WHATEVER HAPPENED TO

THE TREE OF LIFE

?

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life^G2222; and man became a living^G2198 soul" (Genesis 2:7). "And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life^G2222 also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil" (Genesis 2:9).

Trees of creation have always been of benefit of mankind. For one thing, they are complementary in their respective respirations.ⁱ Man needs oxygen in breathing. Carbon dioxide is produced as a byproduct. Similarly the production of oxygen is a byproduct of trees. While its leaves take in light energy and carbon dioxide, extra oxygen is produced and released. They hence are complementary in the exchange of the gases of life. The tree uses carbon dioxide which is expelled by man but in turn "breathes out" oxygen which is needed by man.ⁱⁱ

In "God's garden" prepared for the first man and first woman were multiple trees.ⁱⁱⁱ We often are reminded of two special trees in the garden but there were many kinds of magnificent and beautiful trees that were a joy to behold. And they were for the man. There were cedars, firs, and chestnuts.^iv Spreading branches with tops into the sky. Fowls lodged in their branches; beasts rested in their shade and would sucker their young under them. The waters in the garden nourished the trees and made them great. We deduce this from the allegories^v and imageries used by the prophet Ezekiel (28:13; 31:8, 9, 16, 18). Ezekiel compared the demise of the great powers of Tyre, Assyria, and Egypt^vi to that of the demise of the trees in God's garden .

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TREES? These trees are no more. "To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou [Egypt] be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth" (Ezekiel 31:18a).^vii They have "all" descended into the sheol of the earth and the "nether parts" of the earth "into the pit": the analagous nations have because of their excesses and pride; the garden of trees because their caretakers were expelled from its midst because of their sin which also included pride.^viii

THE TREE OF LIFE. Life: Initially, this tree was available to man and woman without obstruction. It was in the middle^ix of the garden. According to its name it was to support and continue the "life" which had been imparted to them.^x But after they sinned they were cast out of the garden and prevented access to this tree. Why? "... lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever" (Genesis 3:22b). This tree then was to sustain the life created by God in man. "Lest they eat of the tree of life and live forever." It was called a "tree of immortality" by Sirach^xi The conclusion is that if Adam and Eve had eaten of the tree of life, they would have lived forever. Sadly, this was not to be realized since in reality access was contingent upon man obeying God's Law: the one concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

IN THE DAY YOU SHALL DIE. God warned, in the day that you eat of the forbidden fruit, you shall die. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:17). But did God mean that the man would die in that same day that he disobeyed and ate of it? There are those that delight in trying to imagine, as it were, contradictions in Genesis 1-3. This is one of them. The point that God made was that man would be banished and restricted from the one fruit that would feed his continuing life in the day he might eat that fruit; consequently, his death was inevitable. The Hebrew is מוּת, מוּת, literally, you shall "die, die", a Hebrew repetition that means "you shall surely die." And that's what happened. The Greek translation (LXX) is " θανατω^G2288 αποθανεισθε^G599"; i.e., "dying, you shall die."

DEATH REIGNS. Initially, all mankind did die but not for centuries. That is, all except for those murdered and the faithful Enoch who it is said "walked with God" so God "took him" (Genesis 5:24). There is currently a theory by a scientist^xii in silicon valley that technology could eventually be developed so that a man could live a thousand years. Man did initially survive for centuries without the trees of the garden. But the technology visualized would indeed have to emulate the pristine environment along with undoubtedly similar healthful and medicinal (therapy, Ezekiel 47:12 ) tree foods.^xiii

PREDICTION OF TREES. Centuries before Jesus is born, the prophet Ezekiel (47:12) predicts trees similar to Eden nurtured by the river coming from the heavenly sanctuary — "And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat [food], whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat [food], and the leaf thereof for medicine [therapy]."^xiv Later, the Scriptures will identify this scenario^xv as in the resurrection.

WHAT IS LIKE THE TREE OF LIFE? Meanwhile, throughout history there has been an intervening^xvi alternative for the tree of life; it has to do with obeying God's directions. It is called the "tree of life." For example, "wisdom [from God] is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her" (Proverbs 3:18); "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30). Where comes the "wisdom" referred to? "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6). It is the inspired wisdom from God.

WISDOM APPLIED IS A TREE OF LIFE. The wisdom applied in one's life is a "tree of life." "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit" (Proverbs 15:4). Apparently, Jesus summed it up to the Tempter, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Hence, the inspired word that God sent to us by His Spirit sustains us in lieu of the fruit of the garden's "tree of life" (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

THE WORD OF GOD: A TREE OF LIFE. Finally, Jesus is the epitome of God's Word (John 1:1-3) AND He is the fulfilling tree of life for fallen man. "... when the desire cometh [hope realized], it is a tree of life. Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death" (Proverbs 13:12b-14).

JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD. Consequently, He is the refreshing food of life, God's Tree of Life. He is the bread^xvii of life. "For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life^G2222 unto the world" (John 6:33). "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). Just as the tree of life gave food Jesus says "I am that bread of life" (John 6:48). "I am the living^G2198 bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John 6:51).

JESUS: ETERNAL LIFE; UNDERSTANDING. "(For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)" (1 John 1:2). "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 John 5:20).

HEAVENLY PARADISE IS PREPARED. Jesus' offer of life to the churches is, "Behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death (thanatos) and of Hades [grave]".^xviii He promises that those with their names in the book of life (Revelation 21:27) will be able to eat of the sustaining tree of life that He has in the middle of His paradise prepared for us (Revelation 2:7) also called "the holy Jerusalem in heaven" (Revelation 12:22; 21:10). Again, just like in the garden of Eden, in the middle of its street is our tree of life. It is on either side of the river of life, that is flowing from God's throne [not 'beside' it] (Revelation 22:2, 3). Its monthly food and leaves are for healing (Greek, therapy^G2322).

MEANWHILE. Look at what Christians are approaching. As Christians then we are "come towards" (Hebrews 12:22-24): that is, we have "approached, that is, (literally) come near, visite, or worship, assent to."^xix Our decision to follow Christ means we are approaching not the Mt. Sinai of Moses, but spiritual Mount Sion, Heavenly Jerusalem, where the Judge is along with a host of angels, the whole general assembly and the church of the firstborn whose names are written and who are congregated; i.e., to spirits of just men perfected, with Jesus there as our Mediator and Benefactor of the Tree of Life.

"Blessed are they that do His (Jesus') commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life" (Revelation 22:14a).

-- Gaylon West

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