If I’ve not met you, my name is Aaron and I’m the preaching pastor here and I’m glad you’re with us. And thanks to Jay for reading that from St. Patrick.
And that is a great prayer, a great confession. And so it’s good for us to keep reading those who’ve gone before us and understanding what the historic Christian faith has been, as it’s been delivered to the saints once and for all and all the way down to us. You know, a lot of our Christian faith is not like trying to come up with new things. It’s just really going back to the same truths, generation after generation after generation, including the truths that St. Patrick communicated to us in what Jay read for us. So, you know, so thanks for doing that, Jay.
If you have a Bible with you, open up to the book of Revelation. We’re almost done, this little sermon series that we had through the end of Revelation. So today we’re in chapter 22, which is our last chapter of Revelation, the last chapter of the Bible. And so today I’ll be reading verses 1 through 5 for you. And then I’m going to pray, ask for the Lord’s help as we work through His sacred scripture. So Revelation 22, as mentioned.
I’ll read verses 1 through 5. And this morning I’m reading out of the ESV, English Standard Version. So this is what the Bible says.
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
So that’s God’s word for us this morning. Let’s pray.
Lord, thank You for Your Holy Word, that You’ve preserved for us through the ages. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who opens up Your Holy Word. Thank You even that Your Holy Spirit communicates to us through the preached word, through the folly of preaching. So Lord, we do pray that the Holy Spirit would be at work through Your Word today. Please use this time just to encourage our hearts. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
So maybe one of the more subtle characters in the Bible, who play a support role, that they’re actually in some of the major moments of the Scriptures, are actually trees. We actually see trees scattered throughout the Bible, from beginning to end, all points in between. So let me just mention a few of the trees that we see in the Scripture.
So in the story of the Exodus, we see the Kehia trees, which were desert trees that Moses used to build a tabernacle, as well as some of the furniture that filled the tabernacle. They’re the cedar trees of Lebanon that were used by David to build his house. So Solomon to build the temple that Ezra was also to rebuild after Solomon’s temple was destroyed.
So those are the cedar trees. They’re almond trees, which were known for beautiful flowers that it produces. This tree is also connected to Moses.
So the lampstand that was in the tabernacle seemed to represent the almond tree. Solomon also wrote about almond trees as an illustration to describe getting older. The flowers of the almond trees are lighter in color, like pink and white. So much like what happens to us as we get older, our hair turns white or gray. Or in our home, we refer to these as sparkles. There are fig trees in the Bible.
They’re used in the illustration of having a life that bears fruits, which comes by God dwelling in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. So remember the story of Palm Sunday, which actually Uncle Wes will be preaching on next Sunday. Remember after the triumphant entry, how Jesus went over to a fig tree?
And when he saw that that tree had no fruit, Jesus cursed the tree. And this is actually an ultimate condemnation of religious leaders of the day, who by their fruit, or lack thereof, proved to not have God ruling in their hearts. In the Bible, there are oak trees, which are meant to be a picture of strength, perseverance, depth.
Where famously the book of Isaiah refers to God’s people as being like oaks of righteousness, which is actually one of the prayers that we have for especially the village kids, that God would grow up all the children of Red Village to become oaks of righteousness. In the scriptures, there’s olive trees that produce oil, with oil being very significant in the Bible. So oil is used for many things, including like the anointing of leaders, as well as a symbol of God’s favor. We also remember how Jesus, our Lord Jesus, was anointed with oil before he was led away to his death.
There’s sycamore trees, which perhaps most famously is a tree where a short in stature, the hated tax collector Zacchaeus, remember how he had to climb the tree to see Jesus, who actually welcomes Zacchaeus into his presence. There’s a tamarask tree, which for those who were part of our study of 1 Samuel, which we did about a year or so back, remember how that tree came up a few times in 1 Samuel? So it appeared under the tamarask tree, kings and leaders would gather together, business would take place.
The book of Psalms, Psalm 1 says this, It’s blessed the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in the law he meditates day and night, like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither, and all that he does he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away, therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous, for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Jeremiah 17, very similar to Psalm 1, says this, Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree, planted by water, that sends out its roots by the streams, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit. So really trees are like subtle characters that we see all throughout the Bible, that kind of play like a little minor role that helps tell the story of the Bible, including the beginning and the end of the story of the Bible, where in the beginning and the end, there is a tree that’s front and center, a tree given the same name, the tree of life, which we see in our text today. The tree that links the beginning of the Bible, the story of God’s good creation, and the end of the Bible, and the story of the new creation that is to come.
Okay, now before we get to our patches of study this morning, just a quick reminder where we left off last week, which was the second half of Revelation 21, which is a passage where we got more details on what heaven was going, or is going to look like. Which in our text last week, we got to see more information about the new Jerusalem, which in Revelation is the great eternal city that is to come, a city that is a gift from God to his people, a city where God will actually dwell with his people fully, as God’s glory will fill the city, much like it did in the Holy of Holies, in the Old Testament temple. However, as you may remember from our text last week, even though there’s strong connections from Revelation 21 and the Old Testament temple, in the new Jerusalem, we learned there’s gonna be no physical temple in the city plans. You know, no physical temple to be the place of worship.
There’s a new Jerusalem that is to come. God himself will be the temple, and God himself will shine his light on his city forever and ever and ever, with the Lord Jesus Christ himself being the great and eternal lamp, which is actually something we get to see in our text again today, and his reputation of this truth of God shining his eternal light. This is something that John is stressing for us to see, see how glorious, how important this is. So with our text today, as we come to the same information, God, or John does not want us to miss this. Forever and ever, God will shine his marvelous light on his people, where there will never be darkness again. Also, as we mentioned throughout our sermon last week, mentioned again today, as we went through the passage, right, there’s nothing boring, or casual, or like ho-hum on that which is to come in the new Jerusalem.
You know, for us, we’re maybe tempted to think that when we think about heaven, it’s almost gonna be like this one long, boring church service, right, that will never end. That’s not the picture we saw last week. It’s not the picture we see this week.
Rather, the new Jerusalem, heaven, is a great and glorious place filled with true beauty that will fully capture, forever capture our hearts, where we’ll be fully and forever satisfied with peace and joy as we dwell with God and with each other. So that’s where we were last week. Now, this week, we get more details on that which is to come.
Which is mentioned, we see, which is to come, is the tree of life will be back, will be present, where God will use the tree of life to eternally sustain his people, much like he did the tree in the garden to sustain our first parents before they sinned. So, for us this morning, just take note of that. As we work through this passage, not only we see the new city of the new Jerusalem, but really we’re seeing a new Eden. However, unlike the first Eden and this new Eden, sin will never be something we’ll be tempted to fall into. Because temptation, sin, will never be let into this new Eden. Unlike the first Eden, God’s people will never have to leave the new Eden it is to come.
Rather, forever and ever, God’s people will eternally take up residency. Okay? So with that as an intro, if you could look back with me, starting in verse one of our text, where we see the tour guide angel from chapter 21 had more to show the author John concerning this new Jerusalem. In our text, we read, Then the angel showed me the river of water of life, which was as bright as crystal, which flowed from the throne of God and the Lamb. Okay, now just a few things here. First, this river running through the new Jerusalem.
First, this is like the first call back to the Garden of Eden in our text. So in Genesis 2, in the Garden of Eden, we read that there is rivers that flowed out. And the waters went to the plants of the garden. As it flowed out. And as in the Garden of Eden, as the rivers flowed out, it broke into four separate rivers. In the scriptures, it tells us there’s a piston, which Genesis tells us flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there was gold, and bedlam, and onyx stone.
There’s a second river flowing around the Garden of Eden, the Gihon, which flowed around the land of Cush. The third river, which was the Tigris, which scripture tells us flowed east of Assyria. The fourth river belonged to being the Euphrates. As mentioned, these rivers were used by the Lord to provide water to all the living creatures, which my assumption probably included like Adam and Eve, if they were drunk with these waters. We also mentioned these rivers also seem to provide boundary markers, which help differentiate between the Garden of Eden, which I think is kind of an interesting thought. I think it implies like the Garden of Eden wasn’t like all the same.
It wasn’t just like what we see like in a children’s Bible, you know, like a drawing there, where all this was, maybe it’s like a little lush garden, you know, filled with vegetation and animals and Adam and Eve. They’re all kind of like, you know, like cozy up together. But that seems like in the creativity of God, the Garden of Eden is actually sizable. There’s four rivers running through it, which I think implies the garden was big. And as the rivers flowed throughout the garden, scripture talks about all these different boundary markers that the waters would prove to be. And I think that implies that these rivers are waters that travels through the garden, like they would come across like different scenery, different types of terrain.
Like I don’t think the Garden of Eden was all the same. Because of that, I don’t think the new Eden that is to come will be the same either. This goes back to the theme of the sermon last week.
This is another reason why heaven’s not going to be boring. It’s not going to be like this monotone of everything exactly the same. It’s going to be variety, creativity, all over this new Eden. Second, verse one, in the river.
This is also called back to the book of Ezekiel, which is also something we saw in our passage quite a few times last week. So Ezekiel chapter 47 talks about a time that was to come, an eternal life. When eternal life comes, we’re from the temple of God would flow a river and it would flow in all directions. And everywhere it went, it would provide life to all living creatures. Third, I want to hear of this verse, hear of this life-giving river. I want us all to take our minds and hearts back to John 4 and John 7, where Jesus tells us how he fills the hearts of his people with living waters.
And if this river here in Revelation 22 is ultimately the fulfillment of what Jesus is speaking about, the Lord eternally used these waters to fill us, to sustain us. Fourth, these waters will fill us, sustain us, ultimately becomes because they’re coming from the throne of God. So it’s not just the waters in themselves that sustain us, but it’s because they come from the throne.
Right? It is the Lord, it’s the Lamb. Those are the ones who actually are the sustainers. The waters are just God’s chosen means by which he will do this work in his people. Fifth, I think this picture of the waters here, of this river running through, is not just one to sustain like physical bodies, which I kind of do think they’ll do in the New Eden, but I think this water is also probably more importantly, a picture of complete satisfaction. Look, Isaiah famously calls out to all those who have longings, who have desires that are not being met, to come to the Lord, to his living waters, to have him fill the longings and desires of their hearts.
Which by the way, includes all you here today. If you came here this morning, you’re just not finding any satisfaction in anything in life without the Lord. You never will.
He’s the one who satisfies our longings. So this morning, please hear the call of the Lord. Come to the Lord who satisfies us.
Keep going, verse two. As the satisfying waters flowed from the throne of God, we see the waters of flow throughout the middle of the street of the city. And as the river flows, we read that on either side of the river was the tree of life with its 12 kinds of fruits. Now here, it’s maybe a little hard to know, maybe a little confusing of what it means of the tree of life. You know, it’s kind of flowing on both sides of the river. You know, if it’s just like one big tree that somehow divides into both sides of the river.
Or maybe the tree of life is more along the lines of a type of tree that fills the garden. So on both sides of the river, this type of tree is found. You may be thinking like if you travel through like the beautiful north woods of Wisconsin, you can see the beautiful maple tree running throughout the forest. Maybe perhaps that’s what the text is getting out, the tree of life. Whether it’s one giant tree or many trees, we do see what the tree produces as it yields 12 kinds of fruit. Now the number 12 in Revelation seems to be a number that represents like completeness, fullness.
I won’t go through all the places where we see 12 in the book of Revelation that represents completeness and fullness. I’ll let you look at those through those next time you read through this book. But these 12 fruits here, they seem to be communicating that this tree will have a full and complete yield. I mean, what the Lord gives from this, it’s full, complete, lacking in nothing. It produces 12 types of fruit. Each of the 12 months, so in this new Eden is to come every month, forever and ever, there’s going to be fruit on the vine.
There will never be a moment like the fig tree on Palm Sunday where Jesus found no fruit on it. The tree of life, they will always have fruit. There will never be like an in-season and out-of-season. And this new Eden is to come. There’s only an in-season. And as an eternal fruit on the vine, we see in verse 2, part of the purpose of the fruit, that the Lord uses the fruit of the vine to bring healing to the nations, which is another allusion back to Ezekiel 47, which speaks about a fruit from the food of heaven, the leaves of a tree bringing about healing.
Once again, complete, full healing to every aspect of the life of the believer, whether it’s like spiritual healing, maybe it’s a physical healing. In heaven, we will be forever and ever healed as through the fruit, God continues to provide health to us. We’ll never ever break down ever again, which, think how awesome that’s going to be. Like, not even like the smallest spiritual discouragement like we would ever have to battle against. Not even like the slightest headache or body pain that will ever be pleasant. The reason why is what verse 3 tells us.
As we see that no longer in this new Eden is to come, no longer will there be anything accursed, nothing great, nothing small, no effects of the curse will be present for God’s people in this new Eden that is to come. Now, this here, this language of curse, this obviously is referenced back to Genesis 3, which details why the original garden of Eden is no more. In Genesis 3, we saw how mankind sinned against God, where they ate the one forbidden fruit of the garden, the fruit that God actually told our first parents not to eat, lest they die. However, our first parents disobeyed God’s good command, they doubted his good word, they ate of the forbidden fruit, which opened up their eyes to all that is sinful and evil. The forbidden fruit did not bring healing and satisfaction, rather it brought about death, just as God said it would. And not only did eating the forbidden fruit bring about death, it also brought with it a curse to the land, which actually still remains on the earth.
This is why we have pain in all its forms. This is why there’s evil in all of its forms. This is why scripture even tells us that creation itself is groaning. This is why we all live in the reality of death. This world is under a curse, which is a curse that I should mention separates us from God, with no hope in ourselves of trying to remove the curse, no hope in ourselves of coming to God on our own. However, in our text, in this life that is to come, we read there’s no more curse on anything, on anyone, anywhere in this new Eden.
My friends, the reason why there is not a curse, is because what happened on the most important day on the most important tree of the Bible, one that I actually didn’t mention at the start, a tree that was formed into a cross where the Lord Jesus Christ hung to become cursed. Scripture teaches cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree. And as Jesus Christ hung on the tree, he took on the curse, doing so in the place of his people to take on the punishment of their sin, our sin, where according to the curse, Jesus Christ died. He was buried. But because he rose again from the dead, the curse has been broken for God’s people. We’re all who call upon the name of Jesus, like you’re no longer under a curse.
You’re under his love.
Not because we remove the curse, but because God in his grace through Jesus, he’s the one who lifts the curse. We’re through Jesus, all who have faith in him, like you are restored back to God in ways that you have a relationship with him, like our first parents actually did in Genesis one and two in the Garden of Eden. For us, encouragement that God in his great love promises one day he’s going to come back for his people and he comes back for us.
We will fully experience this great restoration. So we will fully live in perfect harmony with our Lord in the new Eden that is to come. And that’s good news because Jesus was cursed on the tree. His people, those who call upon his name, who trust in him, will forever and ever be blessed where they have no condemnation on them. Keep going. Because the curse has been lifted, we say God’s people, who John refers to as the servants of God, now forever, they’ll be able to worship the Lord fully.
Let’s go back again to the first Eden. And this is why we’ve been created in the first place. This is our design. We’ve been created to know God, to enjoy God, to worship God in every area of our life. And you know what? When we get the new Eden, we will finally be able to fully fulfill our design, which is also one of the reasons why heaven’s gonna be so sweet, so incredibly glorious, so satisfying because we’ll actually be able to worship the Lord the way our hearts are meant to worship him.
It’s not boring. In eternal life, we’ll finally fully be able to do what we’re created to do with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, all of our strength. Keep going, verse four. As we worship our God, we will do so by seeing his face. Just give me a pause for a second. Is that not an incredible thought?
You know, in the first Eden, it does seem like this is a privilege our first parents had to see God’s face. But then after the fall of mankind in Genesis 3, which we talked about just a bit ago, this is not a privilege allowed to sinful man. As close to mankind has come to seeing the face of God, his glory, was with Moses.
Remember that story? How God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and how he passed by Moses in such a way that Moses could see the backside of God, not the face, the back. Which even that was enough to cause Moses’s face to shine and shine in ways that others actually were afraid to approach Moses. They actually had to put a veil over his face.
Likewise, remember the story of Peter, James, and John, we actually talked about this a few weeks back. How they got to see the glory of God in unique ways when the Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured before them, which that had to be an incredible sight to behold. But as both, as great as both of those scenes were, it’s not like what we get to see here in verse 4. For God’s people, we will be able to fully look into the face of God and see his glory. Which for us, how can we even imagine what that’s going to be like? In our text, as we look into the face of God, we see that we also, we also read that we’ll be on, what will be on our face, which will be his name, which will be written on our foreheads.
It’s actually something that Revelation 14 talks about as well. Revelation 14, John looks out on this complete group of God’s people. We saw that they had the name of Jesus, the name of his father, written on their foreheads. So same thing here. Now, just a couple things. Just going to point out the significance of God’s name being on our foreheads.
So first, this is another like contrast in Revelation between the people of God, those who have faith in Jesus Christ, versus those who actually reject God, who reject Jesus, who are still dead in their sin. In Revelation, those who reject God, who reject Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, on them will be the mark of the beast, which communicates that they actually belong to the beast.
And that stands in contrast to the name of God written on the foreheads of his people, which marks that they belong to him. And friends, you’ve got to tell us, all of us, we belong to someone. We all have a marking on us. It’s either the beast or the Lord.
Second, the name of God on the forehead, this is incredible rich symbolism. I just mentioned, for all eternity, God marks his people as his, as his treasured possession. I’m going to circle back to this a bit. But let’s just sit on that. I think about this. The eternal, holy, sovereign, triune God.
The one who holds the entire universe in the palm of his hands. He marks his people forever as his, as his treasured possession. Which includes all of us here this morning who have faith in Jesus Christ. Friend, you are eternally marked by God as his, where you will always and forever be his. There’s like no removing of this mark. This is an eternal marking.
And this really is at the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not that we love God, but he loved us. He delights in us. He has called us to be his own. He chose us. He placed his mark on us to be his own forever.
Another side note. Another reason why heaven’s not going to be boring. For all eternity, all we will know and experience all we will know and experience is the love that God has for us as being his own. Because in his grace, he has chosen to write our names in his book, the book of life. Which he chose to do from all eternity past as his people have been written on his heart. Finally this morning, we finish off with verse 5.
Take your eyes there. Which I mentioned earlier, tells the same information we had last week. Verses 23 of 25 of our text last week. In the new Eden that is to come, the darkness of night will be no more. Here I think this has maybe a double meaning to it. Not just communicating there won’t be like any physical darkness in the new Eden, but also probably more so communicating that in the new Eden, there will not be any type of darkness of sin.
In our text, because there is no more darkness, you see, because there’s no need for a light, or a lamp, or the sun. For the Lord God, he will be our light. And as he lights up this new Eden, it will be filled every inch of it with his glory. And as the Lord shines his marvelous light, they, his people of God, we will reign forever and ever. Which, is that not another incredible thought to ponder, to consider, to reign with the Lord in the new Eden forever? I think this year also take our minds back to the original Eden.
Remember how our first parents had dominion over the land? Over all creatures of the land? In this eternal life that is to come, the new Eden, friends, we are so hidden, so unified in Christ, unified in Christ, that we are like joint heirs of his in heaven. Once again, we’ll have dominion over creation. We will reign over it forever and ever. Our text doesn’t tell us exactly how that’s going to look, but because of the strong connections to Genesis 1 and 2, it seems to me and to others that we just reign over all living things, including plants, vegetation, animals.
That’s why it does seem clear in scripture that animals will be present. The lion will lie down with the lamb and dwell together. Or even the animals will be at peace with each other because the curse is no more. So if you’re here this morning and you love animals, you’re gonna be able to love animals for all eternity, for the glory of God. In this life, you don’t like animals? Well, be excited.
In the eternal life that is to come, even animals will be brought into a perfect, a perfected state for our eternal enjoyment. So now I have to close the sermon. I don’t want to do so, but I continue to talk about one of the hopes and prayers that I have for us in this sermon series, which is the hope, the prayer, that God will continue to birth excitement, anticipation, longing for this eternal life that is to come. To long to be with the Lord in this new Eden, drinking from this eternal river, eating from the tree of life, where we’ll be filled with fullness of joy and peace and satisfaction. And friends, I do hope that this passage today does bring excitement and anticipation to you. Just to think, to consider what this new Eden is gonna be like.
However, as I say all that, as I close this time today, I actually want to think about one of the truths of this text, or the truths of our text, and how they actually already apply to us, like today. Like in the here and now. Okay, so if you’ve been with Uncle Wes in his Sunday school class on eschatology, or last things, so you’re familiar with this, the concept of already, not yet.
While all the promises of God, and for his people, you know, all these promises that we just saw in New Eden, while we do not yet fully experience them, so many of these truths that we see that come, they’re actually already on us. Because it’s mentioned, because Christ has already died on the cross for us. And because of his grace, we already have become new creations in Christ. Where God has already taken out the heart of stone and replaced it with the heart of flesh. Which means we don’t have to wait for the tree of life to come, for these truths to be present on us. So again, they actually already are on us.
Albeit, not in ways that we fully experience them, but friends, they’re still on us. That’s how I want to end today. That’s how I want to end today.
Just by declaring the glorious truths that we see in this text, that we’re not yet fully experiencing, but are already on us. I have a number of things for you. I’m going to go through these really quickly. I’m going to write them down and maybe you want to ponder and think about them throughout the week. So first, verse one. Friends, already we’re able to drink of the living waters.
Christ is already there for his people. He already offers himself to us in ways that he’s never going to go dry. Already, God is not keeping himself from us.
Rather, he’s present. Will continue to be present for his people in ways that he is satisfying all of our longings. We don’t have to wait. That’s already here. Second, verse two. As we wait the new Eden, be encouraged.
God is already bearing eternal and everlasting fruit, which is not a fruit found in a tree, but a fruit found in his people. The fruit that the Lord is using to build this kingdom, it will not end. A fruit that through his spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. And this fruit is already present in the life of a believer. Third, verse three. As we wait for the new Eden to come, be encouraged.
We already are servants of God who already are able to come to him in worship, where we can worship him in spirit and in truth because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. And because of the spirit that God has given to us, who lives in our hearts as his servants, we already can worship the Lord in every aspect of our life. We’re already, we can give him glory. We’re already, we can count him worthy of all things. Friends, we don’t have to wait to worship the Lord. That is already a joy and a privilege that we have as his people.
Fourth, verse three. As we wait for this new Eden to come, be encouraged. Already, already we are free from condemnation. Friends, there’s no part of the curse that’s on us if you are in Christ Jesus. As mentioned, Jesus Christ already took the curse upon himself on behalf of his people, for his people. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
So this morning, if you’re walking in and you’re a Christian, please hear that. There is no guilt on you. No shame, no curse, no condemnation. Just God’s love and mercy and kindness and grace, which has already restored you into a right relationship with him. Where God is already for you, not against you. Where God already sees you as his precious child, who he treasures.
Fifth, verse four. As we look forward to the new Eden as it comes, friends, be encouraged. Already, if you’re a Christian, already you have been marked, sealed as belonging to God.
Which he does through the power of the Holy Spirit, whose scripture tells us, marks us, seals us. Where through the Spirit, God already declares that we are his, a people for his own possession. People that he loves. People who will never, ever be separated from that love. Friend, that already is true. If you are in Christ Jesus, you’ve already been marked and sealed as belonging to God.
As belonging to God. Sixth, verse five. As we wait for the new Eden to come, friends, be encouraged. Already, we have been freed from the darkness of sin. Because Christ already is shining his light on us. Now, yes, unfortunately, tragically, in this life, sin will continue to chase us in ways that we will continue to fall.
However, that being said, those who the Spirit set free, they’re free indeed. And through the power of Jesus Christ, we have been set free from sin. So now, already, we’re able to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. In fact, not only are we able to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ, Scripture tells us we must consider ourselves already dead to sin and alive to Christ. Meaning, friends, we’re not defined by our sin. That does not define us.
We are defined by the one who saves us from our sin. Who already is shining his light in our hearts to forgive and to heal. The light of Christ is already shining. And as it shines into the darkness, the darkness will not overcome it. First Peter, God has already called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So yes, no doubt, eating the tree of life, where we’ll forever know the healing that comes from the power of the gospel, that’s going to be sweet.
But already, even today, if you’re in Christ Jesus, his healing light is on you. Seventh, verse five, as we look forward to the new Eden, already we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. Already more than conquerors, already able to walk in all of his authority. The authority he’s given us in his commission to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the blessed trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching all to obey, to know and obey God’s commands. So yes, new Eden has come, like we’re going to experience ruling with Christ in eternity in ways that we do not yet right now. But already, understand, we are more than conquerors through him who loves us.
Last one, I actually want to back up to verse four. As we wait the new Eden, be encouraged. Through the eyes of faith, we already see God, which we do in the face of Jesus Christ, as he is revealed to us in his holy word.
Which is why I hope you love your Bibles, because from beginning to end, with all parts in between, that is what every story, every character in the scriptures, including the trees, in the end, are pointing us to, for us to see Jesus Christ. So that through the eyes of faith, we might see and behold his glory already. Glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The glory of the one who died on the tree, only to rise again from the dead. So by grace, through faith in him, we might live eternally. Church, may God give us the grace to long for and anticipate that which is yet to come. But also, may God give us the grace to already have our hearts filled with such hope and such encouragement by what is already ours through Jesus Christ in the spirit he’s given to us. Let’s pray. Lord, thank you for your scripture.
And Lord, I do pray you help us to long for and anticipate that which is not yet ours to fully experience. And Lord, as we long for and anticipate this great day that is to come, please help us to be encouraged and to trust that your promises are already on us. Please help us to walk in them, to cling to them. And Lord, I pray that you use our little church family here to bring much glory to Christ in ways that we are pointing the world around us to him.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
All right. Well, good morning. Beautiful scene. So if I’ve not met you, my name is Aaron and I’m the preaching pastor here and I’m glad you’re with us. And thanks to Jay for reading that from St. Patrick.
And that is a great prayer, a great confession. And so it’s good for us to keep reading those who’ve gone before us and understanding what the historic Christian faith has been, as it’s been delivered to the saints once and for all and all the way down to us. You know, a lot of our Christian faith is not like trying to come up with new things. It’s just really going back to the same truths, generation after generation after generation, including the truths that St. Patrick communicated to us in what Jay read for us. So, you know, so thanks for doing that, Jay.
If you have a Bible with you, open up to the book of Revelation. We’re almost done, this little sermon series that we had through the end of Revelation. So today we’re in chapter 22, which is our last chapter of Revelation, the last chapter of the Bible. And so today I’ll be reading verses 1 through 5 for you. And then I’m going to pray, ask for the Lord’s help as we work through His sacred scripture. So Revelation 22 is mentioned.
I’ll read verses 1 through 5. And this morning I’m reading out of the ESV, English Standard Version. So this is what the Bible says. Then the angel showed me the river of water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, through the middle of the streets of the city. Also on either side of the river, the tree of life, with its twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruits each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads, and night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. So that’s God’s word for us this morning. Let’s pray. Lord, thank You for Your Holy Word, that You’ve preserved for us through the ages.
Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who opens up Your Holy Word. Thank You even that Your Holy Spirit communicates to us through the preached word, through the folly of preaching. So Lord, we do pray that the Holy Spirit would be at work through Your Word today. Please use this time just to encourage our hearts. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
So maybe one of the more subtle characters in the Bible, who play a support role, that they’re actually in some of the major moments of the Scriptures, are actually trees. We actually see trees scattered throughout the Bible, from beginning to end, all points in between. So let me just mention a few of the trees that we see in the Scripture.
So in the story of the Exodus, we see the Kehia trees, which were desert trees that Moses used to build a tabernacle, as well as some of the furniture that filled the tabernacle. They’re the cedar trees of Lebanon that were used by David to build his house. So Solomon to build the temple that Ezra was also to rebuild after Solomon’s temple was destroyed.
So those are the cedar trees. They’re almond trees, which were known for beautiful flowers that it produces. This tree is also connected to Moses.
So the lampstand that was in the tabernacle seemed to represent the almond tree. Solomon also wrote about almond trees as an illustration to describe getting older. The flowers of the almond trees are lighter in color, like pink and white. So much like what happens to us as we get older, our hair turns white or gray. Or in our home, we refer to these as sparkles. There are fig trees in the Bible.
They’re used in the illustration of having a life that bears fruits, which comes by God dwelling in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. So remember the story of Palm Sunday, which actually Uncle Wes will be preaching on next Sunday. Remember after the triumphant entry, how Jesus went over to a fig tree?
And when he saw that that tree had no fruit, Jesus cursed the tree. And this is actually an ultimate condemnation of religious leaders of the day, who by their fruit, or lack thereof, proved to not have God ruling in their hearts. In the Bible, there are oak trees, which are meant to be a picture of strength, perseverance, depth.
Where famously the book of Isaiah refers to God’s people as being like oaks of righteousness, which is actually one of the prayers that we have for especially the village kids, that God would grow up all the children of Red Village to become oaks of righteousness. In the scriptures, there’s olive trees that produce oil, with oil being very significant in the Bible. So oil is used for many things, including like the anointing of leaders, as well as a symbol of God’s favor. We also remember how Jesus, our Lord Jesus, was anointed with oil before he was led away to his death.
There’s sycamore trees, which perhaps most famously is a tree where a short in stature, the hated tax collector Zacchaeus, remember how he had to climb the tree to see Jesus, who actually welcomes Zacchaeus into his presence. There’s a tamarask tree, which for those who were part of our study of 1 Samuel, which we did about a year or so back, remember how that tree came up a few times in 1 Samuel? So it appeared under the tamarask tree, kings and leaders would gather together, business would take place.
The book of Psalms, Psalm 1 says this, It’s blessed the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in the law he meditates day and night, like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither, and all that he does he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away, therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous, for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Jeremiah 17, very similar to Psalm 1, says this, Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree, planted by water, that sends out its roots by the streams, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit. So really trees are like subtle characters that we see all throughout the Bible, that kind of play like a little minor role that helps tell the story of the Bible, including the beginning and the end of the story of the Bible, where in the beginning and the end, there is a tree that’s front and center, a tree given the same name, the tree of life, which we see in our text today. The tree that links the beginning of the Bible, the story of God’s good creation, and the end of the Bible, and the story of the new creation that is to come.
Okay, now before we get to our patches of study this morning, just a quick reminder where we left off last week, which was the second half of Revelation 21, which is a passage where we got more details on what heaven was going, or is going to look like. Which in our text last week, we got to see more information about the new Jerusalem, which in Revelation is the great eternal city that is to come, a city that is a gift from God to his people, a city where God will actually dwell with his people fully, as God’s glory will fill the city, much like it did in the Holy of Holies, in the Old Testament temple. However, as you may remember from our text last week, even though there’s strong connections from Revelation 21 and the Old Testament temple, in the new Jerusalem, we learned there’s gonna be no physical temple in the city plans. You know, no physical temple to be the place of worship.
There’s a new Jerusalem that is to come. God himself will be the temple, and God himself will shine his light on his city forever and ever and ever, with the Lord Jesus Christ himself being the great and eternal lamp, which is actually something we get to see in our text again today, and his reputation of this truth of God shining his eternal light. This is something that John is stressing for us to see, see how glorious, how important this is. So with our text today, as we come to the same information, God, or John does not want us to miss this. Forever and ever, God will shine his marvelous light on his people, where there will never be darkness again. Also, as we mentioned throughout our sermon last week, mentioned again today, as we went through the passage, right, there’s nothing boring, or casual, or like ho-hum on that which is to come in the new Jerusalem.
You know, for us, we’re maybe tempted to think that when we think about heaven, it’s almost gonna be like this one long, boring church service, right, that will never end. That’s not the picture we saw last week. It’s not the picture we see this week.
Rather, the new Jerusalem, heaven, is a great and glorious place filled with true beauty that will fully capture, forever capture our hearts, where we’ll be fully and forever satisfied with peace and joy as we dwell with God and with each other. So that’s where we were last week. Now, this week, we get more details on that which is to come.
Which is mentioned, we see, which is to come, is the tree of life will be back, will be present, where God will use the tree of life to eternally sustain his people, much like he did the tree in the garden to sustain our first parents before they sinned. So, for us this morning, just take note of that. As we work through this passage, not only we see the new city of the new Jerusalem, but really we’re seeing a new Eden. However, unlike the first Eden and this new Eden, sin will never be something we’ll be tempted to fall into. Because temptation, sin, will never be let into this new Eden. Unlike the first Eden, God’s people will never have to leave the new Eden it is to come.
Rather, forever and ever, God’s people will eternally take up residency. Okay? So with that as an intro, if you could look back with me, starting in verse one of our text, where we see the tour guide angel from chapter 21 had more to show the author John concerning this new Jerusalem. In our text, we read, Then the angel showed me the river of water of life, which was as bright as crystal, which flowed from the throne of God and the Lamb. Okay, now just a few things here. First, this river running through the new Jerusalem.
First, this is like the first call back to the Garden of Eden in our text. So in Genesis 2, in the Garden of Eden, we read that there is rivers that flowed out. And the waters went to the plants of the garden. As it flowed out. And as in the Garden of Eden, as the rivers flowed out, it broke into four separate rivers. In the scriptures, it tells us there’s a piston, which Genesis tells us flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there was gold, and bedlam, and onyx stone.
There’s a second river flowing around the Garden of Eden, the Gihon, which flowed around the land of Cush. The third river, which was the Tigris, which scripture tells us flowed east of Assyria. The fourth river belonged to being the Euphrates. As mentioned, these rivers were used by the Lord to provide water to all the living creatures, which my assumption probably included like Adam and Eve, if they were drunk with these waters. We also mentioned these rivers also seem to provide boundary markers, which help differentiate between the Garden of Eden, which I think is kind of an interesting thought. I think it implies like the Garden of Eden wasn’t like all the same.
It wasn’t just like what we see like in a children’s Bible, you know, like a drawing there, where all this was, maybe it’s like a little lush garden, you know, filled with vegetation and animals and Adam and Eve. They’re all kind of like, you know, like cozy up together. But that seems like in the creativity of God, the Garden of Eden is actually sizable. There’s four rivers running through it, which I think implies the garden was big. And as the rivers flowed throughout the garden, scripture talks about all these different boundary markers that the waters would prove to be. And I think that implies that these rivers are waters that travels through the garden, like they would come across like different scenery, different types of terrain.
Like I don’t think the Garden of Eden was all the same. Because of that, I don’t think the new Eden that is to come will be the same either. This goes back to the theme of the sermon last week.
This is another reason why heaven’s not going to be boring. It’s not going to be like this monotone of everything exactly the same. It’s going to be variety, creativity, all over this new Eden. Second, verse one, in the river.
This is also called back to the book of Ezekiel, which is also something we saw in our passage quite a few times last week. So Ezekiel chapter 47 talks about a time that was to come, an eternal life. When eternal life comes, we’re from the temple of God would flow a river and it would flow in all directions. And everywhere it went, it would provide life to all living creatures. Third, I want to hear of this verse, hear of this life-giving river. I want us all to take our minds and hearts back to John 4 and John 7, where Jesus tells us how he fills the hearts of his people with living waters.
And if this river here in Revelation 22 is ultimately the fulfillment of what Jesus is speaking about, the Lord eternally used these waters to fill us, to sustain us. Fourth, these waters will fill us, sustain us, ultimately becomes because they’re coming from the throne of God. So it’s not just the waters in themselves that sustain us, but it’s because they come from the throne.
Right? It is the Lord, it’s the Lamb. Those are the ones who actually are the sustainers. The waters are just God’s chosen means by which he will do this work in his people. Fifth, I think this picture of the waters here, of this river running through, is not just one to sustain like physical bodies, which I kind of do think they’ll do in the New Eden, but I think this water is also probably more importantly, a picture of complete satisfaction. Look, Isaiah famously calls out to all those who have longings, who have desires that are not being met, to come to the Lord, to his living waters, to have him fill the longings and desires of their hearts.
Which by the way, includes all you here today. If you came here this morning, you’re just not finding any satisfaction in anything in life without the Lord. You never will.
He’s the one who satisfies our longings. So this morning, please hear the call of the Lord. Come to the Lord who satisfies us.
Keep going, verse two. As the satisfying waters flowed from the throne of God, we see the waters of flow throughout the middle of the street of the city. And as the river flows, we read that on either side of the river was the tree of life with its 12 kinds of fruits. Now here, it’s maybe a little hard to know, maybe a little confusing of what it means of the tree of life. You know, it’s kind of flowing on both sides of the river. You know, if it’s just like one big tree that somehow divides into both sides of the river.
Or maybe the tree of life is more along the lines of a type of tree that fills the garden. So on both sides of the river, this type of tree is found. You may be thinking like if you travel through like the beautiful north woods of Wisconsin, you can see the beautiful maple tree running throughout the forest. Maybe perhaps that’s what the text is getting out, the tree of life. Whether it’s one giant tree or many trees, we do see what the tree produces as it yields 12 kinds of fruit. Now the number 12 in Revelation seems to be a number that represents like completeness, fullness.
I won’t go through all the places where we see 12 in the book of Revelation that represents completeness and fullness. I’ll let you look at those through those next time you read through this book. But these 12 fruits here, they seem to be communicating that this tree will have a full and complete yield. I mean, what the Lord gives from this, it’s full, complete, lacking in nothing. It produces 12 types of fruit. Each of the 12 months, so in this new Eden is to come every month, forever and ever, there’s going to be fruit on the vine.
There will never be a moment like the fig tree on Palm Sunday where Jesus found no fruit on it. The tree of life, they will always have fruit. There will never be like an in-season and out-of-season. And this new Eden is to come. There’s only an in-season. And as an eternal fruit on the vine, we see in verse 2, part of the purpose of the fruit, that the Lord uses the fruit of the vine to bring healing to the nations, which is another allusion back to Ezekiel 47, which speaks about a fruit from the food of heaven, the leaves of a tree bringing about healing.
Once again, complete, full healing to every aspect of the life of the believer, whether it’s like spiritual healing, maybe it’s a physical healing. In heaven, we will be forever and ever healed as through the fruit, God continues to provide health to us. We’ll never ever break down ever again, which, think how awesome that’s going to be. Like, not even like the smallest spiritual discouragement like we would ever have to battle against. Not even like the slightest headache or body pain that will ever be pleasant. The reason why is what verse 3 tells us.
As we see that no longer in this new Eden is to come, no longer will there be anything accursed, nothing great, nothing small, no effects of the curse will be present for God’s people in this new Eden that is to come. Now, this here, this language of curse, this obviously is referenced back to Genesis 3, which details why the original garden of Eden is no more. In Genesis 3, we saw how mankind sinned against God, where they ate the one forbidden fruit of the garden, the fruit that God actually told our first parents not to eat, lest they die. However, our first parents disobeyed God’s good command, they doubted his good word, they ate of the forbidden fruit, which opened up their eyes to all that is sinful and evil. The forbidden fruit did not bring healing and satisfaction, rather it brought about death, just as God said it would. And not only did eating the forbidden fruit bring about death, it also brought with it a curse to the land, which actually still remains on the earth.
This is why we have pain in all its forms. This is why there’s evil in all of its forms. This is why scripture even tells us that creation itself is groaning. This is why we all live in the reality of death. This world is under a curse, which is a curse that I should mention separates us from God, with no hope in ourselves of trying to remove the curse, no hope in ourselves of coming to God on our own. However, in our text, in this life that is to come, we read there’s no more curse on anything, on anyone, anywhere in this new Eden.
My friends, the reason why there is not a curse, is because what happened on the most important day on the most important tree of the Bible, one that I actually didn’t mention at the start, a tree that was formed into a cross where the Lord Jesus Christ hung to become cursed. Scripture teaches cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree. And as Jesus Christ hung on the tree, he took on the curse, doing so in the place of his people to take on the punishment of their sin, our sin, where according to the curse, Jesus Christ died. He was buried. But because he rose again from the dead, the curse has been broken for God’s people. We’re all who call upon the name of Jesus, like you’re no longer under a curse.
You’re under his love.
Not because we remove the curse, but because God in his grace through Jesus, he’s the one who lifts the curse. We’re through Jesus, all who have faith in him, like you are restored back to God in ways that you have a relationship with him, like our first parents actually did in Genesis one and two in the Garden of Eden. For us, encouragement that God in his great love promises one day he’s going to come back for his people and he comes back for us.
We will fully experience this great restoration. So we will fully live in perfect harmony with our Lord in the new Eden that is to come. And that’s good news because Jesus was cursed on the tree. His people, those who call upon his name, who trust in him, will forever and ever be blessed where they have no condemnation on them. Keep going. Because the curse has been lifted, we say God’s people, who John refers to as the servants of God, now forever, they’ll be able to worship the Lord fully.
Let’s go back again to the first Eden. And this is why we’ve been created in the first place. This is our design. We’ve been created to know God, to enjoy God, to worship God in every area of our life. And you know what? When we get the new Eden, we will finally be able to fully fulfill our design, which is also one of the reasons why heaven’s gonna be so sweet, so incredibly glorious, so satisfying because we’ll actually be able to worship the Lord the way our hearts are meant to worship him.
It’s not boring. In eternal life, we’ll finally fully be able to do what we’re created to do with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, all of our strength. Keep going, verse four. As we worship our God, we will do so by seeing his face. Just give me a pause for a second. Is that not an incredible thought?
You know, in the first Eden, it does seem like this is a privilege our first parents had to see God’s face. But then after the fall of mankind in Genesis 3, which we talked about just a bit ago, this is not a privilege allowed to sinful man. As close to mankind has come to seeing the face of God, his glory, was with Moses.
Remember that story? How God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and how he passed by Moses in such a way that Moses could see the backside of God, not the face, the back. Which even that was enough to cause Moses’s face to shine and shine in ways that others actually were afraid to approach Moses. They actually had to put a veil over his face.
Likewise, remember the story of Peter, James, and John, we actually talked about this a few weeks back. How they got to see the glory of God in unique ways when the Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured before them, which that had to be an incredible sight to behold. But as both, as great as both of those scenes were, it’s not like what we get to see here in verse 4. For God’s people, we will be able to fully look into the face of God and see his glory. Which for us, how can we even imagine what that’s going to be like? In our text, as we look into the face of God, we see that we also, we also read that we’ll be on, what will be on our face, which will be his name, which will be written on our foreheads.
It’s actually something that Revelation 14 talks about as well. Revelation 14, John looks out on this complete group of God’s people. We saw that they had the name of Jesus, the name of his father, written on their foreheads. So same thing here. Now, just a couple things. Just going to point out the significance of God’s name being on our foreheads.
So first, this is another like contrast in Revelation between the people of God, those who have faith in Jesus Christ, versus those who actually reject God, who reject Jesus, who are still dead in their sin. In Revelation, those who reject God, who reject Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, on them will be the mark of the beast, which communicates that they actually belong to the beast.
And that stands in contrast to the name of God written on the foreheads of his people, which marks that they belong to him. And friends, you’ve got to tell us, all of us, we belong to someone. We all have a marking on us. It’s either the beast or the Lord.
Second, the name of God on the forehead, this is incredible rich symbolism. I just mentioned, for all eternity, God marks his people as his, as his treasured possession. I’m going to circle back to this a bit. But let’s just sit on that. I think about this. The eternal, holy, sovereign, triune God.
The one who holds the entire universe in the palm of his hands. He marks his people forever as his, as his treasured possession. Which includes all of us here this morning who have faith in Jesus Christ. Friend, you are eternally marked by God as his, where you will always and forever be his. There’s like no removing of this mark. This is an eternal marking.
And this really is at the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not that we love God, but he loved us. He delights in us. He has called us to be his own. He chose us. He placed his mark on us to be his own forever.
Another side note. Another reason why heaven’s not going to be boring. For all eternity, all we will know and experience all we will know and experience is the love that God has for us as being his own. Because in his grace, he has chosen to write our names in his book, the book of life. Which he chose to do from all eternity past as his people have been written on his heart. Finally this morning, we finish off with verse 5.
Take your eyes there. Which I mentioned earlier, tells the same information we had last week. Verses 23 of 25 of our text last week. In the new Eden that is to come, the darkness of night will be no more. Here I think this has maybe a double meaning to it. Not just communicating there won’t be like any physical darkness in the new Eden, but also probably more so communicating that in the new Eden, there will not be any type of darkness of sin.
In our text, because there is no more darkness, you see, because there’s no need for a light, or a lamp, or the sun. For the Lord God, he will be our light. And as he lights up this new Eden, it will be filled every inch of it with his glory. And as the Lord shines his marvelous light, they, his people of God, we will reign forever and ever. Which, is that not another incredible thought to ponder, to consider, to reign with the Lord in the new Eden forever? I think this year also take our minds back to the original Eden.
Remember how our first parents had dominion over the land? Over all creatures of the land? In this eternal life that is to come, the new Eden, friends, we are so hidden, so unified in Christ, unified in Christ, that we are like joint heirs of his in heaven. Once again, we’ll have dominion over creation. We will reign over it forever and ever. Our text doesn’t tell us exactly how that’s going to look, but because of the strong connections to Genesis 1 and 2, it seems to me and to others that we just reign over all living things, including plants, vegetation, animals.
That’s why it does seem clear in scripture that animals will be present. The lion will lie down with the lamb and dwell together. Or even the animals will be at peace with each other because the curse is no more. So if you’re here this morning and you love animals, you’re gonna be able to love animals for all eternity, for the glory of God. In this life, you don’t like animals? Well, be excited.
In the eternal life that is to come, even animals will be brought into a perfect, a perfected state for our eternal enjoyment. So now I have to close the sermon. I don’t want to do so, but I continue to talk about one of the hopes and prayers that I have for us in this sermon series, which is the hope, the prayer, that God will continue to birth excitement, anticipation, longing for this eternal life that is to come. To long to be with the Lord in this new Eden, drinking from this eternal river, eating from the tree of life, where we’ll be filled with fullness of joy and peace and satisfaction. And friends, I do hope that this passage today does bring excitement and anticipation to you. Just to think, to consider what this new Eden is gonna be like.
However, as I say all that, as I close this time today, I actually want to think about one of the truths of this text, or the truths of our text, and how they actually already apply to us, like today. Like in the here and now. Okay, so if you’ve been with Uncle Wes in his Sunday school class on eschatology, or last things, so you’re familiar with this, the concept of already, not yet.
While all the promises of God, and for his people, you know, all these promises that we just saw in New Eden, while we do not yet fully experience them, so many of these truths that we see that come, they’re actually already on us. Because it’s mentioned, because Christ has already died on the cross for us. And because of his grace, we already have become new creations in Christ. Where God has already taken out the heart of stone and replaced it with the heart of flesh. Which means we don’t have to wait for the tree of life to come, for these truths to be present on us. So again, they actually already are on us.
Albeit, not in ways that we fully experience them, but friends, they’re still on us. That’s how I want to end today. That’s how I want to end today.
Just by declaring the glorious truths that we see in this text, that we’re not yet fully experiencing, but are already on us. I have a number of things for you. I’m going to go through these really quickly. I’m going to write them down and maybe you want to ponder and think about them throughout the week. So first, verse one. Friends, already we’re able to drink of the living waters.
Christ is already there for his people. He already offers himself to us in ways that he’s never going to go dry. Already, God is not keeping himself from us.
Rather, he’s present. Will continue to be present for his people in ways that he is satisfying all of our longings. We don’t have to wait. That’s already here. Second, verse two. As we wait the new Eden, be encouraged.
God is already bearing eternal and everlasting fruit, which is not a fruit found in a tree, but a fruit found in his people. The fruit that the Lord is using to build this kingdom, it will not end. A fruit that through his spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. And this fruit is already present in the life of a believer. Third, verse three. As we wait for the new Eden to come, be encouraged.
We already are servants of God who already are able to come to him in worship, where we can worship him in spirit and in truth because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. And because of the spirit that God has given to us, who lives in our hearts as his servants, we already can worship the Lord in every aspect of our life. We’re already, we can give him glory. We’re already, we can count him worthy of all things. Friends, we don’t have to wait to worship the Lord. That is already a joy and a privilege that we have as his people.
Fourth, verse three. As we wait for this new Eden to come, be encouraged. Already, already we are free from condemnation. Friends, there’s no part of the curse that’s on us if you are in Christ Jesus. As mentioned, Jesus Christ already took the curse upon himself on behalf of his people, for his people. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
So this morning, if you’re walking in and you’re a Christian, please hear that. There is no guilt on you. No shame, no curse, no condemnation. Just God’s love and mercy and kindness and grace, which has already restored you into a right relationship with him. Where God is already for you, not against you. Where God already sees you as his precious child, who he treasures.
Fifth, verse four. As we look forward to the new Eden as it comes, friends, be encouraged. Already, if you’re a Christian, already you have been marked, sealed as belonging to God.
Which he does through the power of the Holy Spirit, whose scripture tells us, marks us, seals us. Where through the Spirit, God already declares that we are his, a people for his own possession. People that he loves. People who will never, ever be separated from that love. Friend, that already is true. If you are in Christ Jesus, you’ve already been marked and sealed as belonging to God.
As belonging to God. Sixth, verse five. As we wait for the new Eden to come, friends, be encouraged. Already, we have been freed from the darkness of sin. Because Christ already is shining his light on us. Now, yes, unfortunately, tragically, in this life, sin will continue to chase us in ways that we will continue to fall.
However, that being said, those who the Spirit set free, they’re free indeed. And through the power of Jesus Christ, we have been set free from sin. So now, already, we’re able to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. In fact, not only are we able to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ, Scripture tells us we must consider ourselves already dead to sin and alive to Christ. Meaning, friends, we’re not defined by our sin. That does not define us.
We are defined by the one who saves us from our sin. Who already is shining his light in our hearts to forgive and to heal. The light of Christ is already shining. And as it shines into the darkness, the darkness will not overcome it. First Peter, God has already called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So yes, no doubt, eating the tree of life, where we’ll forever know the healing that comes from the power of the gospel, that’s going to be sweet.
But already, even today, if you’re in Christ Jesus, his healing light is on you. Seventh, verse five, as we look forward to the new Eden, already we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. Already more than conquerors, already able to walk in all of his authority. The authority he’s given us in his commission to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the blessed trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching all to obey, to know and obey God’s commands. So yes, new Eden has come, like we’re going to experience ruling with Christ in eternity in ways that we do not yet right now. But already, understand, we are more than conquerors through him who loves us.
Last one, I actually want to back up to verse four. As we wait the new Eden, be encouraged. Through the eyes of faith, we already see God, which we do in the face of Jesus Christ, as he is revealed to us in his holy word.
Which is why I hope you love your Bibles, because from beginning to end, with all parts in between, that is what every story, every character in the scriptures, including the trees, in the end, are pointing us to, for us to see Jesus Christ. So that through the eyes of faith, we might see and behold his glory already. Glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The glory of the one who died on the tree, only to rise again from the dead. So by grace, through faith in him, we might live eternally. Church, may God give us the grace to long for and anticipate that which is yet to come. But also, may God give us the grace to already have our hearts filled with such hope and such encouragement by what is already ours through Jesus Christ in the spirit he’s given to us. Let’s pray. Lord, thank you for your scripture.
And Lord, I do pray you help us to long for and anticipate that which is not yet ours to fully experience. And Lord, as we long for and anticipate this great day that is to come, please help us to be encouraged and to trust that your promises are already on us. Please help us to walk in them, to cling to them. And Lord, I pray that you use our little church family here to bring much glory to Christ in ways that we are pointing the world around us to him.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
All right. Well, good morning. Beautiful scene. So if I’ve not met you, my name is Aaron and I’m the preaching pastor here and I’m glad you’re with us. And thanks to Jay for reading that from St. Patrick.
And that is a great prayer, a great confession. And so it’s good for us to keep reading those who’ve gone before us and understanding what the historic Christian faith has been, as it’s been delivered to the saints once and for all and all the way down to us. You know, a lot of our Christian faith is not like trying to come up with new things. It’s just really going back to the same truths, generation after generation after generation, including the truths that St. Patrick communicated to us in what Jay read for us. So, you know, so thanks for doing that, Jay.
If you have a Bible with you, open up to the book of Revelation. We’re almost done, this little sermon series that we had through the end of Revelation. So today we’re in chapter 22, which is our last chapter of Revelation, the last chapter of the Bible. And so today I’ll be reading verses 1 through 5 for you. And then I’m going to pray, ask for the Lord’s help as we work through His sacred scripture. So Revelation 22 is mentioned.
I’ll read verses 1 through 5. And this morning I’m reading out of the ESV, English Standard Version. So this is what the Bible says. Then the angel showed me the river of water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, through the middle of the streets of the city. Also on either side of the river, the tree of life, with its twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruits each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads, and night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. So that’s God’s word for us this morning. Let’s pray. Lord, thank You for Your Holy Word, that You’ve preserved for us through the ages.
Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who opens up Your Holy Word. Thank You even that Your Holy Spirit communicates to us through the preached word, through the folly of preaching. So Lord, we do pray that the Holy Spirit would be at work through Your Word today. Please use this time just to encourage our hearts. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
So maybe one of the more subtle characters in the Bible, who play a support role, that they’re actually in some of the major moments of the Scriptures, are actually trees. We actually see trees scattered throughout the Bible, from beginning to end, all points in between. So let me just mention a few of the trees that we see in the Scripture.
So in the story of the Exodus, we see the Kehia trees, which were desert trees that Moses used to build a tabernacle, as well as some of the furniture that filled the tabernacle. They’re the cedar trees of Lebanon that were used by David to build his house. So Solomon to build the temple that Ezra was also to rebuild after Solomon’s temple was destroyed.
So those are the cedar trees. They’re almond trees, which were known for beautiful flowers that it produces. This tree is also connected to Moses.
So the lampstand that was in the tabernacle seemed to represent the almond tree. Solomon also wrote about almond trees as an illustration to describe getting older. The flowers of the almond trees are lighter in color, like pink and white. So much like what happens to us as we get older, our hair turns white or gray. Or in our home, we refer to these as sparkles. There are fig trees in the Bible.
They’re used in the illustration of having a life that bears fruits, which comes by God dwelling in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. So remember the story of Palm Sunday, which actually Uncle Wes will be preaching on next Sunday. Remember after the triumphant entry, how Jesus went over to a fig tree?
And when he saw that that tree had no fruit, Jesus cursed the tree. And this is actually an ultimate condemnation of religious leaders of the day, who by their fruit, or lack thereof, proved to not have God ruling in their hearts. In the Bible, there are oak trees, which are meant to be a picture of strength, perseverance, depth.
Where famously the book of Isaiah refers to God’s people as being like oaks of righteousness, which is actually one of the prayers that we have for especially the village kids, that God would grow up all the children of Red Village to become oaks of righteousness. In the scriptures, there’s olive trees that produce oil, with oil being very significant in the Bible. So oil is used for many things, including like the anointing of leaders, as well as a symbol of God’s favor. We also remember how Jesus, our Lord Jesus, was anointed with oil before he was led away to his death.
There’s sycamore trees, which perhaps most famously is a tree where a short in stature, the hated tax collector Zacchaeus, remember how he had to climb the tree to see Jesus, who actually welcomes Zacchaeus into his presence. There’s a tamarask tree, which for those who were part of our study of 1 Samuel, which we did about a year or so back, remember how that tree came up a few times in 1 Samuel? So it appeared under the tamarask tree, kings and leaders would gather together, business would take place.
The book of Psalms, Psalm 1 says this, It’s blessed the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in the law he meditates day and night, like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither, and all that he does he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away, therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous, for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Jeremiah 17, very similar to Psalm 1, says this, Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree, planted by water, that sends out its roots by the streams, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit. So really trees are like subtle characters that we see all throughout the Bible, that kind of play like a little minor role that helps tell the story of the Bible, including the beginning and the end of the story of the Bible, where in the beginning and the end, there is a tree that’s front and center, a tree given the same name, the tree of life, which we see in our text today. The tree that links the beginning of the Bible, the story of God’s good creation, and the end of the Bible, and the story of the new creation that is to come.
Okay, now before we get to our patches of study this morning, just a quick reminder where we left off last week, which was the second half of Revelation 21, which is a passage where we got more details on what heaven was going, or is going to look like. Which in our text last week, we got to see more information about the new Jerusalem, which in Revelation is the great eternal city that is to come, a city that is a gift from God to his people, a city where God will actually dwell with his people fully, as God’s glory will fill the city, much like it did in the Holy of Holies, in the Old Testament temple. However, as you may remember from our text last week, even though there’s strong connections from Revelation 21 and the Old Testament temple, in the new Jerusalem, we learned there’s gonna be no physical temple in the city plans. You know, no physical temple to be the place of worship.
There’s a new Jerusalem that is to come. God himself will be the temple, and God himself will shine his light on his city forever and ever and ever, with the Lord Jesus Christ himself being the great and eternal lamp, which is actually something we get to see in our text again today, and his reputation of this truth of God shining his eternal light. This is something that John is stressing for us to see, see how glorious, how important this is. So with our text today, as we come to the same information, God, or John does not want us to miss this. Forever and ever, God will shine his marvelous light on his people, where there will never be darkness again. Also, as we mentioned throughout our sermon last week, mentioned again today, as we went through the passage, right, there’s nothing boring, or casual, or like ho-hum on that which is to come in the new Jerusalem.
You know, for us, we’re maybe tempted to think that when we think about heaven, it’s almost gonna be like this one long, boring church service, right, that will never end. That’s not the picture we saw last week. It’s not the picture we see this week.
Rather, the new Jerusalem, heaven, is a great and glorious place filled with true beauty that will fully capture, forever capture our hearts, where we’ll be fully and forever satisfied with peace and joy as we dwell with God and with each other. So that’s where we were last week. Now, this week, we get more details on that which is to come.
Which is mentioned, we see, which is to come, is the tree of life will be back, will be present, where God will use the tree of life to eternally sustain his people, much like he did the tree in the garden to sustain our first parents before they sinned. So, for us this morning, just take note of that. As we work through this passage, not only we see the new city of the new Jerusalem, but really we’re seeing a new Eden. However, unlike the first Eden and this new Eden, sin will never be something we’ll be tempted to fall into. Because temptation, sin, will never be let into this new Eden. Unlike the first Eden, God’s people will never have to leave the new Eden it is to come.
Rather, forever and ever, God’s people will eternally take up residency. Okay? So with that as an intro, if you could look back with me, starting in verse one of our text, where we see the tour guide angel from chapter 21 had more to show the author John concerning this new Jerusalem. In our text, we read, Then the angel showed me the river of water of life, which was as bright as crystal, which flowed from the throne of God and the Lamb. Okay, now just a few things here. First, this river running through the new Jerusalem.
First, this is like the first call back to the Garden of Eden in our text. So in Genesis 2, in the Garden of Eden, we read that there is rivers that flowed out. And the waters went to the plants of the garden. As it flowed out. And as in the Garden of Eden, as the rivers flowed out, it broke into four separate rivers. In the scriptures, it tells us there’s a piston, which Genesis tells us flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there was gold, and bedlam, and onyx stone.
There’s a second river flowing around the Garden of Eden, the Gihon, which flowed around the land of Cush. The third river, which was the Tigris, which scripture tells us flowed east of Assyria. The fourth river belonged to being the Euphrates. As mentioned, these rivers were used by the Lord to provide water to all the living creatures, which my assumption probably included like Adam and Eve, if they were drunk with these waters. We also mentioned these rivers also seem to provide boundary markers, which help differentiate between the Garden of Eden, which I think is kind of an interesting thought. I think it implies like the Garden of Eden wasn’t like all the same.
It wasn’t just like what we see like in a children’s Bible, you know, like a drawing there, where all this was, maybe it’s like a little lush garden, you know, filled with vegetation and animals and Adam and Eve. They’re all kind of like, you know, like cozy up together. But that seems like in the creativity of God, the Garden of Eden is actually sizable. There’s four rivers running through it, which I think implies the garden was big. And as the rivers flowed throughout the garden, scripture talks about all these different boundary markers that the waters would prove to be. And I think that implies that these rivers are waters that travels through the garden, like they would come across like different scenery, different types of terrain.
Like I don’t think the Garden of Eden was all the same. Because of that, I don’t think the new Eden that is to come will be the same either. This goes back to the theme of the sermon last week.
This is another reason why heaven’s not going to be boring. It’s not going to be like this monotone of everything exactly the same. It’s going to be variety, creativity, all over this new Eden. Second, verse one, in the river.
This is also called back to the book of Ezekiel, which is also something we saw in our passage quite a few times last week. So Ezekiel chapter 47 talks about a time that was to come, an eternal life. When eternal life comes, we’re from the temple of God would flow a river and it would flow in all directions. And everywhere it went, it would provide life to all living creatures. Third, I want to hear of this verse, hear of this life-giving river. I want us all to take our minds and hearts back to John 4 and John 7, where Jesus tells us how he fills the hearts of his people with living waters.
And if this river here in Revelation 22 is ultimately the fulfillment of what Jesus is speaking about, the Lord eternally used these waters to fill us, to sustain us. Fourth, these waters will fill us, sustain us, ultimately becomes because they’re coming from the throne of God. So it’s not just the waters in themselves that sustain us, but it’s because they come from the throne.
Right? It is the Lord, it’s the Lamb. Those are the ones who actually are the sustainers. The waters are just God’s chosen means by which he will do this work in his people. Fifth, I think this picture of the waters here, of this river running through, is not just one to sustain like physical bodies, which I kind of do think they’ll do in the New Eden, but I think this water is also probably more importantly, a picture of complete satisfaction. Look, Isaiah famously calls out to all those who have longings, who have desires that are not being met, to come to the Lord, to his living waters, to have him fill the longings and desires of their hearts.
Which by the way, includes all you here today. If you came here this morning, you’re just not finding any satisfaction in anything in life without the Lord. You never will.
He’s the one who satisfies our longings. So this morning, please hear the call of the Lord. Come to the Lord who satisfies us.
Keep going, verse two. As the satisfying waters flowed from the throne of God, we see the waters of flow throughout the middle of the street of the city. And as the river flows, we read that on either side of the river was the tree of life with its 12 kinds of fruits. Now here, it’s maybe a little hard to know, maybe a little confusing of what it means of the tree of life. You know, it’s kind of flowing on both sides of the river. You know, if it’s just like one big tree that somehow divides into both sides of the river.
Or maybe the tree of life is more along the lines of a type of tree that fills the garden. So on both sides of the river, this type of tree is found. You may be thinking like if you travel through like the beautiful north woods of Wisconsin, you can see the beautiful maple tree running throughout the forest. Maybe perhaps that’s what the text is getting out, the tree of life. Whether it’s one giant tree or many trees, we do see what the tree produces as it yields 12 kinds of fruit. Now the number 12 in Revelation seems to be a number that represents like completeness, fullness.
I won’t go through all the places where we see 12 in the book of Revelation that represents completeness and fullness. I’ll let you look at those through those next time you read through this book. But these 12 fruits here, they seem to be communicating that this tree will have a full and complete yield. I mean, what the Lord gives from this, it’s full, complete, lacking in nothing. It produces 12 types of fruit. Each of the 12 months, so in this new Eden is to come every month, forever and ever, there’s going to be fruit on the vine.
There will never be a moment like the fig tree on Palm Sunday where Jesus found no fruit on it. The tree of life, they will always have fruit. There will never be like an in-season and out-of-season. And this new Eden is to come. There’s only an in-season. And as an eternal fruit on the vine, we see in verse 2, part of the purpose of the fruit, that the Lord uses the fruit of the vine to bring healing to the nations, which is another allusion back to Ezekiel 47, which speaks about a fruit from the food of heaven, the leaves of a tree bringing about healing.
Once again, complete, full healing to every aspect of the life of the believer, whether it’s like spiritual healing, maybe it’s a physical healing. In heaven, we will be forever and ever healed as through the fruit, God continues to provide health to us. We’ll never ever break down ever again, which, think how awesome that’s going to be. Like, not even like the smallest spiritual discouragement like we would ever have to battle against. Not even like the slightest headache or body pain that will ever be pleasant. The reason why is what verse 3 tells us.
As we see that no longer in this new Eden is to come, no longer will there be anything accursed, nothing great, nothing small, no effects of the curse will be present for God’s people in this new Eden that is to come. Now, this here, this language of curse, this obviously is referenced back to Genesis 3, which details why the original garden of Eden is no more. In Genesis 3, we saw how mankind sinned against God, where they ate the one forbidden fruit of the garden, the fruit that God actually told our first parents not to eat, lest they die. However, our first parents disobeyed God’s good command, they doubted his good word, they ate of the forbidden fruit, which opened up their eyes to all that is sinful and evil. The forbidden fruit did not bring healing and satisfaction, rather it brought about death, just as God said it would. And not only did eating the forbidden fruit bring about death, it also brought with it a curse to the land, which actually still remains on the earth.
This is why we have pain in all its forms. This is why there’s evil in all of its forms. This is why scripture even tells us that creation itself is groaning. This is why we all live in the reality of death. This world is under a curse, which is a curse that I should mention separates us from God, with no hope in ourselves of trying to remove the curse, no hope in ourselves of coming to God on our own. However, in our text, in this life that is to come, we read there’s no more curse on anything, on anyone, anywhere in this new Eden.
My friends, the reason why there is not a curse, is because what happened on the most important day on the most important tree of the Bible, one that I actually didn’t mention at the start, a tree that was formed into a cross where the Lord Jesus Christ hung to become cursed. Scripture teaches cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree. And as Jesus Christ hung on the tree, he took on the curse, doing so in the place of his people to take on the punishment of their sin, our sin, where according to the curse, Jesus Christ died. He was buried. But because he rose again from the dead, the curse has been broken for God’s people. We’re all who call upon the name of Jesus, like you’re no longer under a curse.
You’re under his love.
Not because we remove the curse, but because God in his grace through Jesus, he’s the one who lifts the curse. We’re through Jesus, all who have faith in him, like you are restored back to God in ways that you have a relationship with him, like our first parents actually did in Genesis one and two in the Garden of Eden. For us, encouragement that God in his great love promises one day he’s going to come back for his people and he comes back for us.
We will fully experience this great restoration. So we will fully live in perfect harmony with our Lord in the new Eden that is to come. And that’s good news because Jesus was cursed on the tree. His people, those who call upon his name, who trust in him, will forever and ever be blessed where they have no condemnation on them. Keep going. Because the curse has been lifted, we say God’s people, who John refers to as the servants of God, now forever, they’ll be able to worship the Lord fully.
Let’s go back again to the first Eden. And this is why we’ve been created in the first place. This is our design. We’ve been created to know God, to enjoy God, to worship God in every area of our life. And you know what? When we get the new Eden, we will finally be able to fully fulfill our design, which is also one of the reasons why heaven’s gonna be so sweet, so incredibly glorious, so satisfying because we’ll actually be able to worship the Lord the way our hearts are meant to worship him.
It’s not boring. In eternal life, we’ll finally fully be able to do what we’re created to do with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, all of our strength. Keep going, verse four. As we worship our God, we will do so by seeing his face. Just give me a pause for a second. Is that not an incredible thought?
You know, in the first Eden, it does seem like this is a privilege our first parents had to see God’s face. But then after the fall of mankind in Genesis 3, which we talked about just a bit ago, this is not a privilege allowed to sinful man. As close to mankind has come to seeing the face of God, his glory, was with Moses.
Remember that story? How God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and how he passed by Moses in such a way that Moses could see the backside of God, not the face, the back. Which even that was enough to cause Moses’s face to shine and shine in ways that others actually were afraid to approach Moses. They actually had to put a veil over his face.
Likewise, remember the story of Peter, James, and John, we actually talked about this a few weeks back. How they got to see the glory of God in unique ways when the Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured before them, which that had to be an incredible sight to behold. But as both, as great as both of those scenes were, it’s not like what we get to see here in verse 4. For God’s people, we will be able to fully look into the face of God and see his glory. Which for us, how can we even imagine what that’s going to be like? In our text, as we look into the face of God, we see that we also, we also read that we’ll be on, what will be on our face, which will be his name, which will be written on our foreheads.
It’s actually something that Revelation 14 talks about as well. Revelation 14, John looks out on this complete group of God’s people. We saw that they had the name of Jesus, the name of his father, written on their foreheads. So same thing here. Now, just a couple things. Just going to point out the significance of God’s name being on our foreheads.
So first, this is another like contrast in Revelation between the people of God, those who have faith in Jesus Christ, versus those who actually reject God, who reject Jesus, who are still dead in their sin. In Revelation, those who reject God, who reject Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, on them will be the mark of the beast, which communicates that they actually belong to the beast.
And that stands in contrast to the name of God written on the foreheads of his people, which marks that they belong to him. And friends, you’ve got to tell us, all of us, we belong to someone. We all have a marking on us. It’s either the beast or the Lord.
Second, the name of God on the forehead, this is incredible rich symbolism. I just mentioned, for all eternity, God marks his people as his, as his treasured possession. I’m going to circle back to this a bit. But let’s just sit on that. I think about this. The eternal, holy, sovereign, triune God.
The one who holds the entire universe in the palm of his hands. He marks his people forever as his, as his treasured possession. Which includes all of us here this morning who have faith in Jesus Christ. Friend, you are eternally marked by God as his, where you will always and forever be his. There’s like no removing of this mark. This is an eternal marking.
And this really is at the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not that we love God, but he loved us. He delights in us. He has called us to be his own. He chose us. He placed his mark on us to be his own forever.
Another side note. Another reason why heaven’s not going to be boring. For all eternity, all we will know and experience all we will know and experience is the love that God has for us as being his own. Because in his grace, he has chosen to write our names in his book, the book of life. Which he chose to do from all eternity past as his people have been written on his heart. Finally this morning, we finish off with verse 5.
Take your eyes there. Which I mentioned earlier, tells the same information we had last week. Verses 23 of 25 of our text last week. In the new Eden that is to come, the darkness of night will be no more. Here I think this has maybe a double meaning to it. Not just communicating there won’t be like any physical darkness in the new Eden, but also probably more so communicating that in the new Eden, there will not be any type of darkness of sin.
In our text, because there is no more darkness, you see, because there’s no need for a light, or a lamp, or the sun. For the Lord God, he will be our light. And as he lights up this new Eden, it will be filled every inch of it with his glory. And as the Lord shines his marvelous light, they, his people of God, we will reign forever and ever. Which, is that not another incredible thought to ponder, to consider, to reign with the Lord in the new Eden forever? I think this year also take our minds back to the original Eden.
Remember how our first parents had dominion over the land? Over all creatures of the land? In this eternal life that is to come, the new Eden, friends, we are so hidden, so unified in Christ, unified in Christ, that we are like joint heirs of his in heaven. Once again, we’ll have dominion over creation. We will reign over it forever and ever. Our text doesn’t tell us exactly how that’s going to look, but because of the strong connections to Genesis 1 and 2, it seems to me and to others that we just reign over all living things, including plants, vegetation, animals.
That’s why it does seem clear in scripture that animals will be present. The lion will lie down with the lamb and dwell together. Or even the animals will be at peace with each other because the curse is no more. So if you’re here this morning and you love animals, you’re gonna be able to love animals for all eternity, for the glory of God. In this life, you don’t like animals? Well, be excited.
In the eternal life that is to come, even animals will be brought into a perfect, a perfected state for our eternal enjoyment. So now I have to close the sermon. I don’t want to do so, but I continue to talk about one of the hopes and prayers that I have for us in this sermon series, which is the hope, the prayer, that God will continue to birth excitement, anticipation, longing for this eternal life that is to come. To long to be with the Lord in this new Eden, drinking from this eternal river, eating from the tree of life, where we’ll be filled with fullness of joy and peace and satisfaction. And friends, I do hope that this passage today does bring excitement and anticipation to you. Just to think, to consider what this new Eden is gonna be like.
However, as I say all that, as I close this time today, I actually want to think about one of the truths of this text, or the truths of our text, and how they actually already apply to us, like today. Like in the here and now. Okay, so if you’ve been with Uncle Wes in his Sunday school class on eschatology, or last things, so you’re familiar with this, the concept of already, not yet.
While all the promises of God, and for his people, you know, all these promises that we just saw in New Eden, while we do not yet fully experience them, so many of these truths that we see that come, they’re actually already on us. Because it’s mentioned, because Christ has already died on the cross for us. And because of his grace, we already have become new creations in Christ. Where God has already taken out the heart of stone and replaced it with the heart of flesh. Which means we don’t have to wait for the tree of life to come, for these truths to be present on us. So again, they actually already are on us.
Albeit, not in ways that we fully experience them, but friends, they’re still on us. That’s how I want to end today. That’s how I want to end today.
Just by declaring the glorious truths that we see in this text, that we’re not yet fully experiencing, but are already on us. I have a number of things for you. I’m going to go through these really quickly. I’m going to write them down and maybe you want to ponder and think about them throughout the week. So first, verse one. Friends, already we’re able to drink of the living waters.
Christ is already there for his people. He already offers himself to us in ways that he’s never going to go dry. Already, God is not keeping himself from us.
Rather, he’s present. Will continue to be present for his people in ways that he is satisfying all of our longings. We don’t have to wait. That’s already here. Second, verse two. As we wait the new Eden, be encouraged.
God is already bearing eternal and everlasting fruit, which is not a fruit found in a tree, but a fruit found in his people. The fruit that the Lord is using to build this kingdom, it will not end. A fruit that through his spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. And this fruit is already present in the life of a believer. Third, verse three. As we wait for the new Eden to come, be encouraged.
We already are servants of God who already are able to come to him in worship, where we can worship him in spirit and in truth because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. And because of the spirit that God has given to us, who lives in our hearts as his servants, we already can worship the Lord in every aspect of our life. We’re already, we can give him glory. We’re already, we can count him worthy of all things. Friends, we don’t have to wait to worship the Lord. That is already a joy and a privilege that we have as his people.
Fourth, verse three. As we wait for this new Eden to come, be encouraged. Already, already we are free from condemnation. Friends, there’s no part of the curse that’s on us if you are in Christ Jesus. As mentioned, Jesus Christ already took the curse upon himself on behalf of his people, for his people. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
So this morning, if you’re walking in and you’re a Christian, please hear that. There is no guilt on you. No shame, no curse, no condemnation. Just God’s love and mercy and kindness and grace, which has already restored you into a right relationship with him. Where God is already for you, not against you. Where God already sees you as his precious child, who he treasures.
Fifth, verse four. As we look forward to the new Eden as it comes, friends, be encouraged. Already, if you’re a Christian, already you have been marked, sealed as belonging to God.
Which he does through the power of the Holy Spirit, whose scripture tells us, marks us, seals us. Where through the Spirit, God already declares that we are his, a people for his own possession. People that he loves. People who will never, ever be separated from that love. Friend, that already is true. If you are in Christ Jesus, you’ve already been marked and sealed as belonging to God.
As belonging to God. Sixth, verse five. As we wait for the new Eden to come, friends, be encouraged. Already, we have been freed from the darkness of sin. Because Christ already is shining his light on us. Now, yes, unfortunately, tragically, in this life, sin will continue to chase us in ways that we will continue to fall.
However, that being said, those who the Spirit set free, they’re free indeed. And through the power of Jesus Christ, we have been set free from sin. So now, already, we’re able to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. In fact, not only are we able to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ, Scripture tells us we must consider ourselves already dead to sin and alive to Christ. Meaning, friends, we’re not defined by our sin. That does not define us.
We are defined by the one who saves us from our sin. Who already is shining his light in our hearts to forgive and to heal. The light of Christ is already shining. And as it shines into the darkness, the darkness will not overcome it. First Peter, God has already called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So yes, no doubt, eating the tree of life, where we’ll forever know the healing that comes from the power of the gospel, that’s going to be sweet.
But already, even today, if you’re in Christ Jesus, his healing light is on you. Seventh, verse five, as we look forward to the new Eden, already we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. Already more than conquerors, already able to walk in all of his authority. The authority he’s given us in his commission to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the blessed trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching all to obey, to know and obey God’s commands. So yes, new Eden has come, like we’re going to experience ruling with Christ in eternity in ways that we do not yet right now. But already, understand, we are more than conquerors through him who loves us.
Last one, I actually want to back up to verse four. As we wait the new Eden, be encouraged. Through the eyes of faith, we already see God, which we do in the face of Jesus Christ, as he is revealed to us in his holy word.
Which is why I hope you love your Bibles, because from beginning to end, with all parts in between, that is what every story, every character in the scriptures, including the trees, in the end, are pointing us to, for us to see Jesus Christ. So that through the eyes of faith, we might see and behold his glory already. Glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The glory of the one who died on the tree, only to rise again from the dead. So by grace, through faith in him, we might live eternally. Church, may God give us the grace to long for and anticipate that which is yet to come. But also, may God give us the grace to already have our hearts filled with such hope and such encouragement by what is already ours through Jesus Christ in the spirit he’s given to us.
Let’s pray.
Lord, thank you for your scripture. And Lord, I do pray you help us to long for and anticipate that which is not yet ours to fully experience. And Lord, as we long for and anticipate this great day that is to come, please help us to be encouraged and to trust that your promises are already on us. Please help us to walk in them, to cling to them. And Lord, I pray that you use our little church family here to bring much glory to Christ in ways that we are pointing the world around us to him. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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