Written by A.R.
I made the ‘Tree of Life’ pictured in the featured image of this article. As an artsy person who fears YHWH, I have considered the symbol of the Tree of Life. Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Mormonism—many religions have a view of what it means. The Tree of Life is seen in artwork associated with these religions and in their holy books as well. Though I do not identify myself with any of these religions, they are all reaching for a truth that I too am hoping to attain, a truth I believe is found in Scripture apart from religion.
When YHWH created the world and everything in it, he made a garden for Adam and his wife Eve. Genesis 2 describes the garden and gives careful attention to the trees.
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground יהוה Elohim made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Specific instructions were given for the trees in the garden. First, there was a positive part of the commandment. “Eat of every tree in the garden.” I believe the Tree of Life was included among the trees Adam and Eve were permitted to eat. Second, the counterpart, “but do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it you shall certainly die.”
Genesis 2:16-17 And יהוה Elohim commanded the man, saying, “Eat of every tree of the garden, but do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it you shall certainly die.”
The command related to the trees in the garden was only the second commandment recorded in the Bible. It could be considered a ‘food law.’ YHWH wanted Adam and Eve to know what they could and could not put into their bodies, so He gave them instructions. There was only one tree from which Adam and Eve could not eat—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. YHWH was so serious about this commandment that when Adam and Eve violated it, sin entered into their experience with YHWH severing their relationship. The result of this broken commandment was death.
Genesis 3:17-19 And to the man He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘Do not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground because of you, in toil you are to eat of it all the days of your life, and the ground shall bring forth thorns and thistles for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you are to eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are, and to dust you return.”
The punishment fit the crime. YHWH’s original intention was to give Adam and Eve their food; they weren’t to have to work for it. Because they broke the commandment, they no longer had the privilege of green things and fruit being given to them. They would begin to produce bread—tilling the soil, dropping the seed into the ground, growing the grain, harvesting, milling, kneading, and baking—a lot of work! Not only did they have this long, drawn-out, back-breaking work ahead of them, but every time they planted a seed they would remember that they too were taken from the ground. They came from dust and to dust they would return. Embedded in their work was a regular reminder that they were going to die.
Since Adam and Eve violated the command for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, there was a new problem in the garden. They could not be trusted to obey YHWH’s voice. With death as their destiny, eating from the Tree of Life was no longer an option.
Genesis 3:22 And יהוה Elohim said, “See, 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…”
YHWH was concerned that Adam and Eve would live forever in a state of rebellion against Him. He made sure that the Tree of Life was well protected.
Genesis 3:23-24 so יהוה Elohim sent him out of the garden of Ěḏen to till the ground from which he was taken, and He drove the man out. And He placed keruḇim at the east of the garden of Ěḏen, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
And so the Tree of Life is protected to this day.
The Bible does not bring up the Tree of Life again until the book of Proverbs, a book known as a compilation of wise sayings. Wisdom is said to be “a tree of life to those taking hold of her.”
Proverbs 3:13 Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, And the man who gets understanding,…
Proverbs 3:18 …She [wisdom] is a tree of life to those taking hold of her, and blessed are all who retain her.
Simply defined, wisdom is acting excellently on knowledge. It is not just obtaining knowledge, but doing something about the knowledge in a way that is in line with YHWH’s Kingdom and righteousness.
As my husband and I have walked with YHWH together, we have made it a priority to act upon the knowledge YHWH has given us. We have not needed signs or audible callings; if we could see it in the Bible, we have acted on it. For example, YHWH showed us from His Word that it was the mandate of parents to teach their children. We could not hand that responsibility over to the public school system or anyone else. So, we chose to home-school our children.
When our children were young, my husband researched and read about ingredients used in medications and vaccines. Many ingredients in vaccines were forbidden when evaluated by the standard of YHWH’s Word. Rather than mindlessly doing what doctors told us, we decided to feed our children on a healthy diet based on whole foods. We taught them to make wise nutritional choices and exercise their bodies. Noticing and obeying YHWH’s food laws prepared us well for the hour at hand. We did not buy into the vaccine program then, and we continue to make decisions about our bodies based on instructions from our Creator.
As believers in Yahushua, our eyes were opened to the fact that our Master did not teach against the commandments found in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. We were able to see from the gospel accounts, the book of Acts, and all the other apostolic writings that His early followers obeyed, taught from, and encouraged the teachings of Moses and the prophets. We began to see the wisdom in keeping the commandments that many religious people have rejected. Of course, Yahushua taught against the religious requirements initiated and imposed by man, but He never taught against His Commandments. “Remember the Sabbath day,” “respect your mother and father,” and “do not murder” along with the rest applied in Yahushua’s day and still apply today.
To walk in wisdom is to read the Bible and apply what it says. Wisdom is the difference between eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and eating from the Tree of Life. Those who read Scripture and do not apply the commands to their daily life and choices are ultimately eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Those who follow the commands of YHWH are on a path that will lead to the Tree of Life.
In the last book of the Bible, The Tree of Life is promised to the ones who overcome. It is the same tree that was in the garden in the book of Genesis.
Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I shall give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of Elohim.”
Eating from the Tree of Life is a promise given to specific people—Overcomers. The Book of Revelation goes into great detail to describe the people who will overcome in the End Days. Specific virtues are attributed to the Overcomers. They have faith in Yahushua. They have accepted Him as the Passover Lamb, the sacrifice for their sin. They love Him, and they demonstrate that love by obeying His commandments.
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Elohim and possessing the witness of יהושע [Yahushua] Messiah.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones, here are those guarding the commands of Elohim and the belief of יהושע [Yahushua].
Belief in Yahushua and obeying His commandments are necessary to overcome the horror described in the Book of Revelation. The events in this book are not in the distant future; they are playing out now. These two qualities are not the only things needed to overcome what is happening in the world right now, but they are the foundation. With these building blocks in place, a person can begin to see the plan of salvation YHWH has in store for the Overcomers.
The Bible refers to the Tree of Life one last time in the very last chapter. Yahushua our Messiah speaks:
Revelation 22:12 “And see, I am coming speedily, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according to his work.
Revelation 22:13 “I am the ‘Aleph’ and the ‘Taw’, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.
Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are those doing His commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city.
Appearing in the beginning, in the heart of wisdom, and as the final word, the Tree of Life is a sign of hope for all who believe in Yahushua and who keep His commands.
Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, do not forget my Torah, and let your heart watch over my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they add to you.
Proverbs 3:3 Let not loving-commitment and truth forsake you – Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart,
Proverbs 3:4 Thus finding favour and good insight In the eyes of Elohim and man.
