THE NEW JERUSALEM - SUSTAINED BY THE RIVER OF LIFE WITH THE TREE OF LIFE

At the end of the Bible we see the consummation of the tree of life----the New Jerusalem. In the center of this city
we see the river of life, which proceeds out of the throne of God and the Lamb, and in which grows the tree of life that bears fruit every month (Rev. 22:1-2).
Our destiny and our portion for eternity will be the enjoyment of the tree of life and the water of life. The Bible concludes with a promise and a call. The promise is found in Revelation 22:14 which says, ‘‘Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have right to the tree of life.’’
The call is found in Revelation 22:17 which says, ‘‘He who wills, let him take the water of life freely.’’ Thus, the whole Bible ends with eating and drinking, with enjoying God as the tree of life and with drinking Him as the water of life. This is the consummation of the line of life.
What should we do today? We should not do anything. We should simply stay on the line of the tree of life, enjoying God as our life and as our life supply. God will take care of everything. Out of the enjoyment of the Lord as our life supply, we will have our daily life, walk, work, and the building up of the churches. Then everything we have will be according to God’s divine element, not according to our own concepts. Now we see the way we must take. May the Lord have mercy on us that we all may continue on the line
of life.

THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST - LIVING BY CHRIST AS LIFE

The church is the Body of Christ. It is impossible for the body not to enjoy the head. The body cannot be separated
from the head, for such separation means death. The entire church is the Body of Christ, depending on Christ and living by Christ as life (Eph. 1:23; Col. 3:4). By this we can see that the church may enjoy Christ as the tree of life.

PAUL - LIVING OUT THE LORD

Among all the New Testament believers, Paul was an example of a man who lived out the Lord. In Galatians 2:20
Paul said that Christ lived in him and that the life which he lived he lived by the faith of the Lord Jesus. Paul was saying that he himself had been crucified and buried, and that it was Christ who lived in him. Eventually Paul could say, ‘‘For to me to live is Christ’’ (Phil. 1:21). Christ was his life and his life supply, for Paul enjoyed Christ as the tree of life.

THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS - LIVING BY THE LORD

Our destiny as New Testament believers is simply to abide in the Lord and to allow the Lord to abide in us (John 15:5). This means that we enjoy the Lord. The Lord Jesus told us that we must eat Him, for he who eats Him shall live because of Him (John 6:57; 14:19). We must eat the Lord Jesus because He is our bread of life, our tree of life. The tree of life is life presented in the form of food. In John 6 the Lord presented Himself as the life supply also in the form of food, telling us that He is the bread of life (v. 35) and that His flesh is eatable (v. 55). If we eat Him, we will have Him as our life and as the life supply by which we live. This is the genuine enjoyment of the tree of life.

JESUS - AS THE SON OF GOD LIVING BY GOD

As we come to the New Testament, we see that the first person on the line of life in the New Testament was the Lord Jesus. Jesus not only enjoyed the tree of life; He was the tree of life. He Himself said that He came from the Father and that He lived by the Father (John 6:57). He did not live according to knowledge and learning. He lived, walked, and worked according to the Father who was working within Him (John 14:10).

DANIEL-PRAYING TO GOD

In the book of Daniel we can see a man who prayed constantly and contacted the Lord continually (Dan. 6:10-11; 9:3-4; 10:2-3, 12). According to Daniel 6, Daniel was preeminent among the governors and princes in the kingdom of Darius.
The other governors and princes were jealous and plotted against him, seeking to destroy him. When Daniel learned of this, he went to the Lord and prayed. The aim of the conspiracy of the one hundred twenty governors was to shake Daniel’s relationship with God. Nevertheless, Daniel opened his windows toward Jerusalem and prayed three times a day.
When Daniel learned from reading the prophecy of Jeremiah that the seventy-year period of exile and captivity was soon to expire, he began to pray (Dan. 9:2-3). Then he received another vision and he prayed continually for three weeks until the answer came (Dan. 10:1-3, 12).
Daniel’s prayer life issued out of a holy life. He lived a holy life in the heathen land of Babylon. For example, Daniel refused to eat the king’s food, the food which was first offered to idols and then used to feed the king and his people (Dan. 1:8).
Daniel refused that food, and he enjoyed God very much. He enjoyed God as the tree of life.

DAVID-TRUSTING IN GOD, LOOKING TO HIM, AND ENJOYING GOD’S LIFE

David was a man who trusted in God and looked to Him (1 Sam. 17:37, 45; 30:6). The secret of David’s life was that he desired to dwell continually in the house of God and to behold His beauty (Mzm. 27:4, 8, 14). This means that he enjoyed the presence of God. Moreover, he enjoyed God as the fatness and as the river of joy (Mzm. 36:8-9). David said, ‘‘With thee is the fountain of life.’’ This proves that even in ancient times David enjoyed God’s life as the tree of life and as the river flowing within him. This enjoyment of God made him such a great king among the children of Israel.

SAMUEL-PRAYING AND CALLING UPON THE LORD

Samuel was another wonderful person in the Old Testament, a man who prayed for the children of God continually.
The Bible says that Samuel told the people that he would not sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for them (1 Sam. 12:23). When Samuel learned that King Saul offended God, he was grieved and cried to the Lord the entire night (1 Sam. 15:11).
Therefore, the Bible refers to Samuel as a man who called upon the name of the Lord (Mzm. 99:6) and as a man who stood in the presence of God (Yer. 15:1). All of this reveals to us that Samuel was a person who prayed continually, who called on the name of the Lord, and who stood in the presence of God. By standing in the presence of the Lord and by calling on the name of the Lord, he enjoyed the Lord, partaking of Him as the tree of life. This motivation and enjoyment made him such a wonderful person in human history.

GIDEON-FIGHTING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

Gideon’s outstanding characteristic was that he fought the battle in the presence of God (Judg. 6:12, 16). He not only lived, walked, and worked in the presence of the Lord, but fought with the presence of the Lord. We all must be like this. In one sense our daily walk is a walk, in another sense it is a work, and in still another sense it is a warfare. Whether we walk, work, or fight, we must be in the presence of the Lord. To be in the presence of the Lord simply means to have the enjoyment of the Lord as the tree of life. Gideon enjoyed God as the tree of life.

JOSHUA-LIVING AND WORKING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

When God called Joshua, He encouraged him, assuring him that He would be with him as He was with Moses (Josh. 1:5-9).

The Lord told Joshua to be strong and courageous, for the Lord would be with him wherever he went. Joshua was a person who enjoyed God. As long as we enjoy God’s presence, we can be a Joshua today. God is not far from us; He is with us all the time.
Thus, we, like Joshua, can live, walk, and work in the presence of the Lord.

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL-JOURNEYING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

For a period of forty years the children of Israel journeyed in the presence of the Lord (Exo. 13:21-22; Num. 14:14).
They had the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. The Israelites did not journey according to their
opinion, but simply followed the movement of the pillar.
Actually, there were not two pillars, but just one. In the day the pillar was like a cloud and in the night it was like
a fire. During the day God shaded the people, protecting them from the bright sunlight. During the night he gave
them light to illuminate their way. This pillar was God Himself. Therefore, during the forty years in the wilderness
the children of Israel enjoyed the presence of God. They also ate manna, the heavenly food, day after day, meaning
they enjoyed God as the tree of life. Thus, even in the wilderness we see the line of the tree of life. Although we
may have a negative concept about the children of Israel in the wilderness, they nevertheless experienced the tree of
life, enjoying God day by day.

MOSES-LIVING IN THE APPEARING AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD

After Moses had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, God called him to the mountaintop, where he remained for forty days. While he was on the mountaintop, he was thoroughly infused with the shekinah glory of God. As he descended along the side of the mountain, the glory of God radiated from his face (Exo. 34:29). On this mountaintop
Moses experienced the full enjoyment of God as the tree of life. Although the tree of life had disappeared from
unbelieving men, it nevertheless appeared to a person like Moses. Moses enjoyed God as the tree of life on the mount of glory.
Moses, like Noah, received a vision of God’s building. While he was in the glory on the mountain, God gave him
a detailed pattern of His dwelling place on the earth (Exo. 25:9). If we are one with God as we minister and work forHim, our work will not be a labor, but an enjoyment

OSES-LIVING IN THE APPEARING AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD

After Moses had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, God called him to the mountaintop, where he remained for forty days. While he was on the mountaintop, he was thoroughly infused with the shekinah glory of God. As he descended along the side of the mountain, the glory of God radiated from his face (Exo. 34:29). On this mountaintop
Moses experienced the full enjoyment of God as the tree of life. Although the tree of life had disappeared from
unbelieving men, it nevertheless appeared to a person like Moses. Moses enjoyed God as the tree of life on the mount of glory.
Moses, like Noah, received a vision of God’s building. While he was in the glory on the mountain, God gave him
a detailed pattern of His dwelling place on the earth (Exo. 25:9). If we are one with God as we minister and work for
Him, our work will not be a labor, but an enjoyment.

JACOB - LIVING IN THE APPEARING OF GOD AND CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD

Jacob, as the third generation of the called race, was eventually led by God not to live by his supplanting way, but by the same way of contacting God as his grandfather and his father did. After being dealt with by the Lord for a considerable time, he learned to live in the appearing of God and to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 35:1, 9;
48:3). To him, this was not only the inherited way, but also the way to which he was led by God’s discipline.

Abraham - Living in The Appearing of God and Calling Upon The Name of The Lord

Abraham was transfused with the appearing of the God of glory. While Abraham was in Ur of the Chaldees, the God of glory appeared to him and attracted him (Acts 7:2). According to the record in Genesis, God appeared to Abraham several other times as well (Gen. 12:7; 17:1; 18:1).
The God of glory appeared to Abraham again and again, each time transfusing and infusing His divine elements into him, enabling him to live by the faith of God. Abraham’s experience reminds us of a battery which operates well after it is charged, but which needs recharging after a period of time. According to God’s appearings to him. God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees and led him on by appearing to him again and again. As I have mentioned previously, when God called Abraham to leave Ur, He did not give him a map or any directions. Abraham walked according to the appearing of God. If God’s appearing was in a certain direction,
Abraham simply moved in that direction. In this way Abraham enjoyed the riches of God.
In addition to experiencing the appearings of God, Abraham called upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 12:7-8).
This means that God is the God of His people who live in His appearing and who call upon His name. As Abraham lived in the appearing of God and called upon the name of the Lord, he enjoyed Him as the tree of life.

NOAH --- WALKING WITH GOD

Noah followed Enoch’s footsteps and also walked with God (Gen. 6:9). Actually, he walked with God for a period even longer than three hundred years. As Noah walked with God, God showed him a vision of what He wanted to do in that age. Noah received the vision of the ark used to save eight members of the fallen race.
Like Noah, we should not act according to our concept. Whatever we do and work should be according to the vision we received in walking with the Lord.
In our daily walk with the Lord we will come to see His desire, His mind, and His will. Then we will work and serve according to God’s desire, not according to our own thoughts.
Noah enjoyed God by walking with Him.

ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD

If we read Genesis 5:21-24 carefully, we will see that Enoch began his walk with God at the age of sixty-five and continued walking with Him for three hundred years.
He walked with God day after day for a period of three hundred years. Finally, God seemed to say, ‘‘Enoch, you have walked with Me long enough. Let Me take you to Myself.’’
Many Christians are fond of talking about the rapture and the coming of the Lord. Do you realize that rapture requires that you love the Lord and live in His presence?
We need to love the Lord. ‘‘Lord Jesus, I love You. I want to live in Your presence. I want to walk with You because I love You.’’
This loving attitude is the preparation, condition, and basis of being raptured. On what ground was Enoch raptured? He was raptured on the basis of his walk with God for a period of three hundred years. Enoch offered us an excellent example.

SETH AND ENOSH - CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD

Perhaps the names of Seth and Enosh are unfamiliar to you. Seth and Enosh were the third and fourth generations
of mankind, although the Bible considers them as one. After Abel was slain, the line of life seemed to be terminated.
Nevertheless, Seth and Enosh were raised up to continue it.
These two generations had one outstanding characteristic - they began to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26).
They not only prayed, but called on the name of the Lord. If you read the original text of the Hebrew and Greek, you will see that the word call means to cry out, not only to pray. Although all Christians pray, few pray in a calling way. Most pray very quietly, even in silence. However, the third and fourth generations of mankind learned that in order to contact God they needed to cry out to Him and call on Him.
Do not argue that God is not deaf, that He is able to hear us. Even the Lord Jesus Himself prayed with a strong cry in the garden (Heb. 5:7).
During the time of Seth and Enosh, men learned how to pray to God in the way of calling on Him. If you try it, you will discover that it makes a difference.
The Apostle Paul said that the Lord is rich unto all who call upon Him (Rom. 10:12). If you want to enjoy the riches of the Lord, you need to call upon His name.

ABEL --- CONTACTING GOD IN GOD'S WAY

What is the origin of man’s own way of contacting God?
The source is man’s troublesome mind, which can produce nothing except knowledge. Hence, men contact God in the way of knowledge, not in the way of life.
Abel, however, contacted God in His way. His elder brother, Cain, contacted God in his own way.
God’s way is life; Cain’s way is knowledge. We all need to be careful. Although you may say that you are for God,
perhaps you are for God in your own way. You approach God in your self-invented way, and that way is entirely a
matter of knowledge. Do not follow that way.
We should observe the example of Abel and contact God by laying aside our thought, opinion, and concept.
‘‘Lord, I contact You in Your way. I don’t contact You by my thought, concept, or knowledge.
Lord, You are my way.’’ If we do this, we will enjoy God as the tree of life.
Abel did partake of God as the tree of life. He truly ate of the fruit of this tree.

The stream of living water

According to the revelation in the Bible, we see two streams proceeding out of the throne of God. One is the stream of living water, and the other is a stream of fire.
The stream of living water is revealed in Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22. In Ezekiel living water issues out of the house of God; in Revelation 22 living water flows out of the throne of God. In Daniel 7:9-10 we see another stream, a stream of fire, flowing out of the throne of God.
The living water is for reviving and watering, but the stream of fire is for judging. It courses in judgment throughout the universe. The river of water proceeds out of the throne of God and will flow all positive things into the New Jerusalem.
The stream of fire issues out of the throne of God and will sweep all negative things into the lake of fire. In the beginning of the Bible we have the start of two lines, the line of life and the line of knowledge. At the end of the Bible we have two results, two consummations----the city of living water and the lake of burning fire.