DEC 20

Revelation 22:1-20
Memorise Psalm 46:4-5
“a pure river of water of life”

“There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early” (Psalm 46:4-5). This aspiration of the psalmist becomes a reality as the apostle John is shown a pure river of life, clear as crystal, flowing out of the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1).

On either side of the river, along the street, is the tree of life which bears 12 kinds of fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of nations. This is to remind the perfected saints of Christ being the true tree of life, who also had healed them of their diseases (Psalm 103:3, Isaiah 53:5).

What shall we do in the new earth and new heaven? Just play harps of gold as some Christian songs or choruses tell us? No, there would certainly be much more for us to do, as the words of an English poet tell us: “If all the year were a holiday, to play would be as tedious as to work”. There is plenty of worshipful activity in heaven, but we shall have many other things to do also, as we are declared His servants and we shall serve Him (Revelation 22:3). How about heavenly choirs? Will there be rehearsals and practices? If there be plucking of the fruits from the tree of life, will there be a picnic by the river and eating those fruits, not because we are hungry, but because we enjoy fellowship together. Just as our Lord ate “a broiled fish and an honeycomb” after His resurrection, not because He was hungry, but rather to prove a point (Luke 24:42,43). Dr Buswell humorously said he would have plenty of work to do in heaven—he would be reading Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion.

O yes, how we would need an eternity of time just to get acquainted with all the patriarchs and saints both of the Old and New Testaments, and with the heroes of Church history. But our main work is to serve the Lord and to behold His face. As we wait for His beck and call, we are not idle. John Milton says, “They also serve who only stand and wait”. O the wonderfulness of that new life in and under God, that only becomes newer and happier each day.

Thought: “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I love Thee more and more as the days go by.