Friday 10 November 2017

The Tree of Life

Scripture: Revelation 22 v 2: "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."

Genesis 3 v 22 - 24: "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:
 23  Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
 24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."

The final chapter of The Revelation of John the Divine is also the final chapter of the Holy Bible. It starts with the pure water of life flowing from the Throne of God and the Lamb. In the midst of the river and on either side of it is the Tree of Life which we first read about in the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden an angel with a flaming sword to prevent them in their sinful state, from eating the fruit of the Tree of Life and living forever.  So the fruit of this Tree of Life in the first and last books of the Bible is significant for our eternal salvation and where we spend eternity. 

When we are eating the forbidden fruit that grows on the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil" then it takes us away from the Life of Jesus. Our head knowledge and worldly wisdom leads to tilling the soil by the sweat of our brow. The hardships of life without true fellowship with God.  

God made Eden for Man as a replica of Heaven, to provoke his memory.  A place of beauty, tranquillity, fellowship with God, authority over the Earth and all animals.  It gave access to the tree of life until sin changed all that.

Jesus speaks of Himself as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the root and offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. He is everything to those who believe in Him in His entirety. He says that those who are holy, righteous, will become even more so. But those who are unjust, filthy, will get much worse.

Those who will never know the Bright and Morning Star, He calls dogs (vicious monsters), sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, and whosoever loves lies and tells lies.  So if any of these even remotely resembles areas in your life that needs dealing with then search your heart and get it perfectly in line with the Word of God.  This is the Pandora's Box that sin opened in Eden bringing with it disease and death.

Let His shed Blood cleanse you from all sin. It is the only substance in the Universe that can blot out all and every sin. He bled and died on the Cross to spare you eternity in Hell. Plus He wants you to have a better life here on Earth showing other sinners the truth and the way of salvation.

Hell goes way beyond your worst nightmare. Way beyond. Continuous pain and suffering for eternity. The shop window says its just one long party in Hell. Written by the Father of Lies, the Devil or Satan or the Great Red Dragon. Many have bought the lie and will sell it wholesale. Only Jesus can rescue you. Only He was raised from the dead to conquer the power of Hell for mankind.

No prophet, not Mary, no Guru, no Buddha died in your place. No cult, ancestor, philosophy, communist manifesto, politician, king or queen has an answer that will get you to Heaven. Only Jesus Christ the Son of God holds the keys to hell and death.  

Only Jesus is the firstfruits of a new creation of beings.  He was the first to be born again in His resurrection glory, and those who surrender to His Lordship are born again as holy, sinless, saints who walk in newness of life.  The Tree of Life sustains us as we eat the fruit of it and grow into the likeness of Jesus.  To do all the miracles He did, and even greater things than He did, because He was restored to His Father.

So let us do all we can to show the undecided souls the glory of our King, and the blessings of the Tree of Life.  In the second last verse of the Bible, Jesus says - SURELY I COME QUICKLY!  We who love Him and follow Him shout: AMEN. EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS!

Prayer: Heavenly Father Every day the anarchy, storms, evil people, governments, religious people who know not Jesus, get further from You and become worse and more frightening. Your Word says "Fear Not" 365 times to Your true children - One for every day of the year. We pray for Your Son to return to take us out of this world into Your Heavenly kingdom. In Jesus' name. Amen.