The Tree of Life

IN THE MIDDLE OF ITS STREET WAS THE TREE OF LIFE. Revelation 22:2.

The ‘tree of life’ is a mystery to all of us. However, it is good to know what the Bible teaches about the ‘tree of life.” We see it first in the centre of the Garden of Eden. It was one of the two trees in the middle of the garden, the other being ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil’. The LORD told Adam and Eve that they were not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge and that the day they ate it they would die! It will forever be a mystery and a wonder why Adam and Eve didn’t go first for the fruit of the tree of life which would have given them the privilege to live forever! It was not forbidden. Instead they ate of ‘the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil!’

Aren’t we all like our first parents, always wanting to eat the forbidden fruit (or do the forbidden thing)? How true the saying, ‘the forbidden fruit tastes sweeter to our natural sinful senses!’ But, beware, ‘sin is crouching at our doorstep’ when we disobey any of God’s laws.

Back to Adam and Eve, maybe God didn’t want them to eat the fruit of the tree of life first because he foreknew that they would go for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil anyway! In His mercy God didn’t want sinners to live forever in their sinful state increasing the judgment on them. So the Lord drove them out of the garden and set the cherubims to guard the tree of life and stop them from eating of it and living forever.

We read again about the tree of life in the book of Revelation. It grows on either side of the river of life which flows from the throne of God and the Lamb. It will bear a different fruit each month and its leaves are for the healing of the nations (Rev 22.2). Whether we eat of the tree of life or not, we will live forever!

We possess eternal life through THE FRUIT OF ‘ANOTHER TREE!’ Let us turn our attention to this ‘OTHER TREE’. For all of us sinners, the children of Adam, God in His love, mercy and grace has provided ‘A TREE ON MOUNT CALVARY!’ The apostle Peter says, “JESUS HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;” (1 Pe 2.24).

The way to THIS TREE is always open and you and I are invited by God to come to it and be saved and blessed! Have you been to the TREE OF CALVARY WHERE CHRIST JESUS BORE YOUR SIN AND DIED THAT YOU MIGHT BE FORGIVEN AND RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE? If you haven’t, I beg you by the mercy of God, RUN TO THAT TREE ON CALVARY – THE CROSS OF CHRIST!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, I thank You for the tree of life on Calvary on which the Lord Jesus bore my sins and died. Lord, forever lead me to the foot of the cross, to find forgiveness, eternal life and rest for my soul. Amen.