Tree of Life

Created Date: 17-Oct-2020
 

Last updated: 26-Jun-2021
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Sections:
 
1 Tree of Life's Purpose 2 Was There Only One Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden?
3 Encryption In The Tree Verses 4 Trees in New Jerusalem

It is fascinating to see God's use of patterns in the scriptures to teach and illuminate so many areas that God wants us to know and learn from.  A fascinating and often not researched area is the Trees in the scriptures. 

Most Christians are familiar with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but may not be aware of the purpose of the Tree of Life in the Book of Genesis.  There is information in the patterns and related scriptures when Eden is restored in the Book of Revelation, chapter 22:1-5, which is discussed further in this topic.

Genesis 2:9 last half The tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Tree of Life's Purpose

The Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden was a special tree that had many purposes besides the conventional knowledge of giving life.  The clue was to the immediate consequences of the Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit that caused them to realize they were naked. 

Many Biblical Scholars point to the most likely possibility that Adam and Eve were covered in light which was lost with the sinful action of eating the forbidden fruit which was three sins against God. 

  1. Not trusting God that He always had the best for them,
  2. Eating the forbidden fruit, and
  3. Believing Lucifer's lies that God was not providing everything for them.

The Tree of Life's purpose and attributes in the Garden of Eden, according to many Biblical Scholars is the tree gave:

  1. Eternal life.
  2. Perfect health.
  3. Healing of any medical problem.

We know from Genesis 2:9 that God had many other trees in the Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve freely ate and enjoyed.  Notice in Genesis 1:12 the verse "according to their kinds" which is plural and another scriptural reference that evolution is false as God built parameters into the creation that restricts and also allow variations.)

Genesis 1:11-12 11 Then God said, Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 2:8-9 8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.  In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

In Eternity in the New Jerusalem of Revelation 22, there is a collection or one very spacious Tree of Life.  The Tree will be located on both sides of a crystal-clear river flowing in the New Jerusalem where it will yield twelve kinds of fruits.  The purpose is changed in a better way according to many Biblical Scholars:

  1. Vitality and sustaining perfection of eternal life.
  2. Social enjoyment.
  3. Nourishing fulfillment.
  4. Healing of the nations.
Revelation 22:1-2 1 And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Notice again the use of "kinds" in Revelation 22:2.  God is informing us there is more than just variety.  The fruit, while being unique, is a specific kind which is technically meaning a variation based on the gift from God.  While God absolutely is not limited on what the fruit must be like, the variation would be something like we have with over thirty types of melons, over sixteen types of apples, over ten varieties of pears and multitudes of others according to some Biblical Scholars.

Was There Only One Tree of Life In The Garden Of Eden?

In the Garden of Eden, the scriptures reflects that there was only one Tree of Life. 

Genesis 2:9 last half The tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 3:24 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.

The singularity of one Tree of Life, in this author's opinion, is as a type of model pointing to Jesus Christ as the Tree of Life was required for the well-being of Adam and Eve, where the same is true for everyone of Jesus Christ.  The entirety of the scriptures points to Jesus Christ.

Psalms 40:7 Then I said, Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
Hebrews 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God.

Note that many Christians have thought that because there is only one Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, then the Garden of Eden must not have been very large in size.  This is not the case as the Garden of Eden from other scriptural references indicated the Garden of Eden was most likely the size of thousands of square miles.  For more information read about the topic on the size of the Garden of Eden

Encryption In The Tree Verses

There is a very fascinating proposed encryption series in the Book of Genesis surrounding the very verses that speak about the trees which has been reported to start at Genesis 1:29 and end at either Genesis 2:9 or Genesis 3:3.  As noted in the encryptions in the scriptures topic, there are some very large books that can accidentally have equal distance letter selections that may spell words or even sentences.  The differences are:

Genesis 1:29-2:9 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food: 30 and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for food: and it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. 2:1  And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made. 4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven. 5 And no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Jehovah God had not caused it to rain upon the earth: and there was not a man to till the ground; 6 but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7 And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8 And Jehovah God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground made Jehovah God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

This author learned about this encryption while going through Chuck Missler's series on the book of Genesis.  The source is apparently from original work done by Daniel Michelson's published work in B'Or HaTorah, Volume 6, 1987, which has had some revisions and corrections.  Unfortunately, there is also the skeptics who are publishing papers that refute the codes. 

Note that the ancient Hebrew had some minor changes after the time of the Babylonian Captivity.  Additionally, Hebrew is written without vowels.  This author believes the encryptions in the Genesis 1:29 through Genesis 2:9 or Genesis 3:3 is real, and if there is even a letter or two offs then the reality is too close to not have been designed.  

The following published encryptions from many sources are of known trees, shrubs, grass and vines with the exception of the Sycamore, Apple and Juniper trees.   The names are found by taking equal distance lettering in the Hebrew original written source text, as listed in the following table.  The two highlighted in yellow name references are from one source that specialize in refuting in all Bible Codes, which claim that they are not present.  This author would respond graciously to those who want to refute that there are many other encrypted tree, plant and grass names present along with thousands of other encryptions in the entirety of the scriptures to so quickly dismiss encryptions.

  Name Found Interval Notes
1 Acacia -3  Shrub that produces a gum which is dietary supplement.
2 Almond 5  Produces a nutritious seed.
3 Aloe 6  Has amazing healing purposes.
4 Barley -28  A major cereal grain.
5 Boxthorn or Bramble 7  A tree that produces wolfberries or goji berries.
6 Cassia 7  A tree, shrub or plant of the pea family.
7 Cedar -5  A fragrant and durable wood.
8 Chestnut 44  A tree producing an edible and nutritious nut.
9 Citron -3  A tree that produces a citrus fruit.
10 Date Palm 5  A plant that produces a sweet fruit.
11 Fig 14  A tree that produces an editable fruit
12 Gopher wood or fir 8  A tree that is known for its being a good building material.
13 Grape -6  A vine that produces an editable fruit.
14 Hazel -13  A tree or large shrub that produces an editable seed.
15 Oak 17  A tree that is known for its being a good building material.
16 Olive -9  A small tree that produces an editable fruit.
17 Pistachio Nut 13  A plant that produces editable seeds and nuts.
18 Pomegranate 8  A shrub that produces a fruit.
19 Poplar -85  A tree that is known for its being a good building material.
20 Tamarisk 2  A large shrub that symbolizes God's grace.
21 Terebinth -2  A small tree that produces turpentine, anciently used for cleansing.
22 Thicket -3  Speaks about a group of trees.
23 Thorn bush / Crataegus 9  Tree or shrub with many uses along with produces flowers.
24 Vine -18  A type of plant that grows along the ground or on a host.
25 Wheat 5  A type of grass that is cultivated for its seed to make bread.
26 Willow -15  A fast-growing tree used for creating shade.

Trees in the New Jerusalem

There are other scriptures in the Old Testament that give us more information about the living water that infers a source of nutrition for the Trees, just as Revelation 22:1-2 reveals. 

Revelation 22:1-2 1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, bright as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Zechariah 14:8 And it shall come to pass in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
Ezekiel 47:1-2 1 And he brought me back unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward (for the forefront of the house was toward the east); and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, on the south of the altar. 2 Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me round by the way without unto the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looketh toward the east; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
Ezekiel 47:6-7 6  And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the bank of the river. 7 Now when I had returned, behold, upon the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
Ezekiel 47:12 12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall the fruit thereof fail: it shall bring forth new fruit every month, because the waters thereof issue out of the sanctuary; and the fruit thereof shall be for food, and the leaf thereof for healing.

What to read next?

Read about the Garden of Eden.  What is Salvation?  Is it is possible to lose Salvation?  We have eternal life.  Evolution is not real.  When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it.  Rewards in heaven.  Do we Tithe?  What does the 3rd Commandment tell us?  What is Grace and Mercy?  Is there an Age of Accountability?  Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?