The Art of Life Bible - Flipbook - Page 46
River of Life
Key Passage: “Then the angel
showed me a river with the water
of life, clear as crystal, flowing
from the throne of God and of the
Lamb. It flowed down the center
of the main street. On each side
of the river grew a tree of life,
bearing twelve crops of fruit, with
a fresh crop each month. The leaves
were used for medicine to heal the
nations. No longer will there be a
curse upon anything. For the throne
of God and of the Lamb will be
there, and his servants will worship
him. And they will see his face, and
his name will be written on their
foreheads. 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” (Revelation 22:1-5).
In Revelation 21–22, an angel reveals the garden-city, the New Jerusalem. Trees and a river with the
water of life feature prominently.
The tree of life is the supreme
image of the restored Garden of
God—symbolic of God’s presence
and of our well-being and happiness. It marks a place of eternal,
unending life. With the death of
death, access to the tree of life
has been restored, and the nations
can be healed by its leaves.
Rivers are symbolic throughout
the Bible for cleansing and as
a source of life. This image is
especially powerful in the arid
backdrop of the Bible’s world.
The river of life in the New Jerusalem reminds us of the original
Garden of God, where rivers were
identified as essential for life
and fertility. Jesus spoke of living
water as the source of the eternal
life found in him (John 4:10-14).
In the restored garden, this living
water flows from the throne of
God and of the Lamb. This river of
life in the restored Garden of God
signifies God’s final work of restoration, to be completed at the
return of Jesus—our Redeemer,
Healer, and King.
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