NOTES: Visions & Dreams, Part 10

Visions & Dreams 10- The Tree of Life

Text: Rev. 22:1-5

Date: Sunday August 26, 2023

Revelation 22:1–5 (ESV) “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Let’s Connect:

No one likes feeling left out- to not belong; culture of isolation:

God made the way for all of us to belong—to respond to his welcome.

Text Explained

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

The river:

John 7:37–39 (ESV)37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

John 4:10 (ESV) “10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

John 4:14 (ESV) “14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Tree of life (fruit, leaves):

The tree in the Garden:

Genesis 3:22–24 (ESV) “22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

•   So when God sent them out of the garden, it was an act of his mercy—

•   He created a separation until full reconciliation was possible.

•   Separation was never the endgame.

The tree called Calvary:

Galatians 3:13–14 (ESV) “13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

•   Separation was rendered unnecessary by the work of the cross of Jesus Christ, who gives us eternal life, to eternally enjoy the tree of life.

•   The final part of the final vision reveals that believers from all time BELONG with him forever!

What does restored and perfect belonging mean?

3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Let’s Relate:

You belong…or can belong!

Because this is the eternal reality, it must become your present reality.

Our Challenge:

“Leaves for the healing of the nations” - Leaf: for medicine and a sign of the seasons.

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) “9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

•   Together, our active participation in the world brings the healing it so desperately needs.

Psalm 46:1–11 (ESV)