The Tree of Life
Since the beginning, mankind has been tasked with a choice. To obey God and eat of the Tree of Life or disobey God and eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. As mankind, have we broken that cycle and become the new Eden God has intended for us to become?
In Genesis chapter one, we see that on the third day of creation God creates trees with seeds to reproduce themselves. In parallel, in the same chapter on day six we see that God creates humans with seeds to reproduce themselves. Trees would reproduce and be just fine without humans, but humans need trees to survive. The fruit of the trees produces basic nutrients humans need. This is both a physical and spiritual principle.
In Genesis chapter two, we see that God caused the garden to be full of trees. There were many different types of trees. In the garden, God has two trees that are different from the rest. One is of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the other the tree of Life. Those trees were prominently placed in the center of the garden. God commands Adam not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
In the next chapter, Genesis chapter 3, God had to cast Adam out of the garden for eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil so that Adam will not eat of the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life on its own was never forbidden to Adam, but because of the sin, God could not allow Adam to eat its fruit after disobeying and obtaining the knowledge of good and evil. God then placed cherubim at the entrance of the garden to guard the Tree of Life from Adam.
The Garden of Eden Symbolism in the Scriptures
Throughout Scripture, we see that trees and gardens are used in symbolic ways. In Exodus chapter three, Moses encounters a burning bush where the Lord has come to talk with Moses. The bush was called “S’neh.” This is a pun on the name of Sinai - a foreshadowing of the future mountain where the Lord will once again come to meet with Moses and His people.
The physical ground where the Lord’s presence exists at any moment is called holy ground—a holy place where our human physical ritual statuses must change for us to meet with the Lord. This is a picture of Eden. Just like the Tabernacle, the Temples, and even the New Jerusalem, all of them are pictures of Eden - God dwelling with His people. God is constantly setting the stage for new seed, a new people, a new creation, and ultimately a future Eden.
God Plants a New Eden-
In the book of 2 Samuel, chapter seven, we see that just like God had planted Adam in the garden, God was now planting a new people in a new foreshadowing of Eden, Jerusalem. Understanding this calling should bring hope for the Israelites through the prophets, a hope that a righteous seed will spring forth a new Tree of Life.
The prophet Isaiah also speaks to the tree imagery multiple times during Israel’s exile. In Isaiah chapter one he describes Jerusalem as an anti-Eden who has become a dying tree, one whose life has dried up.
But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. For they shall be ashamed of the oaks that you have desired; and you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen. For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water. Isaiah 1: 28-30
In chapter five Isaiah speaks of God purging and pruning Israel so that a small growth (remnant) might emerge.
In chapters eleven and fifty-three Isaiah speaks of a tender shoot, like a root that will come forth. This is the Messianic King.
In Isaiah chapter twenty-seven Isaiah speak of how those people will show fruit to the entire world.
The Book of Isaiah, chapters forty-four, sixty, and sixty-one all show a similar narrative: the imagery of a new Tree of Life.
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. 4 They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. Isaiah 44: 2b-4
Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified. Isaiah 60:21
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. Isaiah 61:11
The Tree of Life in the New Testament
Matthew, in chapter thirteen, uses parables about believers being like trees that produce fruit and how that fruit should bring life to those around us.
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:1-9
“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” Matthew 13:18-30
We see similar parables in the book of John in chapter fifteen.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:1-11
We also have the story of Messiah cursing the fig tree, a tree that is in bloom in the spring but has not produced fruit. Surely Messiah knew that a fig tree produced fruit in the fall. Yet He used the parable to symbolize how believers in Messiah should be a tree that produces fruit all the time. Messiah knew a fig tree wouldn’t produce fruit in the spring from an agricultural standpoint, but as a spiritual lesson, it would fit with the tree imagery for believers.
Messiah then enters the Temple. In a very prophetic sense, Messiah quotes the words from the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, and Micah to show the leadership that He was the Messianic King in the flesh. There are a lot of similarities between the people of the first century and us today in the twenty-first century. We too are awaiting the King. As believers in Messiah, we await the second coming, while the Israelites of the first century were awaiting His first coming.
Only a remnant in Israel at the time of Messiah’s first coming believed that He was who He said He was. Only a remnant chose to defy the religious leaders of that day to follow Yeshua and His teachings. Was Yeshua the Tree of Life sent to provide a way back to the garden?
The Tree of Life Dies on a Tree of Death
In the book of Luke chapter twenty-two, we see that Messiah desired to memorialize the exodus from slavery in Egypt with his disciples. At that meal, He foreshadowed a greater exodus that was to come, one that would provide a way back to the garden through His sacrifice.
After the meal, Yeshua went to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives to pray. This garden was filled with olive trees. It was here that we see Yeshua enter into His final test, a test that was no different from Adam’s in the garden. Would He choose to obey the calling that His Father had for Him or choose to save His flesh? We see that the test was so great that Messiah even tells Peter to watch and pray so that He would be willing to enter into this test because the flesh is weak.
In the book of Matthew chapter twenty-six we see Yeshua stated: “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup [the cup of the wrath of God as spoken of the prophets] to be taken away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Yeshua chose to drink the cup of wrath and go through with sacrificing His life for our sins as spoken of in Jeremiah for the world.
In John chapter nineteen we see the tree imagery again as John tells us of Yeshua carrying His tree of death to the place of the skull (Golgotha) to be crucified.
Luke’s writings in the book of Acts chapters five, ten, and thirteen all speak of hanging on a tree.
Deuteronomy chapter twenty-one tells us that anyone hung on a tree is cursed and he should be taken down the same day to not defile the land.
Peter tells us in the book of First Peter that Messiah carried our sins in His body as He hung on the tree. So that we might die to our sin, and that by His wounds that He suffered, we are healed.
In the vision to John in Revelation chapter twenty-two we are told about a river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb through the middle of the city, and on either side of it was the Tree of Life yielding twelve kinds of fruit every month. The leaves of these trees were healing for the nations.
On a hill named after a skull the Way, the Truth, and the Life was hung above the skull. The skull in the human body is the place of the brain where we think and we capture our knowledge—the place where we determine good and evil. Yet the Son of God in the center of the three crosses hung above in greater glory than our minds, our brains. The Son of God whom we invite to come to dwell in our hearts is the center of our lifeblood, just like God dwelling in the center of His people in the camp of the wilderness. On a tree of death, God gave us a way back to the garden and the Tree of Life.
The choice is still the same. There are two trees in front of us today and every day. The tree of our flesh knowing good and evil and the tree of doing what is right according to God’s statutes and commandments. It is that same fruit that our ancestors ate of and sentenced Messiah to death. Or the Tree of Life, one that knows not death, one that produces fruit at all times, one that the book of Galatians says we are to bear if we are to be called the Kingdom of God. A bad tree cannot produce good fruit and a good tree cannot produce bad fruit. We should be producing the fruit of Messiah, not the fruit of the flesh.
