Genesis 3:22
“Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”
INSIGHT
-Tree of life in Hebrew is written as Etz Ha-Cha’yim. From the Hebrew syntax of this verse, one can learn that man had to choose between living eternal life or receiving knowledge. When Adam ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he became like God knowing good and evil. God in His trinity said that the tree of life would be withdrawn from him lest he eats of the tree of life in a state of sin and be condemned forever. Jesus came to save us from sin so that we may not die in sin but receive everlasting life. The two contrasting trees remind us of the dreams that the butler and the baker had in Genesis 40. While the butler saw a vine tree in-front of him with three branches and pressed the ripe grapes into Pharaohs cup, the baker saw three white baskets of baked goods and birds ate them from his head. The butler was restored back to his position but the baker was hang, and birds ate his flesh from the head. Christ is the Vine and we are His branches. The Vine can be likened to the Tree of life who is Christ. While Judas Iscariot had a chance to repent and receive Christ, he condemned himself by hanging like the baker. We are called to come to Christ in repentance and through the washing by His precious blood we will receive the gift of salvation leading us to everlasting life.
PRAYER
Thank You Abba Father for the gift of life and enabling us to start yet another week in good health. Thank You for filling our hearts with the joy of Your salvation, we give You all the praise. Lord You judged the nation of Egypt by sending them a plague of locusts, have mercy on our nation and forgive us all the sins that we have committed; loving Father. You are our Vine Jesus and we are Your branches, cleanse us with Your precious blood and show us the way we should go. You died on the cross for us all and imparted unto us Your righteousness Jesus, remember us with mercy Righteous Judge and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Go before us Lord we humbly ask You and make all the crooked paths straight. Be with all those who are suffering among us Lord and deliver us by Your mighty hand. Bless the works of our hands Dear Jesus and enable us to bear much fruit according to Your promise. May Your goodness and mercy follow us; all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in Your house forever. Amen
Proverbs 3:18
“She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.”
INSIGHT
-Wisdom is the principle thing, in all our getting we are called to get wisdom (Prov 4:7). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and institution (Prov 1:7). The fear of the Lord can be equated to avoiding all occasions of sin. God calls us to keep wisdom; for she is our life (Prov 4:13), the tree of life. When we keep wisdom; she will honor us, places a crown of glory on our heads, elongate our lives, prevent us from stumbling, bring grace upon our lives and keeps us in the joy of the Lord.
PRAYER
Sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. We thank You LORD for Your love and mercy upon our lives. You are our only God, our Helper, our Father and our Friend, we give You all the glory and praise. Your word is a lamp to our feet and light to our paths. Fill us with the gift of wisdom LORD and enlightened our steps according to You divine will. Amen
Revelation 2:7
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”
INSIGHT
-To the Ephesus church, John writes imploring the congregants to return to their first love. That is; to love God with all their hearts, strength, souls and minds; and depart from their evil ways. He also reminds them of the need for repentance and conversion into faith in Christ. Like in the beginning when Adam fell and lost the paradise of first loving communion and fellowship with God, we are reminded to return to God who gives us the right to the tree of life. To the persecuted church; Jesus cautions them of the persecution to come which appears as a crown of thorns but in the end they would be clothed with the crown of life (Rev 2:10). Christ calls each one of us to carry our own crosses and follow Him for only through Him we can have eternal life. To put on the full armor of God so that we may be able to stand against the snares of the evil one, and obtain victory through Christ who strengthens us.
PRAYER
Our Dear Heavenly Father we come to You today with thanksgiving in our hearts. Thank You for the gift of life and wellness that You have given us. You breathed life into our nostrils at conception and have brought life everlasting in our lives through Your death and resurrection, we bless Your holy name. Give us the strength Holy Spirit our Helper to overcome the temptation that so easily ensnare us and ground us in firmer faith through Christ our Lord. Our Father who art in heaven; hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread & forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from evil; for thine is the Kingdom the power & the glory; forever & ever. Amen
Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.
INSIGHT
-Righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe and there is no difference between Jew and Gentile (Rom 3:22) and if we are united with Him; we are one with Him in the spirit. Christ in the Vine and we are the branches, and if we grow in Him through faith, we bear the fruit of righteousness. We also know that, God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21). If then we are the righteousness of God, when we pray our prayers avail much fruit. Further, there is no condemnation for us who are in Christ Jesus. As disciples of Christ, we are reminded to make disciples in all the nations preaching His gospel and bringing many souls to Him so that we may all come to eternal life with Him.
PRAYER
Thank You Father for gift of salvation through Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for this far that You have brought us. We are the righteousness of God through Your blood Christ Jesus, we magnify Your holy name. Hear our prayers and supplications, and answer our hearts desires through Your saving grace so that we can bear much fruit. Increase our faith in You and lead us in all truth. Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for Your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank You Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
Revelation 22:1-3
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.”
INSIGHT
-Like in the beginning, we find the tree of life in the middle of paradise yielding healing and restoration to the nations. Christ is our Redemption and calls us to drink from the river of life, that we may dwell in His everlasting grace. In His love, He became a curse for the sake of our salvation and gave us victory over all snakes and scorpions that we may overcome all power of the enemy and remain at rest.
SUMMARY
When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, sin came into world. God withdrew them from the garden of Eden lest they eat from the tree of life and be condemned forever. Through His everlasting love, God sent His Son Jesus to save man from sin causing death. He became sin and died on the cross for the redemption of the entire human race. Wisdom and righteousness are also symbolic to the tree of life. In 1 Corinthians 1:30; we see that Christ Jesus has become for us wisdom from God, that is; our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Through Him we are the righteousness of God. The Holy Spirit helps us to overcome the temptations that the world present to us that at the end of time we may have the right to eat from the tree of life. Christ is the Vine and we are His branches. When we abide in Him, we receive His love, wisdom, righteousness, peace and victory. As a young tree starts to grow with shallow roots that strengthen and grow deeper over time. Branches start as small buds and stretch upwards, reaching for the sun and sky. Just like a tree, we grow stronger over time and strives for greater knowledge and new experiences. In Christ then, we bear much fruit, some thirty fold, others sixty and others a hundred fold for the glory of His name.
PRAYER
Lord You are the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Almighty Father, we praise You and glorify Your holy name. Remain in Us Holy Spirit for without You we can do nothing. Deliver us from all evil snares that only come to distract us from Your will and forgive us all our sins. Increase our faith in You Jesus and save us from all evil that only causing us pain and suffering. Show us Your ways Holy Spirit and lead us in Your truth that only yields life everlasting. Bestow unto us, our families, nation and entire world Your gift of salvation so that we may have the right to the tree of life. Journey with us Lord in our purposes according to Your divine will and help us to focus on Your Kingdom. All glory, honor, power, strength, wealth and praise belong to You Jesus now and forever. Amen