Revelation 22:1-5
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.
What will heaven be like? The last two weeks, we were introduced to “The Glory of Heaven” in Revelation 21:1-8. We saw that what makes heaven, heaven is that God will be there, the curse will be removed, salvation will be complete, and sin will be no more. This week, in Revelation 22:1-5 we will look at another passage about heaven and we will see that heaven will not be about us, but about the greatness of our God.
Ultimately, heaven is about the consummation of all that God has accomplished and will accomplish through His creation. The word “consummation” means, “the point at which something is complete or finalized.” Heaven is about the completion of all that God is doing and it is about the completion of the revelation of who He is. It is the fullness of His glorious and magnificent brilliance. His final word on the matter of heaven is found in Revelation 22:1-5. Here, we are shown three things that heaven will be about.
First, heaven will be about God’s satisfaction. This describes the satisfaction that He has in His people and the satisfaction of His people in Him. John Piper once wrote in his book Desiring God, “God is most glorified when you are most satisfied in Him.” Revelation 22:1-2 tells us about a “pure river of water of life” and the “fruits” of the “tree of life.” This tree had disappeared with the Garden of Eden when God barred the human race from access to it by putting cherubim with flaming swords to guard it and thrusting mankind out of Eden (Genesis 3:22-24). God had a plan to send Jesus through the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15) to redeem us that one day we might have access to the tree once again and enjoy it’s fruit.
The river comes from the throne of God, who is the source of all life, and feeds the tree of life. This tree provided life and healing for God’s people. It shows us that God is the source of all supply and need in heaven. It is all about His people enjoying Him forever and being satisfied with Him.
Second, heaven will be about God’s holiness. In heaven, we will experience the fullness of the purity and holiness of God. There will be no sin to stain and corrupt. It will have all been atoned for by the blood of Jesus and purged with fire. The High Priest wore a gold platelet across his forehead that read, “Holiness to the Lord” (Exodus 28:36). In heaven, that will be true for all who are there. We will be holy unto the Lord. We will experience the fullness of what life is intended to be apart from sin. It is so sad that people settle for less today. Sin promises happiness that it can never supply. Only God provides what truly satisfies and brings joy…holiness. Holiness presents and describes things as God intends them to be. Holy things become a reflection of His character and who He is. Hebrews 12:14 tell us therefore, “holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Peter calls us now to “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).
Lastly, heaven will be about God’s glory. God, “dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto” (1 Timothy 6:16) will one day shine that light all through the creation with His people reflecting His glory. When you look at the descriptions of the New Jerusalem and all of the beautiful, transparent gems and metals used in its makeup, what you commonly find with it all is that everything there will reflect and refract light. Heaven will be a place that reflects the glory of God. His brightness will shine and permeate all things forever. Heaven is about His glory.
When we consider heaven, we must examine our own hearts and lives now and ask ourselves: “Am I satisfied with Jesus? Am I pursuing holiness? Am I living for God’s glory?” Our lives now are dress rehearsal for eternity. We should be seeking to be satisfied in Him now, living in the holiness He has called us to now, and living for His glory now. This can only be done through what Jesus has done for us. Will you come to Jesus today? Will you commit to follow Him? He is the only way to heaven.