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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadWilliam Burkitt Notes and Observations - Revelation 22:2 - 22:2
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Note here, 1. That as there was a river and a tree of life in the terrestrial paradise, so in allusion thereunto both are said to be in the heavenly paradise; behold here a tree of such vast proportion and extent, that its branches extend to both sides, that all may receive benefit by it; who can this agree with but Jesus Christ, who is called a tree of life, because from him we have our natural, our spiritual, and our eternal life? from this tree do bud forth all the fruits of grace and comfort, and that for all seasons and conditions.
In Christ, 1. Our souls have all necessaries for food and physic. Its leaves are for healing, as well as its fruits for food.
2. All variety of fruits, called here twelve manner of fruits, that is, variety of graces, and comforts of all sorts.
3. In him are these fruits at all times: this tree bears fruit every month, winter fruits as well as summer fruits, even in the black month of sickness and death.
Christ is continually distributing of his divine fulness to the satisfaction of his people; he is all in all, in the enjoyment of mercy; he is all in all, in the want of mercy; he is all, in order to his people's salvation; and he is all in their glorification.
Quest. But will there be any need either of food or physic in heaven? if not, what need of the fruits of this tree for food, or of its leaves for healing?
Ans. We cannot suppose that in the heavenly state there will be any want either of meat or medicines, any hunger that shall require food, or any sickness to stand in need of physic; but as food and physic are the instrumental means of the preservation of natural life, without which it will certainly and suddenly decay; In like manner of our Lord Jesus Christ doth not only give spiritual life unto his people, but he is the conserving cause of it, he doth maintain, and will preserve it, without the least decay, to all eternity: thus are the leaves of this tree for the healing of the nations.