Tree of Life
People have wondered what fruit was on the tree of life, from the beginning of time,
some say it was an apple, others say it was a fig, because they sewed fig leaves
together to cover themselves. The Bible begins and ends with a paradise in the midst
of which is a tree of life. Let’s use the Bible to describe the tree of life.
The tree of life, the tree in the Garden of Eden that bestowed continuing life. God
intended the tree of life to provide Adam and Eve with a symbol of life in fellowship with
and dependence on God, life in the fullness of its physical and spiritual dimensions,
the enrichment of life in various ways.
Before Adam and Eve sinned, they had free access to the tree of life (Genesis 2:9).
God told Adam, he could eat of every tree in the garden, except the tree of knowledge,
so you see God wanted Adam to eat of the tree of life. After their act of rebellion, two
Cherubim guarded the way to its fruit (Genesis 3:11,12,22,24). Adam and Eve’s
inability to eat from the tree of life after their sin showed that they failed to gain
immortality, or eternal life. Because of their sin, they were subject to death and dying.
If they would have eaten from the tree of life after their sin, there could not have been
redemption. They would have been stuck in that state forever. So we can see God’s
love for them, by His driving them out of the Garden. The way to the tree of life, which
was closed in Genesis 3, is open again for God’s believing people. This was made
possible by the last Adam, Jesus Christ, those who have washed their robes in the
blood of Christ and have sought forgiveness of their sin through the redemptive work
of Christ, receive the right to the tree of life, but the disobedient will have no access to
it. Jesus declared in John 6:53 “verily, verily, I say to you, except you eat the flesh of
the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” Jesus Christ, the last
Adam; who offers eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16; I John 5:11-12).
The Bible does describe the fruit of the tree of life. In Proverbs 3:18 reveals that
wisdom is it’s fruit; remember that the fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom. Proverbs 11:30 says “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that
wins souls is wise”. In Galatians 5:22-23 tells us the fruit we should be bearing; “but
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.
Meekness, temperance; against such there is no law”. Proverbs 13:12 says “hope
deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life”. The
devil always uses his delaying tricks to get you to give up of your visions and dreams,
but the Bible tells us in Habakkuk 2:2-3 “And the Lord answered me, and said, write
the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that read it. For the vision is
yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; thought it tarry, wait
for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” In Proverbs 15:4 we see that “a
wholesome tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit”.
A wholesome tongue is as Jesus said in John 8:38 “I speak that which I have seen with
My Father”. This goes along with Proverbs 18;20:21 “a man’s belly shall be satisfied
with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and
life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”.
Jesus says it like this Matthews 12:33-37; He tells us that our words will judge us. In
Revelation 2:7 we are warned us to be over comers “he that has an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit says to the churches; to him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree
of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” In Revelation 22:2 describes that
the fruit is for healing “in the midst of the street on it, and on either side of the river,
was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit
every month, and the leaves of the tree, were for the healing of the nations.” In
Revelation 22:14 we are told who will have the rights to the tree of life. It says
“Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of
life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”
Let’s summaries it’s fruits: Wisdom, the fruit of the righteous, a wholesome tongue,
hope, healing. This fruit is for, over comers, those who keep His commandments.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: June 23, 2006