In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
There can be no doubt, but that Jesus himself is the Tree of Life. He is in the midst of the street, for he is the Center of everything that is blessed. He is the middle Person of the Godhead in his divine nature. And he is the Mediator between God and man in his human nature. And he is in the midst of the street in standing up to mediate in his Church between a living God and dying sinners, while his people are unregenerated, and dead in trespasses and sins. He is also on either side of the river, for he is with the spirits of just men made perfect; and He is with his redeemed, here below, which have not yet passed the river Jordan, the river of death. He is, as his type Joseph represented him, a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall, Genesis 49:22
But, Reader! look at Jesus as the Tree of Life. Yea, let you and I beg of God the Holy Ghost, that we may not only look at him, but that he will lead us now by faith, before the Lord calls us home in reality, to go and sit down in this paradise of God, under Jesus, the Tree of Life. Jesus is suited both for shelter and for food. Be hath everything in him, that can answer all our wants. Like some rich tree, in the midst of a desert, so is Christ, in the desert of this world, a luxuriant Tree, whose branches shelter us from the heat, or storm, and at the same time will yield us fruit, to refresh us. And he is the Tree of Life, for there is life in no other, and his people have no life but in him. He saith himself, because I live ye shall live also, John 14:19. And as he first gives life, so he preserves it. He is an Ever-green. Yea, this scripture saith, that he beareth twelve manner of fruits, and yieldeth fruit every month; and even the very leaves have a medicinal healing quality in them. Reader! can your heart be insensible to these things? Jesus is the Tree a Life. He is so, to both Churches. Here on earth, and there in heaven; being on either side the river. He bears twelve manner of fruits, that is, all variety, he hath pardon, mercy, peace, grace, love, strength, comfort, deliverance in temptations, recoveries in back - slidings, helps in times of need, preparation for ordinances, and blessings in the use of them. And every month, yea, every day, the Lord brings them forth. And even the very leaves of providence shall have a somewhat in them to heal. Oh! thou dear Lord give me to sit down, day by day, under thee, as the Tree of Life; and ere long, sure I am, I shall sit down, to rise no more, under all thy wide-spreading branches of all fullness, in thy paradise forever!