A Tree Firmly Planted PDF Download

The author's magnum opus on the outer darkness was a two-volume book by that title. That book found the background for the outer darkness in the OT, principally in the book of Isaiah. The present book expounds that OT background for the outer darkness by examining the precursor texts in Psalms, especially Ps 1-2. The outer darkness is explained in relation to New Jerusalem. The water of life is a free gift for those who drink it outside the city walls but a reward at its point of origin at the throne atop the city. The tree of life is a reward that is found on both sides of the river of life inside the city. The water of life flows through the city gate to the outside of the city, where it can be drunk freely. But the tree of life is not found freely outside the city. When David describes the faithful believer as a tree firmly planted by the streams of waters, he prophetically anticipates the rewards faithful believers will receive in New Jerusalem, which he perceives in terms of Mount Zion. New Jerusalem is the heavenly version of this mountain. The earthly version is but the shadow of this heavenly reality. David sees the shadow, speaks in terms of typology, and anticipates the Heavenly City. Whereas David foresees the reward of the faithful, he also foresees the punishment of the unfaithful. Naturally, since he associates the reward of the faithful with inhabitation in the Holy City, the punishment of the unholy is, not surprisingly, associated with lack of access to this Reward City. An appendix includes some of the author's collaborating material from other books pertaining to other Zionistic texts dealing with New Jerusalem and the outer darkness. Texts for Isaiah are of particular interest for the OT background for the outer darkness and misthological death, that is, death in terms of loss of rewards.