“To him who overcomes,
I will give the right to eat from the tree of life,
which is in the paradise of God”
(Revelation 2:7).
In this chapter we will first focus on "the tree of life" and move on to a study of other things mentioned in connection with life in the New Jerusalem. From the above text we learn a number of things about the tree of life. First, we learn that it is for eating, which shows again that saints who go to paradise will eat, even in their resurrected bodies. Second, we learn that some have a right to eat of it, and some do not. Third, the ones who have the right to eat of it are they who are the overcomers. Fourth, we learn that the tree of life, like the New Jerusalem, is not now on earth or in the heavens surrounding it, but is in the third heaven, or in Paradise.
The "right" to eat of the tree of life, and to live forever, is an attendant right to those who have believed in Christ, or received him, and who thus were given "the right to become the children of God" (John 1: 12). Also, the ones who overcome are they who possess a living faith in the Lord, as John said -
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (I John 5: 4-5)
John also wrote in the Apocalypse that these overcomers overcame "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" (Rev. 12: 11).
Finally, since Paradise is literal, so too is the tree of life which is in Paradise. It cannot be made to be a mere symbol for obtaining eternal life. If this is so, then one partakes of the tree of life when he is saved and converted, for the bible teaches that those who believe are given eternal life when they believe. But, in the above text at the heading, along with Revelation 22, eating of the tree of life occurs when Christ returns and in conjunction with the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven. So, eating the tree of life is not a mere symbol affirming that a person has been saved when converted.
The Tree of Life
"In the middle of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." (Rev. 22: 2)
Again, I insist that this is a literal tree. It was a literal tree in the Garden of Eden, unless of course we deny that the description of Eden in Genesis, and what happened there to Adam and Eve, are literal. I recall a conversation I had many years ago with an Amillennialist who would take very little in the Book of Revelation literally, and also many unfulfilled prophecies of the new heavens and earth, seeing these as references that are to be interpreted figuratively. I asked this brother - "do you take the bible literally?" He responded by saying yes. I then asked - "why do you not take the prophecies literally?" Well, he could not answer that question. It seems to me that if he takes what is said about the new heavens and earth, and the New Jerusalem, or the things prophesied of in the Apocalypse, figuratively, then he has no solid ground for affirming that Genesis, or the story of Jonah, etc., is literal.
Amillennialists will generally take the bible literally except for the prophecies that yet await fulfillment. This certainly is true with the Preterist, who see the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 as the fulfillment of Christ' second coming. However, as I have stated in preceding chapters, every prophecy that has been fulfilled already was fulfilled literally. That is our warrant for interpreting unfulfilled prophecy literally.
Let us now cite the verses Moses wrote in the Genesis record about the tree of life.
"And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." (Gen. 2: 9)
"And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." (Gen. 3: 22-24)
If one accepts the fact that this tree in Eden was a literal tree, then why would anyone not do so also in the Apocalypse or in Paradise and the New Jerusalem? It is quite unreasonable and manifests that such interpreters, especially among Amillennialists and bible allegorizers, are interpreting the prophecies in that manner in order to make them square with their own man-made doctrinal systems. It reminds me of another chat I had with an Amillennialist about whether the various scenes of judgment in the Apocalypse were literal or not. I asked this Amillennial brother - "do you believe the ten plagues sent upon the land of Egypt in the Book of Exodus by God through Moses were literal?" He said yes. "Well then," said I, "why do you resist seeing such plagues in Revelation literally?"
If the tree of life is a symbol, then so are the leaves and the twelve kinds of fruit. And, who then will tell us what the leaves, tree, and fruit represent? Answer: no one can tell what they represent. Further, will one then also "spiritualize" or give a mere figurative interpretation also to the city, the streets, the river, the book, the waters, the jasper walls, the gates of pearl, and the dimensions, etc.?
"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." (Rev. 22: 14)
The expression "tree of life" occurs in four groups or connections: (1) in the story of the Garden of Eden, (2) in the Proverbs of Solomon, (3) in the apocryphal writings, and (4) in the Apocalypse of John.
The tree of life is mentioned three times in Genesis 2, in Eden, and again four times in Revelation, three of those in the final chapter. These instances refer to Eden’s literal tree of life. The tree of life is presently in Paradise or in the New Jerusalem, but will be brought down to earth and the first heaven when the New Jerusalem descends from the third heaven to earth and to the first heaven.
Now let us cite some scriptures from the Proverbs of Solomon concerning the tree of life.
"She (wisdom) is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her." (Prov. 3: 18 kjv)
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." (Prov. 11: 30)
"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life." (Prov. 13: 12)
"A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit." (Prov. 15: 4)
In all these Proverbs about the tree of life, it denotes the life, vigor, rejuvenation, etc., that comes from wisdom, obedience to the Creator, faith and hope in him, and from wholesome words of truth. It also is connected with the happiness and satisfaction that comes from partaking of the tree of life. It is also quite evident that Solomon is speaking of the tree of life metaphorically, and yet in doing so does not deny that the tree of life is a literal tree. Many healthcare companies today use the tree of life as a symbol for their work. Even the Kabbala has its own tree of life, which is only a picture or idea.
In the immediate preceding chapters where we wrote upon the river of life, we cited from Ezekiel chapter forty seven where that river is described by the priest-prophet. He also says this about the tree of life:
"And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing." (Eze. 47: 12)
If one says that all this is figurative, and not at all literal, then he must tell us what each of the things represent, a thing no one can concretely do. Some, who do this, attempt to sidestep this difficulty by saying that it simply means, basically, that God's people will enjoy themselves in heaven, and ignore deciphering the incidentals or the particulars.
Randy Alcorn gives the following citation from bible Commentator William Hendriksen (emphasis mine):
“The term ‘tree of life’ is collective, just like ‘avenue’ and ‘river.’ The idea is not that there is just one single tree. No, there is an entire park: whole rows of trees alongside the river; hence, between the river and the avenue. And this is true with respect to all the avenues of the city. Hence, the city is just full of parks, cf. Rev. 2:7. Observe, therefore, this wonderful truth: the city is full of rivers of life. It is also full of parks containing trees of life. These trees, moreover, are full of fruit.”[1] (As cited here)
I totally agree. This is the real heaven waiting for the people of God, who will be there in their glorified bodies, with hands and feet, and not floating around in some ethereal realm. And Alcorn is right about there being many trees of the genus "tree of life." Just like when we say "apple tree" we often are referring not to a single apple tree, but to that kind of tree. Further proof that the tree of life is a collective noun, referring to many trees, is seen in the fact that the text says that the tree of life is on either side of the crystal clear river and in the middle of it.
Said Alcorn in the same source:
"John also tells us that “the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). For the third time in Revelation 21–22, the inhabitants of the New Earth are referred to as nations. Nations will not be eliminated but healed. But since we won’t experience pain or disease in Heaven, what’s the point of leaves for healing? Perhaps they, like the tree’s fruit, will have life-sustaining or life-enhancing properties that will help people maintain health and energy. Our physical life and health, even our healing, comes not from our intrinsic immortal nature but from partaking of God’s gracious provision in the fruit and leaves of the tree of life. Hence, our well-being is not granted once for all but will be forever sustained and renewed as we depend on Him and draw from His provision."
This is what I have previously suggested. Eternal life will be sustained by means, just as it is now. Also, as previously stated, there are degrees of life, as Jesus spoke of having life more abundantly. And, when we think about eternal life in the ages to come being continued by means, or being increased by means, our minds go to the concept of renewal.
Eternal Life through Renewal
Webster defines "renew" this way:
"To make new again; to restore to freshness, perfection, or vigor; to give new life to; to rejuvenate; to reestablish; to recreate; to rebuild."
The believer in the Lord experiences constant renewal in his spirit during his life of faith. So Paul wrote:
"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." (II Cor. 4: 16)
Notice that this daily renewing excludes the body. Yet, as we have seen, renewal for both body and spirit, for the outward and inward man, in eternity to come, will involve renewal also. And, the means of this renewal include the water of the fountain and river of life, and the fruit and leaves of the tree of life. This renewal may also be called a continuous regeneration. Presently, in spirit, believers are daily "renewed in the spirit of their minds" (Eph. 4: 23; And, Rom. 12: 2) and are being "renewed in knowledge" (Col 3: 10). In fact, Paul links together the concepts of regeneration and renewal in conversion when he writes:
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." (Titus 3: 5-6)
As we have seen before, the "whole creation" (Romans 8) will be regenerated and made new when Christ comes and ushers in the age of the kingdom of God. (Matt. 19: 28)
The following two texts cannot be applied merely to the daily renewing of the inward man, but must also include the renewing of the whole man, in body and spirit, in the ages to come, or in eternity.
"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isa. 40: 30-31)
"Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." (Psa. 103: 5)
I cannot see how this running excludes running with the body. Yes, it is true, that running may be used metaphorically, and so the bible speaks of running the Christian race. When we get to the place of focusing on the nature of the glorified bodies of the saints post resurrection of the righteous, we will see how what is said in the above texts apply to the body as well as to the spirit. When the above text speaks of young men becoming weary, we are to think of a person's physical being and life. Again, there is no reason to see the prophecy of Isaiah as all figurative.
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