Sunday School Notes: Revelation 22:1-5

¹ And he [i.e., the angel] indicated to me a river of living water, clear as crystal, coming out from the throne of God and the Lamb. ² In the midst of its [i.e., the city’s] street, and on this side and that side of the river, [was] the tree of life bearing twelve fruit, yielding its fruit according to each month, and the leaves of the tree [were] unto the healing of the nations. ³ And every accursed thing shall be no longer. And the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall worship Him. ⁴ And they shall see His face, and His name [shall be] upon their foreheads. ⁵ And there will not be night any longer, and they have no need of the light of a lamp and the light of the sun, for the Lord God shall shine upon them, and they shall reign forever and ever.

We started the final chapter of Revelation with a reminder that the chapter and verse divisions are not inspired since these first five verses of chapter 22 are really the conclusion of the descriptions of the new Jerusalem from the previous chapter. The rest of the chapter gives final exhortations and comments, similar to what you might find at the end of one of Paul’s letters, only a bit different, of course, because this is Revelation. And as we’ve seen, Revelation is… different.

A River of Living Water

The angel shows John a river of living water coming from the throne of God and the Lamb. These opening verses appear to be a fulfillment of the vision God gave to Ezekiel in Ezekiel 47:1-2, and also a fulfillment of Zechariah 14:8. In Ezekiel’s vision, water flows from the temple and continued east with increasing depth from ankle-height until it’s deep enough for swimming. Of course, as we noted previously, there is no temple in the new Jerusalem. God doesn’t need a place for His people to go to so they can be in His presence since He is in the city. To be in the new Jerusalem is to be in God’s presence. This is why the waters in John’s vision flow from the throne of God in the city (see v. 3).

John describes the water as “living water,” that is, water that gives life. This should remind us of the incident John records in his Gospel where Jesus encountered a woman at a well (John 4). The woman came looking for water and Jesus offered her water to drink that will eternally quench her thirst. He described this water as “living water… water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:10; 13-14). Of course, what Jesus was offering her was the gospel–his death on her behalf for her sin so that she may enter the new Jerusalem and have peace with God and live eternally in His presence.

The water, therefore, represents Jesus and the gospel that cleanses us from the guilt of sin, making us pure before a holy God. This is probably the symbolism behind the description of the water as “clear as crystal” (the ESV says “bright” but the Greek, lampros, can also mean “clear,” which seems to better fit the context). Unlike the cleanest water in first-century Asia Minor which no doubt had plenty of impurities, and might still make you sick, this water is perfectly clean and able to purify even the filthiest soul. And the source of this soul-cleansing water is the throne of God and the Lamb. Only those who have been washed in these waters (i.e., the heaven dwellers) can be part of the new Jerusalem, the holy city.

Note that the throne is “of God and the Lamb,” a fact that’s repeated in verse 3. This is important because it shows that Jesus occupies the divine throne with God. But as we will later see, Jesus is not a separate deity alongside God. By seating Jesus on the same throne as God, the Lord is showing John that Jesus is divine, and shares in the divine nature.

The Tree of Life

Not only is there a river of living water, but there’s also a tree of life. John may either be telling us that the tree of life is in the middle of the street, or the river runs from the throne of God and the Lamb in the middle of the street–it depends where you put the period. The earliest manuscripts didn’t have punctuation. Most of the time this isn’t a problem since the context usually suggests where punctuation should go. However, sometimes it’s a little ambiguous and we have to make our best judgment call based on the author’s style and other considerations. In this case, either possibility would work with the context, though I lean more toward the tree being in the middle of the street since we’ve already been told the river flows from the throne. Ultimately, I don’t think where you place the period changes the meaning of the passage.

Perhaps of more importance is the tree itself. If you recall, there was a tree of life way back in Genesis 3. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and gave them one command. They could eat of any tree in the garden, but not the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Of course, since they had only one command to keep, they broke it, because that’s what we do. With that act of rebellion, sin entered creation, including the heart of man. Adam and Eve were now corrupted by sin, and, as our federal head, Adam’s corruption became our corruption. God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden and barred them from returning “lest he [man] reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever” (3:27). It’s not stated but certainly suggested that, prior to this day, Adam and Eve ate freely of the tree of life and, as a result, lived perpetually in the presence of God. However, now that mankind had been stained with sin, God didn’t want them to live forever in that state, so they could no longer eat of the tree of life. But now, in the new Jerusalem, the tree of life is in the middle of the city, fed by the river of life, and everyone in the city may come and eat. How is this possible? Because in the new Jerusalem we have the fullness of our redemption. There is no sin around us or in us, so we may eat and live perpetually in God’s presence. And this is only possible because Jesus provides that life-giving gospel water to his people. Eden has been reversed. More than that, this holy city is Eden 2.0, better than the first, because in this city God’s people know Him in ways Adam and Eve never did, even in their unfallen state. Adam knew God as the loving provider who made him, supplied all of his needs, and walked with him. However, we know a depth of God’s love that was unknown to Adam, because we know Him as our Redeemer, our Saviour.

John says the tree of life grows “on this side and that side” of the river. How can this be? A single tree can’t grow on both sides of a river, can it? Some commentators reconcile this by suggesting the “tree” here is a composite of the “trees” in Ezekiel 47:12. This may be the case, after all, the two beasts in Revelation 13 appear to be a composite of the four beasts in Daniel. But I think we also need to remember that this is a vision, and like the elders around the throne playing harps and holding incense, the symbolism matters more than whether the image makes logical sense. It sounds as if the river is somehow running through the tree, which reinforces the intimate connection between the river of life and the tree of life. Also, the idea of the tree being on “this side and that side” of the river suggests it’s always in view and always available. You don’t have to cross the river to get to it.

The Fruit of the Tree

The tree of life bears twelve kinds of fruit, one for each month. Previously in Revelation, the number twelve has been used to represent God’s people, whether Old Testament Israel or the New Testament apostles, or a combination of both. While that significance may have some bearing here, perhaps reminding us that the fruit is only available to those who are in Christ, the idea of twelve calendar months is probably more important.

But if there’s no sun or moon in the city, how can they measure twelve months? This is a vision for our benefit, so the language is in terms we understand. The fact there would be no months as we know them without the sun and moon is irrelevant. The fact there are twelve fruit, one for each month, means that there is always fruit on the tree. Unlike, say, the fig tree, the tree of life is not seasonal. Also, the trees in Ezekiel 47:12 bear fruit each month, and this is a fulfillment of that prophecy.

The Leaves of the Tree

John says that the leaves of the tree are “for the healing of the nations.” This is also a fulfillment of Ezekiel 47:12 which says that the leaves of the trees in that vision “will be for healing.” Since there is no longer death or pain (Revelation 21:4), healing only occurs once when you enter the new Jerusalem. The tree of life brings healing because those who are in Christ receive fulness of healing in the holy city. They don’t need to be constantly healed. As with the trees in Ezekiel 47:12, the leaves symbolize the provision of eternal healing, which, of course, comes from the river of life which waters the tree of life. This is a picture of the gospel. Through Christ, we have life, eternally and fully, and complete perpetual healing.

There is one significant difference between Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation 22:2. In Revelation, this healing is “of the nations.” When Ezekiel received his prophetic vision, he probably only thought in terms of national Israel. Certainly, those who first read this prophecy would never have thought it applied to any nation other than God’s Old Testament people. But throughout the Old Testament, God never lost sight of His promise to Abraham, that he would be a father of many nations (Genesis 17:4). What the Lord revealed to Ezekiel had immediate relevance to Ezekiel, but had a much broader significance than Ezekiel or his readers could have imagined. Here, in Revelation 22:2, God shows us the full extent of that promise, and we can only appreciate it because we live on this side of the cross. As we have seen in Revelation 7, God’s people consist of a multitude from every tribe, people, tongue, and nation. This is only possible because, in his atoning death, Jesus purchased salvation for all who believe, not just for a single nation.

By opening the gates of the new Jerusalem to all nations, John is not suggesting some kind of universalism where anyone can enter regardless of their status before God. We’ve already been told in 21:27 that nothing unclean or anyone who does what is detestable and false can enter the holy city, only those whose names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that is, only those who have put their faith in Jesus. This is reaffirmed in the next verse.

Nothing Accursed

There will be no accursed thing in the new Jerusalem. Literally, John says “every accursed will no longer be.” You won’t find any accursed thing because such a thing simply doesn’t exist in the holy city. God’s people will never be accursed.

The Greek word usually translated as “accursed” is anathema. John here uses a synonym, katathema which carries the same meaning. The word anathema in Zechariah 14:11 has an interesting nuance in Hebrew where it is used to translate the Hebrew word cherem (that “ch” sound is a harsh, back-of-the-throat raspy sound, like the “ch” in the Scottish word “loch”). In the Old Testament, that which was cherem was a person or thing that had been set aside for destruction as a result of sin (as with the king of Syria in 1 Kings 20:42), or it could be a thing devoted to destruction as an act of worship (e.g., in 1 Samuel 15:21). In Zechariah 14:11, God promises that this kind of destruction would not happen to Jerusalem when the Day of the Lord comes. Here, in Revelation 22:3, we have a fulfillment of those words. God’s people, the new Jerusalem, will not be accursed, because there is nothing accursed in the city. Accursed things do not exist.

There is nothing accursed in the city because the throne of God and the Lamb is in the midst of His people. This is why God’s people will never be accursed. Again, notice it’s the throne of God and the Lamb. One throne, two residents. They share the same throne, just as they share the same title: the Alpha and the Omega (as we’ll see). And the servants of God (that’s us, God’s people, the church), worship Him. Only those who serve the Lord would worship Him, and they are able to give their free, unfettered, unsullied adoration to God because they are not accursed.

If we are to picture God’s people gathered around the throne worshiping the Lord, remember who else is on that throne. Jesus is accepting the worship of God’s people without complaint or protest.

We Will See God’s Face?

Verse 4 contains two promises: God’s people will see God’s face, and His name will be on their foreheads. How are we to understand the first of these, especially since we’re told that no one can see God’s face and live. Not even Moses was granted that privilege (Exodus 33:15-23). So how will God’s people see His face? First of all, this is a vision, so we need to be open to the possibility that John is not speaking literally, and we should consider what it may mean, symbolically, to see someone’s face.

If we look to the Psalms, particularly Psalm 17 and Psalm 27, we find poetic references to seeing God’s face in the sense of having a kind of intimacy and feeling secure in His presence. In Psalm 17, David cries out for protection from his enemies. He wants to take refuge in the shadow of the Lord’s wings (note: not literal wings!). David anticipates looking upon the Lord’s face in righteousness (v. 15), feeling vindicated and secure in the presence of God where he is the apple of the Lord’s eye and delivered from his persecutors.

In Psalm 27:4 David says he wants to dwell forever in the Lord’s house, gaze upon His beauty, and meditate in His temple. Again, David is expressing a desire for intimacy and security, not actually wanting to gaze upon the Lord’s face. In fact, Revelation 22 is a fulfillment of David’s desire. We will indeed one day behold God face to face, not that we will know the Lord’s eye color, but that we will experience fully and finally His love, protection, security, and intimacy. Though we are right now God’s beloved adopted children, this is a dull reflection of what our relationship with the Lord will look like in the new Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 12:12).

One final thing to consider with regard to seeing the face of God: God is spirit (John 4:24) so He doesn’t have a physical form. Of course, in the incarnation, God the Son took on flesh, so we could perhaps see the face of God by seeing Jesus. And I will allow that this is a possible way of interpreting Revelation 22:4. Even allowing that, what is the point of seeing God’s face? Is it not to see His smile, to experience that intimacy and joy of relationship, to know you are safe and secure under His loving gaze? So whether we’re talking about seeing Jesus or we understand this as purely metaphorical speech, the underlying meaning doesn’t change.

Wearing God’s Name

Lastly in verse 4, John says the name of God will be on the foreheads of His servants. We’re already familiar with the idea of putting a name or number on the forehead as a sign of ownership. In Revelation 13:16 we’re told that the followers of the Beast had his number on their foreheads. Then in Revelation 14:1, John says that those who belong to the Lamb have his and the Father’s name on their foreheads. This is a deliberate contrast between the followers of the Beast who belong to the Beast, and the followers of Jesus who belong to God (don’t forget, there were originally no chapter divisions, so 14:1 is only a few sentences after 13:16).

The name on the forehead doesn’t only signify ownership, but it also points to the priestly status of God’s people. In Exodus 28:36-38, we’re told that the High Priest wore on his forehead the words “holy to (or before) the Lord” as he offered sacrificial gifts to God on behalf of Israel. These words reminded him that through him as their representative, both their gifts and they themselves were considered acceptable to the Lord. Now, it’s not just the High Priest who wears the words “holy to the Lord.” All of God’s people, those who are in Christ, are holy and acceptable to Him because they wear His name.

This is another fulfillment of God’s promise to His people that they would have full access to the throne, be continually in His presence, be forever secure, forever His heirs, forever His adopted children, forever under His divine care, and forever embraced by His love and acceptance.

Neither Night nor Light

Finally, John reminds us that in the new Jerusalem there will be no night, no need for lamps, and no need for the sun to give light, for the Lord God will enlighten or give light to them. This could, again, be a callback to Genesis 1 and the fact that in the beginning, God created light before He created the day, night, sun, moon, and stars (see 21:23). But I think we should also remember, as we mentioned in 21:25, “night” and “darkness” have a particular meaning for John. Let’s review some Johannine passages:

• John 3:19: Light has come into the world, but people love the darkness because their deeds are evil.
• John 8:12: Jesus is the light of the world and his followers don’t walk in darkness.
• John 12:35: The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going so be sons of light!
• John 13:30: Judas leaves to betray Jesus, and John says, “It was night.”
• 1 John 1:5: God is light and in Him is no darkness.
• 1 John 2:9: Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

Where there is no night and no need for the sun or lamps, there is no darkness. The new Jerusalem is a place where the God of light causes all His people to walk in the light. It’s a place where there is no darkness. God’s face perpetually shines upon His people, a fulfillment perhaps of Aaron’s famous blessing in Numbers 6:24-26.

Ruling with Christ

John finishes his description of the new Jerusalem by reminding us of the promise Jesus gave to those who overcome in 2:26-27 and 3:21, that they will rule with Jesus and sit on God’s throne. (Indeed, we see a number of the “overcomer” promises in chapters 2 and 3 fulfilled in chapters 21 and 22.) In 20:4, John says that the saints reign with Christ for 1,000 years. This is the first resurrection, during the church age when the dead in Christ rise to be with him (Philippians 1:23). Now, in the new Jerusalem, that reign is permanent. We will reign with him forever.

Exactly who we will rule over is not explicitly stated here (perhaps the rest of creation, as in the original Eden, or over the angels, as Paul suggests in 1 Corinthians 6:3?), but that’s not the point. This is a sign of our union with Christ in our perfected state. We share in Christ’s rule because we are intimately connected in fellowship with the Lord. We are co-heirs with him. This vision is the fulfillment of the wonderful promise given to us through Paul in Romans 8:

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. [Romans 8:15-25, ESV]