Restoration Details

      The next scene John records  in Rev. 22 highlights our eternal state. It sounds very much like what the original Garden of Eden must have looked like.  He sees a pure river. It’s crystal clear. It runs with the water of life, the source of which is the throne of God and of the Lamb. It is lined with a pathway on either side, a sort of heavenly park.
         It contains the tree of life which bears 12 fruits. It, too, bears the mark of God’s righteous government. The Greek word for healing here refers to restorative or renewing powers that bring continuous and vibrant life. A sort of fountain of youth, if you will.
           John also reports that there is no more curse—that is, no decay, sickness, nor death that are the wages/consequences of sin. With evil contained in perdition, including Satan, no curse can ever contaminate the new earth and heavens.
          Unique to this new earth is that the throne of God and of the Lamb is literally in its midst. So is the seated Court that rules forever, serving God and our Lord always. Our position is such that His name is on our foreheads, as promised in the letters to the Church.
            End-Time Lesson: Think about that for a moment. There is no more sin; only eternal righteousness. There can never be another Fall because of the Perfect Man (Jesus the Head) and His Perfected Wife (the Church, His Body) are one. We are seated at the right hand of the Father, the position of all authority in both heaven and the earth.
            Our testimony and righteous justice maintain the rule of peace. The heavenly angels and other spiritual beings who did not fall and remained loyal to the Creator have seen the awful consequences of rebellion. There will never be a need to doubt the love and goodness of the Father again. This is our destiny and purpose!
            John records, “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 22:4-5).
           Why is John so careful to record these details? Hopefully by now you know the answer. We are meant to use these same “markers” and “colors” to match these details to other prophetic puzzle pieces in God’s “prophetic box”—His Word. They give us a clue as to what comes next. Stay tuned!