A Relfection on The Tree of Life from Genesis and Revelation.

Most of the time when people talk about Genesis 2 and 3, the focus, which is what the author intended, is on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Yet tucked away within this narrative is another tree. This tree represents the eternal life that God desired humans to have with Him. In fact, it is only mentioned in two places in the narrative, 2:9 and 3:22-24. It bookends the narrative and also shows the chose that Adam and Eve had. Out of all the trees mention in this narrative, only these two trees are mentioned by name. They represent life and death. The narrative focuses on the Tree of Knowledge because that is what happened in the history. Adam and Eve never was able to eat of the tree that would have given them eternal life.

Now, the only other places that the tree of life is mentioned is in Proverbs and Revelation. Now, Proverbs describes general principles that people within the covenant of God should follow based on God's law. In general, they are work out better than sinning. The results that are found with Proverbs shows some actions lead to life. The qualities or actions in Proverb do not lead to eternal life but allows the person to experience a fuller life in this sin-soaked world.

Revelation, on the other had, gives us a great projection of the future where the people of God will partake of the tree of life without any guards. The Bible bookends itself with this tree for it is with God. In fact, Revelation 22:2 also mentions a river in the a similar way to Genesis next to the tree of life.

This comes with great application. God has always desired for humans to dwell with Him forever. The Bible shows that only pure and righteous humans can dwell with Him. That is why Adam and Eve were sent away from the Garden. The rest of the Bible describes how bad the world is, even thought it was good before the fall. The Bible becomes clear that a savior is needed and Jesus is that savior. Those that are saved by Jesus will be able to partake of the Tree of  Life in Heaven when they dwell with God. Before those that are saved get to Heaven, we eager wait and desire the Lord and long for our resurrected bodies in glory.

Covenant with David

I was doing my morning devotional through Table Talk today and it was on Jeremiah 33:14-26. This passage explained that God was going to establish David's throne forever. This was a time when Jerusalem was being attacked before they were sent into exile because of disobedience. Four times in this passage, God stress that He will have a descended from David on the throne forever. He also adds that priests will be offering sacrifices forever. The only way that this is to be broken is if someone can stop the sun and moon from shining at their appointed times.

This passage demonstrates the faithfulness of God because Jesus is the king that will rule forever. Understanding God faithfulness helps us to remain steadfast to God's promises. 2 Peter 3:9 says that we should count human slowness to God. God will do what he has promised. 2 Peter is context of future judgment, yet we know that God has promised believers now. Verses like Romans 8:28-30 show that Christians have promises now that God will be faithful to give. We can have faith in God when bad happens because He uses bad for our good. Trials and suffering happen to make us more like Jesus.

Seeing that God is faithful, live in this knowledge that God will give what He promise because He gave the ultimate promise of salvation through His Son, Jesus. 

1 Peter 1:1-2

I am changing what I am doing on this blog in order that I may kept going better. I will keep this blog strictly for posts about what I reading or studying for papers and sermons that deal with the Bible. I am hoping to blog more often than I have currently been doing. I will try to post meditations here without getting to personal. Meditations may come from the Greek text (they will be taged as "Greek"), even so, I will never assume you know Greek and will provide translations. I also hope to start some different series.  School may delay these posts. I will try to stick with less technical language.

1 Peter 1:1-2

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

 This salutation brings a lot of theological important right from the start. Particularly to the people that Peter is addressing. Peter calls them "elect," "foreknew," "set apart." All three members of the Trinity are present in this. The term elect has overtones from the OT where God called certain people to select a particular nation called Israel. These people are elected based on God's foreknowledge1

and in setting them apart (sanctification) with Spirit. These elect called for obedience to and being cleanse by Christ.
I want to camp out at obedience and cleansing in relation to God's foreknowledge and the setting apart by the Spirit. There is a relation to these actions, that is, God's foreknowledge and "sanctification of the Spirit" procede obedience and cleansing. Dr. Thomas Schreiener notes in the NAC commentary of 1 Peter that sanctification here means a setting part.

1:Here foreknowledge means that God knows who is elect. Add predestination to this would be incorrect though predestination includes God's foreknowledge.