The Healing of the Nations

“…..on either side of the river (was) the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:2

I don’t know much about fruit trees. However, I do know one thing–right now is apple picking time! Every fall, the orchards are full of families going out to pick fresh, juicy apples right off the tree. Workers are scrambling to harvest the rest of the apples before they fall to the ground. Even those that do fall are scooped up for the cider press. Not one apple should go to waste…why? Because it takes an apple tree a whole year to produce one harvest!

Revelation 22:2 gives us a description of a very special tree in the new Jerusalem where God’s people will dwell for eternity. The tree is unique for two reasons. First of all, it produces twelve different kinds of fruit–and harvest time is monthly rather than yearly! Imagine one tree, with twelve varieties of fruit and constant availability! This certainly speaks to the abundance of blessing that will be available to believers in eternity. The second unique feature of this tree pertains to its leaves. They will be “for the healing of the nations.” The Greek word for “healing” is therapeia, from which we get our word “therapeutic.” The tree of life, like every aspect of heaven, will be life-giving, enriching, energizing.

Imagine a day when every people group, every language group, every ethnicity in the world will stand before God (Revelation 7:9) in perfect harmony. There will be no anger, no turmoil, no fear. We will be healed. There will be peace. And God will be praised.

-Pastor Mike