Revelation 22:1 shows us that in the center of the New Jerusalem there is the throne of God and of the Lamb. The throne is for God’s administration and the exercise of His authority. Sitting on the throne are God and the Lamb. One throne for both God and the Lamb indicates that God and the Lamb are inseparable. God is in Christ sitting on His throne. This is comparable to what is indicated in Revelation 21:23: that God as the light is in Christ as the lamp, and They are one. “God and the Lamb” indicates that in eternity God is the Lamb-God, the redeeming God. The ruling One in eternity is the redeeming God. His ruling in eternity is based upon the redemption which He has accomplished in Christ. The throne of His administration and ruling in eternity is the center of the dwelling place for both Him and His redeemed. Everything in the holy city is put in subjection under His throne.
In the New Jerusalem there is a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of the street to supply the whole city (Rev. 22:1).
The street of the New Jerusalem is pure gold (Rev. 21:21). The river of water of life flowing in the middle of the street signifies the divine life flowing in the divine nature becoming the unique way in the holy city for the saints to walk in. In the holy city the saints live and walk in God’s nature.
The river of water of life is a symbol of the processed Triune God in Christ as the life-giving Spirit (John 7:38-39; 1 Cor. 15:45) flowing out Himself to saturate His redeemed people, the constituents of the New Jerusalem. In eternity all the redeemed people will drink the water of life as their eternal portion (Rev. 21:6; 22:17b).
On this side and on that side of the river is the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month (Rev. 22:2). 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 the supply of the entire city. The tree of life signifies Christ as the life supply of the saints. In the millennial kingdom the overcoming believers will enjoy Christ as the tree of life as their reward (Rev. 2:7); in the New Jerusalem all God’s redeemed will enjoy Christ as the tree of life as their eternal portion (Rev. 22:14, 19).
The supply of the New Jerusalem is the river of water of life which proceeds out of the throne of the Triune God, with the tree of life growing on the two sides of the river; the light of life also illuminates the entire city. In eternity God’s redeemed will drink of the water of the river of life, eat of the fruit of the tree of life, and walk in the light of life. The light of life signifies the Father (1 John 1:5); the tree of life, the Son; and the water of life, the Spirit (John 7:39). The Triune God becomes the life and enjoyment of His redeemed. He is their content, and they are His expression; they dwell in Him, and He dwells in them. This is the divine mingling of the Triune God with the redeemed, transformed, and glorified tripartite man. This mingling is the mutual dwelling for the redeeming God and His redeemed as His corporate expression in eternity. Thus God accomplishes His eternal plan, His eternal economy. “Three,” signifying God, multiplied by “four,” signifying the creatures, produces “twelve,” a particular number signifying the New Jerusalem. This indicates that the New Jerusalem is the divine mingling (“twelve”) of the Triune God (“three”) with the created man (“four”).
All those who have been redeemed and perfected and have matured in God’s life will be the kings in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:5) to reign over the nations as the people (Rev. 21:24). As the regenerated ones, they will eat the fruit of the tree of life in eternity; that is, they will enjoy Christ as their life supply for eternity.
The restored and purged nations will be the people on the new earth around the New Jerusalem to be under the rule of the kings in the city. As the merely restored ones, they will be maintained to live in eternity by the healing of the leaves of the tree of life (Rev. 22:2). In the Bible, leaves are a symbol of man’s deeds (Gen. 3:7). The leaves of the tree of life symbolize the deeds of Christ. The nations around the holy city are healed by the leaves of the tree of life, taking the deeds of Christ as their leading and regulation outwardly, that they may live the human life for eternity.