The New Garden of Eden

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A Description of the New Garden

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These verses should be read with Gen. 2:8-25 which describes the first Garden of Eden. We immediately see the similarities.

Note first the river of the "water of life".

1. It's source. The Throne Room of God and the Lamb. From this source springs all grace, comfort,salvation and glory
2. It's quality. Pure and clear as crystal. Nothing detrimental to health or happiness.

Secondly, notice the trees. There were many trees in the first Garden of Eden. Fruit trees, nut trees, shade trees and two forbidden trees, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. Sin entered into the first garden when man ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and God removed him from the garden so he could not eat of the tree of life, but here in this beautiful city, that's all there is. Lining the streets of gold and the banks of the river are the trees of life, with its 12 kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The fruit met all their needs. 100% minimum daily requirement. Even its leaves were beneficial, bringing peace and healing to the people.

Thirdly, nothing shall ever again be "accursed". No Devil, no evil, no temptation, on sin. Notice what we are going to do up there in the "new city". We will glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We will be "marked" people. His name will be on our foreheads. He will be foremost in our minds, and that which represents "night" shall be no more. Fear, darkness, evil and wickedness will be gone. We shall reign forever with Christ.

Instructions to John

To John the Angel concludes. "The Lord God has sent me, His Angel, to tell and show you what must soon take place and these words are trustworthy and true." We have here a solemn verification of the contents of the Book of Revelation, here declared to be the Words of God, the God of the Spirits or message of the Prophets. He is faithful and true in all that He says.

So the words are confirmed by the Angels, God's messengers, has been confirmed by His Prophets and will be confirmed when it comes to pass. Notice it appears to be the same Angel here in chapter 22 as the one in chapter 1, his guide thru most of this revelation, the one who twice refused to receive John's adoration, actually reproving John for bowing down at his feet. "You must not do that", the Angel said. This shows us something about John that we might have missed. He could have very well have left these two blunders out of his record. Bowing down to anything other than God, is a sin, and here John records for eternity his mistake. This shows for us:

1. The honesty and humility of John.
2. His acceptance and assurance of God's forgiveness.
3. The faithfulness in recording all that he had seen and heard.

Notice the instructions given to John concerning the words of this book:

1. The Book is to be left open and all are to be encouraged to to read it.
2. It is understandable to those who will seek its truths.
3. It will bare comparison, it's prophesy with the actual events when they occur.

God deals freely and openly with His people.

Notice the strange affect these words will have on people. Those who are lost in their sins will become more so but those who are saved will become more sanctified by them.

Notice the further conformations that John lists:

1. It's Author was not John, it was God, the Creator, the Finisher, the Rewarder and Judge. By the faithfulness of His Word will we receive or be denied the blessing of the "tree of life".
2. It's justice for it condemns the wicked and rewards the justified.
3. It's faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. It's lack of prejudice. It proclaims an open invitation to all to come and partake of the promises and privileges of the Gospel.
5. It's conformation by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the only source of conformation, the only source of understanding, the one who opens the eyes and hearts of men. There is no understanding of any part of God's word accept we be led by the Holy Spirit.

We end our study with a look at the warning to those who might be tempted to tamper with the words in this book of Revelation. "I warn everyone who hears,or reads, the words of this book, if you add to them, God will add to you the plagues described in this book, or if you take away from the words of this book, God will take away your share of the "tree of life".

To what is this warning applied?

1. We must be careful and not read into these words revelations that are not there, and we must be equally careful not to neglect any revelation recorded in this book. Let me say that I did not take lightly the decision to try to teach this book. Prayer and study should precede any attempt to even read it. I believe that the message is there and by the power of the Holy Spirit, is understandable.
2. Matthew Henry says, "This warning is like a flaming sward to guard the scripture from those who would take from it or add to the truths found here in."
3. This same warning is found in Deut. 4:2 concerning the Law of Moses. I believe that it applies to the whole Bible assuring us that it is a book of the most sacred nature, divinely inspired, therefore under the care of God.

After revealing all this to John, Christ appears to return to heaven, but as He leaves He assures John that He will return soon. Matthew Henry suggests that if we or anyone else question why He has waited so long, be assured that He delays not because He is neglectant of His people but rather because He is long suffering for the lost

To this promise of Christ's third coming, the Church responds with a loud "Amen, so it is." Here the church gives accent to the following;

1. It's hope that He will return soon.
2. It's expectation the He will.
3. It's desire to see an end to all sorrow, sin and temptation and the beginning of eternal peace and purity.

The Apostolical Benediction "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen." Nothing can be more desired than this. Grace sufficient for all our needs.

This ends my study of the Book of Revelation. My sincere hope is that you, as a student, will find this only the beginning of your search for God's truths, especially, as they relate to the Book of Revelation

Please remember the approach that we assumed at the beginning of this study. The book is "apocalyptical", the message is "prophetic, it is a continuous historical account written as an "allegory". The basic message is God's timetable for the universe.

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