Revelation 22 (New American Standard Bible)

The River and the Tree of Life

Intro___

 1Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb

The River of the water of life, is not new to John. In John 7:37-39 he used it of the Holy Spirit. In John 4 Jesus uses it to speak of all the blessing which flow from being His child. Whatever the picture is supposed to mean it is part of an overall picture of the provisions of God for His people. In 7:16,17 we are told that the Lamb would provide just what they have here. The notion that that one doesn't get to drink of the waters of life until eternity is not reinforced here nor in John 4 where it is offered to the woman at the well.

Ezekiel 47:1-12 has a similar picture. Zechariah 14:1-8 speaks not of one but of two rivers flowing from the house of YHWH. Ezekiel's picture is more complete and it associates the trees of life with the river as does John. This picture of a river flowing and trees of life send us back to Eden. Just read Ezekiel's picture. He speaks four times of the healing produced by the river and the trees.

Ezekiel 47:1-12

Water from the Temple

 1Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar.

 2He 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.

 3When 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.

 4Again 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.

 5Again 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.

 6He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me back to the bank of the river.

 7Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

 8Then he said to me, "These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh.

 9"It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; soeverything will live where the river goes.

 10"And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many.

 11"But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.

 12"By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food Theirleaves 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."

Verse 1__

The whole picture is one of blessedness of the people of God. Here is a river which flows from the sanctuary (which in Ezekiel God's throne, 43:6,7) but without tributaries. The further it flows the deeper it gets. These are the blessing of God provided for those who are righteous and these blessing flow from God through the barren and dead places of the world. In this verse we find that mercy and grace come from God.

2in 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.

Verse 2___ here we have the number 12 again. This figure is borrowed from Eden. Now this fruit is provided for the people of God. Yielding its fruit every month__Not only does the tree provide 12 different kinds of it provides it 12 months per year. This entire scene takes place inside the city with its inhabitants.

The leaves of the tree were for healing the nations___Here we have the nations mentioned again. Remember we are in the city of God's people. This city of people are not to offer its blessing to others. They are to offer the "drink of the water of life" (22:17). It is through these leaves that nations and peoples are healed. This passage tells us (remember, there are no nations in eternity) that the church of God is to reach out to the world.

3There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;

Verse 3__Zechariah 8:13 speaks of Israel as being at one point a "curse" among the nations. In Zechariah, God promises to "restore" Israel where she is no longer a shame. However, we are still using the images from Eden and it may be simply be a promise of the "curse of Eden" removed.

4they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.5And there will no longer be any night;      and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.                                                                                                                      


Verses 3-5___The throne of God and the Lamb shall be there in__Nothing new here.

"They shall see His face and His name will be on their forehead."

John is speaking of how close the communion is between the Lord and His people. When approaching God in the Temple, the High Priest carried a kind of Medallion on his forehead that said "holiness to the Lord." Once again, what joys and privileges God's people have.

Verse 5___No night there, this city depends of God.

They shall reign forever and ever__We are told in 5:10 that we are a kingdom of Priests and reign on earth. In 20:4 that the martyrs reigned. So alive or dead, the saints reign (and that is now).

6And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the              prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.7"And                behold, I am coming quickly Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.                            

Verses 6,7___The book of Revelation is only a book but it is God's book. and the things spoken of in this book are to come to pass "shortly." It is not several thousand years after John in some millennial kingdom that only exists in someone's mind. (see 1:1).

Verse 7___And behold, I come quickly___ the word "taku" occurs 7 times in this book. (2:5, 16; 3:11; 11:14; 22:7, 12,20) It means with speed.

This book is prophecy__ One must keep the words of this prophecy to be blessed and not just have a feeling in your heart.

Verses 8-9___The congregations that received this letter knew John personally. John tells they he was a witness. He saw! I feel down to worship before the feet of the angel__ It seems to me as if this may be from John's own response. This has already happened before and John was rebuked for it. Angels cannot be worshiped and that is the point.

Verses 8-9

.."8I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things And when I heard and saw, I fell down to             worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things.9But he said to me, "Do not do that I am             a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book.      Worship God."                                                                                                                                                                       


The Final Message

 10And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.11"Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy."12"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.

Verse 10-15___Remember the words told the Daniel in our earlier study.

26"The vision of the evenings and mornings
         Which has been told is true;
         But keep the vision secret,
         For it pertains to many days in the future

Daniel 8:26___

Daniel was told to "seal up" the vision because things are in the future. Here John is told "not to seal up."

What do you think of an entire school of interpretation that says that nothing in Revelation 4-22 has been fulfilled? Welcome to the modern millennial heresy.

Verses 11-12___ He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness___ This comes from Daniel 12:10 and Isaiah 32:5-8. God is not encouraging people to do wickedness but is making a commentary on their character.

Verse 12___ Once again, I suppose that judgment will be basis of a good feeling in your heart. What do you think? Does this say you will be judged on the basis of your personal relationship with God? Of course that is silly. Judgment is on the basis of the things they have done. One can only get to the modern interpretation of faith by embracing Gnostic doctrine.

Verses 13-15___

3"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."14Blessed 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.15Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying

Verse 13___once again Jesus says He is the first and the last.

Verse 14__Here is an illusion to 3:4 and 7:14. This entire section stresses human participation in salvation. My own view, this is a reference to baptism.

Verse 15___It is only those mentioned in verse 14 who have a right to the tree of life. In 22:19 we are told that God will take away their part of the tree of life from those who meddle with this book!

Dogs in near eastern thought are meant to conjure up ideas of low class or jackals. We find out here that people who murder, are guilty of porneia (sexual misbehavior) and those who make a practice of lying end up outside the city gates.

.16"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."17The Spirit and the bride say, "Come " And let the one who hears say, "Come " And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.18I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;19and 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.20He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly " Amen Come, Lord Jesus

Verse 16-20

Once more we are assured of the source of this book. Jesus tells us that He is the offspring of David.

Verse 17__And the "Spirit" and the bride say come. What bride? The bride you have been reading about. Listen, this can be nothing but the church. Here is the invitation song. I thirst, let me drink!!!

Verses 18-19___Adding to the Word of God__ We want to talk more on this in class but what does this say about all the pre-millennialist people. Clearly jumping this out of context and making up stuff is adding to the word of God. Emperor worship did happen as a matter of factual history. There was a real Roman Empire. That is the context.

The "not adding to the Word of God" is not changing the message that was given to John.

This book is admittedly difficult to understand in places and there are some devout scholars who disagree on some points. But what is meant by "adding" or "taking away" is a warning not to change the message of Christ's work as Savior, Lord, and Judge. To do so is to risk all the plagues in the revelation and a loss of citizenship in the New Jerusalem. Believe me, that is a terrible risk. I personally think that an individual who deliberately avoids studying or teaching this book is getting very close to the same thing as "taking away." (TNWC, p. 307).

And if any man takes away____It is most interesting to read some of the Pre-mill commentaries on these passages. They don't do very well with it. They operate on the assumption that no "real child of God" could tamper with the Word of God. This is not what the text proclaims. The text says that someone with a share in the tree of life and eternity can lose that share.

And with this I will close, Hope you have enjoyed our little "tour" through Revelation,___ Lane

.21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.