How to access the Tree of Life

God has given two trees specifically to Man in the Garden of Eden – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. God explicitly told Adam to be away from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but did not forbid the man to eat from the Tree of Life. God always wanted the man to have eternal life and eternal fellowship with Him.

Genesis 2:9 reads: The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (The emphasis is mine.)

Life or Death?

In the order of priority, God gave priority to the tree of life by mentioning it first among the two named trees in the Garden. It is also clearly specified that both the trees were in the middle of the Garden. So it is not the case that one of easy to access and the other was difficult. God provided both the options together. It was as easy to pick the fruit from the tree of life as it was from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:16-17 reads,

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

God allowed the man to eat from any tree in the Garden including the Tree of Life. The only tree that was prohibited was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. However, the first Man made the wrong choice, and we are all inheriting that fallen nature from Adam.

Access to the Tree of Life Restricted

Due to man’s disobedience in eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God has removed the access to the tree of life as noted in Genesis 3:22-24.

Genesis 3:22-24 reads,

And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

God removed the man from the Garden of Eden and placed cherubim (angels) to protect the tree of life.

If the man had chosen the tree of life, God would have placed the cherubim against the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to protect man, who would have had received the gift of eternal life that God always intended for man. Man would have lived eternally in God’s fellowship in the Garden of Eden if he had made the right choice.

Eternal Life Made Simpler

Instead of choosing the blessing of eternal life, man chose the curse of Death for which God forewarned him. The option of picking eternal life was as simple as the option of the “curse of death” that man opted. Eternal life for the man was just an arms-length away. He had to stretch for it.

In spite of man’s disobedience and utter disregard for God’s commands, God made access to enteral life even more straightforward for the Man. In the Garden of Eden, he had to do something to get his hands on the fruit of the tree of life. Now, man has to accept the Gift of God provided through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for all of us in his heart. Now getting salvation is even simpler than it was in the Garden of Eden.

Eternal Life is made simple for Man, but God had to pay a big price for it.

1 Peter 2:18-20 reads,

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.”

As noted in the above passage in 1 Peter, God did not decide to send His Son for us as an afterthought of man’s disobedience. Jesus was chosen to suffer for us before the creation of the world if the man picked the wrong path.

Access to the Tree of Life Restored

The tree of life is in the middle of the new heaven planted by each side of the river that is flowing from the throne of God.

Rev 22:1-3 reads,

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

Rev 2:7 reads,

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

There is only one way provided to us by which we can have access back to the Tree of Life which was restricted by God in Genesis 3:22.

The victory referred in Rev 2:7 comes through Jesus. Victory over sin and death.

1 Cor 15:54-57 reads,

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

 “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 4:11-12 reads,

Jesus is “’the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

What is your decision today?

All of us need to make a choice. Adam chose the curse instead of a blessing. Today, you also have a decision to make. What will you choose today? Choose Jesus. Choose Life – Eternal Life.

Proverbs 11:30 reads,

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.

Our righteousness does not come from our actions but through faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:6 reads,

So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
See also: Romans 4:3 and James 2:23.

The decision you make today has eternal consequences. Choose wisely.

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