We Move on the Street with the River and the Tree
“And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street. And on this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month.” (Rev. 22:1-2) This is New Jerusalem.
In the New Jerusalem, wherever you find the street, you will find the river of water of life, and wherever you find the river of water of life, you will find the tree of life. In other words, wherever there is activity, there will be the river of life and the tree of life. This means that as we learn to follow the Lord, all our conduct should include the river of water of life and the tree of life. Then everything will be well. The street is a place for people to move about. In order to move about we need to have all of our activities based upon the tree of life.*
To remain on the street of New Jerusalem and to have our activities based upon the tree of life is to live Christ. In Galatians 2:19 Paul’s desire is to live to God. This is to live on the golden street which connects us to the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Galatians 2:20 continues “I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” We often struggle between living our old self and living Christ. The answer is here; we need only to apply it.
The reality of His death on the cross is in spirit. That is how we apply our death with Him. Then we live on the golden street with the river and tree of life. We live a New Jerusalem life today on the old creation earth.
* From chapter 5 of The Glorious Church by Watchman Nee, published and © by Living Stream Ministry, available at www.ministrybooks.org/ and www.livingstream.com/en/the-church/8012401-glorious-church-the.html.
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Posted by Don on August 24, 2022
