Read with Me
Revelation 22:1-5 (HCSB)
Then he showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the broad street of the city. The tree of life was on both sides of the river, bearing 12 kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His slaves will serve Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. Night will no longer exist, and people will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.
Listen with Me
John is shown a river of life-giving water flowing through the middle of the city, down the center of the main street. This is a revisitation of the river of living water that Ezekiel saw flowing from under the temple. Everywhere that steadily deepening river flowed, it brought life, even making the stagnant waters of the Dead Sea team with life (Ezekiel 47:1-12). John was also shown, as was Ezekiel, that along the banks of this river grew continually fruiting trees of life, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.
This river symbolizes God’s own life-giving presence and power that flows through the very heart of His Church, available to every believer. This free-flowing power not only brings life to the full to everyone who lives in God’s kingdom, but it also produces the fruit of the Spirit in everyone who partakes of its benefits. The fruit is only for those who live in God’s kingdom, but the leaves, the outward signs of God’s presence, are for the healing of the nations, able to open doors into God’s presence.
For those who live in the New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God, which is embodied in the Church, there is no longer any curse. Their separation from God is healed by the blood of Jesus, and their inner rebellion that makes sin the most natural thing to do is transformed. Their hearts of stone are removed, replaced by soft, responsive, obedient hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:25-27).
These saints of God, both men and women, bear God’s name on their foreheads, clearly identifying them as His. They live in God’s presence, not just on Sundays, but every hour of every day, serving God wholeheartedly. They will never have to walk in the darkness of sin and confusion, because they live continually in God’s light.
Pray with Me.
Father, it is clear that all these amazing things are the birthright and the present possession of all those who trust in Jesus for salvation and who follow Him and obey His commandments. But how few of Your people actually seem to be living them out in their day-to- day lives. Instead, we read these descriptions and sigh “Someday…”, and we go on living in the darkness outside the city gates, believing that we only have a right to the good things within after we die, or after Jesus returns. How sad is that! Lord, You have called us to be Your Church right now, to live as the people of the here-and-now kingdom of God, and to be Your messengers and Your instruments of righteousness, spreading Your light, Your life, and Your healing power everywhere we go. Help me to start doing all that with all my heart today. Amen.