Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship Church

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

New Memory VerseNew Memory Verse

John 17:4, “I glorified You on the earth,

having accomplished the work which You have given

Me to do.”

John 17John 17

The Great High Priestly The Great High Priestly Prayer of our Lord!Prayer of our Lord!

John 17:2John 17:2

Doctrine of Eternal Life!Doctrine of Eternal Life!Part 18Part 18

John 3:36,John 3:36,“He that believes on the Son “He that believes on the Son has eternal life, but he who has eternal life, but he who does not believe on the Son does not believe on the Son

shall not see life, but the shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”wrath of God abides on him.”

M. The New Jerusalem M. The New Jerusalem

Rev 22:1-5Rev 22:1-5An inside look at the New CityAn inside look at the New City

Let’s Look InsideLet’s Look Inside

Vs 2, The believer does not Vs 2, The believer does not have to drink from the Water have to drink from the Water

or eat from the Tree to or eat from the Tree to perpetuate eternal life. These perpetuate eternal life. These are monuments to be viewed are monuments to be viewed

for recall. for recall.

Rev 2:7, “to eat” from the Rev 2:7, “to eat” from the Tree, is a metaphor for living, Tree, is a metaphor for living,

i.e., our eternal life. i.e., our eternal life.

Rev 2:7, “to eat” from the Rev 2:7, “to eat” from the Tree, is a metaphor for living, Tree, is a metaphor for living,

i.e., our eternal life. i.e., our eternal life. When Jesus ate in His When Jesus ate in His

resurrection body it was for resurrection body it was for pleasure not necessity, Luke pleasure not necessity, Luke

24:41-43; John 21:12. 24:41-43; John 21:12.

The Water of Life is a The Water of Life is a memorial to the grace of God memorial to the grace of God the Father who has given us the Father who has given us the eternal water of life, … the eternal water of life, …

… … while the Tree of Life is a while the Tree of Life is a memorial to the grace of God memorial to the grace of God the Son who was judged on the Son who was judged on the tree, 1 Peter 2:24, so that the tree, 1 Peter 2:24, so that

the believer would have the believer would have eternal life.eternal life.

1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 2:24, “And He Himself bore our “And He Himself bore our

sins in His body on the cross, sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin so that we might die to sin

and live to righteousness; for and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were by His wounds you were

healed.”healed.”

The River of the Water of The River of the Water of Life and the Tree of Life are:Life and the Tree of Life are:

The River of the Water of life The River of the Water of life and the Tree of Life are:and the Tree of Life are:

1. Monuments to the “so great 1. Monuments to the “so great salvation” we possess as salvation” we possess as

believers. believers.

2. Two visual guarantees to 2. Two visual guarantees to all believers of the integrity of all believers of the integrity of

God: that God keeps His God: that God keeps His word. word.

2. Two visual guarantees to 2. Two visual guarantees to all believers of the integrity of all believers of the integrity of

God: that God keeps His God: that God keeps His word. word.

3. Daily reminders of our 3. Daily reminders of our eternal life. eternal life.

““Bearing 12 kinds of fruit, Bearing 12 kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every yielding its fruit every month.”month.” Speaking of Speaking of

abundance and variety of abundance and variety of blessings God will bring to us blessings God will bring to us

every month of the eternal state.every month of the eternal state.

There will be different things There will be different things going on all of the time and going on all of the time and no one will ever be bored.no one will ever be bored.

12 is used again, speaking 12 is used again, speaking of perfect government on of perfect government on the inside of the New City the inside of the New City

including His perfect including His perfect provision of our daily provision of our daily

sustenance.sustenance.

God will provide for us for all God will provide for us for all of eternity. We will never of eternity. We will never again have to provide for again have to provide for

ourselves. ourselves. Compare Gen 1:29; 3:2.Compare Gen 1:29; 3:2.

Gen 1:29,Gen 1:29,“Then God said, “Behold, I “Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit every tree which has fruit

yielding seed; it shall be food yielding seed; it shall be food for you”.”for you”.”

Gen 3:2,Gen 3:2,““The woman said to the

serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may

eat”.””

12 kinds of fruit also 12 kinds of fruit also illustrates that we will never illustrates that we will never be bored in heaven. This is be bored in heaven. This is

another aspect of +H. There is another aspect of +H. There is never a dull moment in the never a dull moment in the

eternal state.eternal state.

““The leaves of the tree.” The The leaves of the tree.” The 11stst mention of “leaves” is in mention of “leaves” is in Gen 3:7, operation fig leaf, Gen 3:7, operation fig leaf,

which is analogous to which is analogous to covering their sin.covering their sin.

Gen 3:7, Gen 3:7, “Then the eyes of both of “Then the eyes of both of

them were opened, and they them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves and they sewed fig leaves

together and made themselves together and made themselves loin coverings.” loin coverings.”

The leaves of the Tree of Life The leaves of the Tree of Life are a memorial to the Lord are a memorial to the Lord

covering our sins and giving covering our sins and giving us eternal life.us eternal life.

22ndnd mention, leaves are mention, leaves are engraved on the temple that engraved on the temple that

Solomon built, 1 Kings 6:34, Solomon built, 1 Kings 6:34, and 5and 5thth mention in the mention in the Millennial Temple, Millennial Temple,

Ezek 41:24.Ezek 41:24.

33rdrd mention, Jer 17:7-8, they mention, Jer 17:7-8, they speak of our eternal provision speak of our eternal provision and prosperity from God, just and prosperity from God, just as in the 4as in the 4thth, Ezek 17:9, leaves , Ezek 17:9, leaves

speak of prosperity. speak of prosperity.

Jer 17:7-8, Jer 17:7-8, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. LORD and whose trust is the LORD. 88For he will be like a tree planted by For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a the water, that extends its roots by a

stream and will not fear when the heat stream and will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, comes; But its leaves will be green,

and it will not be anxious in a year of and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”drought nor cease to yield fruit.”

66thth mention we have the mention we have the parallel Jerusalem of the parallel Jerusalem of the

Millennium with its trees and Millennium with its trees and leaves that speak of provision leaves that speak of provision

and prosperity in Christ’s and prosperity in Christ’s perfect rule of Millennium.perfect rule of Millennium.

Leaves were for the Leaves were for the “healing...” = THERAPEIA“healing...” = THERAPEIA, , - therapeutic / health-giving. - therapeutic / health-giving. This speaks of the enjoyment This speaks of the enjoyment of life in the New City, and of life in the New City, and not for correcting ills which not for correcting ills which

do not exist. do not exist.

This is confirmed by the fact This is confirmed by the fact that there is no more curse as that there is no more curse as

indicated in verse 3. indicated in verse 3.

11stst mentions of “healing” are in mentions of “healing” are in the Proverbs (3:7-8; 6:14-15; the Proverbs (3:7-8; 6:14-15; 12:18; 13:17; 16:24), which 12:18; 13:17; 16:24), which

speak of the turning away from speak of the turning away from evil in order to have healing. evil in order to have healing. God removes all evil in the God removes all evil in the

eternal state, Rev 21:8.eternal state, Rev 21:8.

““Healing of the Healing of the nationsnations.” .” There will be nations in the There will be nations in the eternal state, also noted in eternal state, also noted in 21:24, but no conflict of 21:24, but no conflict of

nations, no antagonism but nations, no antagonism but rather peace, harmony and rather peace, harmony and

bliss. bliss.

The grace of God prevailed The grace of God prevailed for the healing of nations in for the healing of nations in

time. We’ll have nations then time. We’ll have nations then as a memorial to the laws of as a memorial to the laws of

divine establishment, …divine establishment, …

……which God put in place to which God put in place to protect mankind, so man protect mankind, so man

could have the opportunity for could have the opportunity for eternal life.eternal life.

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchThursday, October 6, 2011Thursday, October 6, 2011

Tape # 11-112Tape # 11-112

Doctrine of Eternal LifeDoctrine of Eternal LifeThe New JerusalemThe New Jerusalem

Great High Priestly Prayer, Part 23Great High Priestly Prayer, Part 23

John 17:2; Rev 22:2;  Gen 2-3; Jer 17:7-8; 1 Peter 2:24John 17:2; Rev 22:2;  Gen 2-3; Jer 17:7-8; 1 Peter 2:24

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011