Having come through a season celebrating the dead (Halloween, All Hallows Eve and the like) and that was focusing on the grave and inevitability of death. I found myself thinking about the understanding of eternal life I have as a believer and the hope that I/we, that have found life in Christ, have beyond the grave. The alternatives for choosing life and death have been with man from the beginning.
[Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17 NASB95] 8 The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. 9 Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. …
15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. 16 The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.“
Right in the midst of this beautiful garden were planted these two trees, one evidently holding life in its fruit, the other holding death.
Access to all trees, every tree, was freely given…. BUT the caveat of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was its fruit would bring death.
In Genesis 3 we see that man, in Eve, completely understood the truth of the commandment had been spoken by YHWH (LORD, the I AM, God who will be whatever He needs to be in order to be faithful covenant/love) Elohim (God, the creator), as she is confronted by the father of lies in the garden. Let us first note that all these trees God planted were pleasing to the sight and good for food (vs 2: 9). And then let us ask: Just what was the attraction that made one take and eat and harvest death?
[Genesis 3:1-6 NASB95] 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any (every) tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make [one] wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
The lie was not bound up in it being a delight to the eye or tasty for food. Eve indeed saw that, and that had already been established by God from the beginning. But, God had also declared its fruit held death. So, again, what was the attraction?
The father of lies said His (God’s) word is not true “You surely will not die” and that lie was enhanced with giving the tree’s fruit an attribute that was evidently irresistible to man/her: a wisdom to be God or, at least, very like Him. “ you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The scripture says “the woman saw” as God had intended “it was a delight to the eyes”, and what He did not say or intend “AND that it was desirable to make wise…” This attribute was patently obvious by its very name “the knowledge of good and evil”. But, buying the lie, and desiring to be God, she ignores that the knowledge inside the fruit also carried with it tasting death.
The interesting thing to consider is that in the full and free provision of the Garden was all that was needed to live well and eternally.
The tree of life was also there in the midst of the garden and accessible.
I have shared with many before that both trees in the midst were accessible, but only this one carried with it a command with consequence. “you shall not eat,… for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.“ Concerning the tree of life He gave no command, beyond that of all the other trees of the garden:“From any tree of the garden you may eat freely.” I believe that to be the case because the perfect cannot be commanded.
He, God, was not looking for children who would come to Him only under the command of “Because, I said so!”, but children who would seek Him, be drawn to Him, and obey Him with submission gained by love. In the tree of life, a type of Christ I think, was all that we needed pertaining to life eternal and Godliness; being like Him eternal in being and alive in Him without fear of death.
It is an enigma, and somewhat (a great deal) ironic, that in the temptation and resulting drive/desire to be like God and have all knowledge, initiated by the lie, we paid a price that cost us what we desired. By bringing sin by disobedience to His word/truth and its penalty, death, with it to ourselves, the result made us absolutely nothing like a living and eternal God.
The lie was established in “You surely will not die!” However, there was some truth in the serpent’s statement “you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” But, that enhancement of the initial lie with a bit of truth held no life in it, and certainly no blessing. In fact, it might be said that the desire aroused in seeing that fruit as desirable, in the quest to have the knowledge of good and evil outside of God’s purpose, has driven men to all kinds of hatred and depravity in a search to be wise in their own eyes and to be god unto themselves.
God in omniscience knew this and made provision, truly out of love and in mercy, to protect us from ourselves then guarded (not blocked) the way to the tree of life in the garden. (Guarded, because He would later restore full access, as we shall see.)
[Genesis 3:22-24 NASB95] 22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever“– 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.
Romans 1 gives us a clearer picture of what functioning in a fallen state driven by a desire to be wise in our own eyes, designing and fashioning our own god(s), and by the knowledge of evil and lust for what we call, or mistakenly define, as life is like.
[Romans 1:18-25 NASB95] 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
I have offered only these verses from Romans 1, but I suggest you also peruse verses 26-32 for a very accurate description of our time and culture today that is described there by the suppression of the truth in unrighteousness.
This passage is pertinent. Adam and Eve knew the truth, but suppressed it. God had made Himself known and evident to them. But knowing Him, they still became futile in the speculation about who they could be and what they could know and do. Professing and desiring to be wise they became fools and exchanged the glory of God in the tree of life for what was offered in the lie regarding knowledge and being like God. And, although this passage outlines the worship of idols in wood and stone which men today may not prostrate themselves before literally. They still worship the gods represented and embodied in those idols seeking sex, wealth, power, more knowledge, their intellect, and making themselves god (again see Romans 1:26-32), and would clone themselves into immortality if they could. In fact they are trying in many ways to do just that.
Lest we dwell only on the tree that brought death, let us turn back to the tree of life (pun intended)!
The tree of life was available from the beginning there in the garden. I believe/think the Lord’s desire was for man to come to it all along. But, He was not going to force or command him to do so. Again, the perfect cannot be commanded or forced. It is chosen from love, and submission, in His Kingdom, is gained by love. He draws us to Himself, He does not force us to love Him. To the degree you see/comprehend, understand the fullness of God’s love in Christ Jesus, to that same degree will you submit/bow the knee to His Lordship. That principle was working in the garden and still is. If man had but come to the tree of life He would have found fullness of life and provision in intimate ongoing fellowship with God the Father right there. Obviously its fruit held not just life, but life eternal. The tree of life was not blocked, but guarded, after the fall. Guarded so that, by His mercy, we might still find life eternal in the midst or His paradise and provision, in His fellowship, rather than in a fallen state enduring evil forever that would separate us from Him. Jesus is the tree of life! He was that tree in the garden that makes eternal life in intimate and ongoing fellowship with the Father, and full provision in Him, available. By God’s mercy the tree Jesus died and shed His blood upon took away sin, death, and evil, that we might have life, and have life abundantly without evil, sin, and death in the world.
Peter encourages us in Jesus’ provision of all we need pertaining to life and godliness being in Him. And, that provision has lifted us out of the corruption that came into the world by our lust, if you will, for knowledge and to be like Him through our own devices. In Jesus we become, finally, partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption of the knowledge of good and evil, by and through the knowledge of Him. Knowledge that He alone reveals and draws us to by love.
[2Peter 1:2-4 NASB95] 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust..
Oh how glorious was, and is, the plan of God to restore to us the tree of life in Jesus. And, by feeding on Him, to give us eternal life and make us “partakers” of His divine nature.
To the church of Ephesus the Lord spoke in John’s Revelation of Jesus Christ that He knew of their work and perseverance/faithfulness and they did not tolerate evil men. But He chided them for leaving their first love. Then the Tree of Life shows up in Revelation for the first of several mentions.
It was in Genesis, it is in John’s Revelation of Jesus Christ as well:
[Revelation 2:7 NASB95] 7 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’
Notice that to those who overcome (in Jesus ) He will grant access to eat of the tree of life! The guard is removed and access to eat from the tree of life is restored! And, note it is restored in the Paradise of God. A place of comfort, beauty, pure intimate ongoing fellowship, and provision and without evil or death. The restoration of creation, the restoration of all things in the tree of life.
Again, in Revelation, at the very end of the book the tree of life makes several appearances as the revelation of the restoration of relationship of God with His redeemed and beloved is outlined. Revelation describes the Bride of the Lamb (the redeemed) as a beautiful city the New Jerusalem: [Revelation 21:9-11 NASB95] 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
And in Revelation 22 the tree of life is again integral in this restoration, and the fellowship the saints enjoy from it, and drawing near the throne and presence of He that loves us and has redeemed us in His purpose.
[Revelation 22:1-5 NASB95] 1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve [kinds of] fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; 4 they will see His face, and His name [will be] on their foreheads. 5 And there will no longer be [any] night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
In verse 14 we see the tree of life, again unguarded, and that having the right/authority to access it also brings access to the city itself. You may enter the gates of the city to be inhabitants in His presence without guilt, or shame, but in the fullness of His redeeming and restorative love. Those without righteousness robes in Christ have no access. He is the tree of life and the key to access to inhabiting and being comfortable in the city of God’s glory and presence.
[Revelation 22:14-15 NASB95] 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
Finally the Revelation of Jesus Christ ends with a warning about misleading anyone through taking away anything in this revelation. But, the good news implied here is that access to the tree of life is available, as is the holy city at the invitation of the Spirit and the Bride say “Come!”
[Revelation 22:17-19 NASB95] 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. 18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.
Jesus is the tree of life in Genesis, Jesus is the tree of life in Revelation. Access to the tree of life is restored in Him. Come and dine with Him. In fact, dine on Him and find full provision for life and godliness, and restoration of fellowship with the Father. Become partakers of the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world, which drove and still drives us out of the garden. Eternal life is in eating the fruit of the tree of life and it provides the way to restoration to walking on the fullness of His presence and provision in His purpose in Jesus.
Also for consideration if you care to:
Mixing metaphors a bit here. But, John 6 outlines that eternal life comes from eating the fruit from the tree of life… that is Jesus. As I said, I believe that was always God’s desire from the garden. It is not found in that which looks desirable to make one wise and be like God, and by trusting your own understanding and effort. That comes for the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that bears death.
[John 6:46-48, 50-58 NASB95] 46 “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 “I am the bread of life. …
50 “This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” 52 Then the Jews [began] to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us [His] flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”