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Eternity Revelation 22:1-2. Eternity The River of Life. V1-2a It flows from the throne of God with the brightness of crystal and flows through a singular street of the city. The river of life is synonymous with eternal life.
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Eternity Revelation 22:1-2
Eternity • The River of Life. V1-2a • It flows from the throne of God with the brightness of crystal and flows through a singular street of the city. • The river of life is synonymous with eternal life. • The river of life is a literal river but also memorializes the gift Of God’s spiritual water of life given to believers. ( Isa. 55:1; John 4:13-13-14; Rev. 7:17; 21:6; 22:17)
The Tree of Life. V.2b • The tree that existed in the Garden of Eden will now return. • “Xulon Zoe” “living wood” it is symbolic for immortality and is viewed as God’s gift for overcomers. • “Zoe” normally speaks of spiritual life, which is God’s gift. • The tree’s trunk will extend to both sides of the eternal river of life.
There is a connection between the tree of life and the river of life. • Both receive their source directly from God. • The tree is watered by the river. • The Tree is characterized by productivity, bearing fruit each month of the year. • This implies some dating system in eternity for us.
Eternity is not timeless but time without end. We are not eternal creatures. • Only God is eternal and is capable of existing without time. • The tree’s leaves prevents “sickness” among the Nations. • The concept of healing leaves need not imply sickness.
The tree of life existed in the Garden of Eden before sin and sickness (Gen. 2:9; 3:22), and it can also exist in the New Jerusalem without illness. • The healing leaves could be: • A memorial to God’s past healing of redemptive work. • The idea of healing could be a symbol of the concept of health,soundness, or spiritual wholenessin Christ forever.
The healing leaves may represent spiritual service or care. • The Greek word for healing is “Therapeia” (θεραπεία) "serving, service, care,” from the verb “Therapeuo” (θεραπεύω) "to serve, be a servant." • The word “healing or “Therapeia” is used in the service sense in Luke 12:42 discussing the "service" of a faithful and wise steward, and in Acts 17:25 for serving God.
The leaves are there to minister spiritually or serve the redeemed as they serve God (Rev. 22:3). • Implications: • It consists of the hope and privilege of living forever in God’s Kingdom (perpetual life beyond physical death). • It is both an enjoyment in its grandest realization and a memorial of that blessing of living forever with God.
The tree memorializes that the life God gives believers is the source of fruit, and fruit is the product of life. • In proverbs (3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4) the fruit of following God’s wisdom is “joy, fruitful works, hope, fulfilled desires, wise words” • These aspects of blessing are depicted by the image of the tree of life because they are ultimately related to the vitality of life from God.
Sin barred human beings from the tree of life, and overcoming sin through the Messiah restores our right to eat from the tree and thus to "live forever.”
Question: Therefore if the tree represents immortality, and if Adam had access to the tree, why had he not already obtained eternal life before he sinned?