Saturday
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. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
(Revelations 22:1-6, NIV)
The Apostle John’s triumphal message that Jesus Christ will come again in all his glory is the dominant theme of the last chapter of the last book of the Bible. As noted yesterday, John’s letter from the island of Patmos was sent to encourage Christians facing persecution from Roman political authorities. The words of Jesus were recorded by John and passed on to the faithful: “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book” (22:7).
As part of this final prophecy concerning Christ’s return, today’s verses provide a beautiful picture of the river of life which flows through the New Jerusalem. With highly symbolic language, John describes a river flowing through an orchard full of fruit-bearing trees whose leaves are useful for healing. Just like the “peace pictures” of the Old Testament prophets, John depicts an eternity where the faithful enjoy the blessing of God’s creation. Men and women who keep “the words of the prophecy” are blessed with the privilege of living in a world where shalom exists in all its varied dimensions. Peace among animals, peace between humanity and animals, and peace with the natural order so that God’s plants and trees can flourish without pollution – that is what life will be like in the New Jerusalem.
The hope of creation restored awaits the faithful. Jesus, who declares himself to be “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (22:13), says three times in the last chapter of the Bible: “I am coming soon” (22:7, 12, 20). We can trust in that promise with the expectation of experiencing complete shalom when the “Prince of Peace” returns.
Prayer
Almighty God, Lord of history, we praise you for the promised return of your Son, Jesus Christ, “the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star” (Rev. 22:16). We treasure the promise that Jesus is “coming soon” and look forward to creation restored. Teach us in times of discouragement to remember the hope of a glorious future in a world beautifully and harmoniously designed by you. Amen.