The water of the river of water of life is absolutely free (22:17; 21:6). There is no need for us to pay anything in order to drink of it. Although the water of life is free, it is free only on the divine way. It is not available anywhere else. Thus, we must come to the divine way in order to partake of the living water. Although you do not need to pay anything for the water of life, you do need to get on the golden street. Therefore, whoever desires to receive this free gift of the water of life must repent. To repent means to change your mind, to have a change in concept regarding your life. Even Christians need to have a change in their concept regarding their Christian walk. We must turn from everything that is not the golden street and come to the golden street. This is the true meaning of repentance. After we have turned from everything else to the golden street, we can take the water of life freely. We all can testify from our experience that this is so.
Verse 2 says, “And on this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life.” The one tree of life growing on the two sides of the river signifies that the tree of life is a vine, spreading and proceeding along the flow of the water of life for God’s people to receive and enjoy. It fulfills, for eternity, what God intended from the beginning (Gen. 2:9). The tree of life was closed to man due to his fall (Gen. 3:22-24), but opened to believers by the redemption of Christ (Heb. 10:19-20). Today the enjoyment of Christ as the tree of life is the believers’ common portion (John 6:35, 57). In the millennial kingdom the overcoming believers will enjoy Christ as the tree of life as their reward (2:7). Eventually, in the new heaven and new earth, for eternity, all God’s redeemed will enjoy Christ as the tree of life as their eternal portion (22:14, 19).
The tree of life is Christ as our life supply. Firstly, Christ was the Lamb of God for our redemption (John 1:29) and then the tree of life for our life supply (John 6:35). Christ’s redemption is for imparting Himself into us as the life supply. He is not only the Lamb of God, but also the tree of life.
The tree of life grows on the two sides of the river of life. It does not go up, but spreads like a vine. Hence, it is available along the flow of the water of life. Christ, as the tree of life, is the life supply available along the flow of the Spirit as the water of life. Where the Spirit flows, there the life supply of Christ is found. This is all in and with the divine nature as our holy way, as signified by the street. This is both the supply of the holy city and the way the city is supplied.
It took me years to understand three things mentioned in verses 1 and 2: the street, the river, and the tree of life. In the midst of the street is the river; hence, the street spontaneously becomes the two banks of the river. The tree of life grows as a vine on the banks of the river. Only when I had the adequate experience was I able to understand these things. The street, the river, and the tree are all interrelated. After you enter through the pearl gate and get on the golden street, you immediately have the flowing river. Along the flow of the living water is the tree of life. This picture is very clear.
Let us now apply this picture to our daily living. Suppose a certain sister goes shopping in a department store. Even before she enters the store, the divine nature as the inner street begins to regulate her. There is no word, just an inward regulating. The sister enters the store and picks up a certain item. The inward regulating says, “Drop it,” but she excuses herself, telling herself that it is all right to buy that article this time and that she will not do it again. However, from that moment, the inner flow stops. After the sister comes home, she finds that she is not able to pray. Although she tries to open her mouth and say something to the Lord, no words come out of her inward being. This is a negative illustration of what happens when we do not follow the inward regulation of the divine nature.
Let us now consider a positive illustration. Suppose when the inward regulation tells this sister not to buy that particular article, she says, “Amen, Lord, amen.” Immediately, she will find herself walking on the golden street. At the same time, she will sense that the inner flow is intensified and strengthened. She will also sense that the inner flow brings her the rich supply of life. This is the enjoyment of the tree of life. After that, she probably will have no further desire to stay in the store. As she leaves the store, she may even feel like singing or shouting hallelujah. This is what it means to walk on the golden street, to partake of the flowing river, and to enjoy all the riches of the tree of life.
It is difficult to understand the golden street, the water of life, and the tree of life if we approach them in a doctrinal way. But if we consider our experience, it is quite easy to understand them. Whenever we submit our entire being to the headship of the redeeming God, His throne is set up within us. Out of this throne flows the river of life. This river of life flows in the midst of the golden street, and along this flowing river there is the tree of life, which is a vine growing along the river as our rich life supply. The throne is here, waiting for us to submit to the headship and authority of the redeeming God. As soon as we submit to this headship, the life-giving Spirit immediately flows within us, and we find ourselves on the golden street. As we walk along the golden street, we find that the inward flowing of the life-giving Spirit is marvelous, refreshing, satisfying, and supplying. It would take a great many words to adequately describe this flow within us. Along this flow of the living water there are the riches of the tree of life that grows by the flow of the river. This means that where the flow of the river is, there is the tree of life to supply us. In my experience I have a throne, the flowing of the water of life, and Christ as the tree of life growing within me in a very practical way. This is not a doctrinal understanding; it is absolutely a matter of experience in life.