that sin is gone from all aspects of eternity. As it was with "In the beginning God," so will be "In the beginning" of eternity with God. The sinful who have rejected Christ will be at home in the lake of fire while the sinful who have received Christ will be at home in the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
No sinners, no sin, and no temptation to sin. The residents of the New Jerusalem have had their sins washed in the blood of Christ and their righteousness found in the person of Christ. Their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life because they are His.
C. Verse 22:1. The word "And" shows the continuity of the context: the description of the New Jerusalem. We saw the City of God in chapter 21 from the outside: its glory, wall, gates, foundations, and Light. The only description given inwardly thus far was the "street" of transparent gold. Chapter 22 gives a more vivid picture of certain aspects of the New Jerusalem. The silence of the Bible on the other inward beauty and design speaks of our inability to imagine such beauty and radiance.
D. "A pure river of water of life, clear as crystal." In Revelation, chapter 22, we find the Last Mention of "river" found in the Bible. The source of this beautiful river is the "throne of God and the Lamb." James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." It is a pure river; it is a life-giving river; it is a beautiful (clear as crystal) river.
Joel 3:17-18 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. (18) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: (14) But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Revelation 7:15-17 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. (16) They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. (17) For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Revelation 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
The First Mention of "river" found in the Bible is consistent with the last mention.
Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. (As it was in the beginning, so shall it be in eternity.)
E. Verse 2. This verse has always thrilled my soul. Three things are depicted here and the visual that we are granted is a glorious sight.
We have already seen that there will be a "street" of transparent gold and here the "river" of life. One leads to and the other proceeds from the throne of God and the Lamb. The street is a boulevard. A boulevard is a divided road or street with one lane going one direction and the other lane the opposite direction. The area between the two parts of the street or road, called the median, are normally beautified with trees or plants. Look at the description that the Bible gives.
Here, we find the Tree of Life in the midst of the street. The Tree of Life is only mentioned in two books of the Bible: Genesis, chapters 2 and 3, and Revelation, chapters 7 and 22.
In Genesis, chapter 2, we find its availability to mankind in the midst of the garden of Eden. In Genesis, chapter 3, we find its unavailability to mankind, protected by a flaming sword and Cherubims. As to when God moved the Tree of Life to Paradise, we do not know. If the Tree of Life was there, then was the River of Life there also.
Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
In Revelation, chapter 2, we find its availability in the paradise of God, the restoration of eternal things that were from the beginning, and in chapter 22, we find its accessibility to those who are saved for all eternity.
The Tree of Life is also found here on "either side of the river" as well as "In the midst of the street of it." Here is the picture that God gives us of the median of the Street of Gold. The Street of Gold that leads to the Throne of God and The Lamb is divided by The River of Life flows which flows from the Throne of God and the Lamb.
The Tree of Life is also divided as it is in the midst of the street and on either side of the river. I get the picture of one of the giant sequoia trees out in California that has a road through the middle of it. The Tree of Life has a River of Life running through it.
Here is the picture: we see the Throne of God and the Lamb with the Street of Gold leading to it and, in the median of the Street of Gold, there is the River of Life flowing out of the Throne of God and The Lamb, through the middle of the street and the Tree of Life will grow on both sides of the River of Life.
F. The Tree of Life will bear "twelve manner of fruits." There are no identifications of what these different kinds of fruit are but the number twelve, a perfect number in the Bible, will be a perfect variety of fruits. They will be both available, yielded her fruit every month, and accessible. In the First Mention of the Tree of Life in the Book of Genesis, we find that Adam and Eve were able to put forth their hand and eat of the Tree.
G. It will be a Tree of Life. Our trees today either have a dormant season or, once they bear fruit, they will bear no more: such is the Banana Tree. There will be no dormant season, nor will there be any lack of bearing. The Bible does not expound upon the phrase found in Genesis, chapter three, which says, " lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever."
H. The leaves of the Tree of Life will be for the healing of the nations. This is not the healing of the individual because there will be no more sickness there. Our bodies will be perfect in every way and will need no healing. The healing of the leaves of the trees has to do with the healing of the nations on earth. Throughout the history of mankind after the curse, nations have risen against nations with these conflicts of interest in most cases ending in wars.
The leaves of this tree will evidently be used to heal, or to maintain, the relationships of the nations toward each other as eternity will be a time of peace and goodwill among the peoples of the earth.
J. Verse 3. Here it is reiterated that the curse caused by sin will be no more as God and the Lamb will both reign forever and his servants shall serve Him. Paul spoke of the requirement of stewards in 1 Corinthians 4:2: "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." As God has been faithful to His people, His people will be faithful to Him.
K. Verse 4. "And they shall see His face." Because of the sinfulness of men and the absolute holiness of God, no man had ever seen the face of God. In eternity, we shall see His face. Both the face of His person and the face of His audience.
Exodus 33:18-20 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. (19) And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. (20) And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
L. "And His name shall be in their foreheads." Ownership of mankind is once again restored as we were created by God and created for God. Song of Solomon 2:16 says, "My beloved is mine, and I am his!" Here, we find ownership: both by the Master and the Bond Slave. We love and serve God because He has loved and served us.
Exodus 21:5-6 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: (6) Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
M. Verse 5. There will be no night, no canopy of celestial lights, for God will be the Light of eternity and we will "reign for ever and ever" with Him. Eternity will be structured as God is a God of order and this restored earth, and the New Jerusalem will be the busiest places that you will ever see. That sounds like home to me!
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