The Consummation of the Gospel Text: Revelation 22:1-5
Introduction: The End is the Beginning
We have come to the end of the last book of the Bible, which means we have come to the end of the story. But the Christian story is not like any other story. Our story does not end with a period, but with a wedding feast. It does not end with a sunset, but with a sunrise that never fades. The end of our story is the beginning of the real story, the great story, which no one on earth has read, which goes on forever, in which every chapter is better than the one before.
But our modern world has a deep-seated allergy to endings, especially happy ones. It is a world that has embraced the philosophy of the perpetual ellipsis... a story that trails off into nothingness. Secularism offers us a universe that began with a meaningless bang and will end with a meaningless whimper. It is a story with no author, no plot, and no point. And because they have rejected the Author of the story, they must necessarily reject the ending He has written. They want to live in a world where the curse is permanent, where the river of life is a polluted stream of relativistic sentiment, and where the tree of life is replaced by a genetically modified shrub of self-actualization.
This passage in Revelation 22 is not simply a sentimental epilogue. It is the ultimate declaration of Christ's total victory. It is the final answer to the problem that began in Genesis 3. In Genesis, we had a garden with a river and a tree of life. Man sinned, and was exiled from that garden, barred from the tree by a flaming sword. History, since that dreadful day, has been the story of God's patient, bloody, and glorious work to bring us back to the garden, back to the tree, back to Himself. But He does not merely take us back to Eden. He takes us to something far better. Eden was a garden; this is a garden-city. Eden had a tree; this city has a tree that lines its main street. Eden had a river; this city has a river flowing from the very throne of God. This is not a restoration; it is an upgrade of cosmic proportions.
What John sees here is the consummation of the gospel. This is what the Great Commission produces. This is the goal of all history. And for the postmillennialist, this is not a picture of us being evacuated from a failed planet. This is a vision of the kingdom of God filling the earth as the waters cover the sea. This is the New Jerusalem, which is the Church, the bride of Christ, coming into her mature glory. This is the future of the world, and it is a future that is bright as crystal.
The Text
Then he showed me a river of the water of life, bright as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His slaves will serve Him; and they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night, and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them, and they will reign forever and ever.
(Revelation 22:1-5 LSB)
The River and the Tree (v. 1-2)
The vision begins with the source of all the life and vitality of this new creation.
"Then he showed me a river of the water of life, bright as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." (Revelation 22:1-2)
This is the fulfillment of multiple Old Testament prophecies. Ezekiel saw a river flowing from the temple, bringing life wherever it went (Ezekiel 47). The Psalmist sang of a river whose streams make glad the city of God (Psalm 46:4). This river is the Holy Spirit, the very life of God, flowing out into the world. Notice its source: "the throne of God and of the Lamb." The life of the world flows from the sovereign rule of the Father and the finished work of the Son. The throne is a throne of absolute authority, but it is also a throne of grace. And because the Lamb is on the throne, it is a throne that was established through sacrifice. The life that flows to us was purchased at infinite cost.
This river is "bright as crystal." There is no murkiness, no pollution, no deceit. This is pure life, pure grace, pure truth. And it flows right "in the middle of its street." This is not a hidden stream in a private park. This is the central reality of the city. The life of God is the main street of the new creation. All commerce, all culture, all life is oriented around this river. This is what it looks like when the Great Commission is fulfilled. The knowledge of the glory of the Lord, flowing like a river, covers the earth.
And on either side of this river is "the tree of life." In Genesis, there was one tree. Here, the tree of life has become an orchard, lining the riverbanks. This is a picture of exuberant, overflowing, abundant life. Access to this tree is no longer barred. We have a right to the tree of life through the blood of Christ (Rev. 22:14). It bears twelve kinds of fruit, one for each month. This signifies perpetual fruitfulness and satisfaction. There is no off-season in the kingdom of God. Every need, for every person, for all time, is met in the life that Christ provides.
And then we have this glorious phrase: "the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Now, in a city where there is no more curse, no more pain, no more death, what needs healing? This points to the ongoing work of the gospel in history. The New Jerusalem is the Church, and from the Church, through the preaching of the gospel and the application of God's law, healing flows out to the nations of the world. As nations are discipled, their political corruptions are healed. Their economic follies are healed. Their social pathologies are healed. The leaves are the cultural impact of the gospel. They are the Christian schools, the just laws, the beautiful art, the scientific advancements, the stable families that grow out of a people submitted to Christ. This is not universalism; it is the vision of a triumphant church bringing Christ's healing reign to every corner of the globe.
The Great Reversal (v. 3-4)
Verses 3 and 4 describe the heart of this new reality: the curse is gone, and fellowship with God is restored.
"And there will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His slaves will serve Him; and they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads." (Revelation 22:3-4 LSB)
"No longer be any curse." This is the great reversal of Genesis 3. The curse on the ground, the curse of painful toil, the curse of enmity between man and woman, the curse of death, all of it is undone. Why? Because "the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it." The presence of God's righteous rule eradicates the curse. The curse is the consequence of rebellion against the throne. When the throne is established in the heart of the city, the curse must flee. Christ became a curse for us on the cross (Galatians 3:13) in order to remove the curse from us forever.
And in this curse-free world, what do we do? "His slaves will serve Him." Some translations say "servants," but "slaves" (doulos) captures the totality of our devotion. This is not drudgery. This is our highest joy and our perfect freedom. In Eden, Adam's task was to "work and keep" the garden. In the New Jerusalem, our service is worship. We will serve Him with perfect hearts, perfect minds, and perfect strength, without any admixture of sin or selfishness. This is the true liberty our hearts have always craved: to be wholly owned by the one who made us and redeemed us.
And the pinnacle of this restored relationship is this: "and they will see His face." This is the beatific vision. This is what Moses was denied (Exodus 33:20). This is what every human heart, knowingly or not, longs for. In our fallen state, to see the face of God would be to be consumed by His holiness. But in Christ, washed in His blood and clothed in His righteousness, we are made fit to stand in His presence and gaze upon His glory. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). This is not just a fleeting glimpse. This is unveiled, unmediated, unending fellowship.
And as we see Him, we are marked as His. "His name will be on their foreheads." In Revelation, the wicked receive the mark of the beast on their foreheads, signifying their allegiance and ownership by the state. But the saints are marked with the name of their God. This is the seal of divine ownership. It is a public declaration of whose we are. The forehead represents the mind, the will, the identity. Our very identity will be consumed with Him. We will be His people, and He will be our God, and everyone will know it.
The Unending Day (v. 5)
The vision concludes with a description of the eternal state of this glorious city.
"And there will no longer be any night, and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them, and they will reign forever and ever." (Revelation 22:5 LSB)
"There will no longer be any night." Night in Scripture is often associated with darkness, danger, ignorance, and sin. The absence of night signifies the absence of all these things. It means there will be no more fear, no more confusion, no more hidden sin. All will be light and truth and safety.
The reason there is no night is that there is no need for created lights. The sun and the moon, which paganism worshipped, are rendered obsolete. They are like candles in the face of a supernova. "The Lord God will illumine them." God Himself, in the person of the Lamb, is the light of the city (Rev. 21:23). This is the ultimate fulfillment of Genesis 1. God, who is light, and who said "Let there be light," now becomes the very light in which His people dwell. We will not just see the light; we will be immersed in it. We will live and move and have our being within the very glory of God.
And what is our status in this city of light? We "will reign forever and ever." This is the restoration and elevation of Adam's original mandate. Adam was called to exercise dominion over the earth. The first Adam failed. But in the last Adam, Jesus Christ, we are restored to our royal calling. We are not just servants; we are kings. We are not just pardoned criminals; we are co-heirs with Christ. We will participate in His righteous, benevolent, and glorious reign over the new heavens and the new earth for all eternity. The story that began with humanity being given a task of dominion ends with humanity fulfilling that task perfectly and eternally, to the glory of God.
Conclusion: Drink Freely
This vision is not a distant, ethereal dream. It is the solid reality toward which all of history is moving. The river of the water of life is not something we must wait for. Jesus said that whoever believes in Him, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). This He spoke of the Spirit. That river begins to flow in our hearts at regeneration. The healing of the nations is not a task for some future generation. It is the task of the Church right now, as we apply the Word of God to every area of life.
The curse is being rolled back now. Every time a sinner repents, every time a Christian family raises their children in the fear of the Lord, every time a Christian businessman conducts his affairs with integrity, a little bit of the curse is pushed back. We see His face now, dimly, through the Word and sacrament (2 Cor. 3:18). We have His name upon us now in our baptism. We walk in His light now, and we are learning to reign with Him now, in the small spheres of responsibility He has given us.
This final chapter of the Bible is not an escape plan. It is a blueprint. It is a mission statement. It is the guaranteed future that fuels our present faithfulness. The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. The invitation is open. The river is flowing. The leaves are for healing. Come, drink freely, and join in the great work of bringing this glorious city to its full manifestation, until the whole earth is filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.