Tag Archives: Revelations 22: 2

Tree of Knowledge – The Tree They Could Eat

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The other tree, the one they could eat, that is specifically mentioned in Genesis is the Tree of Life.  I have always thought in interesting that Adam and Eve were not forbidden to eat of the tree of life!  So, of course, the serpent did not tempt them on that one.  If we skip to the end of the Bible we find out that the Tree produces twelve crops and the leaves are for healing the nations. 

Some comparing and contrasting is in order here.  In Genesis the Tree of Life is mentioned three times, in Revelations it is referenced four times (but three thoughts), in Proverbs, it is mentioned four times, and has a possible reference in Ezekiel 47: 12.  A look at its physical location is also important.

Genesis: 2:9 – the tree’s physical location, at the center of Adam and Eve’s world (the Garden).  It is connected with a river that waters the whole earth. 

            3:22 – the command to not eat of the Tree of Life and live forever.

            3:24 – the way “back” was blocked/guarded. 

Thoughts – 1. Would eternal life have been passed on to their children?  2. It would have been horrible to live on and see all of the sins they allowed into the world.

Revelations: 2:7 – “overcomers” get to eat of the Tree.

22:2 – Its location by the River of Life on the main street in the City.  This location and river are in Ezekiel 47:12 and Zechariah 14:8. This also mentions the leaves being for healing, as does Ezekiel.

22:14 – repeats who may eat of the Tree.  Overcomers and those who “washed their robes” may be similar ideas.  This stands in contrast to Genesis 3:22 where the ability to eat of the tree is blocked.

22:19 – This is a way to be blocked from eating the fruit or leaves.  If you use the KJV the Tree is not in this verse it is a book. I do not have a great reason why it is a book, except that “paper” is from trees.  The KJV is the only translation I found that uses “book”.

Thoughts – 22:2 mentions twelve crops.  Some translations use twelve fruits.  The Vulgate has twelve fruits of the Spirit instead of nine.  My best feeling on this is it shows God’s continuous provision.  Artists, in some renditions, will also put twelve trees along the river.  I will wait to see it for myself. 

Proverbs: 3:18 – Wisdom is a tree of life.  Jews will use this to represent the Torah.

11:30 – the fruit or things the righteous do are a tree of life.   

13:12 – longings fulfilled are a tree of life.  

15:4 – a soothing tongue is a tree of life.  

Thoughts – I am viewing these four as “Leaves” on the tree of life.  

Reflections On The Resurrection #2

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In the Resurrection what kind of body will we have? (1 Corinthians 15:35 NIV)

I have read this passage numerous times and never thought about it much until I read Chapter 16 in the C.S. Lewis’ book Miracles.  The Apostle Paul presents a clear argument that the body we now have will be changed when the trumpet sounds  (15: 51).  Lewis adds to Paul’s discourse by talking about Jesus after He came out of the tomb on Easter morning.  Mary and the other women did not recognize Jesus and thought He was a gardener until He called her by name.  The two disciples on the road to Emmaus walked with Him several hours and had their “hearts burning” as He spoke but did not recognize Him until Jesus blessed and broke bread.  The disciples at the Feast of Unleavened Bread meal thought He was a ghost even though He showed them scars and ate something.  Finally, Peter did not recognize Him when He was telling them about the fish until John told him “It is the Lord!” (John 21: 7)  A connection between all of these is that He had a changed physical body but retained His mannerisms: how He said, “Mary”, how He blessed a meal, and physical scars that were completely healed.  The accounts repeatedly tell of Him having a physical body or doing something that required a physical body.  The women held on to His feet, He could break bread, and He ate fish.

The_Resurrection016The earthly body that was sown as “seed” so He could become the “Firstfruit” on Easter was changed; it had a new “splendor.”  He had a “spiritual body” that was an improved version of His old one.  This sort of change is foretold in Daniel 12: 2+3 where Daniel talks about those who will “sleep in the dust” but “will shine like the brightness of the heavens.”

It also seems that He received new abilities with the new body.  He broke the bread in Emmaus and then disappeared (Luke 24: 31) and He “stood among them” twice in a locked room in John 20.  In Philippians 3: 10 – 11 Paul talks about the “power” that comes with the Resurrection.

Jesus physically returning as the Firstfruit and showing Himself to the disciples as foreshadowed in the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Weeks let them know that there was a new power waiting for them.  After all, in John 11 Lazarus was raised from the dead as one of the Seven Miracles that were presented to prove Jesus’ divinity but his body was just brought back to life, no change was mentioned.

The Resurrection/new body is tied in with the tree of life from the Garden of Eden the references for this tree are Genesis 3: 22, Proverbs 11: 30, and Revelations 22: 2.  Adam and Eve missed the chance to have this change here on earth because they ate the wrong fruit but Jesus after missing several meals on Friday had a powerful snack before taking away the keys to Death and Hell from Satan and then showing Himself to everyone during the Resurrection.

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