On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations…
Revelation 22:2b

Growing up in the Carolinas I was well acquainted with fruit trees. I remember grieving when my paternal grandfather cut down a pear tree in his yard. It was not bearing good fruit and so it fell to the ax. My paternal grandparents also had some apple trees on their property and my grandmother made lots of apple pies, which compensated somewhat for the loss of the pear tree. My maternal grandfather had some sour cherry trees on his property and they presented a wonderful sight in May with their bright red cherries, a number of which Mother took to make cherry pies and cherry preserves. The last fruit tree memory is of Sunny Slope Orchards in Gaffney, South Carolina. Beginning in June and running into September, a number of different nectarines and peaches were harvested. On our way to or from South Carolina, my parents and I would pick up baskets of the sweet juicy fruit. I couldn’t wait for us to get home and transform those peaches into my favorite summertime treat: fresh peach ice cream!

Let’s see, thus far I have named five fruit trees. To that number we need to add: apricot, grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, and tangerine to get seven fruit trees. Now I have mentioned eleven fruits and we would sorely miss any one of them. Not to mention that there are numerous varieties of these fruits. Consider apples alone: Ambrosia, Cortland, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, McIntosh, Red Delicious, and Rome to name just a few.

These twelve fruits with a fruit producing each month give us yet another image of what life will be like in heaven. It will be a beautiful place and we will taste the goodness of the Lord who made all of these wonderful fruits for us His children to enjoy.

Prayer

Giver of every good and perfect gift from above, we thank You for John and for this vision of the tree of life with its twelve fruits, producing its fruit each month. We thank You for the fruit trees on earth and for the fruits they produce that we enjoy so much. Heaven will truly be a wonderful place and we thank You for Christ who has opened the door for us to enter Your glorious kingdom. In His name, we pray. Amen.