TLF,
Yes I do believe mary is the mother of God but she is not the Tree of life spoken about in Revelations. You asked me about tense. lets took at the verse in context:
Revelation
Chapter 221 Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water,
1 sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of its street. On either side of the river grew the tree of life
2 that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations. 3
Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb
will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They
will look upon his face,
3 and his name
will be on their foreheads. 5
Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. 6
4 And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true, and the Lord, the God of prophetic spirits, sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon." 7 5 "Behold, I am coming soon." 6 Blessed is the one who keeps the prophetic message of this book. 8 It is I, John, who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw them I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Don't! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers the prophets and of those who keep the message of this book. Worship God." 10 Then he said to me,
"Do not seal up the prophetic words of this book, for the appointed time 7 is near. 11 Let the wicked still act wickedly, and the filthy still be filthy. The righteous must still do right, and the holy still be holy." 12
"Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
8 14 Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to the tree of life and enter the city
9 through its gates. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the unchaste, the murderers, the idol-worshipers, and all who love and practice deceit. 16 "I, Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the root and offspring of David,
10 the bright morning star." 17 The Spirit and the bride
11 say, "Come." Let the hearer say, "Come." Let the one who thirsts come forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water. 18 I warn everyone who hears the prophetic words in this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words in this
prophetic book, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city described in this book. 20
12 The one who gives this testimony says,
"Yes, I am coming soon." Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.
The book of revelations is a
prophetic book as John clearly says in verse 19. It is a book about the future. This is what the word "prophetic" means. In revelation 4 the angel says "Come I will show you the things that are to take place." Actually what this chapter is talking about is the new Jerusalem which comes down out of Heaven as a bride prepared for her husband. Look up the previous chapter. It talks about God wiping every tear from our eyes so this is clearly talking about the future. As I already pointed out to Monica, which I'm waiting for her to address, there wil be no need for mary's intercession. We will not need to go to mary to bring us to Jesus That's why she can't be the tree of life in revelations. people will be comeing directly to Christ.There is no need for mary to "support" or "Bear" Christ because the fulness of Jesus is there.
Now THAT is the truth. Now whose picking and choosing what to believe?