In this message I have the burden to cover, as a parenthesis, the
principle of the tree of life throughout the Scriptures. We have pointed out
many times that almost everything in the first two chapters of Genesis has been
sown there as a seed and that this seed grows gradually in the following books
of the Bible, appearing as a crop in the New Testament and ripening as a
harvest in the book of Revelation. This is a basic principle of the divine
Word. God was very economical in writing the Bible, not wasting a single word.
He used every word in a most economical way. Furthermore, God's revelation is
consistent throughout the Scriptures. Therefore, whatever we find in the
beginning of the Bible we also find throughout the Bible and at the end.
The record of the two trees in Genesis 2, the tree of life and the
tree of knowledge, is not merely ancient history, for these two trees are still
with us today. If we read the Bible carefully we will discover that throughout
the Bible we have two lines—the line of the tree of life and the line of the
tree of knowledge. We may refer to them in brief as the line of life and the
line of knowledge. These two lines began at the book of Genesis and continue
through the subsequent books of the Bible until they reach their destination.
As we pointed out in message thirteen, the destination of the line of life will
be the New Jerusalem, where the tree of life appears once again. The river of
the water of life is also found in the New Jerusalem, for it flows throughout
the entire city. Thus, the New Jerusalem, a city of living water, is the
ultimate consummation of the line of the tree of life. The line of knowledge
will conclude with the lake of fire, a vivid contrast to the city of New Jerusalem. The city
is a city of living water; the lake is a lake of burning fire.
According to the revelation in the Bible, we see two streams
proceeding out of the throne of God. One is the stream of living water, and the
other is a stream of fire. The stream of living water is revealed in Ezekiel 47
and Revelation 22. In Ezekiel living water issues out of the house of God; in
Revelation 22 living water flows out of the throne of God. In Daniel 7:9-10 we
see another stream, a stream of fire, flowing out of the throne of God. The
living water is for reviving and watering, but the stream of fire is for
judging. It courses in judgment throughout the universe. The river of water
proceeds out of the throne of God and will flow all positive things into the
New Jerusalem. The stream of fire issues out of the throne of God and will
sweep all negative things into the lake of fire. In the beginning of the Bible
we have the start of two lines, the line of life and the line of knowledge. At
the end of the Bible we have two results, two consummations—the city of living
water and the lake of burning fire.
Where are you and where are you going? Which line are you on? The
line of life is certainly the right line, but the line of knowledge is the
wrong line. As redeemed people we are surely on the right line, the line of
life. However, it is possible that our walk and our work—that is, the way we
live and work for God—might be on the wrong line. Although as persons we may be
on the line of life, our walk and work may be on the line of knowledge. The
Bible firstly warns people to stay away from the line of knowledge and remain
on or return to the line of life. Once we are saved, we are eternally saved,
and our salvation is eternally secure. Nevertheless, the Bible warns us
concerning our daily walk and our work for the Lord. In Galatians Paul warns us
to walk in the Spirit (5:16) and to sow to the Spirit (6:7-8). Otherwise,
everything we do will be consumed by fire. In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul cautions us,
the builders of the churches, to be careful to build with the proper materials.
If we build the church with gold, silver, and precious stones, this work will
continue unto the New Jerusalem, because the New Jerusalem is a city built with
gold, pearl, and precious stones. On the other hand, Paul warns us that the
wood, grass, and straw are only useful for burning (1 Cor. 3:12-15). Everything
that is built with those materials will be swept by the stream of fire into the
lake of fire. Thus, we must be careful about ourselves, our walk, and our work.
We ourselves must stay on the right line, and our daily walk and work must also
be on the right line. Then we and our work will enter the New Jerusalem. We
need to be very clear about these two lines. In this message, I shall cover the
line of life and in the following message the line of knowledge.
Many times I have been bothered by the fact that the tree of life
appeared for a short while in Genesis 2 and that it was closed off from man at
the end of Genesis 3. Apparently the tree of life has been closed to man;
actually through the promised redemption it has been available throughout the
ages for God's people to touch, enjoy, and experience. Now in a very simple way
I want to give you many of the positive persons on this line of life. We do not
begin with Adam, who was fallen and redeemed. We begin with Abel.
I. ABEL—CONTACTING GOD IN GOD'S WAY
The characteristic of Abel's life was that he contacted God in
God's way (Gen. 4:4). Do not say that as long as you contact God everything is
all right. In whose way do you contact God—in your way or God's? There are
three peoples who claim to contact God: the Jews, the Moslems, and the
Christians. The Jews contact God in their own way. According to Romans 10:2-3,
the Jews seek to establish their own righteousness and do not submit to the
righteousness of God. This means that they contact God in their own way. The
Moslems are even more devoted to their own way of worshipping God. If you visit
a Moslem mosque, you will find that the Moslems appear pious and godly,
worshipping God by bowing themselves. Many so-called Christians, including
Catholics, do their service to God according to their own way, not through the
redemption of Christ, nor in the Spirit.
What is the origin of man's own way of contacting God? The source
is man's troublesome mind, which can produce nothing except knowledge. Hence,
men contact God in the way of knowledge, not in the way of life. Abel, however,
contacted God in His way. As we shall see in the following message, his elder
brother, Cain, contacted God in his own way. God's way is life; Cain's way is
knowledge. We all need to be careful. Although you may say that you are for
God, perhaps you are for God in your own way. You approach God in your
self-invented way, and that way is entirely a matter of knowledge. Do not
follow that way. We should observe the example of Abel and contact God by laying
aside our thought, opinion, and concept. "Lord, I contact You in Your way.
I don't contact You by my thought, concept, or knowledge. Lord, You are my
way." If we do this, we will enjoy God as the tree of life. Abel did
partake of God as the tree of life. He truly ate of the fruit of this tree.
II. SETH AND ENOSH— CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD
Perhaps the names of Seth and Enosh are unfamiliar to you. Seth
and Enosh were the third and fourth generations of mankind, although the Bible
considers them as one. After Abel was slain, the line of life seemed to be
terminated. Nevertheless, Seth and Enosh were raised up to continue it. These
two generations had one outstanding characteristic—they began to call upon the
name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26). They not only prayed, but called on the name of
the Lord. If you read the original text of the Hebrew and Greek, you will see
that the word call means to cry out, not only to pray. Although all Christians
pray, few pray in a calling way. Most pray very quietly, even in silence.
However, the third and fourth generations of mankind learned that in order to
contact God they needed to cry out to Him and call on Him. Do not argue that
God is not deaf, that He is able to hear us. Even the Lord Jesus Himself prayed
with a strong cry in the garden (Heb. 5:7). During the time of Seth and Enosh,
men learned how to pray to God in the way of calling on Him. If you try it, you
will discover that it makes a difference. The Apostle Paul said that the Lord
is rich unto all who call upon Him (Rom. 10:12). If you want to enjoy the
riches of the Lord, you need to call upon His name.
Suppose you are helping a new convert touch the Lord in prayer. He
prays, "Jesus, You are the Son of God. You died for me. I take You as my
Savior. Thank You." Although this is a good prayer, it is better for him
to call on the Lord in a strong way. If he says, "O Lord Jesus, thank You
for dying for me," his spirit will be stirred up and he will touch the
Lord in a living way.
Although the third and fourth generations of mankind discovered
the way of calling on the name of the Lord, this way of calling on Him was
gradually lost. Many Christians today neglect it and even despise it. However,
no Christian can escape calling on the Lord's name. During peaceful and
untroubled times you may retain your composure, unwilling to lose your face by
calling on the name of the Lord. However, during a time of difficulty, perhaps
after an automobile accident or in a time of sudden illness, you will call on
Him spontaneously, saying, "O Lord." It is unnecessary for us to
teach people to call on the Lord. One day they will call on Him. When troubles
come, they will have the need to call on His name. To call on the name of the
Lord is simply to enjoy Him and to eat Him as the tree of life.
III. ENOCH—WALKING WITH GOD
The characteristic of Enoch's life was that he walked with God
(Gen. 5:22, 24). We are not told that he worked for God or that he did great
things for God, but that he walked with God. This is very meaningful. In order
to walk with a person, you must like him. If I do not like you, I will never
walk with you. Firstly, I like you, then I love you, and then I will walk with
you continually. The fact that Enoch walked with God proves that he loved God.
He simply loved to be in the presence of God. The Lord Jesus rebuked the church
at Ephesus
because they did many works for God but had lost their first love (Rev. 2:2-4).
The Lord does not want to see so many good works; He wants to see our love
toward God. Suppose a wife performs many good works for her husband, yet would
never be in his presence. Surely the husband will say, "I don't want you
to be busy and yet be away from me. I want a wife who is with me all the
time."
Enoch walked with God. If we read Genesis 5:21-24 carefully, we
will see that Enoch began his walk with God at the age of sixty-five and
continued walking with Him for three hundred years. He walked with God day
after day for a period of three hundred years. Finally, God seemed to say,
"Enoch, you have walked with Me long enough. Let Me take you to
Myself." Many Christians are fond of talking about the rapture and the
coming of the Lord. Do you realize that rapture requires that you love the Lord
and live in His presence? We need to love the Lord. "Lord Jesus, I love
You. I want to live in Your presence. I want to walk with You because I love
You." This loving attitude is the preparation, condition, and basis of
being raptured. On what ground was Enoch raptured? He was raptured on the basis
of his walk with God for a period of three hundred years. Enoch offered us an
excellent example.
IV. NOAH—WALKING WITH GOD
Noah followed Enoch's footsteps and also walked with God (Gen.
6:9). Actually, he walked with God for a period even longer than three hundred
years. As Noah walked with God, God showed him a vision of what He wanted to do
in that age. Noah received the vision of the ark used to save eight members of
the fallen race. Like Noah, we should not act according to our concept.
Whatever we do and work should be according to the vision we received in
walking with the Lord. In our daily walk with the Lord we will come to see His
desire, His mind, and His will. Then we will work and serve according to God's
desire, not according to our own thoughts. Noah enjoyed God by walking with
Him.
V. ABRAHAM—LIVING IN THE APPEARING OF GOD AND CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD
Abraham was more outstanding than Noah. As we pointed out in the
Life-study of Romans, Abraham was transfused with the appearing of the God of
glory. While Abraham was in Ur
of the Chaldees, the God of glory appeared to him and attracted him (Acts 7:2).
According to the record in Genesis, God appeared to Abraham several other times
as well (Gen. 12:7; 17:1; 18:1). Abraham was not a giant of faith by himself;
he was as weak as we are. The God of glory appeared to Abraham again and again,
each time transfusing and infusing His divine elements into him, enabling him
to live by the faith of God. Abraham's experience reminds us of a battery which
operates well after it is charged, but which needs recharging after a period of
time. It is very interesting to study Abraham's history according to God's
appearings to him. God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees and led him on by
appearing to him again and again. As I have mentioned previously, when God
called Abraham to leave Ur,
He did not give him a map or any directions. Abraham walked according to the
appearing of God. If God's appearing was in a certain direction, Abraham simply
moved in that direction. In this way Abraham enjoyed the riches of God.
In addition to experiencing the appearings of God, Abraham called
upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 12:7-8). Abraham's son, Isaac, and his
grandson, Jacob, also called upon the name of the Lord. Since these three
generations were all the same, God was called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. This means that God is the God of His people who live in His appearing
and who call upon His name. As Abraham lived in the appearing of God and called
upon the name of the Lord, he enjoyed Him as the tree of life. According to
Genesis 18, God appeared to Abraham as he sat at the entrance of his tent, and
He stayed with him for about half a day, even enjoying a meal with him. Thus,
the Bible even says that Abraham was called the friend of God (James 2:23). In
Genesis 18 God and Abraham conversed together and ate together as friends.
Certainly we all would like to have such an enjoyment of the Lord.
Nevertheless, our portion today is much better than Abraham's experience in
Genesis 18. According to Revelation 3:20, the Lord Jesus is knocking at the
door. If anyone will hear His voice and open the door, the Lord will come into
him and sup with him. Day by day we may have a feast with the Lord. Abraham
dined with the Lord for approximately half a day, but we may feast with Him
continually. We may meet with the Lord at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Our
portion is higher and richer than was Abraham's.
Abraham enjoyed God as the tree of life. What is the tree of life?
The tree of life is the supply of life that maintains our living in the
presence of God. Abraham enjoyed God in such a way.
VI. ISAAC—LIVING IN THE APPEARING OF GOD AND CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD
Isaac, as the son of Abraham, was in the same way of contacting
God as was his father. He also lived in the appearing of God and called upon
the name of the Lord (Gen. 26:2, 24-25). He did not only inherit all the
blessings of his father, but also his way to enjoy God.
VII. JACOB—LIVING IN THE APPEARING OF GOD AND CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD
Jacob, as the third generation of the called race, was eventually
led by God not to live by his supplanting way, but by the same way of
contacting God as his grandfather and his father did. After being dealt with by
the Lord for a considerable time, he learned to live in the appearing of God
and to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 35:1, 9; 48:3). To him, this was
not only the inherited way, but also the way to which he was led by God's
discipline.
VIII. MOSES—LIVING IN THE APPEARING AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD
Moses was a most interesting person. He was born at a time when
the Israelites were under the persecution of the Egyptians. God sovereignly
placed him in the palace
of Pharoah, and he was
brought up as a member of the royal family, as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
Moses learned of the sufferings of his people under the hand of the Egyptians,
probably hearing of them from his nursing mother, who was actually his natural
mother. Such reports undoubtedly stirred Moses' heart. Perhaps Moses said,
"The Egyptians have been persecuting my people. I will do something to
help them." Although Moses had a good heart, that heart was a heart of
knowledge, a heart of death. This is the situation among many Christians today.
Many have a good heart. They are stirred up and want to do something for God.
But Moses acted in his own way and in his own strength. The result was failure,
and he was deeply disappointed. Eventually, Moses realized that he could not do
anything; he was disappointed to such an extent that he gave up. It seems that
he said, "I had such a good heart for my people, but God didn't help me.
God did not appreciate my efforts. Since God is not with me, I will forget
about the situation and go to the wilderness." Although he was concerned
about the welfare of the children of Israel, he was disheartened by his
failure and he fled to the wilderness, where, lonely and despondent, he became
a keeper of the flock. Moses, the man who was learned in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians and who was mighty in words and deeds (Acts 7:22), was now a little
shepherd in the wilderness, a defeated and dejected man.
One day, in the midst of his disappointment, God came. God
appeared to Moses in a vision of a burning bush, a bush that burned without
being consumed (Exo. 3:2, 16). Moses was surprised and turned aside to see this
bush. It was as if God was saying to Moses, "Moses, you must be like this
burning bush. Do not burn by yourself or act by yourself. You had a good heart,
but you acted in the wrong way." We may use the example of a modern
automobile. If we want to move the automobile, it is foolish for us either to
pull it or push it. That will only wear us out. We should use gasoline as our
source of power. When the gasoline burns, the automobile moves. We must operate
the vehicle in this way. Likewise, Moses learned to cease from his own
knowledge, his own way, his own energy, and his own activities. Moses began to
live, as his grandfathers had done, in the presence and the appearing of the
Lord. No longer did he act out of himself. From that time onward, he was one
with God. For the leading of the Israelites on their journey, the Lord told
him, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." And
he said to the Lord, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up
hence" (Exo. 33:13-15). This shows that Moses knew the necessity of the
Lord's presence for his work for the Lord. He was acting in the presence of
God.
After Moses had brought the children of Israel
out of Egypt,
God called him to the mountaintop, where he remained for forty days. While he
was on the mountaintop, he was thoroughly infused with the shekinah glory of
God. As he descended along the side of the mountain, the glory of God radiated
from his face (Exo. 34:29). On this mountaintop Moses experienced the full
enjoyment of God as the tree of life. Although the tree of life had disappeared
from unbelieving men, it nevertheless appeared to a person like Moses. Moses
enjoyed God as the tree of life on the mount of glory.
Moses, like Noah, received a vision of God's building. While he
was in the glory on the mountain, God gave him a detailed pattern of His
dwelling place on the earth (Exo. 25:9). If we are one with God as we minister
and work for Him, our work will not be a labor, but an enjoyment. When I speak
for the Lord, I enjoy Him immensely. Once I have completed a message, I feel
satisfied. Every ministry that is of God and according to God is actually a
kind of food to the minister. Moses served God and enjoyed God in this way.
IX. THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL— JOURNEYING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
When we speak about the children of Israel, it is easy to have a poor
impression of them. If we recall how they worshipped the golden calf in the
wilderness, we will think of them as pitiful indeed. However, everything in the
universe has two sides. For instance, we have both day and night. Furthermore,
in every home there is a living room and a place to keep the refuse, the trash.
In the Bible we can find both positive and negative things, depending on where
we look. For example, Abraham, who was so good, had a concubine and was not as
wonderful as we think he was. But we should not look upon the negative things
so much as on the positive things. This is especially true as we come to the
history of the children of Israel.
For a period of forty years the children of Israel
journeyed in the presence of the Lord (Exo. 13:21-22; Num. 14:14). They had the
pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. The Israelites did not
journey according to their opinion, but simply followed the movement of the
pillar. Actually, there were not two pillars, but just one. In the day the
pillar was like a cloud and in the night it was like a fire. During the day God
shaded the people, protecting them from the bright sunlight. During the night
he gave them light to illuminate their way. This pillar was God Himself.
Therefore, during the forty years in the wilderness the children of Israel enjoyed
the presence of God. They also ate manna, the heavenly food, day after day,
meaning they enjoyed God as the tree of life. Thus, even in the wilderness we
see the line of the tree of life. Although we may have a negative concept about
the children of Israel
in the wilderness, they nevertheless experienced the tree of life, enjoying God
day by day.
Would it not be wonderful to experience such a pillar of cloud and
pillar of fire and heavenly manna in Orange
County today? However,
our portion is much better. We have the Holy Spirit as the pillar of cloud and
the Bible as the pillar of fire. We also have the Lord Jesus as our heavenly
manna. As we journey through the wilderness of Orange County,
the Lord is present with us, and we enjoy Him as the tree of life.
X. JOSHUA—LIVING AND WORKING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
When God called Joshua, He encouraged him, assuring him that He
would be with him as He was with Moses (Josh. 1:5-9). The Lord told Joshua to
be strong and courageous, for the Lord would be with him wherever he went.
Joshua was a person who enjoyed God. As long as we enjoy God's presence, we can
be a Joshua today. God is not far from us; He is with us all the time. Thus,
we, like Joshua, can live, walk, and work in the presence of the Lord.
XI. GIDEON—FIGHTING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
Gideon's outstanding characteristic was that he fought the battle
in the presence of God (Judg. 6:12, 16). He not only lived, walked, and worked
in the presence of the Lord, but fought with the presence of the Lord. We all
must be like this. In one sense our daily walk is a walk, in another sense it
is a work, and in still another sense it is a warfare. Whether we walk, work,
or fight, we must be in the presence of the Lord. To be in the presence of the
Lord simply means to have the enjoyment of the Lord as the tree of life. Gideon
enjoyed God as the tree of life.
XII. SAMUEL—PRAYING AND CALLING UPON THE LORD
Samuel was another wonderful person in the Old Testament, a man
who prayed for the children of God continually. The Bible says that Samuel told
the people that he would not sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for them
(1 Sam. 12:23). When Samuel learned that King Saul offended God, he was grieved
and cried to the Lord the entire night (1 Sam. 15:11). Therefore, the Bible
refers to Samuel as a man who called upon the name of the Lord (Psa. 99:6) and
as a man who stood in the presence of God (Jer. 15:1). All of this reveals to
us that Samuel was a person who prayed continually, who called on the name of
the Lord, and who stood in the presence of God. By standing in the presence of
the Lord and by calling on the name of the Lord, he enjoyed the Lord, partaking
of Him as the tree of life. This motivation and enjoyment made him such a
wonderful person in human history.
XIII. DAVID—TRUSTING IN GOD, LOOKING TO HIM, AND ENJOYING GOD'S LIFE
David was a man who trusted in God and looked to Him (1 Sam.
17:37, 45; 30:6). The secret of David's life was that he desired to dwell
continually in the house of God and to behold His beauty (Psa. 27:4, 8, 14).
This means that he enjoyed the presence of God. Moreover, he enjoyed God as the
fatness and as the river of joy (Psa. 36:8-9). David said, "With thee is
the fountain of life." This proves that even in ancient times David
enjoyed God's life as the tree of life and as the river flowing within him.
This enjoyment of God made him such a great king among the children of Israel.
XIV. DANIEL—PRAYING TO GOD
We are all familiar with the story of Daniel. However, most
Christians are just curious about Daniel's prophecies. They want to know about
the great image in Daniel 2, the image with the golden head, silver shoulders,
brass abdomen, iron legs, and clay toes. They also want to know about the
beasts that emerge from the sea in Daniel 7. All of the young people are interested
in these matters. Although many years ago I spent a great deal of time studying
these things, I eventually came to appreciate other aspects of the book of
Daniel even more. Now I like the book of Daniel because in it I see a man who
prayed constantly and contacted the Lord continually (Dan. 6:10-11; 9:3-4;
10:2-3, 12). According to Daniel 6, Daniel was preeminent among the governors
and princes in the kingdom
of Darius. The other
governors and princes were jealous and plotted against him, seeking to destroy
him. When Daniel learned of this, he went to the Lord and prayed. The aim of
the conspiracy of the one hundred twenty governors was to shake Daniel's
relationship with God. Nevertheless, Daniel opened his windows toward Jerusalem and prayed
three times a day. When Daniel learned from reading the prophecy of Jeremiah
that the seventy-year period of exile and captivity was soon to expire, he
began to pray (Dan. 9:2-3). Then he received another vision and he prayed
continually for three weeks until the answer came (Dan. 10:1-3, 12). Daniel's
prayer life issued out of a holy life. He lived a holy life in the heathen land of Babylon. For example, Daniel refused to
eat the king's food, the food which was first offered to idols and then used to
feed the king and his people (Dan. 1:8). Daniel refused that food, and he
enjoyed God very much. He enjoyed God as the tree of life.
XV. JESUS—AS THE SON OF GOD LIVING BY GOD
As we come to the New Testament, we see that the first person on
the line of life in the New Testament was the Lord Jesus. Jesus not only
enjoyed the tree of life; He was the tree of life. He Himself said that He came
from the Father and that He lived by the Father (John 6:57). He did not live
according to knowledge and learning. He lived, walked, and worked according to
the Father who was working within Him (John 14:10).
XVI. THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS— LIVING BY THE LORD
Our destiny as New Testament believers is simply to abide in the
Lord and to allow the Lord to abide in us (John 15:5). This means that we enjoy
the Lord. The Lord Jesus told us that we must eat Him, for he who eats Him
shall live because of Him (John 6:57; 14:19). We must eat the Lord Jesus
because He is our bread of life, our tree of life. The tree of life is life presented
in the form of food. In John 6 the Lord presented Himself as the life supply
also in the form of food, telling us that He is the bread of life (v. 35) and
that His flesh is eatable (v. 55). If we eat Him, we will have Him as our life
and as the life supply by which we live. This is the genuine enjoyment of the
tree of life.
XVII. PAUL—LIVING OUT THE LORD
Among all the New Testament believers, Paul was an example of a
man who lived out the Lord. In Galatians 2:20 Paul said that Christ lived in
him and that the life which he lived he lived by the faith of the Lord Jesus.
Paul was saying that he himself had been crucified and buried, and that it was
Christ who lived in him. Eventually Paul could say, "For to me to live is
Christ" (Phil. 1:21). Christ was his life and his life supply, for Paul
enjoyed Christ as the tree of life.
XVIII. THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST— LIVING BY CHRIST AS LIFE
The church is the Body of Christ. It is impossible for the body
not to enjoy the head. The body cannot be separated from the head, for such
separation means death. The entire church is the Body of Christ, depending on
Christ and living by Christ as life (Eph. 1:23; Col. 3:4). By this we can see
that the church may enjoy Christ as the tree of life.
XIX. THE NEW JERUSALEM—SUSTAINED BY THE RIVER OF LIFE WITH THE TREE OF LIFE
At the end of the Bible we see the consummation of the tree of
life—the New Jerusalem. In the center of this city we see the river of life,
which proceeds out of the throne of God and the Lamb, and in which grows the
tree of life that bears fruit every month (Rev. 22:1-2). Our destiny and our
portion for eternity will be the enjoyment of the tree of life and the water of
life. The Bible concludes with a promise and a call. The promise is found in Revelation
22:14 which says, "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may
have right to the tree of life." The call is found in Revelation 22:17
which says, "He who wills, let him take the water of life freely."
Thus, the whole Bible ends with eating and drinking, with enjoying God as the
tree of life and with drinking Him as the water of life. This is the
consummation of the line of life.
What should we do today? We should not do anything. We should
simply stay on the line of the tree of life, enjoying God as our life and as
our life supply. God will take care of everything. Out of the enjoyment of the
Lord as our life supply, we will have our daily life, walk, work, and the
building up of the churches. Then everything we have will be according to God's
divine element, not according to our own concepts. Now we see the way we must
take. May the Lord have mercy on us that we all may continue on the line of
life.
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