Re v e l a t i o n 2 2 : 1 - 5

• This morning let’s do something very exciting! • Let’s go inside the great city of God, the New

Jerusalem, & view what it looks like. • In order to do this, we need to look at the last

chapter in the Bible—Revelation 22.• Shared some of this several months ago on a

Wednesday when teaching on this chapter in Rev.

• It is interesting to note that the Bible opens and closes in a similar fashion.

• The 1st 2 ch’s of Genesis describe creation & the heaven-like conditions God prepared for man.

• The last 2 ch’s of Revelation describe the heaven-like state that awaits us in the future.

• God will restore what man lost at the fall. • The intervening ch’s are the conflict of the ages:

– Man turns his back on God– How God works to draw man back to Himself.

Revelation 22:1-2a – 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. 2 down the middle of the great street of the city.

• There is a street which runs the length of the city. • If you think about it, that will be one long street—

1,400 miles long! • According to Rev. 21:16, the city is 1,400 miles long,

wide & high. • John saw the New Jerusalem descend to the earth. • He describes it in Chapter 21.

Revelation 21:1-5 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them.

4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." 5 And the One sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!“

• This is your future assignment, if you should choose to accept it. Revelation 22:1-2a – 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. 2 down the middle of the great street of the city.

• In the middle of that boulevard is a river flowing from the throne room of God and of the Lamb.

• Vision of the River of Life• This vision describes the River of Life & how its

purpose is to sustain life, refresh & renew.• SOURCE: According to v. 1, what is the source of the

River of Life? • The Throne of God and of the Lamb or from the

heart of God. • How do we tap into someone’s heart? • Through a relationship! • It’s the only way.

• This River is crystal clear, clean, purifying and life-giving!

• In it is more than any of us need to sustain us spiritually. Psalm 46:4 – There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. (NIV)

• This verse and Ezekiel 47 describe the River of God. • Ezekiel even says it’s a wonderful river in which to

swim.

• According to Jesus, the river symbolizes the Holy Spirit.

• On the last day of the Feast of the Tabernacles, the high priest would dip a golden pitcher in the Pool of Siloam.

• He would later pour the water out and the priests with one voice would quote: Isaiah 12:3 – Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (NKJV)

• It was at that ceremony when Jesus said . . .

John 7:37-39 – 37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (NKJV)

• We have each become a tributary or an outlet of the River of Life through the Holy Spirit.

• It is through our relationship with Jesus that we have access to the River in the 1st place.

• When we share Jesus with a lost person, and we speak the Word of God: The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23).

• If he or she receives that word, we have allowed the River of Life to flow from us to them.

• They transition from death to life, from bondage to freedom, from darkness to light in Jesus.

• We have become a tributary of the River of Life. • Through us, they have tasted of the River and from

their innermost being will flow their own rivers of living water.

2b 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. (NIV)

• Paradise lost is now paradise found! • The Tree of Life was lost in the Garden of Eden is

now restored in the New Jerusalem.

• When Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, God drove them from the Garden of Eden.

• He then placed an angel at the entrance to the to keep them from eating of the Tree of Life.

• Why? • If they had eaten of that fruit, they would have lived

forever in their sinful state. • It was God’s mercy that He kept them from the fruit

because He wanted to redeem man 1st. • Then, we will be able to freely eat of the Tree of

Life.

• What do real estate agents say? • Location, location, location! It’s all in the location!

1. LOCATION – Notice where the Tree of Life is located—on the banks of the great River.

• Where should we be as well? • On the banks of the River with our roots digging

deep into the water from that Life-Sustaining River.

Psalm 1:1-3 – Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (NLT)

• Where are the blessed planted? • Along the banks of the River! • In West Virginia, it almost doesn’t matter where a

plant is located, it will grow. • But, in Israel, that is not necessarily true. • There a tree has to be planted near a source of

water or it will not grow. • We need to be connected to the Source or planted

by the River of Life.• Our connection is through the Word of God.

2. 12 TIMES – Also, notice something unusual about the trees along the banks of this River.

• How often do these trees bear fruit? • 12 times a year! • How often do trees normally bear fruit? • Usually only once a year, but here we see 12 times

—FRUITFULNESS! • Those who are planted beside the Life-Giving

waters of the Lord are fruitful. Why? • They are continually tapping into the River of Life.

• Many who grow weary in their walk with the Lord, just quit.

• But, the wise will continually drink from the River in order to receive strength that will sustain them through the tough times.

• The cure for Yo-Yo Christianitus!

3. HEALING LEAVES – In their leaves is healing for the nations, which is the passion of our God. 2 Peter 3:9 – He does not wish that any would perish but that all would come to repentance.

• Not only are those believers who are planted beside the River of God fruitful, but they also have a passion for the lost.

• The actual word should be translated health. • Since there will be no sickness in the New

Jerusalem, the leaves will sustain our health.

• It is also a great thought that we will be eating in heaven!

• Even the angels ate with Abraham, and Jesus ate with the disciples in His glorified body.

4. THE CURRENT – The current of that mighty River is a manifestation of God’s Passion.

• The current in a river is flowing somewhere. • Because water always seeks the lowest level, it

flows down to the lowest places.

• With that in mind, the River of God flows to the places where people do not know Him.

• If we are tapped into His life-giving water, that passion and concern for the lost will also permeate every cell of our spiritual life.

• DNA – It is in the DNA of the water molecules of this River.

• That passion and desire will be transferred to us if we are rooted beside this River.

• It is even in the DNA of the soil along the banks of this river.

• TASTE – Did you know that the soil determines the flavor of coffee and tea?

• Our taste and flavor is influenced by where we are planted—dry places or by the River.

• God’s characteristics are imparted to us through this relationship.

• CONTROL – Many don’t want to get out into the River of God because they are afraid that they will not be in control.

• You are out of control and in His control.• Not a bad place to be!

3 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.

• No more curse! • The curse was partially removed during the

Millennium, but it will be completely eradicated in the New Jerusalem!Galatians 3:13 – Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us. (NASB)

• For those of us who are believers, we have been redeemed from the curse of the Law.

• When sin entered the world, the earth came under the curse of sin.

• That is why we are seeing the affects of it in the world around us—tornados, earthquakes, tsunami’s, sicknesses and etc.

• The earth is groaning under the affects of sin and all the more as the time draws near.

• What are the blessings and the curses?

• It is good to read through these periodically:Deuteronomy 28:1-14 – If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all His commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. 2 All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God: 3 God's blessing inside the city, God's blessing in the country;

4 God's blessing on your children, the crops of your land, the young of your livestock, the calves of your herds, the lambs of your flocks. 5 God's blessing on your basket and bread bowl; 6 God's blessing in your coming in, God's blessing in your going out. 7 God will defeat your enemies who attack you. They'll come at you on one road and run away on seven roads. 8 God will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; He'll bless you in the land that God, your God, is giving you.

9 God will form you as a people holy to Him, just as He promised you, if you keep the commandments of God, your God, and live the way He has shown you. 10 All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of God and hold you in respectful awe. 11 God will lavish you with good things: children from your womb, offspring from your animals, and crops from your land, the land that God promised your ancestors that He would give you.

12 God will throw open the doors of His sky vaults and pour rain on your land on schedule and bless the work you take in hand. You will lend to many nations but you yourself won't have to take out a loan. 13 God will make you the head, not the tail; you'll always be the top dog, never the bottom dog, as you obediently listen to and diligently keep the commands of God, your God, that I am commanding you today. 14 Don't swerve an inch to the right or left from the words that I command you today by going off following and worshiping other gods.

• Why is America in debt, divided and dealing with all these natural disasters?

• Could it be that we have stepped away from the blessings of God?

• Now, let’s look at the curses of disobedience. • The curses are more than twice as long as than the

blessings.

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 – 15 Here's what will happen if you don't obediently listen to the Voice of God, your God, and diligently keep all the commandments and guidelines that I'm commanding you today. All these curses will come down hard on you: 16 God's curse in the city, God's curse in the country; 17 God's curse on your basket and bread bowl; 18 God's curse on your children, the crops of your land, the young of your livestock, the calves of your herds, the lambs of your flocks. 19 God's curse in your coming in, God's curse in your going out.

20 God will send The Curse, The Confusion, The Contrariness down on everything you try to do until you've been destroyed and there's nothing left of you — all because of your evil pursuits that led you to abandon Me. 21 God will infect you with The Disease, wiping you right off the land that you're going in to possess. 22 God will set consumption and fever and rash and seizures and dehydration and blight and jaundice on you. They'll hunt you down until they kill you. 23 The sky over your head will become an iron roof, the ground under your feet, a slab of concrete.

24 From out of the skies God will rain ash and dust down on you until you suffocate. 25 God will defeat you by enemy attack. You'll come at your enemies on one road and run away on seven roads. All the kingdoms of Earth will see you as a horror. 26 Carrion birds and animals will boldly feast on your dead body with no one to chase them away. 27 God will hit you hard with the boils of Egypt, hemorrhoids, scabs, and an incurable itch. 28 He'll make you go crazy and blind and senile.

29 You'll grope around in the middle of the day like a blind person feeling his way through a lifetime of darkness; you'll never get to where you're going. Not a day will go by that you're not abused and robbed. And no one is going to help you . . .

• It goes on and on to verse 68! • Some time read it for yourself. • The point for us is that Jesus redeemed us from this

list of curses when He died on the cross. • He not only took sin but the curse as well. • It’s great to know that our future is curse free, but

He wants us to live that way now!

3 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. 4 And they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

• We—His servants—will serve God for eternity! • Many feel like we will be floating on clouds, playing

harps and not doing much. • It will pretty much be a boring and non-challenging

existence. • This is why some people don’t like the concept of

heaven.• But, nothing could be further from the truth! • Heaven will not be boring!

• Boredom is rooted in selfishness. • To say, I’m bored, shows that it is all about you.

– I want someone to entertain me. – I want someone to do something for me.

• But, selfishness will not be there. • We will be there to serve God! • Heaven will be a place of continual excitement,

discovery, anticipation, gratitude and worship.• What all we will be doing there, I cannot say, but

this I do know, it will be fulfilling & great!

Conclusion• Verse 4 tells us that we will see God’s face then! • No man has ever seen the face of God.• Then, He will live in our midst, and we shall see Him

face to face.• When we look at all the glorious things about

heaven: the pearly gates, the gold, the jewels, and the glow, there is nothing that compares to this—

• Seeing God face-to-face.

• When I return from a trip overseas, I don’t go to the refrigerator and hug it.

• I don’t even pat the microwave or kiss my computer. • I go directly to Lisa and hug and kiss her and then I

hug and kiss Isabella. • Home is not home because of what is there. • Home is home because of who is there! • Heaven is not home because of what is there. • Heaven is home because Who is there—Jesus! • Are you ready?

Re v e l a t i o n 2 2 : 1 - 5