The Leaves of the Tree are for the Nations
The tree of life in New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:2) has both fruit and leaves. “On this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”
Fruit represents life; leaves, the clothing of the tree, represent our external behavior….In the new heaven and new earth, the people of the nations will have no sin, no death, no pain, no curse, nor any demons. This group of people, the nations, will continue living in the earth with the holy city in their midst. Being healed by the leaves of the Lord Jesus means that the deeds of the Lord Jesus will be their example. We will obtain the fruits of the tree of life, and they will obtain the leaves. By following the behavior of the Lord Jesus, they will be able to live on in well-being; and this way the nations will dwell together in peace and blessing.
Today, when people are instructed to follow the example of Jesus, they might try to do this, but the sin in our natural being opposes such living. This is the sad story in Romans 7:7-25. But in the time of the new earth sin, death, and Satan will be in the lake of fire, not in humanity. Thus the nations will easily and continually receive the healing of the leaves of the tree.
New Jerusalem will supply the nation with its shining light (Rev. 21:24) and with the leaves of the tree of life. The nations will have a blessed human existence but not the rich experiences of the Triune Go that will fill New Jerusalem.
* 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.
Posted by Don on August 22, 2022
