What are the pure river of water that proceeds from the throne of God and the tree of life (Rev. 22:1–7)?

The apostle says, “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. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations, and there shall be no more curse” (Rev. 22:1–3).

The scholar Tertullian says that we cannot interpret this passage literally. In the eternal life, there are no actual rivers, thoroughfares, or trees. That these descriptions are symbolic is evident from the description of the tree of life — it is both in the middle of the main thoroughfare of the city and on either side of the river. If we interpret this description literally, how is this possible?

This passage describes a number of important features of the city of God:

First. The river of life. For the scholar Tertullian , the river is the person of the Lord Christ who quenches the thirst of every soul and is Himself the Lamb who redeemed us. He is also the tree of life that satisfies His children. He is everything to those who are saved.

For St. Ambrose , the river is the Holy Spirit from whom none can drink but those who believe in the Lord 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).¹³⁶⁷ This is the Spirit of the Father and the Son, proceeding from the Father and abiding in the Son. The Son sent Him from the Father to rebuke us, sanctify us, and lead us until we arrive at the heavenly wedding. This is the eternal river which has quenched and quenches the thirst of the bride.

The river also refers to the abundance of God’s joyous graces in eternity, which are in fact not things external to Him, but rather the gift of Himself to us for our delight and joy. 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).

The river also refers to the peace we will enjoy in the heavenly Jerusalem: “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 hearts shall be comforted” (Isa. 66:12–14).

Second. The tree of life. For Tikhon the African , the tree of life symbolizes the holy cross towards which our hands extend to pluck every desirable fruit. Many saints. including St. Ephrem the Syrian call the cross the tree of life.¹³⁶⁸ Through the cross, the Lord put death to death, opened paradise to us, gave us His Body and Blood sacrificed for us, and made us children of the blessing and heirs of eternal life. Through the cross, the Holy Spirit accomplishes the holy sacraments by the hands of the priests of the Church. These sacraments are the sustenance of the Church. And we know that the effect of the cross emanates outward, and the people of the New Testament harvest its fruits every day.

In the eternal life we will contemplate the wounds of the risen Lamb, as though slain [Rev. 5:6] and find our satiety therein. For this reason, we find the fruits monthly and continuously; new fruit for us from which we eat and are filled, although at the same time, our hearts are kindled with desire for Him. So we come back to eat of Him and find fruits new to us, and again, we eat and are filled; but again, with the satiety comes an increase in hunger for Him. As the Son of Sirach says, “Whoever eats from Him, returns hungry to Him; and whoever drinks from Him, returns thirsty to Him” (Sir. 24:21).

1367 See St. Ambrose of Milan, On the Holy Spirit 3.20.154 (NPNF II/10:156).

1368 See St. Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Nativity 1, 5 (NPNF II/13:224, 238–240).

Therefore do we stand continuously before the Tree, in wonder and amazement and without boredom. As for the fruits being twelve, this is because the number twelve refers to the children of the kingdom and the fruits are especially for them, each child finding in Him what he needs and what sates him.

All the early Fathers, such as St. Basil the Great , St. Augustine ,¹³⁶⁹ and John of Damascus , elaborated on the prosperous state of eternity and the state of satiety that humanity will experience. Being aware of this, the prophet David says, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps. 27:13).

Third. Continuous happiness. “And there shall be no more curse” (Rev. 22:3). Our forefather Adam, who for a time delighted in an earthly paradise, passed down to us the bitterness of life when he was expelled forcibly and groaned under the burden of the curse he bore on his shoulders because of his disobedience. But in eternity, there will be no place for sin or disobedience; all will serve God with perfect obedience, for he says, “but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him” (Rev. 22:3). They serve Him with love and yearn to see Him; and they take pride in His name: “They shall see His face and His name shall be on their foreheads” (Rev. 22:4).

Fourth. Endless light.¹³⁷⁰ “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” (Rev. 22:5). The Book of Revelation uses so many expressions to declare to us the illumination of the children of the kingdom, all of which come down to being in the presence of God, “The Sun of righteousness,” who is around them, above them, and encompasses them.

The Spiritual Elder says, “I see Them [the Holy Trinity] as one lamp and by its reflection I am illumined. Therefore I marvel at myself and rejoice spiritually that the Source of Life be found in me. This is the summing up of the incorporeal world.”¹³⁷¹

St. Augustine says, “My God … You are my light! Open my eyes that I might behold Your divine splendor, that I may walk on my path without stumbling into the snares of the enemy! What is light but You, my God? You are the Light of the children of light. Your day knows no sunset. Your day shines upon Your children that they might not stumble. But those who have gone out from You walk in darkness and dwell in it. Therefore, we cling to You who are the Light of the world! What is our excuse, when we are tempted every day because we are far from You? For everyone who is far from You, O true Light, goes deeper into the

1369 See St. Augustine, Contemplations 26.

1370

See Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty, Divine Love (Arabic), second edition, revised and updated (Sporting, Alexandria: St. George’s Coptic Orthodox Church, 2010) God the Light of the Soul: pp. 63–78.

1371 St. John of Dalyatha, The Letters of John of Dalyatha , trans., Mary T. Hansbury (Gorgias Press, 2006) 27.1: p. 126.

darkness of sin; and when sin surrounds him, he cannot discern the snares laid for him all along the road!”

Finally, John the Beloved concludes his description of eternal glory 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” (Rev. 22:6–7). These are the faithful words by which we must abide, for the One who sent them is the God of the prophets who previously informed us of many matters concerning our salvation, and His prophecies were fulfilled. Now He foretells through the angel He sent to show His servants what will shortly take place.