In
this chapter we have, I. A further description of the heavenly state of the
church, ver. 1-5. II. A confirmation of this and all the other visions of
this book, ver. 6-19. III. The conclusion, ver. 20, 21.
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The
New Jerusalem.
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A. D. 95.
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1 And he showed me a pure river of water of
life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb. 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. 3 And there shall be
no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his
servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his
name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no
night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord
God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
The heavenly state which was before described as a city, and called the new
Jerusalem, is here described as a paradise, alluding to the earthly paradise
which was lost by the sin of the first Adam; here is another paradise
restored by the second Adam. A paradise in a city, or a whole city in a
paradise! In the first paradise there were only two persons to behold the
beauty and taste the pleasures of it; but in this second paradise whole
cities and nations shall find abundant delight and satisfaction. And here
observe,
I. The river of paradise. The earthly paradise was well watered: no place
can be pleasant or fruitful that is not so. This river is described, 1. By
its fountain-head--the throne of God and the Lamb. All our springs of
grace, comfort, and glory, are in God; and all our streams from him are
through the mediation of the Lamb. 2. By its quality--pure and clear as
crystal. All the streams of earthly comfort are muddy; but these are
clear, salutary, and refreshing, giving life, and preserving life, to those
who drink of them.
II. The tree of life, in this paradise. Such a tree there was in the earthly
paradise, Gen. ii. 9. This far excels it. And now, as to this tree, observe,
1. The situation of it--in the midst of the street, and on either side
the river; or, as might have been better rendered, in the midst
between the terrace-walk and the river. This tree of life is fed by the
pure waters of the river that comes from the throne of God. The presence and
perfections of God furnish out all the glory and blessedness of heaven. 2.
The fruitfulness of this tree. (1.) It brings forth many sorts of fruit--twelve
sorts, suited to the refined taste of all the saints. (2.) It brings
forth fruit at all times--yields its fruit every month. This tree is
never empty, never barren; there is always fruit upon it. In heaven there is
not only a variety of pure and satisfying pleasures, but a continuance of
them, and always fresh. (3.) The fruit is not only pleasant, but wholesome.
The presence of God in heaven is the health and happiness of the saints;
there they find in him a remedy for all their former maladies, and are
preserved by him in the most healthful and vigorous state.
III. The perfect freedom of this paradise from every thing that is evil (v.
3): There shall be no more curse; no accursed one--katanaqema,
no serpent there, as there was in the earthly paradise. Here is the great
excellency of this paradise. The devil has nothing to do there; he cannot
draw the saints from serving God to be subject to himself, as he did our
first parents, nor can he so much as disturb them in the service of God.
IV. The supreme felicity of this paradisiacal state. 1. There the saints
shall see the face of God; there they shall enjoy the beatific vision. 2.
God will own them, as having his seal and name on their foreheads. 3. They
shall reign with him for ever; their service shall be not only freedom
but honour and dominion. 4. All this shall be with perfect knowledge and
joy. They shall be full of wisdom and comfort, continually walking in the
light of the Lord; and this not for a time, but for ever and ever.
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The
New Jerusalem.
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A. D. 95.
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6 And he said unto me, These sayings are
faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to
show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 7
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the
prophecy of this book. 8 And I John saw these things, and heard them.
And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the
angel which showed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See
thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the
prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship
God. 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the
prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11 He that is
unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy
still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is
holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and
my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall
be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the
first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his
commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in
through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs,
and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever
loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to
testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the
offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.
And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water
of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the
words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things,
God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of
the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
We have here a solemn ratification of the contents of this book, and
particularly of this last vision (though some think it may not only refer to
the whole book, but to the whole New Testament, yea, to the whole Bible,
completing and confirming the can on of scripture); and here, 1. This is
confirmed by the name and nature of that God who gave out these discoveries:
he is the Lord God, faithful and true, and so are all his sayings. 2.
By the messengers he chose, to reveal these things to the world; the holy
angels showed them to holy men of God; and God would not employ his saints
and angels in deceiving the world. 3. They will soon be confirmed by their
accomplishment: they are things that must shortly be done; Christ will make
haste, he will come quickly, and put all things out of doubt; and
then those will prove the wise and happy men who have believed and kept his
words. 4. By the integrity of that angel who had been the apostle's guide
and interpreter in these visions; this integrity was such that he not only
refused to accept religious adoration from John, but once and again reproved
him for it. He who was so tender of the honour of God, and so displeased
with what was a wrong to God, would never come in his name to lead the
people of God into mere dreams and delusions; and it is a still further
confirmation of the sincerity of this apostle that he confesses his own sin
and folly, into which he had now again relapsed, and he leaves this his
failing on perpetual record: this shows he was a faithful and an impartial
writer. 5. By the order given to leave the book of the prophecy open, to be
perused by all, that they might labour to understand it, that they might
make their objections against it, and compare the prophecy with the events.
God here deals freely and openly with all; he does not speak in secret, but
calls every one to witness to the declarations here made, v. 10. 6.
By the effect this book, thus kept open, will have upon men; those that are
filthy and unjust will take occasion thence to be more so, but it will
confirm, strengthen, and further sanctify those that are upright with God;
it will be a savour of life to some and of death to others, and so will
appear to be from God, v. 12. 7. It will be Christ's rule of judgment
at the great day; he will dispense rewards and punishments to men according
as their works agree or disagree with the word of God; and therefore that
word itself must needs be faithful and true. 8. It is the word of him who is
the author, finisher, and rewarder of the faith and holiness of his people, v.
13, 14. He is the first and the last, and the same from first to
last, and so is his word too; and he will by this word give to his people,
who conform themselves to it, a right to the tree of life, and an
entrance into heaven; and this will be a full confirmation of the truth and
authority of his word, since it contains the title and evidence of that
confirmed state of holiness and happiness that remains for his people in
heaven. 9. It is a book that condemns and excludes from heaven all wicked,
unrighteous persons, and particularly those that love and make lies (v.
15), and therefore can never be itself a lie. 10. It is confirmed by the
testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of prophecy. And this Jesus, as
God, is the root of David, though, as man, his offspring--a person in
whom all uncreated and created excellencies meet, too great and too good to
deceive his churches and the world. He is the fountain of all light, the bright
and the morning star, and as such has given to his churches this morning
light of prophecy, to assure them of the light of that perfect day which is
approaching. 11. It is confirmed by an open and general invitation to all to
come and partake of the promises and privileges of the gospel, those streams
of the water of life; these are tendered to all who feel in their souls a
thirst which nothing in this world can quench. 12. It is confirmed by the
joint testimony of the Spirit of God, and that gracious Spirit that is in
all the true members of the church of God; the Spirit and the bride
join in testifying the truth and excellency of the gospel. 13. It is
confirmed by a most solemn sanction, condemning and cursing all who should
dare to corrupt or change the word of God, either by adding to it or taking
from it, v. 18, 19. He that adds to the word of God draws down upon
himself all the plagues written in this book; and he who takes any
thing away from it cuts himself off from all the promises and privileges of
it. This sanction is like a flaming sword, to guard the canon of the
scripture from profane hands. Such a fence as this God set about the law
(Deut. iv. 2), and the whole Old Testament (Mal. iv. 4), and now in the most
solemn manner about the whole Bible, assuring us that it is a book of the
most sacred nature, divine authority, and of the last importance, and
therefore the peculiar care of the great God.
20 He which testifieth these things saith,
Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21 The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
We have now come to the conclusion of the whole, and that in three things:--
I. Christ's farewell to his church. He seems now, after he has been
discovering these things to his people on earth, to take leave of them, and
return to heaven; but he parts with them in great kindness, and assures them
it shall not be long before he comes again to them: Behold, I come
quickly. As when he ascended into heaven, after his resurrection, he
parted with a promise of his gracious presence, so here he parts with a
promise of a speedy return. If any say, "Where is the promise of his
coming, when so many ages have passed since this was written?" let them
know he is not slack to his people, but long-suffering to his enemies: his
coming will be sooner than they are aware, sooner than they are prepared,
sooner than they desire; and to his people it will be seasonable. The vision
is for an appointed time, and will not tarry. He will come quickly;
let this word be always sounding in our ear, and let us give all diligence
that we may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless.
II. The church's hearty echo to Christ's promise, 1. Declaring her firm
belief of it: Amen, so it is, so it shall be. 2. Expressing her
earnest desire of it: Even so, come, Lord Jesus; make hast, my beloved,
and be thou like a roe, or like a young hart on the mountain of spices.
Thus beats the pulse of the church, thus breathes that gracious Spirit which
actuates and informs the mystical body of Christ; and we should never be
satisfied till we find such a spirit breathing in us, and causing us to look
for the blessed hope, and glorious appearance of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ. This is the language of the church of the
first-born, and we should join with them, often putting ourselves in mind of
his promise. What comes from heaven in a promise should be sent back to
heaven in a prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus, put an end to this state
of sin, sorrow, and temptation; gather thy people out of this present evil
world, and take them up to heaven, that state of perfect purity, peace, and
joy, and so finish thy great design, and fulfil all that word in which thou
hast caused thy people to hope."
III. The apostolical benediction, which closes the whole: The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen. Here observe, 1. The Bible
ends with a clear proof of the Godhead of Christ, since the Spirit of God
teaches the apostle to bless his people in the name of Christ, and to beg
from Christ a blessing for them, which is a proper act of adoration. 2.
Nothing should be more desired by us than that the grace of Christ may be
with us in this world, to prepare us for the glory of Christ in the other
world. It is by his grace that we must be kept in a joyful expectation of
his glory, fitted for it, and preserved to it; and his glorious appearance
will be welcome and joyful to those that are partakers of his grace and
favour here; and therefore to this most comprehensive prayer we should all
add our hearty Amen, most earnestly thirsting after greater measures
of the gracious influences of the blessed Jesus in our souls, and his
gracious presence with us, till glory has perfected all his grace towards
us, for he is a sun and a shield, he gives grace and glory, and no good
thing will he withhold from those that walk uprightly.
