The tree of life is seen at the beginning and at the end of the Bible. In Genesis 2:9 God placed man in front of the tree of life, and in Revelation 22:2 and 14 we see the tree of life in the New Jerusalem. Between these two ends of the Bible there is a long history of people eating the tree of life and also many accounts of the people of God failing to eat the tree of life. The whole Bible reveals God’s intention to be enjoyed by man as life.
Man was created in God’s image and likeness
The first man, Adam, was created according to God’s image and likeness (Gen. 1:26) but he did not have the life of God––he still needed to take God in as life, as indicated by God placing him in front of the tree of life (Gen. 2:9). Today we as believers in the Lord can and should take God in as life to be organically united with Him and live in this organic union with Him! (John 15:5; Rom. 5:6; 1 Cor. 6:17).
Jesus Christ is small enough for us to eat
On the one hand, the Lord Jesus is the Almighty God, very high and majestic, but on the other hand, when He came to man on earth and when He comes to us, He is small enough for us to eat. He is lowly, available, like a loaf of bread––even as the crumbs under the table (Matt. 15:21-27) for us to take in and eat.
For us to eat something, that something needs to be a bite-size, small enough to fit in our mouth. The Lord Jesus is the bread of life, and whoever eats of Him shall live because of Him (John 6:57). We can feed on Christ!
The tree of life in the garden of Eden was not something “once upon a time” but it is real to us today–– God is in Christ as life supply and as food for us to eat, that we may have life and live because of Him.
Also, the tree of life typifies Christ who imparts life to man and satisfies man (John 15:1; Exo. 15:25). We can all testify that we have tasted and have seen that God is good for food and it is only Him who satisfies us! (1 Pet. 2:3). Christ as life pleases us, satisfies us, and fills us within with!
God’s desire is for us to eat Him
Yes, this is God’s desire––God doesn’t want to give us a set of rules and regulations for us to obey and respect so that our behavior would be improved and we become moral and ethical persons. No, what God desires is that we would eat Him and take Him into us as life! The tree of life shows us that God gives Himself to man in an edible form––yes, God is good for spiritual food! The very fact that at the end of the Bible the tree of life is there shows that God’s intention will be realized––man will take God in as life for eternity to live by Him and express Him!
Lord Jesus, we want to taste how good You are. Thank You for making Yourself small enough for us to eat You. Lord, we thank You for being the tree of life so ready and available for us to enjoy. Save us from eating anything else besides You as life. Lord, You are our life, and You are our life supply. Keep us enjoying You as the tree of life that we may live because of You! Lord, may we see the tree of life and partake of it every day regularly!