New Heaven and New Earth · River of life; the curse undone
Revelation 22:1-5
John · ~95 AD · Status: Future · Confidence: 60%
“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. 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.”
King James Version · the opening — all 5 verses are below
The river and tree of life in the New Jerusalem, where the curse is undone and God's servants behold His face and reign forever.
Read the whole passage — all 5 verses (KJV)
22:1And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
22:2In 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.
22:3And 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:
22:4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
22:5And 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.
Fulfillment References
Genesis 2:9-10 Ezekiel 47:1-12 Revelation 21:3-4 Zechariah 14:8
How Traditions Read This Prophecy
Apostolic (Oneness) PentecostalThe throne 'of God and of the Lamb' is one throne — the one God and the Lamb are not rivals but the one Lord, whose face His servants behold forever (Rev. 22:4).
JewishEchoes Eden (Gen. 2) and Ezekiel's temple river (Ezek. 47); Judaism anticipates a restored, life-giving Zion in the age to come.
CatholicThe consummated communion of the blessed with God — the reversal of Eden's curse in the eternal city.
ProtestantThe eternal state: paradise restored, the curse removed, God dwelling with His servants forever.
OrthodoxThe deified life of the saints in unending communion with God, lit by His own glory.
DispensationalThe eternal state following the millennium — the everlasting new creation centered on God's throne.
AcademicScholars note the deliberate Eden-and-Ezekiel intertext: creation's beginning and the prophets' temple-river fulfilled.
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