WATCH or READ: A Return to Eden

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The following was given at the 2023 North Little Rock Gathering

I was asked to speak on something relating directly to the hope which we share: the promise made by Christ to those who overcome as detailed in the beginning chapters of Revelation.

Most of us are familiar with these chapters. They contain a message from Christ to each of the seven ecclesias in Asia. The letters outlined what they were doing well and what needed correction and improvement. To each, a unique thing is promised to those “who overcome”. It is a beautiful thing, for if we take promises contained in all the letters collectively, we have a fairly comprehensive picture of what our hope is. Such a subject is so deep and beautiful that it would almost be a disservice to try and cover them all in one lecture, and so I’ve been asked to simply comment upon is the first – the letter to Ephesus and the promise made to those who would overcome:

Revelation 2:7 – He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

In this promise, brothers and sisters, is something very beautiful. The beauty is not only in what we’re told will happen to those who soldier on in faith through this dark world, but in its scope and view. This promise gets to the very root of the problem of life itself. There is great evil in the earth. We are sinful flesh. Man toils with finding happiness and purpose. Life is hard and requires diligent work, and nothing comes easy. Above all, we are perishing beings, and regardless of whether we wallow in the depths of poverty or soar upon the heights of wealth and prosperity, whether we are evil to our fellow man or loving to him, all men meet the same end: death. Cruel, remorseless, inescapable death. As the Scriptures say in

Ecclesiastes 3:20 – All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

An escape from death is perhaps the one thing that money cannot buy, though many have tried. What can we do to escape death? What is the answer to eternal life? Every avenue of possibility has been traversed. Perhaps there is some kind of medicine that can stop the decay process? Maybe if someone lives in certain conditions, exercises enough, eats correctly, perhaps that will solve the issue? Though certain things we can do can work to prolong our days for a short span, all methods end in the same dismal failure.

Yet here, in this short verse in Revelation 2, is the answer to the question. It’s been written here for all to read for nearly 2,000 years. We might imagine that the answer to such an important and universal question might require volumes to answer or the most intelligent minds to comprehend. Yet it is perfectly and succinctly expressed in a mere 39 words: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

So what must we do to inherit eternal life? Though the details of the process can be expanded upon, the basic principle is told right here. Firstly, we must hear the Word of the Spirit. Secondly, we must overcome. And if we do this, we will be given to eat of the tree of life.

What’s so grand about this passage is that it not only tells us how we can obtain eternal life, but in that it shows God’s plan coming full circle as He intended from the beginning – the final repairing of that which was broken (the chart behind me illustrates this). In the first book of the Bible, we read of the tree of life and man being cast out of the garden to prevent him from eating of it, and here in the last book, it is promised to the faithful that they might be given to eat of it.

But what all does it mean to eat of the tree of life? Why is this important and what will it do for the faithful? And why does it matter that it’s in the midst of God’s paradise? This is where will direct most of our attention this evening. Before we can understand, appreciate, and be motivated by the promise, we must first understand why it is necessary in the first place. And so we must return to first book of the Bible to understand last.

If we turn back to the beginning chapters of Genesis, we find things in a very different condition than we see them today. The earth was in a “very good” state. The Lord created the heavens and the earth, filled the earth with life of wondrous variety, and He created the first man: Adam. We know that man was not created perfect, but “very good”. And the Lord did not place him just anywhere on the planet:

Genesis 2:8-9 – …the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.  (9)  And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

He was placed in a garden in which the conditions were ideal. Here, his task was simply to dress and keep the garden. We don’t read of any barrier between God and man at this time. We get the sense that a degree of closeness existed. In today’s world where death and decay are everywhere present, it’s hard for us to comprehend that there was no death in the world. Even the animals were in a better condition, for they didn’t fear man, nor did they have to devour one another (Romans 8:18-23). There’s hardly greater contrast than between the conditions which existed at this early time and those of today. So what happened?

In the garden, there were two notable trees: the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Concerning the latter, man was given a law:

Genesis 2:16-17 –And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  (17)  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

This is what we call the Edenic Law – the law given in Eden. It was the one commandment man was given, and the penalty for breaking it was death. We’re told in Genesis 2:7 that God formed man of the dust of the ground, breathed into him the breath of life, and at that moment, man became a “living soul”. As we’re told in the third chapter, death was simply a reversal of this process:

Genesis 3:19 – In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

A man’s breath would leave him and he would return to the thoughtless, lifeless dust-state that man was before he was formed. The Psalmist reiterates this in

Psalms 146:4 – His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

We don’t have time to delve into the particulars of the Edenic law, but death was to be the punishment for its breach. Now, we are all painfully aware of what happened thereafter. Our very constitution makes it evident. The woman was deceived by the serpent and ate of the forbidden tree:

Genesis 3:6-7 – And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  (7)  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

And so they both ate, and they both came under condemnation. There were three main effects of the transgression, all of which determined that future of all of their descendants:

1.     Man became a mortal, decaying creature which would eventually return to the dust from which he was formed.

Genesis 3:19 – In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

This sentence of death was passed on the two individuals and all of their descendants:

Romans 5:12 – Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that (in whom) all have sinned:

We call this sentence Adamic condemnation or the law of sin and death.

2.     Man’s constitution became sinful flesh. Having sinned, sin would become the principle motivator and internal process of mankind. His thoughts and ways would naturally be at variance with God’s. As Genesis 3:15 says, there would now be enmity (hostility) between the serpent and the woman. The far-reaching extent of this enmity is expressed in

Romans 8:7-8 – Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  (8)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

3.     Man was alienated from God and was unclean in God’s eyes. Thus his nakedness now needed covering whereas it did not before, and he was cast from the garden to till the soil of the earth from which he was taken. Ephesians 2 is clear in describing man’s relationship to God:

Ephesians 2:11-12 – Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;  (12)  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 

The passage goes on to describe natural man as “far off” from God (verse 13). This has been the condition of the race since the fall, and it is true of every single being which came from Adam and Eve.

We now see the problem that needs fixing. Things were wonderful, and now they are not, all because of sin.  We now see the need for a plan or redemption, of salvation. Sin and death have plagued mankind and all of creation since this time. And having known what Eden was like, Adam and Eve undoubtedly longed to return to Eden and the conditions of it. Here is the wrong that needs righting. Here, on the earth, is where the issue is, and it is therefore here that it must be fixed.

So what is the remedy? What can fix this? Well, it is clearly told to us in the account of the fall.

Genesis 3:22-24 – And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:  (23)  Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.  (24)  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brought upon death. Eating of the other tree, the tree of life, would have the opposite effect. The tree is named by its function. If Adam and Eve could have eaten of the tree of life, the effects would be reversed and they would live forever. But they were not worthy of it. They had broken God’s law, and they therefore had no right to eat of the tree. Had they done so, God’s law of death-for-transgression would not be fulfilled, and He would therefore be a liar. And so man could not be allowed to eat of the tree of life, and they were barred from the garden for this purpose.

But hope remained. There was a promise of return so that they COULD eat of the tree. This is shown in multiple ways: in the promise to Eve concerning her seed, that it would bruise the serpent’s head and thus destroy the instigator of the trouble. The very name of Eve is expressive of this hope, for she was called Eve because she was “the mother of all living”. But of great account is the animal sacrificed in the garden which postponed the death-sentence. The self-prescribed fig garments were not sufficient to cover their sin, so God took the coat of an animal and covered them with it. The difference between the fig garment and that animal garment was that one required blood-shedding, and that was what the law required. It was thanks only to this covering and shedding of blood that their lives were lengthened, for the Law required death, and the animal suffered the immediate blow that they might continue living. But as it was an animal, and “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins”, their lives were prolonged, but not spared altogether (Hebrews 10:4).

Then there was the flaming sword which was to keep the way of the tree of life. The sword was undoubtedly to keep man from re-entering the garden. Many of us learned this since we were young. But I believe this is missing the greater purpose of it. It was more so to keep the way open until the time came that man could return. The word “keep” means literally “to preserve”. The flaming sword was placed to preserve the way of the tree of life.

I believe that Adam and Eve could later return to the gate of the garden with their animal sacrifices. The sword would slay the animal and the flame would consume it, and we now have a sin offering which would point back to that original animal slain in the garden, reminding the two of why they are yet living. But the point is, if the way of the tree of life is preserved, we must wonder WHY? Why would it be preserved? The only possible reason is so that man could one day partake of the tree of life. They couldn’t partake of it now, but there could be opportunity to do so in the future. To do this, they would have to go back into the midst of the garden.

God’s plan is about a return to Eden – a return to closeness and favor with God. The word “religion” itself signifies this – ligio means “to bind”, and the prefix re means “to do something again”. It is a rebinding and restoration of ties. Paradise and closeness with the Creator is what was lost, and it is therefore that which needs restoring. It is a way of escaping the eternal condemnation to dust.

It is a great feat, but to our great comfort, one man has already accomplished this. It has been achieved by the figure of all of these shadows and symbols – the Lord Jesus Christ. And we were told all about him from the beginning. All of these things we just considered in the garden pointed to a savior and the promise of a return. The seed of the woman which would destroy the serpent is Christ. The animal slain in the garden was symbolic of Christ, for in Revelation 13:8, he is called “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” All was centered upon Christ from the beginning. (John 1:1-4, 14). He is the focal point and center of God’s plan of redemption.

Coming in the same nature as the rest of those born of the stock of Adam, he was under the law of sin and death, made of sinful flesh, and subject to all the woes and infirmities of this mortal frame. Yet being the Son of the Divine, he enjoyed a closeness and mental strength which enabled him to retain the Lord’s Word which he learned. His entire life was for one purpose: to overcome the nature which was common to man and live a sinless life, offering himself up as a sin offering to the Lord as a representative of the race.

While we certainly don’t have time to cover this as we ought to, we know his life and what he did. He overcame sin in the flesh and destroyed it in his body by the sacrifice of himself:

Hebrews 2:14-15 – Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.

Having been crucified, he was raised to life anew, never to die again. And as we’re told in

Romans 6:9-10 – Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  (10)  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

The magnitude of this cannot be overstated. Salvation has already been achieved by someone! And not just anyone, but someone who was tempted more sorely and suffered more heavily than any of us will ever be. He had died, but now he lives unto God, never to die again! Figuratively speaking, he has already eaten of the tree of life. The curse of sin and death has no bearing upon him at all. In no way is he stifled by the flesh any longer. And having been the one to overcome sin and conquer the grave, he became the judge of all else who hope to attain the same salvation, for in

Revelation 1:18 – I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

It’s a wonderful thing for us, for it means that we have a forerunner who we can follow to achieve the same goal (Hebrews 6:20). Christ is the captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10). So what must you and I do? We are clearly told. 

Revelation 3:21 – To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

We must endeavor to do the same as our Lord did – overcome the sin in our members and submit ourselves to God in faith. Christ is coming back to restore Eden, and it is this that we wait for. But how do we overcome? In concept, it is very simple. In practice, it is very difficult. We must overcome our nature. There is a lesson in the condemnation of man that he would have to till the soil from which he was taken if he was to eat and live. We must work at the flesh. We must latch ourselves to our redeemer and walk as he walked. We must fill our minds and hearts with the Word of God and conduct ourselves according to His ways. The flesh will constantly urge us to behave and respond according to our natural impulses, but we are to retrain our minds and hearts to follow God’s ways in faith:

1 John 2:16 – For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1 John 5:4-5 – For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  (5)  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

We cannot completely overcome because we are erring flesh. Yet it must be to the high mark of Christ that we strive for in the time we’re given in this life. The signs of our Master’s return are ever before us, and when he comes back, “He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice” (Psalms 50:4-5).

Because we cannot overcome sin completely, there must be a judgment. We will appear before Christ so he can determine whether we have overcome sin to his satisfaction. Brothers and sisters of all walks and stages of life will not overcome at the same time. Those who are elders in the truth ought to be further along in the process than someone who was just baptized, but it is the effort we have put forth that the Lord will judge.

For those who fall short, the Lord will reject and sentence to the second death from which there is no resurrection. These are they who were washed by the blood of the lamb, but did not keep their garments clean. But for those who do overcome, a multitude of wonders awaits them. Among these is a return to Eden.

Yet it is actually a greater than Eden, for those inhabiting the earth will have proven themselves as loving servants and the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. So the Kingdom will not just be a return to the same conditions of Eden, but a much higher plane. But for those faithful who do endeavor to overcome, the gate to Eden will no longer be blocked, but we will be allowed to enter so we can eat of the Tree of Life. The evil and sin in our members will be undone, and we will be made partakers of the perfect, everlasting, spirit nature:

1 Corinthians 15:53-54 – For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  (54)  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Consider this moment! Can we picture this in our minds? We may not literally pluck fruit from a tree since this was not how Christ attained eternal life, yet it is possible given that the tree of life is part of the Kingdom. The Tree of Life was in the midst of the garden in the beginning, and likewise it will be in the midst of the Kingdom of God. 

Revelation 22:1-3 – And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.  (2)  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  (3)  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

Revelation 22:14 – Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Some suggest that Christ is the antitypical Tree of Life, and to “eat” of him is to have the same effect as eating of the original tree. Either way, the method isn’t what is important. It’s the effect. It will be our granted entrance into the Kingdom of God and immortalization.

Can we imagine actually hearing these words of approval directed at us? The Lord tells us that for those who overcome,“I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Revelation 3:5). The mixture of joy, humility, unworthiness, and gratitude will undoubtedly be unable to contain. All of our lives will have climaxed in this moment, and if found worthy, all of the things we endured and experienced will have been more than worthwhile. We will then have our Lord in our very midst for our comfort and joy.

But while we are getting very close, we are not there yet. Time still remains which can be redeemed. We still have opportunity to improve our standing before our Lord. The road will be difficult, but it is only because it is worthwhile. We are being shaped and tried in order that we might be of the proper character and heart to be fit for the Kingdom. Pure gold is tried in the fire, and so we must all pass through it.

But perhaps it is profitable to ask: Why do we seek the tree of life? It’s undoubtedly so we might inherit eternal life. But is that the only reason? Do we desire it for selfish purposes only?

There’s nothing wrong with wanting eternal life. It is the desire to escape the grip of death that naturally draws us to God’s plan, and it is designed to do that. But if we only seek the Kingdom of God for selfish purposes, we are missing the greater point. We have yet to grasp the true purpose of salvation. God’s plan is about God manifestation, not human salvation. It’s good to want eternal life to escape death, but it is far better to seek it so that we might finally be able to serve the Lord with the perfection which He deserves – that we might be freed from the woeful shortcomings of the flesh and enabled to render perfect service to Him. The best that we can do as feeble mortals is offer Him a few short years of imperfect service. But as partakers of the Spirit nature, we can honor His name and minister for eternity with perfection.

When we are newly baptized, I think many of us might say that 85-90% of the reason we did it is because we wanted to be saved. The other 10-15% was because we want to honor God. But as we progress in our spiritual walk, these percentages should begin to swap, so that as we grow and mature in the Truth, we become more concerned about God manifestation instead of our own salvation – for that will come in time. The glory and honor of God is greater than our lives. Let us each work toward this mindset.

While there are many things we can focus on to remain strong in trials and to set or keep us on the straight and narrow path, I think there is one thing that is perhaps the best help – and we’ll conclude on this thought. I say this because it’s the one thing that enabled Christ to stay the course and overcome sin. Christ was able to overcome in part due to his clear understanding and vision of the hope he had. We are told in

Hebrews 12:2 – …Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This is how Christ overcame, and it is no different for you and I. How can we strive for something with every fiber of our being if we do not know, understand, and love what we are striving for? It is for this purpose that Christ tells us what is promised “him that overcometh”. And so, may we grow in our understanding and love of this most wondrous hope, that we too might overcome and enter the midst of the paradise of God, and there remain for the endless ages to come.

In the One Hope of Israel,

Tanner Hawkins