Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.
Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.
(Revelation 21:1, 22:1-2, NLT)
If you've ever watched the end of the movie "The Book of Eli" you'll doubtless remember the part where Denzel Washington's main character dictates the words of the Bible as his last mortal act. The overall backdrop of an an apocalyptic world has been used many times and the lack of water (or nothing but water) plays a role very often. As Eli begins with the Genesis story of Beginnings, the words are familiar to many of us. Water plays a primary role and is a source of Life as God calls it forth.
Basic science today would tell us that water - especially our oceans - play a major role in sustaining life as we know it. The oceans provide food, cleansing, and all manner of function in our world. We rarely think about it, but given they cover somewhere near seventy-five percent of the surface, they are a constant major presence. We've seen the impact of oil spills, red tides, and a myriad of other changes and felt that impact. Hurricanes are born in the oceans and, when they leave that source of energy, they rather quickly spin out. It's simple and it has basis in our Great Story as well ... Oceans play a major part in Life.
But the story of the End and New Beginning brings out a powerful statement. What John saw states there is no ocean in the New Order of things. It's gone, just as what we now know as Heaven and Earth are gone. And when the latter two are born New, the Ocean isn't a part of it. The way I read it, the reason is simple ... God directly provides and sustains Life in a new way. The described River of Life flows from him as the source. Frankly, that's a rather simple idea that kind of blows my mind in context. It may or may not be water, but it is teeming with Life.
And one more thing. That Life feeds the growth of entire groves of Life Trees with a very special purpose - they provide healing medicine for the nations. Think about that, especially in this very difficult time we are facing. Life flowing in the midst of everything growing and sustaining more life that brings permanent healing.
We are definitely in some wild turns of the Crooked Path. Some of us are bearing up well, some are struggling mightily. But there is an end, albeit resulting in a different "normal" than what we've known. And beyond that? There is a promise of Life ... a truly different and sustaining Life that provides constant, renewed healing and joy. May that Hope sustain you in the dark hours you face.
