22:1 pure river. The primeval river emerging from Eden (Genesis 2:10) seems to have been a type of this eternal river proceeding from the throne of the Lamb. Like the former river, this also will probably part into four directions, watering the whole city and on out into the whole earth. Since there will be no sea, there will be no rain. This wonderful river of water of life, however, will surely support an abundance of vegetation everywhere—with enough water for the whole world, and with none wasted. Presumably, the Lord will continue to create an unending supply of water from His throne for all these needs.

22:2 tree of life. The cherubim had once been directed by God to prevent sinful men from eating the fruit of the tree of life and living forever in their sins (Genesis 3:22-24). In the New Jerusalem, however, the tree of life will always be freely accessible to all; it will probably also grow alongside the river wherever its distributaries flow throughout the whole earth.

22:2 twelve manner of fruits. Herein is a marvelous thing! Instead of twelve different kinds of fruit trees, each bearing its fruit only in its particular season, God has programmed this tree to bear all of them, each in its proper time.

22:2 every month. There will still be a flow of time in the new earth, and some means (perhaps astronomical, as at present) of measuring time. Even though there will be no night in the city itself, since the glory of God perpetually illumines it, the sun and moon will still be in the sky, and may well continue the normal procession of days, months and years which God had originally established in His “very good” creation in the beginning (Genesis 1:14,31). It is not that time will cease, as some teach, but just that time will never end, “throughout all ages, world without end” (Ephesians 3:21).