There are too many who are devout, but not students; they will not accept the discipline of learning and even look with suspicion upon the further knowledge which study brings. The spiritual power is wholly in the hands of the false prophet. Foolishness. probably means that Christ and his Church join in the invitation to accept all that he has to offer. For her sin., have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have not yet received a kingdom; but they receive authority as kings (not at but for) one hour with the beast." That is why I take the book literally even though I may not understand all of it. Accordingly the rapture of the church with the Old Testament saints must have already taken place, all (as I have no doubt) being caught up at the self-same time to be with the Lord above. Translation Details for Revelation 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Here it is the positive worship of the creature besides the Creator, yea, and notoriously more than He. "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. and with his wounds we are healed. In the midst of the street of it,. That is, of the city described in the preceding chapter, which shows that this vision belongs to that, and is a continuation of it, and which street was all of pure gold, Revelation 21:21. and on either side of the river was there the tree of life; not that it stood either in the midst of the street of the city, which being a pavement of gold, a tree could not well stand there; nor on both sides of the river, which is impossible, unless the tree of life is put for many trees of the same kind, as in Ezekiel's vision, to which the allusion is; and so some were on one side of the river, and some on the other, as there; see Ezekiel 47:7 or unless it can be thought that such a solution of the difficulty is sufficient, that the root of it was on one side, and the branches grew over to the other; though the words may be better rendered, and the difficulty will be removed, and the sense be clear, "between the street of it", the city, "and the river, on this side, and on that side"; that is, the street on one side, and the river on the other, was the tree of life; compare with this John 19:18. Isaiah 51:3). Could making all things new be a reference to healing which starting [Acts 3:21] in this world continues after "the first earth had passed away"? In Christ alone the longing of the soul can be satisfied. All this shall be with perfect knowledge and joy. "[14] We still use this idiom, for example, when we remark that, "The date palm grows in southern California." The leaves of the tree will heal the nations. We are not to suppose that there will be sickness, and a healing process in heaven, for that idea is expressly excluded in Revelation 21:4; but the meaning is, that the life and health of that blessed world will have been imparted by partaking of that tree; and the writer says that, in fact, it was owing to it that they who dwell there had been healed of their spiritual maladies, and had been made to live forever. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for night shall not be there. "And he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." By its fountain-head--the throne of God and the Lamb. All the energy to mislead men in the presence of the first beast was long in his hands, and now nothing more is spoken of. And, if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. And yielded her fruit every month - The word and is also supplied by the translators, and introduces an idea which is not in the original, as if there was not only a succession of harvests, which is in the text, but that each one differed from the former, which is not in the text. Who can describe his generation? The bride breathes out this word to the bridegroom; and the Holy Ghost it is that gives strength to her desire that He should come. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The fallen angels are not called, and the holy angels never need to be they are kept. In the case of Eden, the tree of life is clearly associated with the perpetuity of human life (Gen. 3:22). The idea is, that the tree bore every month in the year, so that there were twelve fruit-harvests. "Faithful" is what belongs to a man. No one can soberly deny that Babylon in some sort had a place then; but that the special, and above all, the full character of Babylon was manifested as here portrayed is another matter. So, during part of the year we could pick the Valencia oranges, during the winter months pick the navel oranges, and in the meantime, eat the grapefruit and have lemonade. There stands the solemn brand graven, not on the blasphemous beast, but on the forehead of its rider, "Mystery, Babylon the great." There. Here is seen the holy city coming down out of heaven from God, which is declared to be the bride, the Lamb's wife, in the plainest contrast with the great harlot. Consequently there will be an increase in population such as never has been approached since the world was made, yet it afterwards appears, that Satan will not fail to turn the masses of the nations into one vast rebellion against the objects of God's special favour on the earth the saints wherever they may be, and the beloved city of Israel, as we have seen. The beloved city is Jerusalem; the camp of the saints, I presume, is a larger circle and embraces all of Israel and the Gentiles who, being converted, refuse Satan's deceit. All our springs of grace, comfort, and glory, are in God; and all our streams from him are through the mediation of the Lamb. It is not now lightnings and thunders and voices. Supposing, for instance, a drunken father: if the sons had one spark of right feeling, not only must they feel the utmost shame and pain on account of their parent, but they would endeavour (like the sons of Noah who had a due sense of what was proper to their father) to cast some mantle of love over that which they could not deny, yet would not look at, but surely above all things they would watch against that shameful sin. Genesis 2:9; Genesis 3:22-24). "In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. God's servants shall see his face. Little do they know, because they believe not what is here written, that it is about to come out of the abyss or bottomless pit. The individual has his own fruit too. It does not hinder, of course, that in the judgment of the dead each man is judged for his own sin. It brings forth fruit at all times--yields its fruit every month. What confusion! So, this is for the churches. Some evade the difficulty by referring the desolation to the Gothic powers; and these Protestants, as if they were mere Praeterists! Babylon had once heard the varied testimony of God; for what had she not heard of truth? It is the truth, and not the wording of the truth, which must not be changed. They lived, and were put therefore into a place and condition suitable for reigning with Christ, no less than the Old Testament saints and the church itself. I can't deserve that or earn it. "He that testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. . "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Revelation 22:2 down the middle of the main street of the city. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. Then the word is, "Award her even as she awarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she mixed, mix to her double. 22:1, 2; Gen. 2:9-11). Left to man himself no such river is possible. "I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled; and place was not found for them." But we can understand that the Lord could and did make that little go far, and do no little good. Then, as we have seen, comes the final test of the nations of the earth after that kingdom has run its course, and the devil let loose once more deceives flesh and blood after the analogy of all other dispensations. It does not refer to every individual word of the Revelation. What remains of the last chapter of the Revelation is curiously disjointed. 1706.return to 'Jump List'. In Daniel we read: "The wicked shall do wickedly" ( Daniel 12:10). There are also too many who are students, but not devout; they are interested too much in intellectual knowledge and too little in prayer and in service of their fellow-men. He includes in himself all time, for he is the first and the last. Thus the only use that seems made of the book is negative and exclusive. The morning star is the herald of the day which chases away the darkness of the night; before Jesus the night of sin and death flees away. It is written to be believed, not to be ignored or explained away. (No way to imagine one tree on either side.) I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and the morning star. If some few have joined on one side, some are sure to help the other, because they are jealous of any one acquiring such a preponderant authority: and power as to govern the rest. It produced 12 kinds of fruit. But, in point of fact, in giving the description of Babylon, the Holy Ghost enters even more into an account of her relations with the beast, the imperial power of which we saw not a little last night. As throughout the vision, John uses present terminology to describe future conditions. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. "God," said the rabbis in their dreams of the golden age, "will produce a river from the Holy of Holies, beside which every kind of delicate fruits will grow.". Revelation 18:1-24 need not delay us long. Thus the difference is complete between past history (if we look at the extinction of the empire and the rise of the ten kingdoms) and the certain fulfilment of the prophecy in the future, when we look at what God has really told us. Man alone is to blame who has misapplied it. She will despise everything really divine; she will only use whatever of God's word she can pervert for increasing her own importance, and gaining a greater ascendancy over the consciences of men, and enjoying herself more luxuriously in this world; for she will go far to obliterate all remembrance of heaven, and to make this world a kind of paradise which she embellishes, not with pure and undefiled religion, but with the arts of men and the idolatries of the world. Rev 22:2 - leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations; Note that on occasions the "nations" are clearly wicked and at other times, the "nations" are clearly saved people from all the nations. The tree of life is no longer forbidden; it is there in the midst of the city for all to take. So let it be! But a grave consideration soon disposes of both views by the relation to the beast, and more particularly by what will be shown a little farther on. In both cases you have abundant water and the tree of life (Rev. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. They "lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.". The church is heavenly; and in heaven there are no times nor seasons. The chief difference is that in man's case it is God who raises him, whereas in the empire's not God but the devil will raise it again. For Christ has not only a supreme but an exclusive place. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true ( Revelation 22:6 ): It sounds too good to be true. It so happens that the text is, in fact, in bad condition and we do not know for certain what the actual wording is. This is the meaning of "one hour with the beast.". Link Johns vision of the river of life with Psalms 46:1-11 verses 4 and 5--, There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most high. I am not raising any question about the ten. It brings forth many sorts of fruit--twelve sorts, suited to the refined taste of all the saints. *The description here is simply character, not dates. "Healing, of course, implies disease;" but, "That will be one of the things that will be unknown in heaven."[16]. "And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, that hath kingship over the kings of the earth." 24:23; 60:19, 20; Rev. The account in Ezekiel is this: "And by the river, upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade-it shall bring forth new fruit, according to his months - and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine;" Ezekiel 47:12. Here is the great excellency of this paradise. Scholz's note ("rec. Revelation 22:2 in all English translations, NIV, Story of Jesus: Experience the Life of Jesus as One Seamless Story, NIV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Galatians, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow Gods Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture, NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version. The horns have constantly opposed each other, and even sometimes the pope. The leaves of the trees are for the Healing of the Nations that shall occupy the New Earth. It is to be supposed that it will far exceed anything yet seen on the face of the earth. These would appear to be (save Judas Iscariot, of course) the twelve apostles that were peculiarly associated with Christ in His suffering path on the earth. It is certain that we ought to read (not "upon" but) "and* the beast." Why then is the book of life mentioned? There is a real danger, subtle danger there. These instances seem to refer to Eden's literal tree of life. Thus such as were in the separate state were reunited to their bodies, and lived and reigned like those who were already on the thrones. Everything about it will contribute to sustain life. With salvations walls surrounded, Thou mayst smile at all thy foes. By the tree of life is meant not the Gospel, nor godliness, nor eternal life, nor any other of the divine Persons, but Christ, who is the author of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal; See Gill on Revelation 2:7 and its situation between the street of the city, where the saints commune and converse together, and the river of God's everlasting love, which in this state will appear in its fulness and glory, shows that Christ will be seen and enjoyed by all in the most delightful and comfortable manner that can be wished for: which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; not one sort of fruit one month, and another sort another month, and so on, but twelve sorts every month; which is expressive of the fruits and spiritual blessings of grace from Christ, enjoyed by saints in the present state, and of that variety of happiness and pleasures to be had in this glorious state, and of the continuance of them; they being always ever fresh and new, and will be always sufficient for the twelve tribes of the true Israel of God, and for all that have embraced the doctrine of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; whose drink in this state will be the everlasting love of God, and whose food will be the fruit of the tree of life; both which they shall enjoy in great abundance: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations; not for the curing of diseases, or repairing of health; which in the present state of things is done by the application of the blood of Christ for the pardon of sin, which is a healing of diseases, and by the discoveries of the love of God; through the ministration of the Gospel, and the doctrines of it, which might be thought to be signified by leaves; for there will be no disease either of body or mind in this state; besides, the nations that will walk in the light of this city will be saved perfectly and completely, Revelation 21:4 but these leaves will be for the preserving and continuing the health of the people of God in this state, as the tree of life in Eden's garden was for the preservation of the health and life of Adam, had he continued in a state of innocence; and it denotes that everything in Christ will contribute to the comfort, health, and happiness of the saints. THE ACCEPTED AND THE REJECTED ( Revelation 22:14-15 ). "So be it. "His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many diadems." "And the nations shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it. see that it is in connection with the foregoing not merely His coming for us who will keep the sayings of it, but for those whom He will find here below "to give to each as his work is.". In Daniel's time it was not at hand. They had cried to the Sovereign ruler to avenge their blood on their foes, but they were told they must wait a little for some others, their fellow-servants and their brethren, to die as they had. If your work is just for a big show to just be known among people, and they say, "Oh, man he's just a holy Joe." It does not mean persons merely, but the souls of beheaded persons. The new thing here is these new seedless flame grapes. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city ( Revelation 22:14 ). and his name shall be in their foreheads. Although there is such a levelling of human distinctions, and men have to do directly with God that is men raised from the dead or in their changed condition we still see the holy Jerusalem "the holy city, new Jerusalem," separate from the rest of those that fill the new heaven and earth. "The kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it" not into but unto. Of the nations - Of all the nations assembled there, Revelation 21:24. Even so, come Lord Jesus. This explains, it seems to me, the wounded head that was afterwards healed. If you are a believer, do not be afraid, even if you know but little; for the Lord neither forgets nor slights those who may be comparatively unintelligent. It is not what Christ puts on them, but a recognition even at this time of whatever has been of God the working I do not deny of the Spirit of Christ. "And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceedeth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh." healing of the nations . Note the connection. It is, therefore, by no means impossible that these words are the words not of John but of a later scribe, anxious that none should alter the book in the days to come. Genesis 2:9-10; Genesis 3:1-24). But that idea is wholly insufficient to cover or meet the word of God, which gives clear and strong reasons that prove the mistake of applying this to the pope as its complete fulfilment. In the Fourth Gospel Jesus says: "He who believes in me, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water." And he said unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand ( Revelation 22:10 ). On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. Does the Bible Condemn Using Tarot Cards? Have you ever linked Revelation 22:1-21 verses 1 and 2 with Ezekiels vision in chapter 47 of his prophecy? How, quickly is He coming for you? In Revelation, after the apostle John describes the river of life, he mentions another striking feature: "On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit,. I am such a fruit lover anyhow; I am going to see if I can get a few of those planted in my yard. There is a distinct contrast between the city John describes and the ancient Babylon, in that the latter was built on the plain of Shinar, while the former is expressly said to have seven heads, and these explained to mean seven mountains. 1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. So I dug it up and got it out of the napkin and it's all preserved. It is a time of strong delusion, be it remembered. II. "The tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, their God. This is of great importance. The horns and the beast join in hating the whore. As there is but a single class of trees referred to, it might have been supposed, perhaps, that, according to the common method in which fruit is produced, there would be sometimes plenty and sometimes want; but the writer says that, though there is but one kind, yet the supply is ample. It is Jesus Christ who in his Cross has provided that grace by which alone man can be forgiven; but man has to appropriate that sacrifice. The city had not only a river passing through it, but it was pervaded by streets, and all those streets were lined and shaded with this tree. Of the nations - Of all the nations assembled there, Revelation 21:24. That a corrupt religion is better than none I will not say: at any rate it troubles men; it is a thorn in the side of those who want no religion at all. The earthly paradise was well watered: no place can be pleasant or fruitful that is not so. Could this be some literal tree with visible fruit? The nations are groups of people in the new creation viewed according to their old creation divisions (cf. It is a precisely similar case here. *It is the aorist in Greek, which in such a case as this it is difficult correctly to represent in English; for neither "reigned" nor "hath reigned" could convey that God had entered on His kingdom, but rather that it was past. But what does it mean? But now it is not the time to seal but it is the time to open and read; for the coming of Christ will take place at any moment. Calling is the, fruit of active grace on God's part towards man, and only towards him when fallen. [12] John Wesley, Notes on the New Testament (London: Epworth Press, n.d.), in loco. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me those things ( Revelation 22:7-8 ). Today in History . The prophecy of Hosea is fulfilled. It will be remembered that it was said to them that they must wait. The tree of life An allusion to Genesis 2:9. The dog may, then, be a symbol of all that is disgusting. Through the middle of the street of the city, also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its 12 kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Essentially what John saw next was Paradise regained (cf. Then follows another scene still more solemn the most awe-inspiring of all we can contemplate, at the same time full of blessing for the Christian to look onward to as that which will for ever put aside every trace of evil, and vindicate good where man must altogether fail. The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life ( Proverbs 10:11). Next they will seize her resources. See comment under Revelation 21:21. The church goes on according to the will of the Lord, who might according to His own purpose lengthen or abridge the space. It cannot be done till the moment comes. https://www.studylight.org/​commentaries/​mhm/​revelation-22.html. It will be a state of nature unexampled for the fruits of the earth and the enjoyment of all that God has made here below. First--THE RIVER OF LIFE--verses 1 and 2. If there was any Gentile power since John's day, which did not sustain but persecute and suppress Jerusalem, it was Rome, instead of being a gaudy harlot mounted on that vast empire. "Lord you gave me four talents and I went out and used them and I have eight." Was there the tree of life - Not a single tree, but it abounded everywhere - on the banks of the river, and in all the streets. It is no longer a question either of celebrating the ways and counsels of God, or of the war with the beast and king. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.". God uses them for this object,-the setting aside of her, the great religious corruptress, whose centre is found at Rome. Surely there is symbolism in Johns picture of the river of the water of life which flows through the church (the city of God)! I am your fellow-servant, and the fellow-servant of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. The Psalmist sings of the river whose streams make glad the city of God ( Psalms 46:4). By its quality--pure and clear as crystal. 7. The beast is the expression of the will of man setting itself up in direct antagonism to God. Luke 12:42 - And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful, wise manager, whom the master will set over the, Matt 24:45 - Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has set over his household, to. At one mile the water was to the loins. "[13] "Tree seems intended to be understood generically of that whole class of trees. Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it ( Proverbs 16:22). That is, the sixth head (reigning then in John's day) was the imperial form of government. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.(B). We have here a note of time of signal value. There is no doubt that Rome in some form is the woman described in the chapter: the seven heads or hills clearly point to that city, which of all cities might best and indeed alone be known as ruling over the kings of the earth. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. One final word must be said about this passage. It should be, "and shall be present. But it really is. in the middle of its street. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. On these I may say but a very few words. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ rest or be upon or be with all of you. Had he really penetrated under the surface, and seen that beneath the fair guise of Christendom the woman was, of all things under the sun, the most corrupt and hateful to God, it would not be so much to be surprised at. In the older Apocalypses, written between the Testaments, the instruction is always to seal them and lay them up for a distant future.

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