u/JubilantCapybara

The tree of life first shows up in the garden of Eden in Genesis 2:9:

>And out of the ground Jehovah God caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, as well as the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Adam and Eve then proceed to NOT eat the tree of life; instead they eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and get booted from the garden of Eden. The way to the tree of life was consequently closed, as seen in Genesis 3:24:

>So He drove the man out, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

After that, there's no direct mention of this tree of life until you get to the last book of the Bible, in Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14, and 19. Revelation 2:7 says,

>He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.

What happened after the fall of Adam and Eve and how do we get back to the tree of life? A few footnotes from the Recovery Version are so helpful in understanding what the tree of life is and what God's intention for us is:

>[God] place[d] the created man in front of the tree of life, which signifies the Triune God embodied in Christ as life to man in the form of food. God’s placing man in front of the tree of life indicates that God wanted man to receive Him as man’s life by eating Him organically and assimilating Him metabolically, that God might become the very constituent of man’s being. According to John 1:1, 4, life is in the Word, who is God Himself. This life—the divine, eternal, uncreated life of God—is Christ (John 11:25; 14:6; Col. 3:4a), who is the embodiment of God (Col. 2:9). The tree of life grows along the two sides of the river of water of life (Rev. 22:1-2), indicating that it is a vine. Since Christ is a vine tree (John 15:1) and is also life, He is the tree of life. He was processed through incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection that man might have life and live by eating Him (John 10:10b; 6:51, 57, 63). (Footnote 2 of Genesis 2:9)

>God’s original intention was that man should eat of the tree of life (Gen. 2:9, 16). Because of the fall, the way to the tree of life was closed to man (Gen. 3:22-24). Through the redemption of Christ, the way by which man could touch the tree of life, which is God Himself in Christ as life to man, was opened again (Heb. 10:19-20). (Footnote 6 of Revelation 2:7)

Christ is life, Christ is the tree, Christ is food—Christ is the tree of life for us to eat, partake of, and enjoy today! The way is opened for us to once again come forward to eat of Him! In eternity, God's redeemed and regenerated ones will enjoy Him as the tree of life as our eternal portion (Rev. 22:2).

These feelings are the sense of death (Rom. 8:6) and in ourselves, we have no way to deal with death and are often overcome by it. But Christ has the keys of death and of Hades! He became dead and lived again! (Rev. 1:18) Here some more encouraging verses I enjoyed from the Recovery Version:

• Hebrews 2:14-15 "Since therefore the children have shared in blood and flesh, He also Himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death He might destroy him who has the might of death, that is, the devil, and might release those who because of the fear of death through all their life were held in slavery."
• 2 Timothy 1:10 "But now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who nullified death and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel."
• Acts 2:24 "Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pangs of death, since it was not possible for Him to be held by it."
• 1 Corinthians 15:26 "Death, the last enemy, is being abolished."
• 1 Corinthians 15:54 "And when this corruptible will put on incorruption and this mortal will put on immortality, then the word which is written will come to pass, 'Death has been swallowed up unto victory.'"

As Christians we have this living One in us, and we can claim these divine facts whenever we feel the effects of death encroaching upon us!

First Thessalonians 1:9 says, "How you turned to God from the idols to serve a living and true God." I read this footnote from 1 Thessalonians 1:9 this morning:

>The living and true God is in contrast to the dead and false idols. God must be living and true to us and in us in our daily life, so that our present living will testify that the God whom we serve is living and true.

This made me pause and consider, is God real in my daily living? Do I contact God as I'm doing ordinary things, during my commute, as I'm cooking dinner, etc? If someone were to observe me, would they see that God is living and true? Or is He the same as a dead idol to me? This footnote encouraged me to pray today, "Lord, I want to spend this day with You. Remind me you're in my spirit all the time."