As the picture above indicates, there are several things in the eternal state that are said to be "of life." All these statements are Greek genitives, of which there are several kind, and it is not always easy for the interpreter to know which kind of genitive it is. Is it a genitive of source? Meaning that life comes from the tree, water, fountain or book? Probably so. There are other things in scripture that are said to be "of life," such as "the bread of life" (John 6: 35, 48, 51), which is Christ Jesus. Then there is "the light of life" (John 8: 12) which is also Christ Jesus the Lord and also the word of God. So, does the life come from the water, or does the water come from the life? Or, does the life come from the light, or vise versa? Surely it is that life comes from both water and light. Further, "life" in these texts do not denote mere life in the minimum, but life in abundance.
Everything in the city of God will be productive of life, vigor, liveliness, vibrance, vitality, robustness, etc. The water, the light, the food and drink, etc., will stimulate and refresh it's citizens. In fact, the resurrection of those citizens, of the righteous, will be for the purpose of imparting eternal life. Said the Lord:
"And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5: 29)
This new state of existence for the resurrected saints is in sharp contrast to their former lives when they lived on earth in their lifetimes. All around them in that state is death. We may say with the apostle that "death reigns" (Rom. 5: 14-18). Further, this is a death that pervades everything, both in nature and creation, and in the lives of men and women. But, in the city of God and in the new heavens and earth, life will reign. In the same chapter Paul speaks of the "reign in life." (Vss. 17, 21) Further, this "life" is not bare existence, but exuberant life, life in its fullness. So Jesus promised believers: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10) So, how can one have more life? Or, how can one be more dead? Answer: Because the life we receive after the resurrection is more than just bare existence. The things mentioned above in connection with life are things that enhance life, or make life more abundant or more zestful.
The River of Life
"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. 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." (22: 1-5)
This river is not a mere symbol, but a real literal river of pure water that is flowing from God and his throne, from him who is the fountain of life in the highest sense. Yes, it signifies things, but saying this does not take away from its literalness. Not only is literal water drunk and waded in, or swam in, but it is also significant of all that will be enjoyed and experienced by the means of this water. Just think of the waters of the pool of Bethesda. Notice what the apostle John records of it.
"Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had." (John 5: 2-4 nkjv)
I cannot explain the physics of how a spirit (angel) entering into water in a pool made it a healing bath for any who are sick, nevertheless we can say that in a similar and yet greater manner the presence of Christ in the New Jerusalem will have a marvelous effect on the water and on whoever drinks it or enters into it. I also cannot understand why an angel wanted to go into the water, nor why he would do it at a certain time at regular intervals. Nevertheless, the water was "moved" and "stirred" by the presence of the angel and changed it.
Just as the leaves of the tree of life were for the "healing" (Greek therapy) of the nations (Rev. 22: 3), so too does it seem that the water of life, from the river or from the fountains of life, sustain and enhance the life had. We cannot assume that having eternal life and immortality, in both spirit and body, eliminates means for the preservation of that life. Christians, even now have eternal life and immortality in soul or spirit, and yet they have it by means and have it preserved by means. Why not in eternity? So, the healing coming by eating of the tree of life is rather for preserving or enhancing health. It does not imply sickness but implies that the life enjoyed in eternity may be more abundant for some than for others.
During the Millennial age of the kingdom there will still be sickness and death for the mortals still on earth and the waters of life will certainly restore and enhance the health of those non-resurrected peoples also. The prophet Ezekiel also wrote of the city of God and said this about this river of living water:
"And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes." (Eze. 47: 9 nkjv)
So, the crystal clear life giving waters coming from God, the fountain, are for health and healing just as are the leaves from the tree of life. They are also intended to bring joy and gladness to those who drink or otherwise enjoy those waters. Wrote the Psalmist:
"There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn." (Psa. 46: 4-5 nkjv)
Notice how the waters of this river in the "city of God" makes people "glad" who partake of it in some fashion. It is therefore called, as we previously observed, a "river of God's pleasures." (Psa. 36: 8)
There is no reason to think that "the river of life" is symbolic and in no case literal. But, why not literal? No, it is literal. If one checks on all the comments made on this river, he will see many asking "what does the river represent?" Or, "what does it symbolize?" But, this is not the way to interpret the bible, including the book of Revelation. We should assume it is literal unless there is sound reason for not doing so. But, there is no reason not to take what is said in Revelation chapters twenty one and twenty two literally. One writer, in objecting to the river being literal wrote the following (See here - emphasis mine):
"Many Christians think the River of Life that flows from the Throne of God in New Jerusalem is a literal river. Yet, how could this be, if there were no literal sea into which all rivers flow (cp. Revelation 21:1)[1]. Moreover, if there were also no literal sun and moon (Revelation 21:23; 22:5) to cause the hydraulic cycle that produces springs, which in turn become streams, which come together to produce rivers, how could a literal, physical River of Life even exist in that context...Therefore, if there is no literal sea in the new heaven and the new earth, there can be no literal River of Life. Yet, even if there are oceans in the new heaven and the new earth, this still doesn’t mean the River of Life is physical. There is more evidence that the river should be interpreted spiritually."
Why this writer is resistant to understanding the things said of the New Jerusalem non literally or non physical is bewildering. His objections against it being a literal river are not cogent. First of all, his idea that Revelation 21: 1 teaches that there will not be any more seas, oceans, lakes, etc., is not what that verse is saying. On this we will have more to say shortly. Second, what does he mean by "interpreted spiritually"? Doubtless he means that it is a spiritual river rather than a physical river, or that it is to be interpreted figuratively. But, many things can be both physical and spiritual.
The resurrection bodies of the saints will be both, as we will see when we come to that area of our subject. Paul says that "the law is spiritual" (Rom. 7: 14) even though the law was written physically in both stone and parchment. He also mentions the Christian who is a "spiritual man" (I Cor. 2: 15; 3: 1; Gal. 6: 1) but that certainly doesn't mean that he is no longer a literal or physical being. Paul says that the Israelites, when they ate the manna and the God sent quail, did eat "spiritual meat" and when they drank of the water from the rock that Moses smote with his rod, did "drink spiritual water" from that "spiritual rock." (I Cor. 10: 3-4) So, the food and drink, and the rock, were literal and yet were spiritual at the same time. That is the same with the water from the fountain and river of the New Jerusalem.
Further, if we equate "spiritual" with "heavenly," then we can say that Christ, after his resurrection, was both heavenly (spiritual) and yet physical. (I Cor. 15: 48) He also says that resurrected saints will have a "spiritual body." (I Cor. 15: 44) But, it is still a body, a physical or corporeal body. Jesus' body was spiritual after his resurrection and yet he could be touched, having a body with its members.
Paul does refer to things that are "spiritually understood," (I Cor. 2: 14) but by this he does not mean "figuratively understood," nor understood allegorically, nor understood non literally.
Said the same author:
"If the River of Life that flows from the Throne of God isn’t a literal river, what is it, or put another way, what would it look like in terms of the new heavens and the new earth (i.e. the New Covenant). In New Covenant language, the River of Life refers to the preaching of the Gospel and the spread of Christianity throughout the world. It is believers, or specifically their preaching, that brings Christ (the River of Life) to those who embrace him when they hear."
This is a view that some Amillennialists believe, denying a future literal new heavens and earth, and denying that there is a literal city of God with walls, streets, trees, rivers, etc. They think that the prophecy of new heavens and earth is figurative language to describe new covenant blessings received by Christians while they live their lives on earth. But, nothing could be further from the truth. That the new heavens and earth and the city of God are intimately connected with the realization of the fullness of the new covenant is not to be denied. Of this we will have more to say. the Lord willing. But, his idea that the river of life is non literal and that it is simply figurative language to denote the spread of the Gospel is untenable.
First, as we have previously stated, when we throw away the literal plain meaning we are left to our own suppositions as to what that figure testifies to. That is not the way to interpret the prophetic scriptures. Second, it takes the scene out of context, which clearly shows that this new heavens and earth and city of God descending from heaven does not occur until after Revelation chapters nineteen, twenty and twenty one, i.e., after the coming of Christ and the resurrection.
Further, the river of life is described in Ezekiel 47, verses 1-14, cited above, and it is quite impossible to make it figurative there. In short, the description of this river, in Ezekiel, in the Psalms, and in the Apocalypse cannot be made to be merely symbolic or non literal. In fact, if one checked all the times in the bible where a river is mentioned, he will find it nearly always literal. Were not the four rivers that watered the Garden of Eden literal?
No More Sea
"And I saw heaven new and earth new: for the first heaven and the first earth are gone, and the sea no longer is." (Rev. 21:1-8 Revised Text)
This is the revised text given by Dr. J.A. Seiss in his commentary on it. Other versions say "and there was no more sea." I agree with Seiss when he affirms that this does not mean that there will be no more sea, but that the old sea, like the old heavens and earth, will be no more. That is, there will be a new sea.
Wrote Seiss in him famous book on the Apocalypse (emphasis mine):
"And the Sea new, for I take the specification of it here the same as in the third commandment, where it is said, "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is." (Ex. 20:11; also Rev. 10:6.) It is not mentioned to indicate for it a different fate from that of heaven and earth, but because it is so conspicuous and peculiar a part of them. The sea is not heaven, neither is it earth; hence in God's enumeration of the first creation-work he mentions heaven, earth, and sea; and so in the new creation-work, we have again heaven, earth, and sea. It is the literal sea, just as the heaven and the earth are literal; but the non-existence affirmed of it is the same that is affirmed of the first heaven and the first earth. In other words, it undergoes the same Palingenesia which they undergo, and comes forth a new sea, the same as the old heaven and earth come forth a new heaven and earth. There is renewal, but no annihilation."
That to me is quite obvious and so the argument from the above writer against the river being literal because there is no more any sea is invalid.
Says Seiss further:
"Some say there was no sea in the pristine condition of the world, and hence none will be in the finally redeemed world. But they are mistaken in both instances. The first chapter of Genesis tells of the formation of the seas contemporaneously with the formation of the dry land. (Gen. 1:9, 10.) When the flood came we are told that "all the fountains of the great deep were broken up," and that "the sea broke forth." (Gen. 7:11; Job 38:8.) There must then have been a sea from the beginning. It existed when Adam was in Paradise, as well as since Noah came out of the ark. And so there will be a sea in the new world, the same as a new heaven and a new earth. If not, this is the only passage in all the word of God that tells us anything to the contrary. We read of a river in the new earth, as of rivers in the original Paradise; and where there are rivers there are seas. When Christ as the cloud-robed Angel (chap. 10) set his feet on the earth in the solemn act of claiming and appropriating it as his own, "He set his right foot upon the sea," and thus claimed and appropriated it the same as he claimed and appropriated the ground. Many passages also which refer to Israel and the kingdom of God in the blessed times to come, distinctly speak of the sea as being turned in their favour, and as taking part in the general acclaim over the ultimate accomplishment of the mystery of God. (See Isa. 42:10; 60:5, 9; Ps. 24:2; 96:11; 98:6, 7; 1 Chron. 16:32; Rev. 5:13.) When the time to which the text refers arrives the present sea "no longer is," just as the first heaven and the first earth "are gone." There is no more left of the one than of the other, but likewise no less. Just as much of the sea as of the earth abideth forever. The Re-Genesis touches both alike, just as the first Genesis. As there is a renewed eternal heaven and earth, so there is a renewed eternal sea also, for one is a part of the other. Then, however, it will be no longer a thing of danger and dread, but only of beauty, joy, and blessing. Some of the old Rabbins taught that, in the new world of Messiah, men shall be able to walk the surface of the sea with equal ease that they now walk the earth. Nor is this unlikely; for the Saviour, as a man, walked on the sea, and did not sink; and so did Peter also, until his faith and courage failed him. The regeneration is the making of Christ's miracles universal. The miracles of Christ were the preintimations and beginning of the great Regeneration to come, and the new creation is simply those miracles carried out into universal effect. Why not then also this with regard to the sea? At any rate it will be subdued and rebegotten to Him who maketh all things new, and become a joy and service without being as now an unmanageable and dangerous hindrance and barrier. People only misread the text, and load themselves with endless perplexities, when they interpret it to mean the total abolition of all seas. As the old sea it is abolished, just as the old heavens and earth; but, as in their case, it is an abolition which eventuates in a more congenial sea, even a new sea."
Very well said indeed. If the literal sense makes sense, why seek another sense?
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