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8 Then said he unto me, “These waters issue out towards the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, withersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and everthing shall live whither the river cometh. 10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 11 But the miry places thereof and the marishes there of shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. 12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because the waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat,and the leaf thereof for medicine.’’
…are real and literal, so also are the “tree’’ and the “water’’ of life here. Again, both are spoken of in identical terms. There is no more room for ”imagery’’ in the one case than the other. The “tree of life’’ lost in the paradise of Genesis is here seen retored to the whole earth in the day when “the God of the whole earth’’ will “tabernacle’’ with men, - (and be) “their God’’ Rev 21:3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, “ Behold,the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them,and be their God. There is no place for “symbolism’’ in either case. The more important Figures. of Speech are noted. These will supply helpful keys where the symbolism is not Divinely explained or indicated, and will enable the student to judge whether Revelation is purely Johannine (St John) “symbolic imagery’’ , as some affirm, and a “legitimate appeal to Christian imagination’’ ; or whether the book is, as it claims to be, a deliberate setting forth proleptically of the actual scenes and events with which God declares that His purposes concerning the heaven and the earth shall be consummated. Conclusion. The ”Tree of life’’ (Rev 22:2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. and the “water of life’’ Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Are seen to be the central subjects of the new earth. No longer will there be any “curse’’ … Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him; In place of the “fall’’ we have restoration. Instead of expulsion-“lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.’’ (Gen3:22) – is the gracious invitation to those who “have right to the tree of life’’ (v22), …come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Rev 22:17)
The Benediction. Rev22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Not only completes the correspondence of the structure, but appropiately closes the whole of the book of God. “Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ . John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. |
