In the middle of the Garden
of Eden, God planted two specific trees that had names, the Tree of Life and
the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (see Genesis 2:9). He took the man,
Adam and put him in the garden to manage it. He instructed Adam, “You are free to eat from any tree in
the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17 NIV).
Sadly, Satan misled the First
Couple to disobey God by doing exactly what Adam had been instructed not to do;
they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (see Genesis
3:1-6). Being a faithful God, He did not go back on His word, so man died that
day, spiritually, but also started down the path of physical death! Hence sin and its consequences of pain,
sorrow, toil, sweat, relational trouble, and death (see Gen 3:16-19) passed on
to every person since then.
God drove the couple out of
the garden to prevent them from eating from the tree of life, because it would
be tragic to live forever in their sinful state. “Then the Lord God said, ‘The
man has now become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand
and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever’” (Genesis 3:22
NIV).
God did not walk away from
the mess man created, rather, “For God so loved the world that He gave His One
and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal
life” (John 3:16 NIV). Our fellowship with God has now been restored as a
result of Christ’s sacrifice.
So with our sins forgiven,
and our relationship with God restored, Jesus’ pronounces, “Blessed are those
who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may
go through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14 NIV). We can now rejoice
that there will no longer be any curse, and our right to the tree of life has
been restored (see Revelation 22:1-3). Touching it or eating of it will be
safe. Halleluiah!
Dear reader, is your robe
washed in Jesus’ blood? If not, you still have time, but maybe, not for long.
Call on Jesus today for forgiveness, and gain the right to the tree of life and
eternity in heaven with God! Tomorrow could be too late.
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