Tellout Evangelism Resources and HiVu Antique Photos Galleries
| Next | Previous | Contact Ron | Ron's Blog | Index | Tellout Home |
Tree of Life Paradise 33
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7)
In Jewish thought, "the Tree of Life in Paradise" came to mean anything that gave humans fullness of life. "Wisdom is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her."1 and "Hope fulfilled is a tree of life."2 "The Tree of Life in Paradise" (See representation of the Tree at right) was the source of the kind of life humans ought to live. The Jews also believed that when the Messiah came and the new age dawned, "the tree of life in Paradise" would grow in their midst and the faithful would eat from it.
The Rabbis said that "the Tree of Life" boughs overshadowed the whole of Paradise. It had five hundred thousand fragrances and its fruit as many pleasant tastes, and every one of them different. "Paradise" has a Persian origin and meant "a beautiful garden with pleasant meadows, stately trees and many flowers." "Paradise" is a place of serene beauty. The "Paradise" of Revelation has immediate links to the "Paradise" of the Book of Genesis. "In Genesis we see earth created; in Revelation, we see it passing away.... In Genesis, there is a garden, which is home for human beings, in Revelation there is a city, the home for the nations. In Genesis, we see humans driven out from the garden and away from "the Tree of Life in Paradise." In Revelation, we see them welcomed back, with "the Tree of Life" at their disposal."3 How do you imagine "the tree of life" with its fruit, fragrances and tastes?
1 Proverbs 13.12. 2 Altered to modern language conventions 3 Archibald Geikie Brown
"The Tree of Life in Paradise."
| ^Top Page | Next | Previous |