Revelation 22
November 22, 2022
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse.” (v1-3a)
God’s endgame is the redemption of all things. Why? Because He refuses to let His original purpose for His creation be thwarted. He will redeem all things – which is what He does in this final chapter of the Story. Revelation 22 is a picture of Eden restored. Even the tree of life (from Gen 2) is here. And the produce from this Tree is so abundant, it bears 12 crops of fruit every month. I’m not a farmer, but I’m pretty sure that’s above average for the harvest cycle. In other words, we’re going to enjoy great food in Heaven, and a lot of it. And this shouldn’t be a surprise. Jesus Himself talks about Heaven in terms of a banquet. We’re also told that the leaves of this tree will be for “the healing of the nations” (v2). In other words, the leaves on this Tree of Life will reverse the effects of the curse brought about by our sin. That’s why v3 says, “No longer will there be any curse!” This is a picture of the scope of Christ’s redemptive power: He is going to transform everything that’s broken in this world.
Father, Son & Holy Spirit, I praise You for Your goodness to us - that Your coming Kingdom will not only be marked by our enjoyment of a restored creation, but the healing of this world that we messed up. The effects of the curse extend to every corner of this world: from international wars to slave trafficking to poverty to cancer to heart attacks to relational pain to hurricanes and tornadoes. But there is a day coming, when the effects of this curse will be reversed, You will heal all that is broken, and we will enjoy You and a redeemed creation forever. Hallelujah!
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
