The Book Of Revelation (Revelation 22)

Christians have no idea of the beauty of this place, if they did they would be talking about it constantly.

We learned something that was very interesting in Revelation 21:25 speaking of heaven, we read, And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

• Generally at night we lock the doors but since there is no night in heaven that means the gates will always be open.

• Also, the gates will always be open means that we will not be prisoners locked behind gates in heaven and cannot get out.

The gates will always be open for us to go in and out to the New Earth. We will have access to leave anytime to see this New Earth that God has prepared for us.

But now let us look at some other things about this glorius place God has prepared for us.

God can not tell us all about this great place heaven…Why?

(1) Because we can not comprehend such beauty.

(2) Also, if we got such a glimpse of the reality of heaven we would be begging the Lord to take us from this life and God is not through with us yet here on earth.

But let’s look at Revelation chapter 22 and see some more things about our eternal home.

Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Out of the throne in heaven proceeds a river of the water of life.

Illus: When Ponce de Leon looked for the fountain of youth, he was looking in the wrong places.

Illus: As the old country preacher has said, "When you get old in Heaven, just take a drink and you will be young again; when you see a grey hair, just take a drink of water. When you see a wrinkle in your face, just get a drink, and it will be smoothed out again."

There are some things in heaven that we will recognize…

Notice that there will be a street in Heaven. Revelation 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Notice the tree of life and the fruit.

Will we eat in heaven?

Many people wonder if we will eat food in heaven. If we have a new body, will it be necessary? Even if it is not necessary for life, will we eat because it is enjoyable?

What does the Bible teach?

First, Jesus stated in Mark 14:25 that He would one day eat again with His followers: "Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God

Second, the resurrected Jesus ate: "They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them" .

Third, Revelation 22:2 mentions "the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month." There will be food available, though this passage is not clear whether people will eat it.

Fourth, Matthew 8:11 discusses that many will come to eat at the future feast with the Lord: "I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." Here, it appears eating together with the Lord will take place even though food will not be required to sustain life.

Fifth, Revelation 19:9 states, "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." People eat at a marriage supper, so it would be reasonable to expect a celebration involving food with the Lord.

Two principles emerge from these and similar passages.

(1) Food will no longer be essential to sustain life in heaven.

(2) It seems that people will eat together with the Lord in heaven not to sustain life, but rather to enjoy fellowship and to celebrate together forever.

Someone has suggested that it wouldn’t be Heaven to them if we couldn’t eat.

Illus: I personally hope that the Lord will have strawberry Ice Cream in heaven. One thing certain is that if we do eat, we won't have to watch our calories and our waistlines.

Notice the purpose of the leaves. They are for the healing of the nations. There will be no sickness, for the leaves on the tree of life are healing agents.

Illus: There will be no more polio, cancer, diabetes, of heart trouble, or any other sickness. Thank God for the tree of life.