THE RIVER OF THE WATER OF LIFE
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life,
as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the
middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the
tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer
will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the
city, and His servants will serve Him." Rev. 22:1-3
In the previous chapter, we had the sublime description
of Heaven as a City, the palatial residence of the glorified Bride of
Christ—a city without temple, without light of sun or moon, or material
luminary, yet resplendent with eternal radiance. Here we have conjoined to
it a restored Paradise, with its crystal river and perennial Tree of Life.
Earth's two holiest spots, Eden and Jerusalem, are thus employed in blended
symbol, further to image forth a bliss which eye has not seen, nor ear
heard, nor heart conceived. The verses form a befitting climax to the series
of preceding visions. How often have they been listened to by the dying
believer, cheering him in his passage through Jordan, tuning his voice to
his closing earthly song, until its notes mingle with those of the Seraphim!
Let us seek to gather from them a few additional
thoughts, under new emblems, of the nature of the coming Heavenly bliss—a
few additional glimpses of the Everlasting Home. The reader must bear so far
with repetition; although under varying imagery, some of the same
characteristics recur with which we are already acquainted. The inspired
Painter loves to delineate over and over again the same subject, only
rendering it under new aspects.
The first thought here regarding the happiness in reserve
for the saints of God in their future Heaven is, that it is a
divinely-originated happiness. John sees this River of the Water of Life
"flowing from the Throne of God;" it has its fountain-head there. Could the
simile possibly have been suggested by the only river-source with which he
was familiar in Palestine, and which had to him the holiest of memories;
that which no traveler who has seen it can ever forget—the welling up of the
Jordan in the cavern at the base of giant Mount Hermon ('the kingly
mountain'), itself the most glorious emblem in that land of sacred symbol of
the Throne "Eternal in the Heavens?" Proceeding from the footstool of this
mountain-throne, the Jordan river, from the gush of its pure stream, might
well suggest the words, "the river of the water of life."
This, too, is the first feature in the vision which
arrests the attention of the apostle; for, although the scenery on either
side of the river occupied the foreground of the picture (nearer his point
of vision,) yet, before entering on its description, he follows the Stream
to its source. He sees it rising up from the foot of the Throne of God! And
this will form one of the great elements of joy to the ransomed saints
above, tracing all their wealth of bliss and glory to its origin in the
free sovereign grace and love of Jehovah! Except for His sovereign
grace, there could have been no river, no harp, no crown, no song. By the
grace of God they are what they are!
Moreover, not only does the vision tell that God is the
author and source of all happiness in heaven, but that He Himself
constitutes heaven's happiness! It is an emanation from Him—its beams
radiate from the great central Sun. Let the proclamation be sounded in the
upper Sanctuary—'There is no God'—and the joys of Heaven would terminate.
Annihilate that majestic Throne, and the river would cease to flow; the
blessedness of angels and the Redeemed, would be at an end. There may be,
and there doubtless will be, other joys; but God Himself will be to His
Ransomed their "exceeding joy." Jerusalem of old had no river. No Tigris, or
Euphrates, or Tiber washed her walls, or flowed through her environing
valleys. The Jordan was at a distance, and the Kedron was a winter torrent,
which left a dry channel all summer long. But she had a nobler equivalent
and compensation—"The glorious Lord will be to her in the place of broad
rivers and streams." This, in a loftier sense, will be true of the Heavenly
Jerusalem—"GOD is in the midst of her." The song of earth will be the song
of eternity, "all my springs are in You," "with You is the fountain of
life."
A second element in the Heavenly bliss of the redeemed,
spoken of in these words, is that it is a happiness derived from, and
dependent upon, the atoning work of Christ. The river proceeds from "the
Throne of God and of the Lamb." And it is again added, in verse 3,
"But the Throne of God and of THE LAMB shall be in it." 'The Lamb' denotes
in this Book, as we now well know, the sacrificial name of Jesus. While we
are reminded by "the Throne of God" of the purposes of love in the adorable
Trinity from all eternity, we are specially reminded that the redeemed, as
they crowd by the banks of the River of Life watching its outflowing, will
trace up all their covenant privileges to the Savior who died for them, and
make this their eternal ascription, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, for
You have redeemed us unto God by Your blood!" They will see every gem of
their crown, resplendent with His atoning work and righteousness. They will
understand then the full meaning of that expression of Paul's, where Heaven
is spoken of as "the purchased possession."
Each gate of this 'City of the Crystal sea' will bear the
inscription, "You are not your own, you are bought with a price." No, more,
it recalls one of the truths of a former vision, which we need not again
expand, the perpetuity of the exalted humanity of the Savior. Though
His throne is spoken of here, denoting His Deity and kingly Sovereignty, it
is the Throne of THE LAMB. He will still be known in the midst of His
redeemed Church as the sacrificial victim of Calvary—not only the Brother in
our nature, but as "Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own
blood!"
The next thought these words bring before us, is also one
with which previous visions have made us familiar, that the heavenly
happiness will be pure in its nature. It will be the happiness of
holiness. If we take the River as symbolic of the believer's bliss, its
purity specially arrested the attention of the Apostle. "He showed me a pure
river of the Water of life;" and in verse 3 it is said, "there shall be no
more curse." The greatest curse of all, is the curse of sin. That curse will
be at an end; and the Redeemed will know, in all its beauty and fullness,
the truth of the beatitude, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall
see God."
How present happiness and peace are marred and polluted
by impurity! The breath of sin blurs the windows of the soul; the curse of
sin blights the fairest flowers in the earthly garden. The corruption of the
heart, like the wind on the surface of the lake, disturbs its loveliest
reflections; and every stream that flows from it is ruffled and troubled
too. Many a man, with all the world can give to make him happy—riches,
honors, fame—is wretched, because of the venom of some serpent-sin, which he
has nurtured and fondled, to the destruction of his own peace! The moral
virus has tainted his whole life and being—he has become the slave of his
lust and is therefore miserable. Look at the world around us—what a scene of
fretfulness and agitation! How unlike the divine picturing of the Seer of
Patmos! Mark sin's 'plottings and counter-plottings'—its envyings and
slanders—its frauds and ambitions—its feuds and hatreds—and intense love of
self.
By that pure River of Life there will be no such
disturbing causes—"no curse" (or "accursed thing"); but one vast
community of holy beings pervaded by one law—the law of love. We shall
be happy, because holy; heaven will be found to consist in assimilation to
the divine character in its holiness—the blending of the human with the
divine will. "It does not yet appear what we shall be" (there is much
regarding the circumstantials of heavenly bliss which remains unrevealed);
"but (this) we know, that when He shall appear we shall be like Him." "And,"
adds the Apostle, "let every man that has this hope in him, purify
himself even as He is pure." Think once more of this often reiterated
qualification of heavenly citizenship. It is "a pure river of the water of
life" on whose banks the Redeemed are to recline, and of whose streams they
are to drink. "Without holiness no man can see the Lord."
A fourth element of future Heavenly joy suggested in
these words is, that there shall then be a full disclosure and revelation
of all that is mysterious in earthly dispensations. What often makes the
river of earth dark and turbid, is the mystery of the Divine dealings.
We watch that river in its flow, or gaze down into its channel, but all
is muddy, baffling, perplexing—"Your judgments are a great deep." But John,
as he gazes, sees not only a pure river, but it is translucent—it is
"clear as crystal." In God's own light he sees light—all will be revealed
then. Every 'why' and 'wherefore' will be resolved—every "needs be" will be
interpreted and explained. As we stoop over the crystalline depths, the
ascription often before uttered through tears, will be then made with
jubilant voice, "Righteous are you, O Lord;" "We have known" (and now
believe) "the love of God to us!"
A fifth characteristic of future Heavenly happiness here
suggested is its diversity. The figure of the River is now
changed to that of a Tree. "On each side of the river stood the
tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every
month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations."
Unlike the fruit-bearers of earth, which had only their annual crop
and no more, it is fruit-yielding each successive month of the eternal
year—it has its twelve fruit harvests. That Tree is Christ! We read
of the Tree of life in Eden lost. Here we read of it again
in Paradise regained. No flaming sword now guards the way. It
stands in the open street, free to every glorified citizen—the pledge and
guarantee of his immortal joy. In Jesus, this ever-living Tree, there is
found every kind of exalted happiness; bliss suited to the varied tastes and
capacities and spiritual longings of His ransomed people. All are pictured
as being congregated under its majestic shadow, gathering the food they most
desire; and no sooner is one crop gathered—than lo! the branches are anew
laden and the baskets anew filled.
"There is a river, the STREAMS (the manifold
streams) whereof make glad the city of God." How different from
earth! There, often when one stream is dried, all is dried. One awful
misfortune comes, and the heart pines and withers, and nothing else can fill
up its aching voids; one gourd is smitten, and nothing can reanimate its
drooping, withered leaves. Even those on earth whose worldly cup has been
fullest, who know best what joy is, how short-lived, how unsatisfactory,
after all! How it palls on the worn-out appetite, if it have no higher and
nobler element in it!
But in Heaven the blessedness is ever new. Its
characteristics are—abundance, variety, perpetuity. "You are complete
in Him." The Tree, the River, the Leaves, seem beautifully to harmonize with
the successive emblems, which, in a preceding vision, describe the happiness
of the glorified. Is it the Tree and its abundant fruits? "They shall
hunger no more." Is it the River of living water? "They shall thirst
no more." Is it the shadowy overcanopying Leaves with their healing
influences? "The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat." The
believer's bliss being a covenant one, and divine in its
origin (flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb), is changeless
and inexhaustible! No darkness can cloud it—no rock of human
vicissitude can impede its current. It flows on, and on, forever, "to the
ages of the ages!"
Once more. The words indicate another constituent element
in the happiness of Heaven (which has also been anticipated in a previous
vision), that is, the activities of a glorified life, "and His servants
shall serve Him." Heaven is not to be a blank existence. Even on
earth there is a blessing in the law of labor—a blessing wrapped up in the
very curse, "In the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread." The most
wretched of lives is a life of compelled idleness. The most joyous is a life
of active usefulness—the apostolic combination of diligence in business with
fervency in spirit. And the same law will hold good in Heaven. It will be no
dreamy, sentimental, Mohammedan Paradise. The Redeemed will be engaged
serving God in active ministries of holy love. "They rest," and yet "they
rest not." They rest in the perfect peace of God, the realized possession of
His favor. But they rest not, in the labor of a faithful service. Their
highest happiness is in doing His pleasure. They "serve Him day and
night in His temple."
What a pleasure on earth, a faithful servant experiences
in doing the work of his master well! Even when such fidelity may be little
deserved, or such labor poorly requited, it is rendered cheerfully from a
sense of duty. What infinitely higher and purer joy will those Redeemed
Saints in Heaven have, in serving ONE all worthy of their love, and who has
infinite and surpassing claims on their regard! Then, at least, shall they
serve Him with a devotion that never flags, a constancy that never
falters, a singleness of eye and aim which admits of no deflection or
deviation, a zeal which knows no decay. Duty will be transformed into
delight. God's service will be its own noblest recompense. The cry of the
old champion, as he first girded on his armor, will be the joy of eternity,
"Lord! what will you have me TO DO?"
How are we affected by these renewed glorious picturings
of a future Heaven? Is it to us a pleasing prospect, that all the evils once
brought in by Sin are to be removed—that the unstrung tuneless harp is to
have its old harmonies revived—that our lost Eden is to be more than
restored, for it is to be restored without the possibility of failure or
fall. We have been again specially reminded of Heaven's main moral
characteristic. If this passage had described nothing but material
beauty—the River, the Tree, the luscious Fruits, the Golden-paved streets,
these would all (in themselves) fail to satisfy the aspirations of the
Redeemed Soul. But "I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness."
"Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have right to the
Tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the City."
Nor are these spiritual blessings (symbolized by the Tree
and its abundant fruitage) blessings reserved only for the future.
They are ours now. We are invited now to partake of these fruits, and
to repose under that shelter. "Christ who is our Life." Life is now
alone found in Him; out of Him is death—the curse. Like the emblem of this
Heavenly vision too, He is accessible at all times. The Tree bears
fruit every month. Every month of life's momentous year we may come to Him.
Youth may come to Him in spring. Manhood may come to Him in summer. Even Old
age may take shelter under these glorious branches. When other trees of
existence are bared and stripped by winter blasts, He is filled with leaves,
a refuge from the storm and a covert from the tempest.
In the bright months of prosperity, in the dreary
months of adversity; in months of sickness when laid on the
lone pillow; in the dark months of bereavement, this Tree is
stretching forth its sheltering arms of mercy, that every weary, wandering
bird may be screened from the gathering tempest. God grant that we may
experience in part now, and in their glorious reality for evermore, the
fulfillment of the Psalmist's exulting words, "He who dwells in the secret
place of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty!"