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1He brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, waters flowed out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, for the front of the temple faced toward the east. The waters came down from underneath, from the right side of the temple, on the south of the altar. 2Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me around by the way outside to the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looks toward the east. Behold, waters ran out on the right side.

3When the man went out eastward with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles. 4Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through waters that were to the waist. 5Afterward he measured one thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be walked through.

6He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”

Then he brought me and caused me to return to the bank of the river. 7Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8Then he said to me, “These waters flow out toward the eastern region and will go down into the Arabah. Then they will go toward the sea and flow into the sea which will be made to flow out; and the waters will be healed. 9It will happen that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, will live. Then there will be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters have come there, and the waters of the sea will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river comes. 10It will happen that fishermen will stand by it. From En Gedi even to En Eglaim will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceedingly many. 11But its swamps marshes will not be healed. They will be given up to salt. 12By the river banks, on both sides, will grow every tree for food, whose leaf won’t wither, neither will its fruit fail. It will produce new fruit every month, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary. Its fruit will be for food, and its leaf for healing.”

13The Lord Yahweh says: “This shall be the border by which you shall divide the land for inheritance according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. 14You shall inherit it, one as well as another; for I swore to give it to your fathers. This land will fall to you for inheritance.

15“This shall be the border of the land:

“On the north side, from the great sea, by the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of Zedad; 16Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazer Hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran. 17The border from the sea shall be Hazar Enon at the border of Damascus; and on the north northward is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

18“The east side, between Hauran, Damascus, Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border to the east sea you shall measure. This is the east side.

19“The south side southward shall be from Tamar as far as the waters of Meriboth Kadesh, to the brook, to the great sea. This is the south side southward.

20“The west side shall be the great sea, from the south border as far as opposite the entrance of Hamath. This is the west side.

21“So you shall divide this land to yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the aliens who live among you, who will father children among you. Then they shall be to you as the native-born among the children of Israel. They shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23In whatever tribe the stranger lives, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord Yahweh.

Life in New Jerusalem (22:1-5)

Life in New Jerusalem (22:1-5)

Passage Study | Rev 22:1 | Gary W Derickson

Life in the New Jerusalem will be free of the curse as righteous men enjoy the river and tree of life in the presence of God. These verses continue the description of New Jerusalem. What John sees next is the heavenly River of Life. As with everything else in heaven, its waters are pure, described as “clear as crystal.” Like the river in Ezekiel 47, it flows from the throne of God. This symbolizes that life flows from God and Jesus. Jesus is eternal life incarnate. God the Father is as much the source of life as Jesus and the Holy Spirit are. All life flows from God, from all three members of the Godhead.

The tree of life is not a single tree, but a kind of tree growing on both sides of the river. Where in Ezekiel 47 there were many trees on each side of the river flowing from the Messiah’s throne, here it is a single kind of tree. Where the various trees produce fruit every month in Ezekiel, the tree of life in heaven will produce twelve kinds of fruit. And like in Ezekiel 47, the tree of life’s leaves are described as healing, just as the leaves of the trees during the reign of Christ will be healing.

The removal of the curse from creation is now stated. Death will be abolished along with Adam’s curse.

The throne of heaven will belong to both God the Father and to “the Lamb,” God the Son. As was seen in Chapter 4, the Holy Spirit will be included with the throne. Additionally, we, His servants, will dwell with God and serve Him eternally.

Where till now no one has seen God’s face, the heavenly residents, all the redeemed saints, will see God’s face and live. Names on their foreheads denote possession and protection. They belong to God, and He blesses them.

The absence of night is stated and explained. God’s glory will continuously illuminate heaven such that the sun and moon will be redundant for the city’s residents.

The body of the Revelation ends with the statement that the saints of heaven, who are the servants of God, will reign eternally.