Grace Thoughts
Teaching Notes: The Tree of Life
Teaching Notes are Bible studies we taught before GraceLife Ministries began publishing articles online in 1995. Some were presented as sermons, others as group studies.
Our hope is that these older studies will be a blessing to you in your life and ministry. Please use them in any way God leads you.
These teaching notes are from a series of studies about Genesis 2.
[These notes are from a study from more than 45 years ago.]
The Tree of Life
Scripture references:
- Genesis 2:9; 3:22
- Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14
Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge (Christological Significance)
Chapter 2 “Paradise Given”
vs. 9 – God made all the trees that exist today including two trees that no longer exist on earth: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
It is doubtful that the eaten fruit of the two trees would actually give immortality and knowledge through the digestion process. It is more likely that the tree symbolized God’s gift of life and the sin of pride and disobedience brought into existence by Lucifer. They were also types of the Christ who would die on a tree for sin to give life.
vss. 16-17 – Man was allowed to eat the fruit of every tree in the garden including the tree of life, but he was not allowed to partake of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God built into man a moral nature that knew good and a mind to reason and a soul to will. Adam was totally free. However, God taught man that he was under the Lordship of his Creator by giving him a law with a penalty for breaking that law. Briefly stated, the law was, “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength.” Lucifer had broken that law when he loved himself more than God. As long as Adam obeyed God’s law, he had the promise of immortality and paradise forever.
vs. 18 – Soon after giving Adam the law, God made woman to complete man. Though they were both naked, they felt no shame because they lived in a different moral system.
Chapter 3 “Paradise Lost”
vss. 1-5 – Lucifer, known as Satan and the devil, was freed by the Lord to reign upon the earth that had once been his in an earlier time (Isaiah 14:12-20; Ezekiel 28:12-19). He came to Eve as a serpent and tempted (tested) her love for and obedience to God. God allowed this test. Satan misquoted God (vs. 1) and then changed (rebelled) against God’s Word right after Eve added to the Word of God (vs. 3). Then, Satan tried to speak for God (vs. 5).
vss. 6-8 – Eve lusted after the fruit (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life) and ate it. She then took the fruit to Adam and tempted him. At that point Adam had to choose who he loved more, God or Eve. Adam chose Eve and broke God’s law, “Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” At that point, Adam knew what evil was – not loving God totally and loving yourself more. Adam was ashamed and instantly experienced the results of the sin nature. This caused him to try to hide from God.
vss. 9-13 – The unhappy result of sin.
vss. 14-14 – The curse of the serpent and the promise of Christ’s redemption
vss. 16-20 – The curse of Adam and Eve
vs. 21 – God made a sacrifice for them and clothed them in the promise of redemption.
vss. 22-24 – God loved His disobedient children and had a plan for redeeming them, so He sent them away from the Tree of Life which if eaten at that point would have doomed them to an eternal hell. God in His mercy caused them to leave so that the lengthy process of redemption could begin. The angels represented the fact that the sin nature of man was at enmity with God. The flaming sword kept humans out even as the burning justice of God keeps people from His presence. It also protected the way (preserved) of eternal life for a future use. The New Testament teaches that the Sword speaks of the Word of God who is Christ, and it also states that Christ would baptize (place into) with the Holy Ghost and fire.
Revelation 22 “Paradise Given Again”
vs. 1 – We see the restoring of the Genesis river that gave life to Eden (Genesis 2:10). It comes directly from God.
vs. 2 – We see the restoring of the Tree of Life. It bears a bountiful crop each month and the leaves of the tree will heal nations.
Both the water and tree point to the giver of life, health, and strength – Jesus Christ.
[Thank you for reading these teaching notes from more than 45 years ago. My prayer is they will be a blessing to you and your life and ministry.]
Published by gracelifethoughts
Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts
