Tree Of Life – Still There!
Revelation 2:7 – ‘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.’
Revelation 22:1-2 – ‘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.’
In John’s Revelation vision, right in the middle of the heavenly city is – THE TREE. The same tree that stood in the first paradise that was Eden. It symbolised for God’s first children Adam and Eve, the full, complete, everlasting, joyful, adventurous communion that he intended they would have with him. And they rejected it for the forbidden tree and the delusion that eating from it would make them equal with God. What a human tragedy!
But because of Jesus, there is a second chance to enjoy the ‘Tree of (everlasting) life. What a divine relief!
Notice that the Tree in the vision of Paradise bears different crops and fruits every month – constant growth and productivity.
What’s your idea of ‘Heaven to come’? Of everlasting life with God? When I was little I made myself giddy thinking of ever and ever and ….ever and … ever …and … it felt horrid! And then there was that popular image of spending ‘for ever’ doing nothing but singing and playing a musical instrument – and I’m no good at either.
The Tree of Life tells us our future life in Christ, the other side of death will be ever-changing, ever-productive, totally satisfying, the life God intended for Adam and Eve – Paradise Restored!
In Rev 20:6 we read that God’s saints will one day ‘reign with Christ.’
And I don’t think that’s just the chosen few. I think that’s all of us. ‘Reign’ is an ACTIVE word, denoting activity, purpose, responsibility. Not sitting round in some heavenly garden watching the grass grow! Though there may be a bit of that as well!
Jesus is the Tree of Life – the Way, the Truth, The Life. We get to partner him now in this life, sharing with him the responsibility for building his kingdom.
Oh but there is so so much more- and better - to come!
Prayer – May the vision of future glory transform my life TODAY!