Loyal
The last chapter of the Bible mentions a river. But not just any river...
Rev 22:1; Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
Rev 22:2; in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Water.... clear as crystal... coming from... the throne of God.
On both side of this river, was a tree of life. Now these trees have 12 kinds of fruit.
...and the leaves were for the healing of the nations. (more about that in a moment)
There is a similar passage in the old testament.
Now there are some metaphors in the Bible about a tree of life.
Prov 3:18 She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.
Prov 11:30; The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.
Prov 13:12; Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Prov 15:4; A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
But also it seems there is actually a real tree. Or perhaps a number of trees.
Rev 2:7; 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'
Rev 22:14; Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
Rev 22:19; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.
Ezekiel speaks of similar things.
Ezek 47:2; He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side.
Ezek 47:3; When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles.
Ezek 47:4; Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins.
Ezek 47:5; Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded.
Ezek 47:6; He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me back to the bank of the river.
Ezek 47:7; Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
Ezek 47:12; "By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing."
Now if indeed all of this is speaking of the New Jerusalem, and the throne of God is there, and the river of life flows from this throne...
It seems the throne where the river begins, will be on the "south side" (verse 2) of this place.
Also this river gets deeper and deeper the further out it goes.
Just like in Revelation, this river has trees. In this case "all kinds of trees" for food.
The trees in Revelation have 12 kinds of fruit, but the trees on Ezekiel are "all kinds" (perhaps 12 kinds)
Both books have a river with trees on either side. Book books say the leaves of these trees are for healing.
It's interesting, the fruit is for eating (food), but the leaves are for healing.
(Rev 22:2; Ezek 47:12; )
One interesting question this brings up is... who will need to be healed? If there is no more sickness, pain, suffering, etc....
who are these nations that will need healing from the leaves?
It seems there may be unsaved" people outside the city, even at this time?
Rev 22:14; Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15; Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
Some people can enter the New Jerusalem, but others will not be able to.
Rev 22:1; Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
Rev 22:2; in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Water.... clear as crystal... coming from... the throne of God.
On both side of this river, was a tree of life. Now these trees have 12 kinds of fruit.
...and the leaves were for the healing of the nations. (more about that in a moment)
There is a similar passage in the old testament.
Now there are some metaphors in the Bible about a tree of life.
Prov 3:18 She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.
Prov 11:30; The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.
Prov 13:12; Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Prov 15:4; A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
But also it seems there is actually a real tree. Or perhaps a number of trees.
Rev 2:7; 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'
Rev 22:14; Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
Rev 22:19; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.
Ezekiel speaks of similar things.
Ezek 47:2; He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side.
Ezek 47:3; When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles.
Ezek 47:4; Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins.
Ezek 47:5; Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded.
Ezek 47:6; He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me back to the bank of the river.
Ezek 47:7; Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
Ezek 47:12; "By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing."
Now if indeed all of this is speaking of the New Jerusalem, and the throne of God is there, and the river of life flows from this throne...
It seems the throne where the river begins, will be on the "south side" (verse 2) of this place.
Also this river gets deeper and deeper the further out it goes.
Just like in Revelation, this river has trees. In this case "all kinds of trees" for food.
The trees in Revelation have 12 kinds of fruit, but the trees on Ezekiel are "all kinds" (perhaps 12 kinds)
Both books have a river with trees on either side. Book books say the leaves of these trees are for healing.
It's interesting, the fruit is for eating (food), but the leaves are for healing.
(Rev 22:2; Ezek 47:12; )
One interesting question this brings up is... who will need to be healed? If there is no more sickness, pain, suffering, etc....
who are these nations that will need healing from the leaves?
It seems there may be unsaved" people outside the city, even at this time?
Rev 22:14; Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15; Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
Some people can enter the New Jerusalem, but others will not be able to.
