Three’s (3) Denote God’s emphasis and Intensity. Three scoops of ice cream are better than one or two scoops! If you want to impress upon someone, give them three scoops. That will be about as much as most people can handle. Emphasize three scoops of someone’s favorite flavor and that will wake up their taste buds … now that is intense! God uses three’s (3) to say what he means and to mean what he says.

Three-fold Reference to Life (Book of Life / Tree of Life / Water of Life):

1. Book of Life. (7X). (Rev. 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 20:15, 21:27, 22:19)
2. Tree of Life. (3X). (Rev. 2:7, 22:2, 22:14)
3. Water of Life. (3X). (Rev. 21:6, 22:1, 22:17)

Commentary: The book, tree and water of life. Tree of life and water of life, each have 3 (three) references, denoting God’s emphasis and intensity regarding a subject, action or event. The tree of life exists in the heavenly city, New Jerusalem. It has 12 (twelve) manner of fruit, a different fruit for each month, and the leaves of which are used for medicinal purposes by the men and nations of earth. The tree of life does not exist on earth, but is physically located in New Jerusalem. Only redeemed men or the saints, are able to have access to the tree of life to enjoy its heavenly fruit. The water of life also only exists in New Jerusalem and flows directly out of or from the throne of God. God allows anyone who freely wants to drink from the crystal pure river, to drink as much as they want. Whether the reference to water is figurative (word of God) or literal (crystal clear, pure water), either result is the same. Saints or the Bride of Christ are able to access either freely and God will supply abundantly. There is no shortage of the word of God, or the water of life. Being the case is made for physical fruit from the tree of life, it is most likely accurate to believe that the water of life is also a physically crystal clear and perfect water. The book of life receives the most references, seven (7) which denotes God’s divinely completed purpose or plan. The book of life is so important (for a man’s name to be in it), that the Holy Spirit refers to it 7 (seven) times.

The book of life is a sort of book-of-ledgers (using an accounting term). It reflects and contains the names of men who have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, through his forgiveness of their sins and the shedding of his blood. They have acknowledged that Jesus Christ is Lord and believed he is who he said he was, while they were alive on earth. The book of life also contains a record of these men’s deeds, both good and bad, even though they are saved by the grace of God and Jesus Christ. In some cases, men will be rewarded for their faithful service and/or not lose any of the rewards that were set aside for them. Other saved men, however, might have some rewards withheld from them for something they did or didn’t do to benefit the kingdom of Christ. Only Christ knows what any of these rewards or withholdings are.  The Bible does indicate that Christ sets aside as many a 5 (five) various crowns for Christian overcomers depending on either what they had to endure while alive, or what they did for the benefit of Christ’s kingdom. In any event, these things are accounted for in the book of life. The most eternally important thing is to have your name “listed in” Christ’s book of life and to NOT have your name “blotted out of the book of life.” If you die and have not accepted Jesus Christ’s offer of salvation through the forgiveness of your sins by the shedding of his blood, your name is erased, removed or blotted out from his book of life. Jesus Christ is the author of life, and your name has to be in the book he authored in order to receive eternal life, receive the rewards he has set aside for you and to escape the lake of fire, also known as the “second death.”