The Tree of Life

https://odb.org/MY/2022/12/27/beating-as-one

Allow me to point out a few interesting facts about today’s Scripture reading at Genesis 1:1, 27-31 for some of us who may not be aware. The first thing is that the Bible starts at Genesis 1:1 with the creation of the present world but ends at Revelation 21 and 22 with the end of the present world to the start of a new world of the new heaven and earth with the tree of life freely available again to the blessed ones of the Lord.

Thus, the Bible is essentially the story of God creating man in His image to have dominion over the creatures of the earth, but the fall of man led to his banishment out of Eden. Without access to the tree of life came mortality to the human body, but nevertheless, the spirit and soul live on in God after man dies. God then sent Jesus, a man given birth by a woman but not of a seed of another man but of the Holy Spirit and thus was sinless, and He saved mankind from eternal damnation by dying on the cross for our sins. Therefore, when we reach the coming era of Revelation 21-22, we will then have the eternal life as God had originally planned for us at Eden, the time when God will once again live amongst His people and creation. But note that not all have the privilege and right to enter the gate of the city and access the tree of life – see what was written in Revelation 22:15.

The other interesting fact is that living creatures were originally created with plants as food for the animals, including man. Thus, there was no need to shed blood and kill to live. Life was too precious for anyone to kill just to survive and live on. If we read on at Genesis, we will discover that the first animals killed by the LORD were to provide covering for Adam and Eve, who felt ashamed by their nakedness after they had sinned for the first time. After mankind’s first sin, God required the shedding of the blood of an unblemished animal (lamb or ram) to atone for their sins as set forth in Mosaic law which was ultimately fulfilled once and for all by Jesus Christ, the sinless son of man and son of God. This paved the way for the redemption and reconciliation of man and God, which one day will culminate in the new world as revealed in Revelation 21 and 22.

The right and privilege to enter the gates of the new city of God and access the tree of life is only given to the blessed ones of the Lord. We don’t want to be those left outside the gates, unable to enter the new city but are left at the place where there are eternal flames and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus had declared before and is declaring again even this morning – “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 14:16, John 11:25-26).

As we close 2022 and enter into the new year, don’t ever lose sight of where we are heading and where we will be one day in the Lord! Even though we expect 2023 to be a challenging year, we know where we will be one day if we hold on to God all the way!