p. 140 | THE TREE OF LIFE by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 22, 1860

THE TREE OF LIFE.

By James White

Among the many blessings with which the garden of Eden was stocked for the pleasure and utility of our first parents, there was, says the record, "the tree of life also in the midst of the garden." The tree of life! significant in name, truly, if in nothing besides. Judging from the name we should conclude that it had something to do with the life of the individuals for whose benefit it was given; that it was designed to be a source of vitality to them; tending to perpetuate their days; and that from a deprivation of it, they would inevitably suffer loss.

We apprehend that this wonderful object is too much lost sight of and neglected in the prevalent theories of God's purposes towards man. What was the object of this wonderful arrangement of the tree of life? and, since it is now nowhere to be found on earth, and the human race is thus shut out from it, what results? We can infer an answer to this question from Gen. iii, 22, where we find the next mention of the tree of life: Man had now sinned, fallen, and become obnoxious to his Maker; but there was the life-giving tree within his reach, and now what shall be done? Shall the sinner be suffered to live forever, and sin be made eternal? Hear what God says, and mark the means he took to prevent such a result: "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 forever; therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, and placed at the east end of the garden, cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life." Gen. iii, 22-24.

Reader, if you are one of those who believe that the popular view of the natural immortality of man is correct, we ask you to ponder carefully this record. Why was there ever a tree planted in Eden bearing the significant name, The tree of life? Why, when man had sinned, and so forfeited all right to life, was he so hastily and so completely debarred all access to that peculiar tree? And why, above all, did God assign as the reason why he should be thus excluded from it, that it was lest he should take of the tree of life and eat and live forever; if, at the same time, there was in man's nature an immortal and undying principle by virtue of which he must live forever, whether he should ever see that tree again or not? We submit these questions to all fair criticism; and we appeal to every candid mind if the facts and circumstances recorded in connection with the tree of life in Eden, do not furnish as plain proof as need be given, that man did not possess any tenure of life independent of the arrangement by which God evidently designed to perpetuate it, and from which he was debarred the moment he became polluted with sin.

"Lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever." What plainer declaration could be required that it is not the design of God that man in sin shall live forever; and we are expressly told that for this very reason, that this might not be his condition, that man might not be an immortal sinner, he was driven forth from the garden, and excluded from the tree. Yet the majority of mankind seem disposed to console themselves with the idea that they have nevertheless an inherent immortality, just as though their common father had never suffered this humiliating exclusion, and just as though he and they had always had free access to the tree of life. It is not to be wondered at that a certain character who bore a conspicuous part in the scenes of the fall, should, for the sake of his reputation, manifest a marked diligence in disseminating a belief which would exculpate him from the charge of falsehood in what he said to our mother Eve in Gen. iii, 4; and the result shows that mankind have been too willing to swallow the fraud, even as the hasheesh-eater of the East, though but the proprietor perhaps of a mud cabin, delights under the influence of his favorite narcotic, to imagine himself lord of untold treasures, and a reveler in princely halls.

But man was driven from Eden; and as he went forth "with wandering step and slow," he beheld the flaming sword guarding the tree of life, and himself excluded from his only source of immortality; for, barred from that life-giving tree, he could not "live forever." It then becomes evident that if immortality is ever bestowed upon our race it must be by some subsequent arrangement on the part of the Creator. If such a plan was ever devised we may expect to find it made known in the records of his subsequent dealings with the human family. And we may moreover expect to find it plainly stated whether the precious boon is conditional or unconditional, to be bestowed upon a certain class only, or upon all promiscuously.

We then inquire, Has there ever been a way of life opened before man since his expulsion from the tree of life in Eden? Ere we have time to pen the answer, the mind of the reader will doubtless recur to the life and mission of Christ our Redeemer, who brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. But on what basis does that life rest, which Christ thus brought to light? Does it rest upon the nature of man? Did the Saviour come to tell all men that they had it? No; he came to offer it to them. Jno. iii, 16. Did he tell them it was all in them? No; he told them it was all centered in him. 1 John v, 11. Did he tell them that he had come to give it to all promiscuously? No; but only to such as would believe on him. Jno. v, 40. Come to me and live; reject me and perish: is the tender, benignant, though solemn message he proclaimed to men.

But it may be thought we are digressing from the tree of life: our argument however, brings us back to it again. For no sooner does the Saviour come down and bring immortality to light, no sooner does he point mankind to the re-opened way of eternal life, than at the head of the glorious avenue, we behold again the tree of life, inviting us with wide-spread arms to come and partake of its healing leaves. "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. ii, 7. This is the next mention we have of the tree of life in the Bible, after leaving it in Gen. iii, 24. It is here said to be in the paradise of God. Paradise, Paul tells us in 2 Cor. xii, is in the third heaven. How the tree of life came to be in the third heaven since our last beholding it on earth, we will not here speculate. Suffice it to say that we believe it to be the identical tree which once flourished in the paradise on earth. Many interpret a passage in the Apocrypha as applying to this subject. 2 Esdras vii, 26. "Behold the time shall come that these tokens which I have told thee shall come to pass, and the bride shall appear, and she coming forth shall be seen that now is withdrawn from the earth."

It is further spoken of in the minute description which we have of the heavenly Jerusalem, in the last two chapters of Revelation: "In the midst of the street of it and on either side of the river was there the tree of life which bear twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing [service] of the nations." Rev. xxii, 2. And what more fitting object could be described in the closing pages of that book which is given to guide us in the way to life? And in verse 14, the last glowing promise that beams from the page of inspiration, a description of the reward that awaits those who keep the commandments of God, the climax of the promise is, "that they may have right to the tree of life." Glorious tree! All-inviting center of the heavenly landscape! Grand summary of the story of our immortality! what we lose in the first Adam, we gain through the second, if we believe in him—ACCESS TO THE TREE OF LIFE.

White.