Eden Home by Thoro Harris

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 27, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 35.

Eden Home

By Thoro Harris

Eden home.

But the time came when they transgressed God’s easy prohibition; they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, disobeyed God’s law, and so brought death upon themselves. “The Lord 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 forever; therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden; . . . and He placed” at its entrance “cherubims and a flaming sword, . . . to keep the way of the tree of life.” Gen. 3:22–24. There are no immortal sinners. None have eternal life. God has pronounced the irrevocable sentence, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Eze. 18:20.

The interesting query now arises, What became of this tree? For it can not be found upon the earth to-day. The evidence seems quite conclusive, that prior to the deluge it was withdrawn from the earth. But it was not destroyed. For in the New Testament we read of this same tree of life. In his glowing description of the glories attending the heavenly Jerusalem in its future advent to our world, the seer of Patmos declares that the angel showed him “a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, 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.” Rev. 22:1, 2.

Notice that there is but one such tree. The Bible nowhere mentions more; it is throughout the tree of life. It is the same tree of which Adam and Eve partook in their innocency, and as it was seen in the city of God, it must have been transplanted thither. But how can it be one tree, when it is on both sides of that noble stream which makes glad the dwelling-place of the saints in light?—Ah, here is a wonderful fact: it completely overarches the river. It has roots and a trunk on both sides.

Nature has provided a feeble illustration of this in the banyan tree of India. Plant one such tree, and in time a forest will appear. The trunk first shoots upward, and then sends down branches which take root in the earth. These branches themselves become new trunks. Thus one tree becomes a forest, connected throughout. Even so of the tree of life; for the apostle declares, “On either side of the river was there the tree”—the one tree—“of life.”

The tree bears twelve manner of fruits, and yields its fruit every month, thus affording a different variety for each month. There is no monotony about this tree of life. Fruit every month. With this agree the words of Isaiah the prophet, who, in describing the glories of the new earth state, declares, “It shall come to pass, that from one new moon [month] to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the Lord.” Isa. 66:23.

But it seems that the leaves of the tree also are of service. They are “for the healing of the nations,” or, as Ezekiel puts it, “for medicine.” Eze. 47:12. But why for medicine, when we are assured that the inhabitant of that country shall not say, “I am sick.” Isa. 33:24. Consider this: Before the flood, when our race was in its infancy, men were of lofty stature and possessed great intellectual vigor. Moses the sacred historian, says, “There were giants in the earth in those days.” Gen. 6:4. All this is to be restored in Christ. At the first resurrection the saints arise, clothed with the garb of immortality. Death can visit them no more, for every trace of disease will be left within the tomb. But while they awake thus in primeval strength, they do not arise in primeval stature. How do we know this?—Because Malachi, in speaking of the final restitution, declares, that unto those who fear God’s name “shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” Mal. 4:2. The leaves of the tree, then, are essential to our complete restoration.

Who among us will receive this inestimable blessing? Who of us will partake of this fruit—will eat and live forever?—Let the True Witness answer: “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. Rev. 2:7. The promise pertains only to the soul that overcomes.

O, think of that world from which every taint of the curse has been removed. Think of that world where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no suffering, no death; of that city whose walls are of jasper, whose streets are pure gold; of that fountain, every drop of which sparkles with living water. Think of that tree which grows upon both its banks, and completely overarches as well the river as the broad avenue that leads to the great white throne; and then think upon the blessedness of that eternity when, within the kingdom, you shall realize that it is your home forevermore. O day of joy and gladness, hasten thine appearing! O portals of the city of God, open and enfold us in your eternal rest! And Christ our life will, if we will let Him, bring us to that blessed state.

THORO HARRIS.