Blessing of those who dwell in it In this chapter also the Apostle talks to us about the glories and blessedness of the heavenly Church: 1 - The tree of life ( 1 - 7 ). 2 - Conclusion ( 8 - 21). 1. THE TREE OF LIFE “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse” [1-3]. Tertullian says, that we cannot explain this text literally. For in the eternal life there are no rivers or streets or trees. The symbolism of these descriptions is shown in his talk about the tree of life. The Apostle says, that it stands in the middle of the street of the city, and in the same time the tree itself stands on the shore of the river from both sides. How then can this be, if it is literally explained?! 1- The River of Life Tertullian is of the opinion, that the river is the Person of our Lord Jesus who gave water to every soul. As well, He is the Lamb who saved us, and the Tree of Life who feeds His children. He is everything to those who are saved. St. Ambrose1 believes, that the river is the Holy Spirit that no one can drink from, other than he who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ who said, “‘if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit whom those believing in Him would receive” (John 7:37-39). This is the Spirit of the Father and the Son, proceeding from the Father and dwelling in the Son. The Son sent the Spirit from the Father to rebuke, to sanctify and guide us until we reach the heavenly wedding. This is the eternal river that watered, and still waters the bride. This also refers to the delightful flow of God's blessings in eternity, which in its truth is nothing separated from Him who gives us Himself to enjoy, and be delighted with. And as the psalmist says, “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God. The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved” (Ps. 46:4,5). It also indicates the eternal peace with which heavenly Jerusalem is delighted. As it says, “Behold I will extend peace to her like a river... As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. When you see this, your heart shall be rejoice” (Is. 66:12-14). 1 The Holy Spirit 3:21. 6 2- The Tree of Life Thycon the African thinks, that the tree of life indicates the Holy Cross to which we extend our hands to pick all kinds of pleasant fruits. Also St. Ephram the Syrian1 and others call the cross, the tree of life. With the cross, our Lord had conquered death and opened heaven to us. He gave us His body and blood, shed for us to make us children of grace, and heirs of eternal life. By the cross, the Holy Spirit accomplishes the holy sacraments through the presbyters, in the Church. These sacraments are the food of the Church. The work of the cross, as we know, extended backwards that the early Fathers of the Old Testament may pick up the fruits, and forward, that the people of the New Testament may eat from these fruits everyday. And in eternity we find our fullness in meditating on the wounds of the slaughtered Lamb. The tree is in constant blossom, and its fruits are new for us. We eat of it and become satisfied, yet our hearts become ignited with longing to eat more. Again we eat from it, and we find its fruits are still new, thus we eat and have our fill. The more we eat the more we hunger for it. In this, Sirach says, whoever eats from it comes back more hungry, and whoever drinks from it comes back more thirsty. This makes us stand before the tree amazed and wondering without boredom. Its fruits are ‘12,’ and this number indicates the children of the kingdom, as if the fruits are specially for them, in it everyone finds his needs and satisfaction. The early Fathers as St. Basil, St. Augustine and Fr. John of Damascus2 elaborated on how flourishing will eternity be, and the state of fullness in which man will be there. The prophet realized that, when he said, “I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps. 27:13). 3- Permanent Joy “And there shall be no more curse.” Our father Adam handed over to us the experience he had, when he once lived in an earthly paradise. Then he was expelled, and went out moaning on the heavy curse he was carrying on his shoulders, as a result of his disobedience. Yet in eternity, sin and disobedience do not exist. All will be serving God in perfect obedience. “But the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him” [3]. They will serve Him with love, longing to see Him, feeling proud of His name, as, “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads” [4]. 4 - Permanent Light “And 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” [5]. How many the statements are, that bring joy in the book of Revelation! This luminous book that manifests the mystery of the brightness of the children of the kingdom. It is the presence of God “Sun of Righteousness,” surrounding, and sheltering them. 1 St. Ephram the Syrian: Christmas Hymns (Mayamer). 2 Cf. St. Augustine: The Confessions, Ch. 26. 7 The Fathers of the Church had experienced the light of God shining upon them, while they were still putting on the perishable body:1 . Fr. John Saba says, [One lamp I look to; by its light I get illuminated, and now I am in amazement. I am spiritually delighted, as I have a stream of life inside me. This is the ultimate goal of the unseen world!] St. Augustine says, [My God... You are my Light, open my eyes to see Your divine beauty. I cannot walk on my way without falling into the traps of the enemy. What is light but You my God! You are the Light to the children of light! Your day does not have a sunset! Your day gives light to Your children, that they might not stumble down. But those who are away from You walk and live in darkness! Let us then get close to You who are the Light of the world. Why do we have to try getting away from You everyday?! Anyone who keeps distance from you, the true Light goes deeper into the darkness of sin. And when darkness envelops him, he would not be able to distinguish the traps set up for him, all along the road!] Then the Apostle concluded his description of the eternal glory by saying: “Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord, God of the holy prophets, sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. ‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book’” [6-7]. These are true words that we need to consider, because He who inspired them is the God of prophets. He had disclosed to us so many things concerning our salvation, which were all fulfilled. Now He is sending us the news, by sending His angel to show His servants what will shortly take place. Some may wonder; why should we read this prophecy while it is far away, and we still have plenty of time? He answers, “Behold I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” He warns us not to waste time in doubting. We should accept this prophecy with faith, keep its words i.e. its commandments, and stay vigilant waiting for His coming. Hence we pray saying: [Behold, the Bridegroom is coming in the middle of the night. Blessed is the servant whom He finds awake. But that whom He finds negligent, is not worthy to walk with Him. Be watchful then my soul, lest you should fall asleep, thus found out of the kingdom. Keep vigilant and cry out saying: Holy, holy, holy, are You O God. Keep awake in supplication and prayer, that you may meet the Lord Christ with fat oil, and that He may grant you the true glorious divine wedding2.] 2 - CONCLUSION “Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel, who showed me these things. And he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” [8-9]. The Apostle assures us that what we have in our hands, he himself has seen and heard. He wrote nothing from his own mind. And now he shows his own weakness. For 1 Cf. the author: Divine love, God is the Light of the soul!, p. 63-78. 2 The Canonical Hour: midnight prayer, first service. 8 the second time he forgets himself, and thinks that the angel escorting him was Christ, and wanted to kneel to worship him, but the angel refused1. What he wrote was also dictated by God: “And he said to me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand’” [10]. It could be, that it was the angel who spoke to him, yet probably it was the Person of the Lord who will carry on the speech as we shall see. Anyway, he received a heavenly order not to seal or conceal, but to write and spread out, for the time is near, for the prophecy to be revealed. So every believer should benefit of it. “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still, he who is filthy, let him be filthy still, he who is righteous, let him be righteous still, and he that is holy, let him be holy still” [11]. As if he tells everyone to do as he wishes, in complete freedom, until the coming of the great day of the Lord. He is reprimanding us as it came in the book of Ecclesiastes: “Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment” (Eccl. 11:9). Or it may be that he means what St. Macarius the Great says2, that what man acquires here, will remain with him to eternity in a more perfect and complete way. He who plants corruption will fall where the chief of corruption is, and he who struggles in righteousness, will get his share in the Lord our Righteousness, where he finds delight in Him. Man then, shall reap what he planted, and the time of the harvest is near, as the Lord calls out saying: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work” [12]. And lest the believers should be disturbed, for fear of the judgment, He says: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” [13]. So He embraces all, and cares for all3. In Him we find our hope, hence we fear not. “Blessed are those who do His commandments,4” by these commandments they enter into the eternal joy, “that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city” [14]. As for those who deny faith, and the evil doers; he says about them: “But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie” [15]. The bridegroom communes with His bride As this book is the book of the heavenly wedding, thus the Bridegroom comes forward to reveal His Person to His bride, saying: “I, Jesus,” or I, your Savior, and Redeemer and the One who cares for you all the time, and here I “have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.” “I am the Root and the Offspring of David,” I am his Creator, and became of his descendants in order to be One of you and not a stranger to you. “The Bright and Morning Star” [16]. Neither do you fear of the darkness of sin, nor of the night of the world pleasures and anguishes, nor of the hidden foolish concepts, 1 Cf. Interpretation of Rev. 19:10. 2 Homilies of St. Macarius. 3 Cf. explanation of the text in (Rev. 1:11,17). 4 In some editions it says: “Blessed are those who wash their robes with the blood of the Lamb.” 9 for I shall shine upon you and brighten you. And when the Church hears the voice of her Bridegroom, through the Holy Spirit, she whispers: “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’” We, through the Church (the bride), whisper intimately to Jesus; for as St. Augustine, martyr Cyprian, and other Fathers say, there is no salvation outside the Church. “And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” [17]. Fellowship with the Lord is: 1) Through the Spirit inside the Church. 2) To listen to the voice of God, thus we long to His coming. 3) By thirsting to Him, so we go closer to Him through prayer, and behaving according to His commandments. 4) And 'let the one who wants take;' we should have an active will, not a passive one. Warning “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of Life and from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” [18-19]. Finally, the delightful book comes to a conclusion by a sweet tender whisper, in which Christ is longing to come quickly to His bride, saying: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’” And the bride also asks the Bridegroom to hasten to fulfill His promise saying: “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” [20-21].
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