Why will the nations need healing in the New Jerusalem?

Second, we learn that in the midst of the street of the City and on either side of the river is the tree of life (v. 2). The river speaks of the Holy Spirit as the Water of Life; the Tree speaks of Christ as the Food of Life. The City will be sustained in perennial freshness by drinking of the River of Life and feeding on the Tree of Life. The River will never fail, the Tree will never wither and the City will never grow old. At the end of Millennial days John sees "the holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2). A thousand years have rolled away, but the bridal freshness of the City remains.

Thirdly, we have the fruits of the tree, for we read that the Tree of Life "bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month" (v. 2). The fruits speak of the varied glories of Christ. It is not enough to know and feed upon Christ in one aspect. We need Christ in His fulness, and the City will be sustained in perennial freshness by successive unfoldings of His graces and excellencies.

Fourth, the leaves of the tree will be for the healing of the nations (v. 2). Just as the City will find in Christ a source of perennial vigour, the nations will find in Christ the source of healing. The judgments of the nations will be over. It will not be the Lord Jesus revealed from heaven in flaming fire dealing in destruction with those who know not God, but Christ in the midst of the City as the Tree of Life bringing healing to the sore-stricken nations. The nations that for long centuries have been torn with strife and violence, will find healing in the appreciation of Christ in His beauty, for the leaves set forth His outward beauty. Strife and conflict, jealousy and distrust will be ended by a leaf from the Tree of Life. Christ seen in the perfection of His way will end strife among the nations; even as Christ apprehended in His graces brings healing between the Lord's people today.

Further, we learn that "the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." The church in glory, beyond all her sorrows, will enjoy the fruit of the tree of life. But on earth the nations will have passed through the sorrows of the tribulation that will come upon all the world. The One that brings fruit to the church will bring healing to the nations, for "He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds" (Ps. 147:3).

In verse 2 the leaves are for the nations, but the fruit is for God. The leaves are necessary for the simple reason that, whilst the millennial future will be a time of wonderful blessing it is not going to be absolutely perfect. It is implicit that healing will be necessary. In some cases there is going to be judgment, but it appears as always that God desires to work in grace. In Hebrews 6 we read of the "powers of the world to come". Clearly there will be miracles in that day as when the Lord was here in lowly manhood.

Finally, chapter 22:2 speaks of the leaves of the tree of life being for the healing of the nations. There will be no need of healing in the eternal state, where all things are made new, when nothing but the stainless new creation will characterize the scene, but in the millennium there will be need of healing. We think this healing is of the mind and soul rather than of the body. The tree of life speaks of Him who said, “I am … the Life,” and through whom life alone comes.

Here the tree of life is seen, in the midst of the street of gold, and “on either side of the river,” and the fruit of life is in constant supply for the delight and sustenance of those that God has brought into His heavenly rest. On earth, during the millennium, there are the nations, wounded so sorely in the divine judgments that were necessary to cleanse the earth from the pollutions of men, and the leaves of the tree of life are “for the healing of the nations.”

The curse that came with Adam's fall will be removed, and the nations that have been brought through the judgments of God upon men will have the leaves of the tree of life, from the heavenly city, to bring them healing. For God's heavenly people, the heavenly Jerusalem will be the scene of their joys and blessing; but for the nations of the earth it will give light and healing for the thousand years of Christ's glorious reign in righteousness.

One element remains to be examined. It is probable that Ezekiel 47:12 refers to the same thing as Revelation 22:2. In both passages we learn that not only does the Tree yield meat, but the leaves are to be used for medicine. In the Revelation it distinctly applies this feature of the Tree of Life to the nations, i.e. such as are spared to enter the millennial blessing on earth. We shall not need medicine in heaven, beloved saints of God. Neither will there be there crippled or diseased bodies, nor broken and sorrowing hearts again. Ours to eat the fruit, ever varied, never palling, of all that Christ is, in its season. But how comforting, as we look around today and see the "open sores" as Livingstone called them, and the fevered condition of the nations on earth, to know that the Tree of Life will afford in its season healing for them. They will not learn war any more; and even to earth's utmost bound the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will spread as the waters cover the sea. Earth will unite with heaven in that thousand years of His glorious reign in glad acclaim of the benefit derived from being under Christ, Israel and the Gentiles sitting down under His shadow with great delight.

But it is plain that the nations are not in the city. "And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it" — not into, but unto. That is, it is an expression of the homage that they pay. The word means either as the context may require. "And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for night shall not be there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations unto it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, nor one making abomination and a lie; but only those written in the book of life of the Lamb." Moral unfitness has its solemn censure; but sovereign grace must be asserted also as in the last clause. Only such objects of divine love were here admissible.

Another glorious description follows. "And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, going out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." The last words indicate a new governmental form of deep interest. It is not now lightnings and thunders and voices: these were the characters of provisional judgment that filled the interval after the church was gone, and before the reign with Christ. But when Christ and the church peacefully reign, that is the imagery which suits. "In the midst of its street and of the river, on this side and on that, [was] life's tree" — not merely as the original one, but now according to the fulness of the provision of God's grace for man on the earth, yet also for man in glory — "bearing twelve fruits, in each month yielding its fruit; and the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations." In Eden's paradise there was no "healing" power; there was the tree of life, but only death for the disobedient. Man on the earth has his portion in the goodness of a God who is manifesting His kingdom; and from the heavenly city is provision for healing the nations; whereas "the nation and kingdom that will not serve 'Zion' shall perish."

103 Life is represented here under two figures: (1) A river of living water. We have not only the life in us, but we are drinking for ever of that life which proceeds from the throne of God, and flows in abundance through the city. (2) A tree of life. One might have eaten in Eden of the tree of life, but in that tree there was no principle of healing. Here this is not the case. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the Gentiles. This tree of life is more blessed. Those that are in the city find food in its fruit, and from its leaves proceed the resources of life for those who are still on the earth. There is the joy of communion. We drink of the river of living water. Although this is the highest joy, yet it is a joy also, even for God, to do good to those who are in want. It is grace, it is goodness. We are made partakers of that joy in the holy city; we shall enjoy there the grace which heals, as well as the grace of drinking in His holiness. There is joy in heaven for one sinner that repents.

But when Jehovah builds up Zion, all shall be turned to Him. God will make this favour to Jerusalem felt universally in due time, after punishing those who think to gain all by the overthrow of His people. All nature will join to adorn the sanctuary of Jehovah; and those who by-and-by represent the nations that once afflicted Israel will then be abject in their homage and prostration when Zion is exalted. Many images here used to mark the glory of the earthly Jerusalem are employed in a more glorious way for the new Jerusalem of Rev. 21-22. But the attentive reader will not fail to mark the essential differences also. Take this one in particular. The nation and kingdom that will not serve the restored earthly Jerusalem shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted (ver. 12). The glorified church, the heavenly Jerusalem, on the contrary, is true to her mission of grace even in the day of glory. For as to her not only is there no word of this judicial character, but there is the witness of beneficent and unfailing grace. The tree of life is there, on either side of the river of life. No other tree is seen to threaten death. But the tree of life, while it bears its full and varied yet constant fruits for those within, affords its gracious succour also to the need of those without: its leaves are for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:2).