The "Tree of Life"

[Numenor]

Brethren,

Could I have your thoughts on a certain matter?

Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"

What do you suppose the purpose was for a 'tree of life' in the Garden of Eden if man was never going to die anyway?

 

[Vance]

Yes, this has been asked, but I don't recall any good answer. Why the need for a tree which gives eternal life if Adam and Eve were already immortal before the Fall?

 

[Remus]

What do you suppose the purpose was for a 'tree of life' in the Garden of Eden if man was never going to die anyway?

I would say that it would be the same purpose as the 'tree of life' that is written about in Revelations 2:7, 22:2, and 22:19.

 

[SBG]

I would say that it would be the same purpose as the 'tree of life' that is written about in Revelations 2:7, 22:2, and 22:19.

That would be my response as well.

 

[Van]

If the Tree of Life represents that life, both spiritual and physical, comes from God, then as long as Adam and Eve remained in the Garden and "ate" from the Tree of Life, they would not perish but have eternal life. They were created, though, for a life cycle existence, with reproductive apparatus, just as all physical life. Since Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world, God knew that Adam would sin because there would be no need for a redeemer without the fall. Being banished from the Garden seems to parallel the fall, being spiritually separated from God.

 

[Numenor]

Thanks for your responses folks

I would say that it would be the same purpose as the 'tree of life' that is written about in Revelations 2:7, 22:2, and 22:19.

And what would you that the purpose of that tree was, considering the tree in Eden was in a pre-fall world?

Does this also mean that the tree in Eden was figurative or literal? (I am predisposed against taking things in Revelation literally because of the nature of the book itself, it was a dream after all)

grace and peace

 

[Vance]

Thanks for your responses folks



And what would you that the purpose of that tree was, considering the tree in Eden was in a pre-fall world?

Does this also mean that the tree in Eden was figurative or literal? (I am predisposed against taking things in Revelation literally because of the nature of the book itself, it was a dream after all)

grace and peace

That is a good point. Those YEC's who would presumably read Revelation as providing figurative language (not an actual demon, etc), should also treat the Tree of Life in that same text as non-literal if they claim any consistency. But then they would have to seriously consider that the SAME TREE in the Garden of Eden was equally non-literal. And that would lead to a consideration of a non-literal Garden, etc.

 

[Remus]

Thanks for your responses folks
And what would you that the purpose of that tree was, considering the tree in Eden was in a pre-fall world?

I’m not really sure. It has something to do with providing eternal life, but I’m not sure how the details would work out.

Does this also mean that the tree in Eden was figurative or literal? (I am predisposed against taking things in Revelation literally because of the nature of the book itself, it was a dream after all)

I believe it to be symbolic. I don’t believe that either tree was a literal tree.

 

[SBG]

The Tree could be both. By this I mean it could be a literal Tree, but the Tree itself doesn't provide Life. It is symbolic of providing Life, the Life that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

There is a connection between the Tree of Life and Communion, I believe.

 

[Steve Petersen]

The teachers of Israel taught that the Tree of Life is the Torah (Law):

Deu 32:46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. 47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

Though Proverbs is speaking of Wisdom in the following passage, the rabbis understood Wisdom to be a personification of the Torah:

Prov 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

 

[Remus]

There is a connection between the Tree of Life and Communion, I believe.

Now that's an interesting idea. I'm going to have to give this one some thought.

 

[Remus]

The teachers of Israel taught that the Tree of Life is the Torah (Law):

Another interesting idea. What did they teach about the Tree of Knowledge?

Also, welcome to the forums Steve.

 

[SBG]

Now that's an interesting idea. I'm going to have to give this one some thought.

Partaking of the Tree of Life is very much like partaking of Jesus Christ's body.

Both give eternal life. Jesus taught that we must partake of Him if we wish to have eternal life.

Just as the physical body itself does not give us life, but rather Jesus who does, so does the Tree not give life in and of itself, but God.

 

[Delta One]

Hi Numenor,

What do you suppose the purpose was for a 'tree of life' in the Garden of Eden if man was never going to die anyway?

You bring up a extremely good point! I'm impressed.

I had to sit here and think about it for a while before I could write my response. If we think about what the tree of life refers to in Revelation 22. I believe that by eating the fruit from the tree of life gives immortality like the angels that God cannot even kill. Notice, this isn't putting a limit on God's ability, by definition "immortality" means "can't be killed". This is similar to asking God to make a two sided triangle. It's one of those logical impossibilities that just theoretically and practically that can't exist by their very definition. If the angels could be killed by God, would He not have destroyed the devil and his minions there and then? I believe that this is why hell was created -- a place to torment the wicked for all eternity and is the natural effect of chosing a life without the life giver God (i.e. natural alternative if we move away from life is death).

That said, I certainly believe that Genesis should be taken literally and that Adam and Eve were inteded by God to live forever in their perfect sinless state. I believe that God was 100% upholding His whole creation, including Adam and Eve. Perhaps God, since He has forsight, saw that Adam and Eve would rebell against Him and as a result He didn't want them to be eternally separated from Him and thus they didn't eat the fruit from the tree of life. We read that after they sinned, God cursed the earth and He let some of His maintaining power "slip" to give us a taste of life without Him. This same maintaining power most likely, if I'm right, would have stopped Adam and Eve from totally aging and dying like what we do now.

I just thought that I'd throw a new idea into the works. I'd never thought of the tree of life before, so thanks for bringing it up!

God Bless,
Delta One.

 

[Jack101]

The teachers of Israel taught that the Tree of Life is the Torah (Law):

but the point is why would they need the law pre-fall???

 

[Steve Petersen]

but the point is why would they need the law pre-fall???

There was a Law before the Fall: You shall not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

 

[Numenor]

I would say that it would be the same purpose as the 'tree of life' that is written about in Revelations 2:7, 22:2, and 22:19.

And what would you that the purpose of that tree was, considering the tree in Eden was in a pre-fall world?

Bumped for someone who believes the tree of life was a literal tree to answer.

 

[Numenor]

^^
*bump*

 

[Numenor]

The Tree could be both. By this I mean it could be a literal Tree, but the Tree itself doesn't provide Life.

Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"

SBG, what you said doesn't fit with a literal reading of Genesis. Eating of the tree of Life meant you would live forever, why was it in the garden if Adam and Eve were perfect and never going to die in their pre-fallen state?

 

[Remus]

SBG, what you said doesn't fit with a literal reading of Genesis. Eating of the tree of Life meant you would live forever, why was it in the garden if Adam and Eve were perfect and never going to die in their pre-fallen state?

Who said Adam and Eve were perfect? Had they been perfect, then they wouldn't have sinned.

Besides, you are going to be hard pressed to find someone that believes the Creation account is all "strictly literal".