CHRIST’S ETERNAL MINISTRY
With this background we are prepared to see that in eternity Christ will still have His ministry. Revelation 21 and 22 show us His eternal ministry. By then His ministry is no longer in the heavens because the New Jerusalem, where He will minister, has come down out of heaven.
In eternity Christ ministers to supply the New Jerusalem. A river of water of life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb (22:1). Both God and the Lamb are the source of the living water, the water which supplies the whole city. On the two banks of the river grows the tree of life (22:2).
From the description in these two chapters we can see that this one city has one street with one river flowing in the midst of the street. In this river grows one tree, which is the life supply for the whole city. One city, one street, one river, one tree! What an enjoyment to be here! The source is the throne of God and of the Lamb. Out of this throne flows the river; in the river grows the tree of life. What a picture of the ministry of Christ, supplying the New Jerusalem for eternity! Here we enjoy the tabernacle, the temple, the Father’s life, the Son’s love, the water of life, and the tree of life.
THE LIGHT OF THE CITY
Furthermore, in this new city there is no natural light. Sun and moon are not needed here. God Himself is the light. In the presence of the greatest light, all the meaner lights count for nothing. Outside the New Jerusalem there will still be day and night (21:25), but inside there is no night. “And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon that they should shine in it, for the glory of God illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (21:23). “And night shall be no more; and they have no need of the light of a lamp and the light of the sun, for the Lord God shall illumine them” (22:5).
God is the light. Christ the Son is the lamp. The Lamb is the lamp. This lamp has God in it as the light. The city as the lampstand shines the light of God in the Lamb. In viewing the city, it is hard to tell where the light is coming from. God is the light, yet His shining is in the Son, Christ. And this shining is expressed through the city, that is, through us. We are the expression of Christ, who has God in Him as the light. This light, which is God Himself shining in Christ throughout the new city, saturates us. We are immersed in God Himself as the light. We shall be the expression of Christ with God as the light.
“And there shall no longer be any curse” (22:3). Surely there will be no more curse. The curse came in through Adam’s fall (Gen. 3:17) and was dealt with by Christ’s redemption (Gal. 3:13). Surely no curse can come in!
“And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain—they shall be no more; for the former things have passed away” (21:4). No more tears! No curse! No death! No sorrow! No crying! No pain! No night!
What is there in this new city? God! The Lamb! The throne! The river of water of life! The tree of life! Light!
(The Mending Ministry of John, Chapter 17, by Witness Lee)
