As we gradually are being drawn nearer and nearer to the end, and the sentence of death which has been passed upon us becomes more imminent, have we yet tasted of the tree of life? Ah, we shall be asked before we enter paradise again, not what riches we have, not what knowledge, not what intelligence, but what life? whether our soul is alive unto God? Oh, when hundreds and hundreds are tasting of the tree of knowledge, when the world is so clever, so eager, so wicked, would that more tasted of the tree of life, of religion, of holiness I And the tree of life is accessible to all; multiplied it stands on each side of the river, in the wilderness, and in the promised land. There is an open church, and an open Bible, and open privileges for every one. And there is fruit to be found on that tree for all, not only for the good, but twelve manner of fruits: fruit for this hard, weary life, fruit for the tempted, fruit for the penitent, fruit for the occupied, fruit for every one. And for those who despise the fruit there are the leaves. Yes, the very outskirts of religion are blessed; yes, even to linger in these courts, to hear the voice of God speaking in the psalms, “To go with the multitude, and bring them forth into the house of God”; even in the scanty service, the cold devotion, the imperfect knowledge, there is a leaf from the tree of life; there may be healing in it. It was such a leaf from this tree that healed the fevered soul of St. Augustine, fluttering to his feet charged with power and virtue. Many an old wound has been healed over by the buried leaves of early training; many a chance word which has winged its way from the Bible, or some good book or sermon, has proved to be a leaf from the tree of life. Ah, yes, if you need healing, if you are full of wounds and bruises and putrefying sores, if you shrink from the fruit, still there is healing in the leaves. In the very outskirts of religion there is healing, but not satisfaction. Medicine is not food, but also food must sometimes be preceded by medicine. (Canon Newbolt.)
The tree of life
I. The tree of life bears fruit. “Twelve”--symbol of plenty. “Every month”--symbol of constancy. The tree of life is never without plenty of fruit. Every man can find in the Cross of Christ the particular blessing that will suit his need.
II. The tree of life is the purifier of the world. Does not the Cross of Christ heal the nations? Does it not turn evil into good, and change curses into blessings, and so maintain the balance of the moral world? We know how the story of the Cross, by its unselfish teachings, its spiritual influences, its pure precepts, its noble principles, has laid hold of nations, countries, and empires; how it has changed them gradually, powerfully, successfully; how it has lifted them up from superstition and corruption into the sweet light of culture and purity; how it has consolidated them and made them powers for good in God’s world.
III. The tree of life is our protection. (J. G. Davies.)
The tree of life
In the Authorised Version it is not easy to understand the statement that “in the midst of the street and on either side of the river was the tree of life”; but by dividing the sentence after the word “street,” as is done in the Revised Version, all is made easy to understand. You have the picture of the river of water of life running down in the midst of the street; then on each side of this central stream you have a row of trees; and these trees are all described as “the tree of life.” In the history of Genesis the tree of life appears to be spoken of as one single tree; it was an exotic there; only one specimen in the whole garden; but in the new paradise which St. John saw, it would seem to have grown abundantly; “on either side of the river” does not admit of the supposition of one single tree; the word tree must be generic; as we say that the apple-tree abounds in Devonshire, or that the vine flourishes in France, meaning that Devonshire is a land of apple-trees, and France of vines. Hence I have spoken of a row of trees on each side of the river; there could not be less than one row, there might be several. Next observe what is said about the “twelve manner of fruits.” Those of you who have visited countries where the orange-tree grows will understand the description at once: you will remember to have seen the ripe oranges, the small green fruit, and perhaps the blossom, all flourishing together: “three manner of fruits.” Multiply this by a process of heavenly arithmetic, and you have St. John’s picture of the tree of life bearing fruit in twelve different degrees of maturity; the number twelve corresponding to the months of the year. So that the tree has ripe fruit all the year round; no long winter of sterility; no anxious spring with tender leaves and delicate blossoms, and fears concerning east winds and late frosts; no calm decay of autumn, after the fruit has been gathered and is gone; not this, but perpetual sunshine above, perpetual supply to the roots of living water below, and so a perpetual bearing of fruit for the support of human souls. Putting Genesis and Revelation together, I think we may draw the conclusion that in some sense the tree of life is ever necessary to the human soul. You find it in paradise, you find it in heaven; it flourishes in the first creation of God, it flourishes still more abundantly in that new creation which St. John saw in his vision. We may safely conclude that if in two such different creations the tree of life was a prominent feature of God’s work, it cannot be absent from any intermediate dispensation, or at all events that it is ill with the world, when access to the tree of life is forbidden. May it not be said that if access to the tree of life is that which man lost when, in his wilfulness, he determined to eat of that other tree, then a renewed access to the tree of life is just that which Christ has gained for humanity by His Incarnation, by His Cross and Passion, by His precious death and burial, by His glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the coming of the Holy Ghost? May we not say that the vision of the tree of life, which St. John saw in all its heavenly luxuriance and completeness, is the true consummation of all that God does for human souls upon earth by the means of grace, which for Christ’s sake He supplies? There is one other view of the subject which I should like to bring before you. It is scarcely possible to speak of the tree of life without thinking of the antithesis of the tree of knowledge. I observe that one of our publishers has adopted as his colophon a picture of two trees bound together by a scroll which carries the legend, “Arbor Scientiae, Arbor Vitae” (The Tree of Knowledge, the Tree of Life). If it be meant by this that there should be alliance and harmony between human knowledge and that knowledge which is life eternal, I think the motto is a good one and true. But it must be an alliance and harmony, not an identification or a confusion of one with the other. “Knowledge is power,” according to a well-known aphorism, but knowledge is not life. And therefore it is impossible to think upon the tree of life without thinking upon that other tree; the tree of knowledge bears fruit which is beautiful to the eye and good for food, and in man’s present condition the fruit is not forbidden, but it cannot take the place of the fruit of the tree of life; he who eats of it will hunger again; he who eats of the fruit of the tree of life will hunger no more, but will have part in the eternal life of God. (Bp. Harvey Goodwin.)
A tree
Look at this tree in three aspects.
I. As centrally rooted--“In the midst of the street of it.” Christianity is a life well rooted and well guarded--an incorruptible seed, that “liveth and abideth for ever.”
II. It is essentially vital. It is “the tree of life.” Life of all kinds, even vegetable and animal, is, say men of science, inextinguishable. This is true of this spiritual life--this life of Christianity in the soul.
III. It is marvellously fruitful--“Which bare twelve manner of fruits.” How abundantly fertile is living Christianity in the soul! What new thoughts, affections, resolves, are constantly evolved.
IV. It is always seasonable; yielding its fruit every month. The fruits of living Christianity in the soul are always seasonable.
V. It is universally healing--“The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (D. Thomas,D. D.)
Twelve manner of fruits.--
The tree of life shaking his fruits and leaves among the nations
I. Speak a little of Christ under the notion of the tree of life.
1. Some general remarks concerning this blessed tree here spoken of.
(1) Such metaphorical descriptions of Christ are very common and familiar to the Spirit of God in Scripture.
(2) Christ is a tree of His Father’s planting (Joh_15:1).
(3) This tree of life, in His first planting and budding, He is small, but His latter end doth greatly increase.
(4) This tree of life, after He hadflourished awhile in this lower world, was cut down by the sword of Divine justice (Isa_53:8).
(5) Although this tree of life was cut down unto death by the hand of justice, yet death could not long keep his dominion over the tree of life.
(6) He doth now in His exalted state excel all the trees of the wood (Son_2:3).
(7) This tree of life, though He be now exalted far above the heavens, yet His branches bow and bend down to the earth in the dispensation of the Word.
2. Why He is called, in a way of eminency, “the tree of life.”
(1) Because He is the original and fountain cause of our life both spiritual and eternal.
(2) He is the material cause of our life. It is the very life of Jesus that is in the soul of the believer (Gal_2:20).
(3) He is the purchaser of our life, and so He is the meritorious cause of life.
(4) He is the preserving cause of our life; He maintains and holds our souls in life by continual supplies and communications.
(5) He is the final cause of our life. As He is the original, so He is the end of our life, “For none of us liveth to himself,” etc. (Rom_14:7-8).
3. What sort of life springs out of this tree of life.
(1) There is a life of justification in opposition to legal death.
(2) A life of sanctification or of holiness. This is the fruit and consequent of the former.
(3) A life of consolation or comfort, for He is “the consolation of Israel.”
(4) A life of glory grows out of the tree of life.
4. A few properties or qualities of this life that springs out of the tree of life.
(1) It is a Divine life; it is the life of God in the soul.
(2) It is of all others the most excellent life.
(3) It is a royal and a princely life.
(4) It is a heavenly life.
(5) It is a growing life.
(6) It is an immortal, durable, and everlasting life.
II. The situation of this tree in the city of God.
1. The city spoken of is none other than the Church of God.
2. This city has streets in it. By the street, I understand the ordinances of Divine appointment, especially these of a public nature.
3. Notice here, that there is a river, which is said to run through the midst of the city, and in the streets of it, according to what we have (Psa_46:4). By this river, the whole city of God, all true believers, are refreshed, supplied, fructified, cleansed, and quickened.
4. Christ, the tree of life, is on each side of the river, and in the midst of the street of it.
(1) A living Redeemer, though He be in heaven exalted at “the right hand of the Majesty on high,” yet still He is to be found by His people upon earth; yea, He is in every part of His Church.
(2) Christ is the centre of His Church and people; for He is here said to be in the midst of the city: as the heart is in the midst of the body, so Christ is in the midst of His Church.
(3) The tree of life, being in the midst of the street, says that Christ is a common and public good unto the Church, that He is set up for the benefit of all the inhabitants. As every subject in Britain may say of our present sovereign, He is my king, because he is set as a public good to the whole body politic; and as every soldier of an army may say of the principal commander, He is my general, in a way of application, and have recourse to him as such; so Christ, being the common Saviour of sinners, the Prophet, Priest, and King of His Church by office, every one may, in a way of particular application, claim the benefit of Him in His saving offices.
(4) They who would find Christ must seek Him in the streets and broad ways of gospel ordinances.
(5) Christ is to be met with, not only in public ordinances of the Church, but that sweet fellowship with Him is to be had also in the more private retirements of the Lord’s people; for here the tree of life is not only in the street, but on each side of the river, through all parts of the city.
(6) The influences of the Spirit are absolutely necessary, in order to the sweetening of ordinances, and conveying the fruit of a Redeemer’s purchase to them in the use of ordinances; for here the pure river of the water of life, it intermingles itself in the streets of the city, with the spreading boughs and branches of the tree.
(7) Christ is the ornament of His Church and people; for the tree of life is here spoken of as the ornament of the city in the midst of its streets.
(8) The whole city, and every one of its inhabitants, dwell or abide under the shadow of the tree; for the tree is on every side, and in the midst of the street.
III. The fertility or fruitfulness of this tree of life; it bears twelve manner of fruits, and yields fruit every month.
1. Some of the fruits of the tree of life.
(1) Let us take a view, and not only a view, but a tasting of the fruits of His death.
(a) It is by His death that an angry God is atoned and reconciled.
(b) The debt-bond that justice had against us is torn; the hand-writing that was contrary to us is cancelled (Col_2:14).
(c) Everlasting righteousness is brought in when it was quite out of the world.
(d) By His death the covenant is confirmed with many (Dan_9:27).
(2) Let us view some of the fruits of this tree of life, in His resurrection, when He sprang out of the grave.
(a) The quickening and raising up of the soul that was dead in sin is a fruit of the resurrection of the tree of life.
(b) Another fruit of His resurrection is the discharging of our debt that we were owing to Divine justice.
(c) Another fruit of the tree of life in His resurrection is the reviving of our hopes of recovering the lost inheritance (1Pe_1:3-4).
(d) Our victory over sin and death is secured.
(3) Let us view and taste of the fruits of His ascension unto heaven.
(a) The leading captivity captive (Eph_4:8).
(b) The conferring of ministerial gifts upon men, yea, the very office of the ministry and ordinances of the gospel for the edification of His mystical body (Eph_4:8).
(c) The downpouring of the Spirit in a more plentiful measure than under the Old Testament dispensation. Of this Christ Himself speaks (Joh_16:7).
(d) The preparing of heavenly mansions for us, where we may be with Him for ever, is a fruit of the exaltation of Christ (Joh_14:3). The head being above, the body shall follow.
(4) Let us view and taste the fruits of His intercession, which are great, glorious, and lovely.
(a) Freedom from, and strength against, temptation (Luk_22:31-32).
(b) Boldness and confidence toward God, and acceptance at His throne (Heb_4:16).
(c) Through Christ’s intercession we have a ready answer unto all challenges and accusations that are brought in against us.
(d) The assurance of the effectual application of all the benefits of His purchase and legacies of His testament is a fruit of His intercession.
(e) The hearing of our prayers, the acceptance of our persons and weak services, is another fruit of His intercession.
2. Some of the months wherein He yields fruit to the souls of His people.
(1) There are some of them summer months.
(a) There is the spring month, or time of conversion, or effectual calling; the tree of life yields fruit then to the soul.
(b) There is the pleasant summer month of manifestations and discoveries of the Divine glory of the Lord’s countenance.
(c) There is the pleasant and sweet summer month of access to God in duties and ordinances.
(d) There is the pleasant month or season of remarkable deliverances that the Lord works for His people either from spiritual or temporal enemies.
(e) There is the pleasant month of the renewed or lively actings of faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ or on the covenant and promises.
(f) There is the month of a lively love to the lovely Jesus. This is a pleasant summer month in which the soul feeds liberally on the fruit of the tree of life.
(2) As there are summer, so there are winter months, in which the tree of life yields His fruit.
(a) There is the sharp, piercing winter month of conviction, reproofs, and challenges from the Lord.
(b) There is the dark and weary winter month of desertion.
(c) There is the weary winter month of the prevalency of indwelling corruption, when the soul is crying, “Iniquities prevail against me: O wretched man that I am,” etc.
(d) There is the heartless winter month of deadness, dulness, and barrenness. This is another melancholy, weary month.
(e) There is the stormy month of inward and outward trouble.
(f) There is the melancholy and gloomy month of death.
IV. The medicinal quality of the tree of life; his very leaves are for the healing of the nations.
1. Whom are we to understand by the nations? I answer, All that ever sprung of Adam, every creature endued with a reasonable soul, whether of Jew or Gentile.
2. What diseases do the nations labour under which make them need the healing leaves of this blessed tree to be brought unto them? Answer in general, ever since the fall of Adam the whole nations of the earth have been just like a great hospital of diseased persons overrun with a loathsome leprosy. And if you still ask me What is to be understood by the diseases of the nations? In a word, it is just the disease of a depraved nature venting itself in all manner of sin and wickedness (Eph_2:1-8; 1Co_6:9-11; Rom_1:21-22).
3. What are we to understand by the leaves that are for the healing of the nations? The expression imports that everything in Christ is useful and beneficial. I conceive that by the leaves of the tree, which have a healing virtue upon the nations, we are in a particular manner to understand the doctrines, promises, histories of His holy Word, by which the knowledge of Christ and faith in Christ is wrought among the nations of the earth (Psa_72:20).
4. How doth it appear that this tree and the leaves of it are for the healing of the nations.
(1) It appears from Scripture prophecy. Jacob upon his deathbed foretold that the gathering of the nations should be unto the blessed Shiloh. So likewise, in Isa_11:10, we have a prophecy to the same purpose.
(2) It appears from Scripture promises, particularly the promises made to Abraham, “In thee,” i.e., in thy seed, viz., in Christ, “shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Psa_72:17).
(3) It appears from the commission given unto the apostles of Christ after His resurrection (Mat_28:19).
(4) It appears from the obedience that the apostles of Christ yielded unto this commission.
(5) It is evident from the actual healing of many among the Gentile nations by the leaves of this blessed tree.
V. The application.
1. The first use shall be in a few inferences rom the whole.
(1) From what has been said about this tree of life we may see that paradise is again opened and regained for us by the second Adam to great advantage.
(2) See what a glorious and excellent society the Church of God is, even the Church militant, which is but a faint emblem of what the Church triumphant will be.
(3) See hence what a glorious, excellent, sufficient, and suitable Saviour Christ is; He is the tree of life, the fountain of life, in whom an our well-springs are.
(4) See what excellent persons believers are. Why, they are the branches and twigs of the tree of life.
(5) See hence the excellency of the gospel, which makes a discovery of the tree of life, and brings His fruit and leaves to the nations of the earth.
(6) See, from what has been said, the necessity and excellency of the grace of faith. Why, the tree of life, though it be growing in the midst of our streets, yet cannot be discerned without faith.
(7) See hence the necessity of the Spirit, in order to the application of Christ; for the river waters the whole city, and conveys the fruits of the tree of life..
(8). See hence how inexcusable unbelief is, and how justly they perish who remain m unbelief within the bosom of the visible Church where Christ is preached.
2. The second use of this doctrine shall be by way of trial and examination.
(1) Has the life of the tree of life ever entered into thy soul?
(2) Have you been overshadowed with the spreading branches of this tree of life? for, as you heard, the tree of life extends its branches to every corner of the city. Now can you say with the spouse (Son_2:3)?
(3) Have any of the streams of the river, which run under and among the branches of the tree of life, flowed in upon thy soul? My meaning is, Has the Spirit of Christ entered into thy soul?
(4) What think ye of the fruits of the tree of life? for, as you heard, He bears twelve manner of fruits, and yields fruit every month. Can you say with the spouse that you not only “sat down under His shadow with great delight, but His fruit was sweet to your taste”?
(5) What healing or medicinal virtue have you found in the leaves of the tree which are for the healing of the nations?
(6) When you get leave by faith to feed upon His fruit and to apply His leaves, you will just think yourselves in paradise, yea, in a better paradise than Adam was in when in the Garden of Eden. Oh, it will be the very pleasure of your life and the joy of your heart to be viewing the pleasant tree of life and to be rejoicing, now and then plucking of his fruit in the streets or ordinances of His appointment.
3. The third use of this doctrine shall be of exhortation.
(1) Unto all in general. Oh, sirs, will ye come to the tree of life, for the gates of paradise are opened again.
(a) Consider what life is to be had by coming to this tree of life; a life of justification, sanctification, consolation, and of eternal glory; a Divine life, a royal life, a heavenly life, a growing life, an immortal life; all which I spoke to in the doctrinal part.
(b) Consider what an excellent defence thou shalt find under the shadow of this tree. Here thou shalt find a defence--
(i.)
Against thewrath of an angry God, who is a consuming fire.
(ii.) Against the rage of Satan.
(iii.) From the fury of men.
(c) Consider the excellent qualities of the fruit of the tree of life.
(i.)
It is pleasant fruit, sweet to the taste (Son_2:3).
(ii.)
It is profitable fruit; it “cheereth the heart of God and man.”
(iii.)
It is plentiful fruit. Come and eat thy fill, even to satiety; nothing will be missed, the tree is laden.
(iv.)
There is variety of fruits in this tree. Some fruit-trees they hear plenty of one kind of fruits; but here is the excellency of this tree, that it has twelve manner of fruits--fruits of all sorts--adapted to the necessity of the soul.
(v.)
The fruits of the tree of life are permanent and perennial, always continuing; for it brings forth fruit every month, every season.
(vi.)
It is nourishing fruit. By the fruit of this tree the soul is made to grow, and “go from strength to strength, until it appear before the Lord in Zion.”
(d) Take a view of the leaves of the tree, and let this invite you to come to it in a way of believing.
(i.) Art thou a blind sinner? Well, here is a leaf of the tree suited unto thy disease (Psa_146:8; Rev_3:18).
(ii.) Art thou deaf that thou cannot hear the voice of God in His Word or rod? Well, here is a leaf of the tree of life for healing thy disease (Isa_35:5).
(iii.)Art thou a lame sinner that cannot walk in the Lord’s way? Here is a leaf for thee (Isa_35:6).
(iv.) Art thou a dumb sinner that thou cannot speak a word in the matters of God, cannot pray, nor praise? Well, here is a leaf for thy disease (Isa_35:6).
(e) Consider that as the tree of life is calculate to thy necessity, so it is ordained for thy use and for the use of every sinner that will make use of it by faith (Joh_3:14-16). He is given to us (Isa_9:6).
(f) Consider that this tree is accessible; for He is in the midst of the street. And though He be highly exalted and lifted up above the heavens, yet His boughs stoop and bend down to the very ground that the hand of faith may reach His fruits and leaves (Rom_10:6-8).
(g) You are not only invited but commanded to eat the fruit and apply the leaves of the tree by faith. This is the very work of God which He requires of you--“This is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ.”
(h) You will die except you eat of the fruit of the tree of life (Joh_8:24). (R. Erskine.)
Leaves … for the healing of the nations.--
Healing leaves
I. In reference to heaven.
1. The heavenly city is described as having an abundance of all manner of delights.
2. As everything good is present, our text hints that nothing ill is there.
3. It is in heaven, according to our text, again, that there grows the tree which is not only health to heaven, but which brings healing to the nations here below.
II. In reference to ourselves below.
1. All the nations are sick. All the nations need healing, our own among them. Do not iniquities abound? Go to the West End and see its fashionable sin, or to the East End and see its more open wickedness. And all individuals in every nation want healing. The evil is in our nature from the very beginning.
2. There is but one cure for the nations--the leaves of the tree.
3. Jesus is pictured here as a blessed tree whose leaves heal the nations. Now the point of the text is this, that the very leaves are healing, from which I gather that the least thing about Christ is healing. The least fragment of this sovereign remedy has omnipotence in it. We may also learn that the humblest and most timid faith in Jesus Christ will save. Pluck a leaf of this tree by thy poor trembling faith and it shall make thee whole. Beloved, after we have been saved from our sin by faith in Jesus Christ it is very wonderful how everything about Christ will help to cleanse. Study His example; it will exercise a curative power over you. You will be ashamed to be selfish, you will be ashamed to be idle, you will be ashamed to be proud when you see what Jesus was. If we take His precepts, and I hope we prize them as highly as we do His doctrines, there is not a command of our Lord but what possesses a sacred power, by the application of the Holy Spirit, to cure some fault or other of our character. Do thou as He bids thee, and thou shalt be made whole. His least words are better than the best of others.
4. Then, too, this medicine heals all sorts of diseases. The text puts it, “The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” It does not say of this or that malady, but teaches us that the medicine is universal in its curative power. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Healing leaves
I. The disease of the nations.
1. It is universal; affects the whole race.
2. It is deep rooted. Not a surface disease; not an accidental, but a constitutional disease.
3. It exposes man to the displeasure of God.
4. It is the source of all the misery and wretchedness of man.
II. The remedy supplied iii the application of the remedy. (W. D. Ingham.)
