Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

31 December 2025

Reading From Revelation 22

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, 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. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

—Revelation 22:1-5

     I love to imagine this scene of the cool, refreshing, sparkling water of the river of life flowing through the middle of the street of the heavenly city.  It reminds me of a canal with the street running along the embankments.  The tree of life must be massive if its trunk straddles both sides of the river.  We will eat of the tree and never die.

I wonder what the twelve kinds of fruit taste like and what they are symbolic of.  The leaves remind me of medicine.  We need the Balm of Gilead, the Prince of Peace to heal the world and restore it to its paradisiacal glory.  He will wipe away every tear, heal every hurt, and bring about perfect harmony and unity. We need the warmth and light of His love and truth in our lives today. 

Notice that the servants of the Father will finally see His face and live. Because there will be no sin and therefore no curse, we will enjoy perfect communion with God, even looking upon His face, and we will not be destroyed. We need His Presence. We need Heaven to come to Earth. Come, Lord Jesus.  Come.

“O Lord our God, we yearn for You to return, to tie up all the loose ends of human history, right every wrong, put everything under Your Lordship and restore the Earth to its Edenic splendor.  We love You Lord Jesus.  Amen.”

Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.

—Isaiah 43:19