Theme: River of Life
Text: Revelation 22:1-7
End of earthly life (Revelation 22:1)
A day would come on that day, the luxurious cars, elegant high tower buildings and delicious food providing hotels, monuments and the beauties of the earth will be no more. Your hard-earned riches, wealth and properties will go within a fraction of seconds. It is certain. However, I am not telling you that you should not work hard, earn or save for your future and the betterment of your children. We must not live either with poverty or with debts and loans.
Revelation 22:1 ‘Then the angel showed me. For now, the third time repeated these words, All things come from him, who is the beginning and the end. (GW). After the millennial reign, everything on the earth has an end except human life. The thrones will vanish, and kingdoms will be no more. Creations will disappear. Sun, moon and stars will melt away. Oceans and seas will have no place in the space (Revelation 21:1). The old earth and heavens disappeared, which had their beginnings in Genesis 1:1.
Theologians have mostly accepted the seven distinct dispensations of human history. They are dispensation of innocence (Genesis 1:28-30, 2:15-17), the dispensation of conscience (Genesis 3:8—8:22), dispensation of human government (Genesis 8:1-9:7, 11:1-9), the dispensation of promise (Genesis 12:1-7), the dispensation of Law (Exodus 19-23), the dispensation of grace (John 1:14-17, Luke 22:20, (Hebrews 10:10, 14; Romans 5:1; Romans 3:29-30; Galatians 3:7, 29), and the millennial kingdom of Christ (Revelation 20:1-3).
These seven dispensations is a way of understanding what the Bible has revealed to us about God's purposes towards humanity. Dispensationalism is not a biblical concept, nor is it found anywhere in the Bible. The word "dispensation" means "a system of order, government, or organization of a nation, community, etc., especially as existing at a particular time." (ref: compellingtruth.org).
A Yuga Cycle (chatur yuga, maha yuga, etc.) is a cyclic age (epoch) in Hindu cosmology. Each cycle lasts for 4,320,000 years (12,000 divine years) and repeats four yugas (world ages): Krita (Satya) Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. Now, the Kali Yuga started in 3102 BCE.
A new city has come down from God. This New Jerusalem is the abode of the redeemed. Now, God dwells among them. No more tears, no more death, no more mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things had passed away. Coffman comments on the last chapters of Revelation that these chapters and events reveal that Christianity will ultimately triumph over all the corruptive systems of the earth according to the will of God, and nothing can stand in the way of that. The fall of man in Genesis motif and man walking in the Garden of Eden, with God restored. (Ref: studylight.org).
Matthew Henry says that the New Jerusalem is compared to the lost paradise. Only two were in the earthly paradise and enjoyed the blessings, but now there are countless as redeemed from every corner of the world. Another preacher says up to this New Jerusalem seems to be all mineral and no vegetable. The appearance of it is a dazzling display of a fabulous jewellery store. There was no soft grass to sit upon, no green trees to enjoy, and no water to drink or food to eat. But here beauty of the has elaborate discussion.
Enjoying the River of life (Revelation 22:1-5)
Life flows from the throne in New Jerusalem, where Yahweh the Father and Yahushua the Lamb in perfect unity occupy the throne. The curse of Adam was finally taken away forever. The curse of Genesis three is removed both from nature and mankind. Nature has returned to full productivity, and man is both spiritually and physically satisfied. (ref: revelationunderstoodcommentary.com).
The River of Life flows through the middle of the street. The usefulness of the river has been expressed as it runs through the trunk of the tree of life (Genesis 2:9, 3:22, Proverbs 3:18, 11:30, Ezekiel 47:7, 12, Revelation 2:7), and the saints are permitted to eat of its fruit. The tree provides varieties of fruit in an orderly, regular, and dependable sequence to provide food for life and leaves for healing. Adam Clark would like to explain that the river of water of life refers to the uninterrupted joy proceeding from the Almighty God (Ref: studylight.org).
The river of life is mentioned in few other parts of the scripture as the symbol of divine blessings flowing from the throne of God (Psalm 36:8, 46:4, Isaiah 48:18, Ezekiel 47:5). Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that he could give her living water, “a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” (John 4: 7, 14). The lamb of God once again reassures the readers that he would enjoy all the blessings of God. Walking by the riverside is another exciting moment (Ezekiel 47:6-7).
Light of Lights – the physical body needs rest and renewal of energy, mind during the night. So the night is needed for rest as long as we live in the world with this human flesh. Life in the heavenly city requires no rest because there wouldn’t be any tiredness, mental stress, or displeasure over anything since it is the renewed spiritual minds with resurrected bodies. The resurrected body does not have flesh and blood. It will be a spiritual body. God himself was the temple of that city (Revelation 21:22). He is the light his glory is sufficient for all of us (Revelation 21:23-24)
Enduring Words of Christ - (Revelation 22:6-7).
These words are trustworthy and true (Revelation 21:5, 22:6). Blessed is the one who reads it, hears it and keeps it in his life. It has come from the Lord. It has passed on to Jesus. Jesus sent his angel to meet him and reveal to John. So, John wrote it and sent it to the churches and readers at large (Revelation 1:1-3). Blessed are those who keep the words of this prophecy (Revelation 22:7). Blessed are those who washed their robes with the blood of Jesus Christ. They will have access to the tree of life and walk by the rivers of life (Revelation 22:14). The gift of the water of life is available to all who believe and keep the words (Revelation 22:17).
The Word of God is inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is used for teaching, reproof, revival, and teaching justice. It helps to mature our spiritual man in Christ. Holy Bible serves as our teacher, guide, counsellor, leader, encourager and powerful instrument to mild us at all occasions and vocations. The scriptures are there to educate us in all that is right. They teach us how to live, as God wants us to live. Christians need to read them and learn from them. The scriptures prepare His people for good works (ref: easy English. bible). "Every good work" is the ultimate goal of our lives (Ephesians 2:10).
It is the breath of God, so it is the word of God. Peter tells us those holy men spoke by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). It is the word of God. They show us what God is like, how God sees us, what is sin, what pleases God. God wants everyone to know the scriptures. It shows us where we have wrong ideas and thoughts(Isaiah 55). God can change us. He can correct the errors in our minds and in what we do. (Psalm 1, 119).
"Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly; nor stands in the way of sinners; nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditates day and night." (Psalms 1:1-2). Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways (Psalms 119:2-3).
