River of the Water of Life and Forest of Life

Version 2

By Mark Farquharson

Chapters 21 & 22 of Revelation cover the holy city of new Jerusalem that descends to the new Earth {Revelation 21:1-2}. In the holy city are those on the scroll of life. At the Great White Throne judgement those not on the scroll are cast into the lake of fire. The nations on the new earth contain all those who have past through the lake of fire. There are those still in the lake of fire, but they will not stay there, once they have done their time they will also get out. This article does not cover the lake of fire or the Great White Throne judgement. 

This article just covers the River of the Water of Life and the Forest of Life to do with the coming Kingdom and the nations on the new Earth. For more on the coming kingdom  and the people in the nations refer to my article on the Kingdom.  A lot more on what happens to the people in the nations is detailed in the: “Judgement Series.” 

Revelation 22:1-2 And he shows me a river of water of life, resplendent as crystal, issuing out of the throne of God and the Lambkin." In the center of its square {Greek: plateia}, and on either side of the river, is the log {Greek: xulon} of life, producing twelve fruits, rendering its fruit in accord with each month. And the leaves of the log are for the cure of the nations." {CLV}

The Greek, Plateia: Means a broad place, or open square. However some translations use “street,” this is incorrect. “Rhume” is the word for street. 

In the KJV, Rotherham, Geneva and the YLT it is call the “Tree of Life,” however in the CLV it is called the “Log of Life.” Log is translated from the Greek word “xulon” which literately translates as “wood.” In the Strong’s Concordance it is refer to as timber. The Greek “dendron” is the main word for tree. The English words “wood” and “timber” can mean both the substance of the tree and an area of land with many trees, a forest. However a log which is cut from a tree or timber cut from trees can not actually produce fruit. Thus the word “wood” should be used, the meaning here being “forest.” Why is it a forest and not a single tree? Read on and you will find out. 

This tells us that the wood of life will be in the square of the city as well as both sides of the river, however this is incorrect. While there is more than one tree of life for it is on both sides of the river and the correct meaning is wood as in forest, it is not in the square. The square would have to be very large to have a forest in it. In the original Greek text there was no punctuation or verses. 

Thus I would interpret it to read: 

“ And he shows me a river of water of life, resplendent as crystal, issuing out of the throne of God and the Lambkin in the center of its square. And on either side of the river, is the wood of life”

See how I put the period after square, for it is tell us that the throne is in the center of the square of the city, and that this is where the river is coming from. I also changed the word “log” to the word “wood.”

The Water of Life is the Holy Spirit:

John 7:37-39 Now on the last, the great day of the festival, Jesus stood and cries, saying, "If anyone should be thirsting, let him come to Me and drink." He who is believing in Me, according as the scripture said, out of his bowel shall gush rivers of living water." Now this He said concerning the spirit which those believing in Him were about to get. For not as yet was holy spirit given, for Jesus is not as yet glorified." {CLV}

Out of the bowel of him who believes in Jesus shall gush rivers of living water. Jesus said this concerning the spirit which those believing in Him were about to get. The spirit that they were about to get was the holy spirit which at that time had not come. It came after Jesus had gone to heaven. Thus the living water, the water of life is the holy spirit. This is not Jesus’ own spirit, for he is not our Father, God, it is the spirit of our Father God. It is not a separate person from God, it is His spirit. There is no Trinity, Jesus is God’s Son and representative, he is not the Father or the Holy Spirit. Refer to the article: “Trinity Is God three Persons”

Water of Life is Free

Revelation 22:17 And the spirit and the bride are saying, 'Come!' and let him who is hearing say, 'Come!' And let him who is thirsting come. Let him who will, take the water of life gratuitously." {CLV}

Those in the holy city will not be thirsty, for they already have the living water, the Holy Spirit. In fact the living water is gushing out of them {John 7:37-39}. It is the people of the nations that will be thirsting for the living water. They, if they are willing can take of the water of life gratuitously, that is freely.  

Ezekiel 47:

In Ezekiel 47:1-12 it mentions waters coming forth from under the threshold of the house. The Old Testament mentions the House of Yahweh or Yahweh’s house. There is the Temples, the first and the second which were built back in BC times, which are refer to as the House of Yahweh. Both of which were destroyed long ago. However it can also refer to the coming House of Yahweh or Yahweh’s house which will on the mount of Yahweh {Micah 4:1-2}, on the new Earth. This house is also refer to as the new Jerusalem, and the Kingdom of the Heavens. Thus when study the Old Testament you need to know which one you are studying. This should not be to hard to work out. 

Ezekiel 47:1 And he causes me to turn back unto the opening of the house; and lo, water is coming forth from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the front of the house [is] eastward, and the water is coming down from beneath, from the right side of the house, from the south of the altar."{CLV}

However in Ezekiel 47:1-12, it does not name the house, but it is referring to the future House of Yahweh or Yahweh’s house. The full vision of Ezekiel is covered in the chapters 40-48. It has been interpreted by many to refer to a future physical temple on this earth in the supposed future millennium. While there is a future millennium on this earth there is no future physical temple. 

Revelation 21:22 And a temple I did not perceive in it, for the Lord God Almighty is its temple, and the Lambkin." {CLV}

John did not perceive a physical temple. For God and the Lambkin {Jesus} are the temple of the city. 

Ezekiel 40:2 In the visions of God, he brought me into the land of Israel,—and set me down upon an exceeding high mountain, and thereupon, was, as it were the structure of a city, on the south. {REB}

Here the vision starts with the city on an exceeding high mountain. Thus this is the same city that is in Revelation 21-22. This city will be an actual city, but it will not have an actual physical temple in it. The city in Revelation 21-22 is on the new earth, which comes after the millennium. 

The waters here are the same waters as in Revelation 22:1-2. Thus the waters come out of the throne of God and passed the wood of life, which is on both sides. The waters go outside, coming form under the threshold of the house, that is the entrance. There is no “wood of life” mentioned in Ezekiel 47, but the trees mentioned are the wood of life that is in Revelation 22:1-2. 

In Ezekiel 47:3-6 the river is described as getting deeper as it gets further from its source. At the first a thousand cubits it is ankle deep, then the next a thousand it is to the knees, then at the next a thousand to the loins. At the final measure of a thousand cubits it is to deep to ford, you have to swim {Ezekiel 47:5}.  

Ezekiel 47:7 In my turning back, then, lo, at the edge of the stream [are] very many trees, on this side and on that side."{CLV}

By the river of life there will be very many trees. As was mentioned earlier the Greek word used in Revelation 22:1-2 is “xulon” which literately translates as “wood.” The English word “wood” can mean both the substance of the tree and an area of land with many trees, a forest. Thus the Tree of Life in the future will be a number of trees, a forest of trees. A forest of life with the river of the water of life following through the forest of life. 

There are indeed many trees along both sides of the river of water of life. These trees are the chosen, the body of Christ, who will spiritual be on the bank of the river of water of life. Spiritually they are the tree that is planted by waters.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 Blessed is the man Who trusteth in Yahweh, To whom Yahweh is his ground of confidence; For he shall become like a tree planted by waters, And, by a stream, shall he send out his roots, Neither shall he perceive when heat cometh, But, his leaf shall continue green: Even in a year of dearth, shall he not be anxious, Neither shall he cease from bearing fruit. {Rotherham}

The Hebrew word “Yahweh” is the name of the Supreme God. Some translations use the word “Lord” and the word “God.” However both of these are incorrect for they are not his name, they are titles. Yahweh is his name, not his title. 

Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh, that is in Yahweh God. That man will be like a tree planet by waters, his leaf shall continue green. Even in a year of dearth, that is a year of scarcity, he shell not be anxious, Neither shall he cease from bearing fruit. That is the person will continue to bear the ideal fruit, even in a year of scarcity. 

In the future the chosen will be the trees of life by the river of water of life. That is there will be many trees on the river bank, not just a tree on each side. Their leaves will cure the nations, and the nations will eat the spiritual fruit of the trees. For the nations who are not in the holy city will need healing and need to eat the spiritual fruit that is produced by the trees. 

Ezekiel 47:8 And he said unto me, `These waters are going forth unto the east circuit, and have gone down unto the desert, and have entered the sea; unto the sea they are brought forth, and the waters have been healed."{CLV}

It has been interpreted that this is referring to the healing of the “Dead Sea” by an actual river. However this is not an actual river and there will be actually no “Dead Sea” on the new Earth. The scripture does not even refer to the “Dead sea” it refers to the sea. What then is the desert and the sea that needs healing? 

The nations on the new Earth are like a dead sea and like a desert. As the water goes on to the desert it comes to life. As the water enters the dead sea it is healed it also comes to life. 

The people are not physically dead, but those who are not spiritually alive, not in Christ, are refer to as dead. That is they are figuratively dead, they are in a death condition. Jesus himself refer to people who did not have faith in him, as being dead even thou they were physically alive {Luke 9:60}. However they do not stay in this death state, for water of life enters the dead nations, the desert and dead sea nations, bringing them to spiritual life. The people proceed out of death into life, just like one of the chosen does. 

1 John 3:14 "We are aware that we have proceeded out of death into life, for we are loving our brethren. He who is not loving is remaining in death." {CLV}

They will be aware that they have proceeded out of death into life. That is they will have had a spiritual resurrection. They will have received the living waters, the holy spirit. 

Matthew 3:11 For I {John}, indeed, am baptizing you in water for repentance, yet He Who is coming after me is stronger than I, Whose sandals I am not competent to bear. He will be baptizing you in holy spirit and fire, {CLV} Also Luke 3:16

John the Baptist was baptizing people in water, but the one that was to come after him, was stronger. Jesus was “He Who is coming after,” who was stronger than John. Instead of baptizing people in water, Jesus baptized people in holy spirit and fire. This happen to the chosen first, however it will happen to the people of the nations on the new Earth. 

The people in the nations will receive the living water, the holy spirit, this then is a baptism. The water comes from the throne of Jesus {the Lambkin, Revelation 22:1-2}, He is baptizing the people of the nations in holy spirit. 

This will not be the time when they get new immortal bodies. The people of the nations will have to wait until it is time for them to enter the kingdom, at which point they will have a transformation and get their immortal bodies. 

However the people of the nations do not then move straight away into the kingdom. They will do a number of actions outside of the kingdom. These actions require the people doing them to be spiritually alive, not in a state of death. 

For the nations that are outside the kingdom, that come to life will learn the ways of Yahweh, that is they will learn the ways of God {Micah 4:1-3}, walk by the light of the kingdom {Revelation 21:22-27}, acclaiming God {Psalms 67:1-7}, the families of the nations that are a live will bow down before Yahweh {Psalms 22:27-9}. 

Psalms 86:9-10 All nations which You have made Shall come and worship before You, O Yahweh, And they shall glorify Your Name." For You are great and are doing marvelous works; You are Elohim {God} by Yourself alone. {CLV}

Yahweh: God’s name. 

Elohim: The “Subjector” or “God,” referring to the supreme Almighty God, the Father, in the overwhelming majority of occurrences and correctly translated as “God” in other versions. However it certain occurrences it can refer to a number of His creatures, which in these cases this would be indicated by the text. It can also refer to false gods, usually correctly translated as “gods.”  

All nations will come and worship before Yahweh. That is in the end all nations will be alive. All those in the nations will come to life. They will not stay in the nations they will move into the holy city at some point. 

Ezekiel 47:9-10 And it has come to pass, every living creature that teems, whithersoever the streams come, does live: and there has been great abundance of fish, for these waters have come thither, and they are healed; and every thing whither the stream comes has lived." And it has come to pass, fishers do stand by it, from En-Gedi even unto En-Eglaim; a spreading place of nets they are; according to their own kind is their fish, as the fish of the great sea, very many."{CLV}

There is a great abundance of fish, not actual fish, but the people of the nations are represent by the fish. Those who were dead, who were in a dead sea, have come to life, for the waters were healed. Those of the nations are given life by the waters. Then who are the fishers with their nets? 

Matthew 4:18-20 Now, walking beside the sea of Galilee, He perceived two brothers, Simon, termed Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a purse net into the sea, for they were fishers. And He is saying to them, "Hither! After Me, and I will be making you fishers of men!" Now immediately leaving the nets, they follow Him. {CLV} Also Mark 1:16-18.

Jesus was walking when He came across to brothers who were fishers with nets. He says to them, "Hither! After Me, and I will be making you fishers of men!" This does not just apply to the disciples. All those who have faith in Jesus are the fishers of men. Thus the fishers in Ezekiel 47:9-10, are the chosen, the body, they are figuratively standing by the sea spreading out nets to fish the people out of the sea. 

Why fish them out? They are not to stay as figurative fish. As fish swimming in the waters they are still not got access to the holy city, however when they have grown enough, they are fished out of the sea. What do I mean by grown enough? When they have grown spiritually enough, they are fished out. That is when the person is spiritually mature they get access to the scroll of life.      

Ezekiel 47:11 Its miry and its marshy places--they are not healed; to salt they have been given up. {CLV}

Some places are not healed, why is this? These miry and marshy places, are representing of miry and marshy people. Note it does not mean they are never healed. They will not be healed straight away, first to salt they are given up. 

Mark 9:49 For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt. " {CLV}

Salt is a preservative, it stops the decay process. Everyone will be salted with fire. Thus these miry and marshy people need more salting with the fire, before they can be healed by the waters. 

Ezekiel 47:12 And by the stream there comes up on its edge, on this side and on that side, every [kind of] fruit-tree whose leaf fades not, and not consumed is its fruit, according to its months it yields first-fruits, because its waters from the sanctuary are coming forth; and its fruits has been for food, and its leaf for medicine."{CLV}

“not consumed is its fruit” is incorrect, for if the fruit was not consumed then how would it be for food? “Not” is correct, but “consumed” is wrong. 

“consumed” is translated from the Hebrew “tamam,” which according to Strong’s Concordance means to complete. The Strong’s lists a number of words, which includes “consume,”  but also “(come to an, make an) end.” “Come to an end” or “end” is the meaning to use here. Meaning that the fruit shall not come to an end, or “not shall come to an end its fruit.” 

Thus the trees of the forest that is on both sides of the river, produce twelve kinds of fruit that is for food, and the leaves of the trees are for medicine, are for curing the nations. The people of the nations need healing spiritually. 

Other Verses

Zechariah 14:8 And it comes to be in that day, that living waters shall fare forth from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea, and half of them to the latter sea. In summer and in winter shall it be thus." {CLV}

The living waters do not just go to the eastern sea, but they also go to the latter sea. 

1 Chronicles 16:31-34 The heavens rejoice, and the earth is glad, And they say among nations: Yahweh has reigned {Malak, reigns}. Roar does the sea, and its fulness, Exult does the field, and all that [is] in it, Then sing do trees of the forest, From the presence of Yahweh, For He has come to judge the earth!" Give thanks to Yahweh, for good, For to the eon, [is] His kindness, {CLV}

“Malak” in Hebrew means “to reign.”

The nations are glad that Yahweh reigns. That is the nations are being reigned over and they are glad, delighted, grateful that He is reign over them. The sea figuratively represents the people of the nations, that were like a dead sea, its fulness represents that the sea has come to life, that is the people of these nations have come to life. They roar, that is they shout loudly, it is not because they protest, but because they are jubilant. The field represents other people that have come to life, they were like a desert, they are exult, that is extremely happy, joyful. Then sing do trees of the forest, From the presence of Yahweh, that is the trees in the forest of life sign. 

How is it that they are glad if He is judging? 

All judgments are not for punishment, for instance the judging you get at a pet show. This judgement is not to punish the people of the nations. 

Isaiah 26:8-9 Indeed, in the path of Your judgments, Yahweh, we expect You. To Your name and to Your law is the yearning of our soul." With my soul I yearn for You in the night. Indeed, with my spirit within me I will seek You early. For as a light are Your judgments to the earth, the dwellers of the habitance learn righteousness." {CLV}

Yahweh’s judgements are not to condemn the people of the nations, but they are a light and the dwellers of the nations learn righteousness. There is much more to the judgements than this, but this shows that it is not about condemning the nations. I will not explain it all here. To learn more about the judgement of the people in the nations, refer to: “Judgement Series” 

Twelve Kinds of Fruit

One should not think that one tree can only produce one fruit, each tree can produce all twelve fruits for this is spiritual fruit, not physical fruit. The twelve fruits, should not be used to count the trees, for there are many trees. Thus each of the chosen will bring forth the twelve fruits of the spirit, nine of which are mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23.

Galatians 5:22-23 Now the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control: against such things there is no law." {CLV}

Two more kinds are mentioned in Ephesians 5:9-10, along with “goodness,” which was mention in Galatians 5:22-23.

Ephesians 5:9-10 As children of light be walking (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),testing what is well pleasing to the Lord. {CLV}

One more is mentioned in Romans 6:22. 

Romans 6:22 Yet, now, being freed from Sin, yet enslaved to God, you have your fruit for holiness.... {CLV}

These are the twelve fruits that will be produced by the trees of life along the banks of the river of the water of life. These are also the fruits that should be produce by the chosen, the body of Christ at this time, before the kingdom comes. 

Copyright © Mark J Farquharson 2011. Version 1, 2 April 2011. Version 1A1, 17 April 2011, being a small correction on the previous version. Version 1A2, minor update February 14 2017. Version 2, July 16, 2023.

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