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THE TREE
OF LIFE
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Introduction
Out of all the creatures that the LORD God created, He gave man the ability to choose "eternal life" or "eternal death." All other creatures live and die with no choice to choose eternal life or death. This was the first opportunity given to man. It was given the first day that man lived upon this earth. Before all other choices, the choice between the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil was given to man.
Genesis 2:9 says, "...The tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." Then in Genesis 2:16 it says, "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat." The choice was set before man, to freely eat of every tree in the garden, including "the Tree of Life."
Before Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, there was in the garden the Tree of Life. Why was this tree in the garden? Mainly, because God had a plan for mankind long before Adam and Eve were created. God knew the end from the beginning. All of God's plans for this earth were made and settled before the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters to separate the waters from the dry land.
There are many things Christians should know about God and this creation. It's important to understand, God is not as concerned about this world as He is about the worlds to come. God is more concerned about the new heavens and the new earth that will come after this earth is destroyed by fire. In 2 Peter 3:10 it says, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." This earth and everything upon it will be destroyed. 2 Peter 3:12 says, "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" This will all happen just as it says in the Scriptures. Therefore, God is more interested in what is to come after that. In 2 Peter 3:13 it says, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
For God, eternity is forever. It never ends... All that's on this earth will pass away, therefore God is not as interested in that which will pass away as He is in that which will endure forever. Therefore, having foreknowledge (knowing all things, including all that will happen upon this earth), there was in the garden of Eden the Tree of Life.
God has not changed, and never will change. He is the same today, as He was yesterday, and will be tomorrow. God has always known the end from the beginning. God is always, trying to get people to believe His Word and be led by His Spirit, that He can prepare them for the new heavens and the new earth that are still to come.
If we want to understand what God has made known unto us throughout the ages, we must use the complete Scriptures from Genesis through Revelation. God is more interested in the Tree of Life than He is in the world or the things of this world. To see how interested God is in this world, look what it says in 1 John 2:15 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." This world is going to pass away, and all that is in it. God is telling us, "not to love this world or the things that are in the world." Then in 1 John 2:16,17 He explains why?
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.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
This shows us how much God cares about this world and the things that are in this world. The only thing God cares about in this world is "people," those who will love Him. Those who will choose Him above all else.
It's not easy to understand God with our natural mind. Our natural mind thinks the way the world thinks. It does not see things the way God sees things. God is more interested in "eternal life" than He is in "earthly life." Take for instance John the Baptist. Jesus said, John the Baptist is the greatest of all old testament prophets. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus, preparing the way for the LORD to come. John the Baptist did exactly what the LORD had chosen for him to do. He fulfilled his calling perfectly.
But look what happened to John the Baptist. He was thrown into prison, and then be-headed by Herod. His physical life ended when he was only about thirty years old. In our natural mind we could ask, why did God permit this to happen? Why didn't Jesus raise John the Baptist from the dead. He could have. Yet, Jesus did nothing to bring John the Baptist back to life after Herod had him killed. Why? Because God is more interested in "eternal life" than He is in "earthly life." John the Baptist did what God had planned for him to do here on earth, and then he went on to spend eternity in heaven.
No matter how we leave this earth, the most important thing to God is, that we believe His Word and go to heaven when we leave. God is not as interested in this world as people are. God is more interested in those who will do His will, and then go on into eternity in heaven, to enjoy the new heavens and the new earth wherein righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13).
Jesus fully understood this. Jesus never took advantage of anyone to raise Himself up as someone important, or to gain worldly possessions. Even when Satan offered Him "all the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them," Jesus said, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:10). John 6:15 tells us, "When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone." First Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world and He refused. Then the Jews wanted to make Him their king and He refused. Jesus knew this world will pass away, only that which includes "eternal life" is important.
In 2 Corinthians 4:18, the apostle Paul wrote, "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." In 2 Corinthians 4:16, Paul wrote, "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." In Philippians 1:21 Paul wrote, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Then in verse 23 he wrote, "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better." Paul said, it is far better to leave this life and be with Christ, than anything on this earth.
Our greatest desire should be to be with Christ, to do the will of God and then go spend eternity with God. God wants to prepare us for eternity, with Him, not to focus upon this world or the things of this world. As Christians, we need to get our eyes and affection off this world, and on the will of God. His will is eternity, not just this life here on this earth.
Look what is says in Isaiah 65:17, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." Also look at Isaiah 66:22, which says, "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain." Then look what Peter said in 2 Peter 3:13, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." Then look at what it says in Revelation 21:1, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." God is more interested in what is to come, in the new heavens and the new earth then He is in this life on this earth. That is why, in Colossians 3:1,2 it says,
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
We must be careful where our affections are, on the things of this world, or on those things which are above.
God was always trying to get us to put our affections on the things above. Already in Genesis 2:9, it says, "The tree of life also in the midst of the garden..." Why was the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden even before Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. Simply, because God knew what His plans for man was. It was not that man should live forever here on earth. It was that man would eat of the Tree of Life, that the very life of God could flow through man. God wants to live His life through man, taking total control of everything that man does.
God is not interested in those who think they can do God's will from their natural mind, from their own understanding. God is interested in those who will let Him do His will from their spirit, not their mind. God wants to be in control of everything we do, not man doing what he thinks God wants him to do. That is a religious spirit operating in the minds of people, including Spirit-filled Christians. It is not of God, it is of man.
The Tree of Life operates by the Word of God flowing through man by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Tree of Life cannot operate through man until a person is born again of the Spirit and the Word. Jesus said in John 3:6, "...that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Peter wrote, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." Until a person partakes of the Tree of Life, the life of God cannot flow through them.
Adam could have eaten of the Tree of Life, before he ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Theatrically, had Adam first eaten of the Tree of Life, before he ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the very life (zoe) of God in him would have overcome the death which came by the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This is theatrical, but that was not the plan of God from the foundation of the world.
Revelation 13:8 says, "...the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." By God's foreknowledge, He knew what Adam would do in the garden of Eden. It was a part of His plan from the foundation of the world. Just as God knew that Jesus would come into this world, born of a virgin, live, die, and raise again from the dead, for our redemption, justification, salvation, sanctification, etc. God never planned that man would be justified, saved, sanctified, etc. "by his own actions or by his own good works." God's plan never was that man would become righteous by the works of the Law. God never planned that man would obtain his own right-standing with God by his own good works. The Law could never replace the new birth. The Law could never make a person holy. God was never looking for what man could do of his own ability, but what God could do through man by His ability.
There are two important things necessary for God to work in our lives. It takes the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Therefore, eating of the Tree of Life is feeding on the Word of God, that the Holy Spirit can cause the Word (rhema) of God to come alive in us. Without the Word of God the Holy Spirit cannot work. Without the Holy Spirit, the Word of God is not effective. They both must work together, never separate of each other.
As you read this book, keep in mind, God's purpose for "the tree of life." Wherever we look throughout the Scriptures there is only one "Tree of Life." There are many times when the words "tree" and "life" are used. But any time they are speaking of "the Tree of Life," they only speak of "One Tree." This is important, for;
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Eph. 4:4-6).
There is One Tree, and God the Father is the head of that tree. God the Father is the source and caretaker of "the Tree of Life." Jesus explained this in John 15:1,2,
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
The "Tree of Life" has it's source in God the Father.
Just as there is One true God of this creation. That God is "three in one" (One Father, One Lord, and One Holy Spirit). In 1 John 5:7 it tells us, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." There is also, only One body of Christ, which is made up of many members, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body..." (1 Cor. 12:13). Yet, "the body is not one member, but many" (1 Cor. 12:14). All who are "in Christ" are members of that "one body." Therefore, the Tree of Life has many "branches" and the leaves and the fruit of the branches is for the healing of the nations.. Revelation 22:3 explains, "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."
Jesus explained the working of the Tree of Life in John 15. He said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). Jesus also said,
...my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit (John 15:1,2).
In verse 6, Jesus explained, "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."
Therefore, it is important that we understand "the Tree of Life" that was in the midst of the garden of Eden. For, it is the very life of God, dwelling in all who are in Christ.
It's only One Tree, One Life, One God, One Lord, One Holy Spirit, One body... There is only ONE... All who are in Christ are One.
The Tree of Life is for the One purpose; that, God can do His good pleasure on earth as He does in heaven. Jesus said in Matthew 6:9,10
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
God has only "One Will," that "He should be God over all..." There should be "no other gods" among us. Satan must be cast out of our lives... We cannot let him have any place in our lives. We must "eat of the tree of life," to continue to live forever.
Let no man deceive you,
God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (Gal. 6:7,8).
In Christ, "we are One." One body, One Spirit, One Life, One faith, One hope... That is, to be all that God has planned for us to be, "His very own, in Him." "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).
We must learn to be led by the Holy Spirit and live by faith. That is God's desire for His children here on earth. Don't be deceived by those who love the world and the things of this world. But Love the LORD your God will all your heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30). Let the Tree of Life produce in you, and through you the very life of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
For more information on these subjects, get the books "Life in the Spirit," "Taught by God," and "One Gospel" written by Merle E. Koepke. These books are free by downloading them from www.handsforjesus.org on the Internet.
The Tree of Life
The Tree of Life is mentioned also in Revelation 2:7, where the LORD said, "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." There is something about this Tree of Life that should be of importance to us. We should understand the Tree of Life, for it is "in the midst of the paradise of God." It was in the Garden of Eden and it is in the paradise of God. It must be important for the fruit of it is promised to those who overcome.
To understand the importance of the Tree of Life, let us look at Revelation 22:1,2 which says,
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.
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.
As we look at these verses we will see that there is "a river of water of life..."
Before we can go any further, we must understand that English versions of the Bible do not give us a clear understanding of what this verse is talking about. In the Greek there are two words used for "life" and it is very important to understand the difference between them. The Greek word "psuche" and the Greek word "zoe" are both translated "life" in the English. There is a major difference between these two words, and they must be understood to know what God is revealing to us today.
Psuche in the Greek is "soul life, a living soul." Man was created in the beginning as a "living soul" (Gen. 2:7, 1 Cor. 15:45-47). Man is a living soul, living in a body of flesh and bones. Therefore, man in the flesh is called "psuchikos" in the Greek, meaning, "a living soul with a body of flesh and bones." The soul and the body are not the same thing, but the soul was breathed into the body of flesh by the breath of the LORD God. Genesis 2:7 says, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." If anyone tells us man became "a living spirit" they didn't get it from the Holy Spirit, they got that idea from man.
The soul contains our mind, our will, our intellect, our reasoning, and our knowledge of things pertaining to this world. Our soul is able to contact the world and the things of this world as well as the spiritual realm and the things of the spiritual realm. Our soul can communicate with God or Satan, angels or demons. Man is a living soul; "psuche" in the Greek.
The life of a "living soul" manifests in this world when it has a body of flesh and bones to manifest through. Therefore, when Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh.." in John 3:6, He was talking about a human being born into this world. That which was born of the flesh included "a living soul." That which is born of the flesh, thinks like the flesh, lives like the flesh, is interested in the flesh, walks after the flesh, and lives after the flesh.
Every living soul is an "independent" living creature. They each have a life of their own, separate from the lives of anyone else. Their life is dependant upon their own existence. That is why it is important to understand the difference between the Greek words "psuche" and "zoe."
Zoe, in the Greek is the very life of God. It "is not" separate from God. It is God's life extended into the lives of others. It is God living His life in others. This is totally different than "psuche." Jesus said in John 5:26, "as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." The same life that the Father has in Himself, He has given the Son to have in Himself. In John 1:4 it says, "In him was life (zoe); and the life (zoe) was the light of men." Jesus said in John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life (zoe), and that they might have it more abundantly." It's not a life like God, it's "the very life of God." It's not natural life, it's not soul life, it is "spirit life." It's God, Who is Spirit, living His life in us.
Zoe (Spirit life) does not operate from our soul, our mind, will, intellect, reasoning, etc. it operates from our spirit where God dwells. God does not dwell in the spirits of those who are not born again, therefore they do not have "zoe" (spirit life). Jesus said in John 3:6, "...that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." That is to say, "zoe" (spirit life), is not "psuche" (soul life).
This is very important to understand, for "zoe," the very life of God, does not operate from our mind, where our "psuche' operates from. These two, "psuche" and "zoe" are almost opposites of each other. One is soul life the other is spirit life.
"Zoe" (the very life of God) operates from our spirit, which is in our belly. Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38). Seeing this, we can better understand the Tree of Life.
In Revelation 22:1, which says, "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." The "river of water of life," which Jesus said would flow out of our belly, proceeds "out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." The throne of God is where God the Father sits. The throne is the source or seat of God, where the power of God comes from. The river of life flows "out of the throne of God..."The throne is where the Son also sits, along with the Father. In Revelation 3:21, Jesus said, "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." Jesus is sitting on the throne with God the Father. Yet, remember, Jesus also said in John 14:6, "...no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Thereby, the river of water of life flows from the throne, "through the Lamb."
Why does is say "and of the Lamb"? The Lamb represents the blood that was shed to make peace between God and man. For "without shedding of blood is no remission" of sins (Heb. 9:22). Isaiah 59:2 says, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." God cannot have fellowship with our sins and iniquities. But, Hebrews 1:3 speaking of Jesus says, "when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." The word "purged" means, "cleansed or purified" us from sin. Hebrews 9:12 says, "...but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Hebrews 9:26 says, "but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Then Hebrews 10:12-14 sums it all up by saying,
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
In summing these up, we see that Jesus, "cleansed and purified" us from sin. He "obtained eternal redemption for us." And He "perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
The sin that separated us from God, has now been totally and completely put away by "the blood of the Lamb." The payment is made, and it is an eternal payment, never again does anyone need to shed blood for the sin of the world. The blood is the seal of an everlasting covenant (the New Covenant). God no longer looks at the sin of the world, He only see us through "the blood of the Lamb."
John the Baptist said in John 1:29, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." The "pure river of water of life" flows through the Lamb... Jesus didn't just pay the price, He took away the sin of the world. He nailed it to His cross (Colossians 2:14). Without the Lamb, that takes away the sin of the world, there could be no peace with God. But, now that the Lamb was slain, Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." It is because of all that Jesus did for us, including the shedding of His blood that makes it possible for us to "come boldly unto the throne of grace." There is no value in coming to God, begging and crying; we must "come boldly," because of who we are "in Christ." The price is paid, therefore we can come boldly unto the throne.
Notice also about "the Lamb," in John 7:38,39 it says,
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
From the time in the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve were sent out of the garden, it was "to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:24). The way to the Tree of Life was preserved until after the Lamb was slain, until after Jesus was glorified. No one could eat of the Tree of Life until after Jesus was crucified.
No one could eat of the Tree of Life until Jesus became "the firstborn from the dead" (Acts 26:23, Rom. 8:29, Col. 1:15,18, Rev. 1:5). First, the price had to be paid by the blood of the Lamb, before we could have total peace with God. When the Lamb of God was slain, and died and arose again from the dead, then people could freely eat of the Tree of Life. Once the price for our sins were paid in full, we could become "children of God" in Christ, "born again of the Spirit and the Word."
No one could become born again until Jesus became the firstborn from the dead (not spiritual death as some teach, but from physical death, for the life of the flesh was in the blood that was shed for our sins and iniquities). With sin put away, purged by the blood, man could then eat of the Tree of Life and have the very life of God dwelling in him.
Going back to Revelation 22:1 it says, "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." Jesus said, "...as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself" (John 5:26). The same life that is in the Father flows into and out of the Lamb.
Revelation 22:2 says, "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life..." Notice there is only "one Tree" of Life, "not trees" (as though there were many trees). The same life that is in the Father flows through the Son, through the "blood of the Lamb," through the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is the life of God flowing through the Son into and out of the body of Christ, "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. 22:2). As the life of God, which comes from the Tree of Life flows through those who are children of God, it produces the fruit of the Tree of Life for the healing of the nations.
This same example is illustrated by Jesus in John 15:5 saying, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." Without the vine, the branches can do nothing. The life of the vine comes from the roots of the vine, which flows through the vine into the branches. The life of the vine that flows through the branches, produces the fruit of the vine on the branches. Without the root of the vine, the vine cannot live. Without the vine the branches cannot live. Without the branches the vine cannot produce any fruit "for the healing of the nations."
It's the same life that is in the root of the vine that flows through the vine, that flows through the branches. As the "zoe" of God flows through those who have the "zoe" of God in them, it effects others around them. It's the very life of God flowing through those who are children of God that changes the way people think and act in this world and in the new heavens and new earth that are still to come.
It is important to understand the Tree of Life, for it is the very life of God flowing from the spirit of a Christian into the mind and through the body. God dwells in our spirit, and from our spirit comes "the water of life." Jesus said in John 7:38, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." Our spirit is in our belly, and it's from our spirit that the "...rivers of living water..." flow.
The water of life and the Word of God are the same thing. The Word of God comes flowing from the throne of God (in our spirit; where the Spirit of God dwells), into our minds and out of our mouth. At times the Word of God comes from our spirit and out of our mouth (by-passing our mind). That is called "prophecy" (speaking by the unction of the Holy Spirit within us). When it comes "to our mind" from our spirit, we receive the thought with no previous meditation (this is similar to a word of knowledge, or a word of wisdom). We know something in our mind "instantly" with no previous thought. These are all indications of the river of life flowing from our spirit into our mind, and out to others.
The Word of God is our life in the spirit. In 1 Peter 1:23 it says, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." We must not let religious people rob us of what this means. Our new birth into the family of God starts with a seed, "the incorruptible Word of God." This seed cannot be corrupted. This seed is the very life of God within us. It is planted in us by the Holy Spirit "born of the Spirit" (John 3:6). This seed came down from heaven by the power of the Holy Spirit as He planted it within our new spirit (Ezek. 11:19, 36:26), and we are no longer of this world, but born again from above. Jesus said in John 17:16, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
If we will get our minds renewed upon the Word of God, nothing will be able to separate us from God or His Word. It's when we let the devil, using people, tell us things that do not agree with the Scriptures, we became defeated. Many Christians have gone back to the way the world thinks, not knowing the truth from the Word of God concerning eternal life.
If the seed of eternal life is the Word of God and God planted it Himself, why cannot God cause that seed to grow and mature? It is incorruptible, and it came from God and it is the Word of God.
Don't let the devil steal the truth from you. Jesus said to the devil in Matthew 4:4, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." There are two subjects in this verse.
1. The natural man lives by bread (food).
2. The spiritual man, (born again Christians) live by the Word of God.
If we want to live, we must live by the Word of God, not the words of men. We are born again of the incorruptible Word of God, and we live by the incorruptible Word of God. The Word of God is our life, (eternal life). Everything we do is dependant upon the Word of God. The Word is our source of everything we need.
In Romans 12:2 it tells us, "be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Before we were born again we were conformed to this world, by the way the world lives and thinks. Now, that we are born again of the Word and the Spirit, we are to make a change in the way we live, by being transformed by the renewing of our mind on the Word of God.
We have eternal life, the very life of God within us. Now it's time to renew our mind and live like God lives (by His Word). If we do not renew our minds on the Word of God, we will not grow and mature spiritually. We will remain as babes in Christ, not understanding spiritual things. This was the case with the Corinthians. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:1, "I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ." We must continue to mature, by renewing our mind on the Word of God.
Renewing our mind on the Word of God does not mean believing everything that is written in English versions of the Bible. We must use the Hebrew and Greek if we are to know what God said. Most of the English versions are only man's ideas of what man thinks what God said or should have said. The Hebrew and the Greek tell us what God actually said. The English versions are man's ideas, based mostly upon man's ideas. We must be careful what we believe. Only that which God said will stand the test of truth.
The Two Trees
To totally understand the Tree of Life, we must have some understanding of "the tree of knowledge of good and evil." There were two trees in the midst of the garden, meaning "in and among all the other trees." All the other trees in the garden were physical trees, good for food for the bodies, and good to be used for protection and means of survival of the physical bodies of man.
The Tree of Life represents the very life of God, "eternal life" (which begins in this world and continues throughout eternity). Eating of the "Tree of Life," produces the very life of God within a person.
The tree of knowledge of good and evil represents "death," two deaths "physical and eternal." This tree is representative of the god of this world "Satan, the Devil." Eating of the "tree of knowledge of good and evil" produces death within a person.
When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, two deaths passed upon mankind, physical death and eternal death. Adam and Eve did not die physically or eternally that day (if anyone told you they did, they didn't get it from the Word of God, they got it from man). Death became resident within mankind when Adam ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Romans 5:12 says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." When it says, "death passed upon all men," it is telling us that "mortality and corruption" came upon all mankind.
Mortality is the process of physical death that resides in all who are born of the flesh. Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh..." John 3:6). Everyone who is born of the flesh has mortality within them. They are in the process of dying a physical death and will eventually die physically unless God intervenes (such as with Enoch and Elijah). Mortality operates from the body, the flesh of man.
Corruption is eternal death (it is the process of thoughts that do not agree with the Word of God). Corruption operates from the mind, the soul of man.
As long as people live on this earth they will be affected by mortality and corruption. But, the Tree of Life is here, and will eventually overcome mortality and corruption for those who are born again. 1 Corinthians 15:52,52 tell us,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
By this we see that God's plan from the foundation of the world will be done. God will accomplish all that He planned to do from the beginning. What Satan did, cannot change God's plan from the foundation of the world. God's Word has gone forth into this world and it will not return unto Him void (Isa. 55:11).
Unless we understand the tree of knowledge of good and evil, we cannot understand the Tree of Life. Once we know the Tree of Life is the very life of God, flowing into and through man, all the way from the throne of God, through the Lamb, unto the nations, then we can understand the tree of knowledge of good and evil. For the tree of knowledge of good and evil is death, whereas the Tree of Life is life eternal.
The LORD Jesus Christ, is the Lamb of God. He is the source of eternal life for all who believe and receive Him as LORD and Savior. The LORD is Christ, the head of the body of Christ. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).
John 1:4 says, "In him was life (zoe); and the life (zoe) was the light of men." (Zoe in the Greek is the very life of God, eternal life). The water of Life, "the Word of God" flows through the Lamb, into everyone who is born again of the Word of God and the Spirit of God. The Word of God is the Light of God. The Light destroys darkness (1 John 1:6,7). Darkness is sin and death produced by the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
God, knowing all things from the beginning, before Adam was created, included in His foreknowledge, the works of the devil in the garden of Eden. Why, so that no one can boast of "their" good works or "their" righteousness,
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8,9).
Salvation is not of man, it is of God... It is a total work of God by grace, a free gift of God to those who will believe. (For more information on this great plan of God get the book "One Gospel" by Merle E. Koepke).
Theoretically, had Adam and Eve eaten of the Tree of Life, before they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the very life of God in them would have overcome the works of the devil. (This even applies to Christians today; if they walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh, they will overcome the works of Satan in their lives). Eating of the Tree of Life will destroy the works of the devil.
Righteousness overcomes sin and death. If we study what the Word of God says about the new heavens and the new earth we will see this truth. 2 Peter 3:13 says, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." There is no sin or death in heaven, only "righteousness." Where the very life of God is lived in every person in heaven there is no sin or death, only "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 11:17).
The fruit of the Tree of Life, is the very life of God flowing through Christians, from the throne of God, through the Lamb, out to the nations. It is the very life of God, and it has only one type of fruit, that is "eternal Life."
Eternal life is the very life of God dwelling and living in our spirit. In 1 John 4:4 it says, "Ye
are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than
he that is in the world." Colossians 2:9 says, "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily." Then it says, "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all
principality and power." Philippians 2:13 says, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will
and to do of his good pleasure."
The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
In Genesis 2:17, it says, "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 {muwth} die {muwth}." These words "surely die," in the Hebrew signify two deaths, corresponding with Revelation 20:6,14. The Hebrew word "muwth," translated both "surely" and "die," is a primitive root word.
The first word "surely" is in the infinitive mood. Infinite means "unlimited; not limited to any person, number, or tense." Infinitive means "existence or action without reference to person, number, or tense. It is usually the form of the first person singular present." In the case of man (the first Adam, eternal death came upon mankind). But, not upon Jesus, the Second Adam, (in Him was eternal life). "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor 15:22).
The second word "die" is also the same Hebrew word "muwth" but is in the imperfect mood, expressing an action, process, or condition which is incomplete. This pertains to the death of the natural body, which is called "mortal" in Ro 8:11 and 1 Corinthians 15:53,54. Mortal means "death is resident; in the process of dying; and will eventually die" Romans 5:12 says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Therefore, the word surely pertains to "eternal death" and word die pertains to "physical death." These two deaths "passed upon" mankind when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve did not die that day, but sin and death passed upon mankind, and became resident within man that day.
The tree of knowledge of good and evil has two types of fruit, knowledge of good and knowledge of evil. Both of these fruit produce death (physical death and eternal death). There are two types of fruit and two types of death. That is, the "knowledge of good" will produce both, physical death and eternal death. The "knowledge of evil" will produce both, physical death and eternal death.
The LORD God is the head of the Tree of Life here on earth, and His life proceeds from the throne of God, through the Lamb, unto the nations.
Satan, "the god of this world" is the head of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. His death proceeds from hell through Satan, through demons, through people unto the nations of the earth.
Satan is the master of sin, for he sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8). Sin brings death (Rom. 5:12). Satan is a liar, and the father of lies (John 8:44). Satan operates from the minds of people, whereas God operates from the spirits of people.
The LORD is the creator of this world, and all things that are created, were created by Him and for Him (John 1:3, Col. 1:16). The LORD has all power over this world (earth), and Satan can do nothing unless the LORD permits him. All the kingdoms of this world are under the control of the LORD (2 Kings 19:15; 2 Chron. 20:6; Job 36:7-12; Psa. 103:19; Dan. 2:37,38,17,25; Rom. 13:1). (Satan lied to Jesus in Luke 4:5-7, and many Christians have believed the lie of the devil).
Satan is the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4). Satan became the god of this world when he was cast out of the third heavens down to the earth. Satan is the destroyer of all that God created for good. Satan destroyed the first earth, before Genesis 1:2 (see 2 Peter 3:5,6). Satan was already (at the time of Genesis 1:2), the god of this world and still is "the god of this world."
In 2 Corinthians 4:4 it says, "the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." The word "god," pertaining to Satan, and the word "God," pertaining to our God used in 2 Corinthians 4:4, is "theos" in the Greek, meaning; "deity; having supernatural powers greater than man, operating in the spiritual realm, controlling the things in the natural realm." The Greek word "theos" is used for both, for it means the same for Satan as it does for God.
Satan and the LORD are both "called gods," having similar powers, to operate in the spiritual realm. Yet, the LORD is the Creator, and Satan is the created. The created does not have power over the Creator.
God always had the knowledge of good and evil, and so did Satan always have the knowledge of good and evil. Even before Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Satan, the "god of this world" used the serpent to tempt Eve, by putting thoughts in Eve's mind to disobey the LORD God. Lets look at what it says,
1. Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6. 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 (Gen. 3:1-6).
Before Eve ate of the fruit of the tree, "the god of this world" was using the serpent to put thoughts in Eve's mind. Already in verses 2 and 3 Eve made it clear that she knew she was not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve was being deceived by "the god of this world" before sin and death entered into mankind. Satan, "the god of this world" used the serpent to continue to deceive Eve in verses 4 and 5.
Notice, in verse 6, Eve yielded to "the god of this world," "using her mind to convince her to eat of the tree." It was "thoughts in her mind" that caused her to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When she "saw that the tree was good for food," she thought about eating of the tree. When thoughts came in her mind "that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof." The LORD did not force Eve to eat, and neither did the serpent or the devil. Eve's mind was blinded by "the god of this world," and she did eat. Eve's mind was blinded by Satan, before she ate of the tree, before Adam sinned and did eat also. Therefore, the god of this world blinded the minds of Adam and Eve "before sin entered into mankind." Satan was already "the god of this world" before sin and death entered into mankind.
Satan puts thoughts directly into the minds of people to get them to do what he wants them to do. Just as 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us, "the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not..." Eve "did not believe" what she already knew the LORD had said. Eve said,
We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Gen. 3:2,3).
Eve knew the truth, but because of the blinding of her mind, she disobeyed the LORD and ate of the tree. Sin and death did not enter into Eve until she ate of the fruit.
The thoughts that come to our minds from "the god of this world" do not condemn us. It's "the doing," that condemns us, not the thoughts. Sin is disobeying the law, whether it is the Law of Moses or the Law of sin and death (eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil). 1 Corinthians 15:56 says, "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." Romans 6:23 says, "the wages of sin is death..."
After Eve ate of the fruit of the tree, she "gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat" (Gen. 3:6). From then on we can see more clearly, the knowledge of good and evil working in man. First, "their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked" (Gen. 3:7). Because of the thoughts in their minds they tried to hide from the LORD God (Gen. 3:8-10).
When Adam said the reason he hid from the LORD is because he was naked. The LORD asked Adam, "Who told thee that thou wast naked?" (Gen. 3:8). Next, Adam said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:12).
Eve said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:13). The tree of knowledge of good and evil always tries to blame someone else for our own faults, sins, and iniquities. This is because of the thoughts in our minds, put there by "the god of this world."
After eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the LORD God said in Genesis 3:22, "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." God does not use the knowledge of good and evil to control people, but Satan does. The knowledge of good and evil operates through the minds of people, whereas the LORD operates from the spirits of people.
By the knowledge of good and evil, Satan "blinds the minds of those" who do not believe and submit to the LORD. Many Christians believe, but do not submit to the LORD, therefore they are still being controlled by "the god of this world," blinding their minds.
It's still "the same devil," the same "god of this world" that deceived Eve that is deceiving Christians today. Eve knew the truth (she should not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil) (Gen. 3:2,3), yet she let the "thoughts of her mind" control what she did, and she did eat of the tree.
This is still very evident today among many Christians. They know it is not right to operate in the realm of the spirit by "psychic powers" (reasoning, imaginations, etc.). In 2 Corinthians 10:5 it says, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."
Many Christians today are operating in the spiritual powers of the mind, and love it. Many follow those who operate in these psychic powers, thinking, because it is supernatural, it must be God. And, it is god, "the god of this world"working in the minds of those who love the world and the things of this world (1 John 2:15,16).
I know a Christian, who is in the ministry. She began with a true anointing, flowing with the Holy Spirit in some of the gifts of the Spirit. Then, some things happened in her life and she wasn't getting enough meetings and speaking engagements to satisfy her own desires.
First, she turned to "motivational speaking," and it helped her get more speaking engagements for a while. Yet, she was not satisfied, so she continued to pursue other avenues of getting speaking engagements. The more she turned to the worlds system of motivational speaking, the less she experienced the working of the Holy Spirit in her life.
It came to a time when she had problems getting healed when she prayed for healing. When other Christians prayed for her, she still didn't receive healing. So she turned to "a spiritual healer" for healing. She did get healing when she went to the "spiritual healer." But, her whole life changed, including her attitude toward others in the body of Christ. She became very self-righteous, and self-justifying of her actions. When we tried to talk to her about some of the things happening in her ministry that were offensive to others in the body of Christ, it was as though she blocked her ears and could not hear what we said.
Anytime a Christian turns to self-righteousness, self-justification, self-promotion, self-desires, etc. they are on their way to opening themselves up to Satanic operations. Once a person opens themselves up to Satanic operations they are on their way to total deception by the devil.
To live the life of a Christian, we must start by denying ourselves, and continue on until we have no desire for the things of this world. Our only desire should be to do the Father's will. The Father's will is that we follow Jesus' example. Those who try to build their own ministry, are heading in the wrong direction, and Satan will get a place in their lives if they continue.
Satan can manifest himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Satan can heal those who are sick. Satan can produce many great signs and wonders. But, the end could be eternity in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:13,14, 21:8). Those who do not believe the True gospel, and seek another way for spiritual operations could be among those spoken of in Revelation 21:8, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
Satan uses the knowledge of good and evil to set up all sorts of religious operations throughout the world. Every one of them is deceived into believing "the lies of the devil." They worship many gods, thinking they are worshiping the true God. They submit to the powers of their religious operations and are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.
Another example; in the English versions of the Bible there is no distinction made between natural human love and the love of God. Therefore, those who do not use the Hebrew and Greek in studying the Bible will be deceived into eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thinking they are serving God.
The Tree of Life operates through the love of God (agape; which is "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5)). Only Christians have this love of God. All others only have natural human love. The love that natural man has operates through the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good. Natural human love is dependant upon the response and actions of others, and does not continue when the desired actions of others do not respond favorably to it. Natural human love is far inferior to the love of God.
"Agape," the love of God, is "a fruit of the Spirit," and it is "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5). This is the love that should be operating among Christians, not natural human love. When Christians operate in natural human love, they open the door for Satan to operate in their lives. They are "walking after the flesh," and not after the Spirit. Romans 8:5 says, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
It is important to understand God's plan for man from the foundation of the world. God does not force anyone to do His will. God sets His will before us "in His Word." It's up to us to decide if we will do the will of God and eat of the Tree of Life or if we will follow "the god of this world" and eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil?
Throughout the Bible, God has given us the choice as to which one we will do. In the following verses we see some of the times when God gave man a choice. In Deuteronomy 11:26 it says, "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse." In Deuteronomy 30:15 it says, "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil." In Deuteronomy 30:19 it says,"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." There are many other Scripture verses that are given to us, giving us a choice who we will obey, the LORD God, or Satan "the god of this world."
Mortality, Physical Death
In Genesis 2:17 the LORD God said, "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 {muwth} die {muwth}." The word "die" in this verse pertains to physical death of the physical body. It is called mortality, meaning "death is resident and the body is in the process of dying."
This death is a result of eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When man ate of the tree in Genesis 3:6, physical death became resident in mankind, from Adam on. This physical death is a result of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, whereby Satan operates as "the god of this world."
Careful study of this death reveals that Satan is the source of all death. God has no death, God is the source of all life. All death is a result of a work of Satan. Death is the destruction of that which God created as good. There is no good in death, only evil.
Cain, the brother of Abel submitted himself to sin as the devil was at his door (working on his mind). In Genesis 4:7, the LORD said to Cain, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." "His desire" pertains to Satan's desire, for he sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8). Satan was working on Cain's mind, and Cain gave place for the devil. Therefore, 1 John 3:2 says, "Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." Cain had a choice, but he made the wrong choice, and submitted to the devil. Because of the sin of Cain, death came to Abel, his brother. It was Cain who slew Abel, but it came about by Cain eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Satan has the power of death, the death spirit is a servant of Satan. God is not for death, God is for life... Satan's power of death became resident in mankind in the garden, and unless God intervenes it will cause people to die physically here on earth.
Some children are born with defects in their physical bodies, such as the man who was born blind in John 9:1-7. Also the man born lame from his mother's womb in Acts 3:2. God is not the author of death, Satan is. It was Satan that caused the destruction of all of Job's possessions, including his children (Job 1). Satan is the one who smote Job with sore boils (Job 2:7). Satan was the cause of a woman having an infirmity eighteen years (Luke 13:16). All sickness and disease are a result of oppression by the devil (Acts 10:38). Satan crucified the LORD of Glory, even though he used people to do the killing (1 Cor. 2:8). Satan caused Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus (John 13:2). Satan caused Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). Satan was involved in the thoughts of Peter when he denied the words of Jesus (Matt. 16:22,23).
Until Christians understand that anything connected with death comes from the devil, through the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they will suffer needlessly. All death is associated with the devil. All life comes from God, and all death comes from the devil. God is the author of life, the devil is the author of death.
Anytime a Christian does not believe that all sin, sickness, disease, and death are caused by Satan, their minds have been blinded by "the god of this world." Satan is the "cause" of all destruction. God is the "source" of all life and good.
Corruption, Eternal Death
The word "surely" (muwth) in Genesis 2:17 pertains to eternal death. In Revelation 20:14 it is called "the second death" (thanatos) in the Greek. The reason it's called the second death in Revelation is because it is the last death for those who live on this earth. It does not complete it's action of death until a person leaves this earth. It is resident in all who are born of the flesh, but it does not complete it's action until they are cast into the lake of fire.
The second death "eternal death" is spoken of in the New Testament as "corruption." The first death (physical death) and the second death (eternal death) are both spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15:35, saying, "this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Both of these deaths must be overcome for a person to inherit eternal life with God in heaven. There can be no mortality or corruption in heaven. In heaven there is only "Life" (eternal life), and immortality. Death comes by sin (Rom. 5:12), and there can be no sin in heaven.
The corruption the Scriptures are speaking of is mostly applied to the "living soul" of man. When man sinned in the garden of Eden, "corruption" became resident in the soul of mankind. This corruption causes man to think the way the world thinks, receiving thoughts from the devil. God's thoughts are not corrupt, they are always in agreement with the Word of God, through which the life of God flows.
Eve received thoughts of corruption from the serpent when she did not reject the words of the serpent when he said to her, "Ye shall not surely die...For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Gen. 3:4,5). Corruption always manifests when people receive thoughts that did not come from God. Isaiah 55:8,9 says,
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
There is no corruption in God's thoughts, they are pure, true, and holy. All of Satan's thoughts are corrupt, for he is corrupt in everything he does.
It's important for Christians to understand this truth, for Amos 3:3 says, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" God cannot have fellowship with corruption. To enter into heaven, all corruption must be overcome (1 Cor. 15:53,54). Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other..." We cannot serve God and corruption, they are opposite of each other.
Everyone born of the flesh is born in corruption. Therefore, unless a person is born again of the Word and the Spirit, when they die they will automatically go to hell. Why, because their soul is corrupted by the thoughts of the enemy. They lived in corruption and they died in corruption, not having the life of God within them. This is why Jesus said in John 3:7, "Ye must be born again."
In the new birth, we receive the very life (zoe) of God within our spirit. This life of God begins from a seed, which is the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23). This new birth is only a babe in Christ, it must grow and mature. The seed (which is the Word of God) must mature and completely overcome all corruption. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, it cannot mature. It takes the Holy Spirit and the Word of God working together to cause a new born to mature in eternal life.
This is why there is so much said in the New Testament about not walking in the flesh. When we walk in the flesh we hinder the growth of our new creature in Christ. We remain "babes in Christ" (1 Cor. 3:1). "Babes in Christ" are still carnal, walking after the flesh (1 Cor. 3:3). In Romans 8:6 says, "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Galatians 6:8 says, "he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption..."
The word "flesh" many times means "the physical body with the soul." Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh..." (John 3:6a). Our soul and our body are born of the flesh, they became as flesh when we came into this world. Therefore, to overcome the flesh we must be born again of the Word and the Spirit.
This new birth is only the beginning of our eternal life. Corruption is still resident within us, and must be overcome by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit working in us. Christians who do not continue in the Word and the Spirit will not overcome the corruption that was in them from the beginning.
The reason most Christians do not have victory in their lives is because they are not renewing their minds on the Word of God. Romans 12:2 tells us, "be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." This corruption can only be overcome by the renewing of our minds on the Word of God, with the help of the Holy Spirit. Christians who continually sow to the flesh, continually reap corruption (Gal. 6:8).
Corruption, which is caused by eternal death is overcome by "zoe," which is the very life of God within us. Jesus said in John 5:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." The corruption that we were first born in is overcome by "zoe" the very life of God within us. Upon our new birth, a process starts to overcome all corruption. An "incorruptible" seed, "the Word of God" becomes resident within our new spirit. As we are led by the Spirit and taught by the Spirit from within our new created spirit, we can overcome the corruption that is still resident in our soul.
Until we yield our will to the will of God within us, the corruption that is resident within us will continue to manifest. The more we deny ourselves and yield to the Holy Spirit within us, the less the corruption will manifest in our lives. The less the corruption, the greater the manifestations of the Spirit of God in our lives. Whatsoever is not of God is corruption, corruption begets corruption, flesh begets flesh, sin begets sin, etc.
The Source of Corruption
Corruption causes death (two deaths, physical and eternal). Death is caused by a spirit, called "the spirit of death" which operates by the power of Satan (the god of this world). In 1 Corinthians 15:26 it says, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." Death is an enemy of mankind. Death is under the control of Satan, "the god of this world." In Hebrews 2:14 it is talking about Jesus, and why He came into this world. It says, "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." All corruption and death is in the power of the devil.
To find the source of corruption and death, we must go back to the source of Satan's power. The Word of God tells us that in the beginning Satan was an "anointed cherub" (Ezek. 28:14). A cherub is a winged angel. If you study the Scriptures from Genesis through Revelation you will find the "power" in the spiritual realm comes from the "anointing." The anointing is a gift from God. Romans 11:29 tells us, "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." Satan, then called Lucifer, was anointed before he rebelled against God. When Satan fell from heaven like lightning, he lost his position, but not his power.
The Bible tells us a lot about the power that Satan has. In Acts 26:18, Paul is stating why the LORD called him and sent him to the Gentiles, saying, "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power (exousia) of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." "Exousia" in the Greek is power received by authority. Satan's power to destroy is authorized by God, and by the anointing which he had from the beginning. In Isaiah, 54:16, the LORD said, "Behold,...I have created the waster to destroy." Satan is the waster, and he has power (authority) from God to destroy. Yet, understand, he cannot destroy unless the LORD permits him to destroy. The LORD is the Creator, and Satan is the created. The created does not have power over the creator. Colossians 1:16, talking about Jesus, says, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers (exousia): all things were created by him, and for him."
When Lucifer was cast down from the third heavens, he lost his position in heaven, but not his power (exousia). He was cast down to the earth, and became "the god of this world" with the power (exousia) to destroy.
Being that death and corruption are not of God, we see that Satan has the power of death and corruption. This we see in Ezekiel 28:12-16, where it says,
12. Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
In Ezekiel 28:12, the LORD told the prophet Ezekiel to "take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus." The king of Tyrus was a spiritual ruler over the city of Tyrus. He was not a human being, but rather a cherub (which is a winged angel). We know from the account given in Ezekiel 28:11-19 and Isaiah 14:12-20 that this cherub was first known as Lucifer, and then became Satan, the devil.
In Ezekiel 28:13, it says, "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering (m@cukkah)." In the Hebrew the word "m@cukkah" comes from a primitive root word, "cakak," meaning "to entwine as a screen; by implication, to fence in, cover over, (figuratively) protect:--cover, defense, defend, hedge in, join together, set, shut up." In short, it means "protection, against losses." It's similar to accident insurance in the United States. If an insured person gets in an accident, the insurance company pays the debt.
Satan is "the god of this world" and his "covering" is the precious stones and gold of this world. It is the precious stones and gold that was being used in the seaport city of Tyrus for trading. When someone wanted to purchase any of the merchandise from the sailors they paid for their purchases with the precious stones and gold.
Being that Satan is "the god of this world," and he is a liar, a thief, a destroyer, etc. he uses the monetary system of this world to "deceive, and destroy." Being "the god of this world" and the author of corruption and death, he uses money as his vehicle of corruption and deception.
Satan is behind all lies, for his was a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). He is a deceiver, He deceived Eve in the beginning (1 Tim. 2:14). He is the author of sin, he sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8).
Satan's covering is "money." This is important for Christians to understand for it says in 1 Timothy 6:10 "the love of money is the root of all evil..." Many of the works of the devil have their roots in the love of money. His covering is the monetary system of this world. Almost all corruption has a link to "money," which in turn links to Satan.
Money to the world is gain... Yet, the Bible tells us, "men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, think that gain is godliness..." from such we are told to turn away (1 Tim. 6:3-6). Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will attach himself to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (TCNT)
When Christians get over into being influenced by money, they need to be very careful. Especially, those who are called into the ministry. We need to be aware of the wiles of the devil when it comes to money in the ministry. A good example to study is that of Judas Iscariot.
Judas was one of the twelve chosen disciples of Jesus. Jesus said in John 17:12, "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." From this we know that Judas was chosen by the Father to be one of Jesus' disciples.
Judas was with the other eleven for three and one-half years. Judas was one of those who the LORD sent out in Matthew 10 and Luke 9, to "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils..." The evidence indicates that Judas did participate in the same works as the other disciples. The other disciples did not know that Judas was a thief. Only Jesus knew Judas' heart, and his intentions.
During those years, there were times when there was some indication of Judas' motives toward money. Then six days before the Passover, it tells us,
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein (John 12:3-6).
Jesus knew that Judas was a thief, but the other disciples evidently did not know it.
Satan had been working on Judas Iscariot's heart for many years, using "money" to get him to betray Jesus. Even at the end of three and one half years the other disciples still questioned, who would betray Jesus? The same night when Jesus was taken, John 13:21 tells us, "When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me." Jesus knew it was Judas Iscariot, but none of the others knew. The others questioned Jesus as to who it was? "Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon." (John 13:26).
In John 13:27 it says, "And after the sop Satan entered into him." As we know, from that time on Judas was not able to control his own will. He went to the High Priest and led the soldiers to Jesus in the garden. After his betrayal, Matthew 27:3-5 tells us,
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
The devil has no mercy upon those who he uses. The religious people have not compassion for those who have gone astray.
Even though Judas knew it was not right to covet money, he kept on seeking "money." When he realized his wrong, it was too late, Satan had already entered into his heart. Galatians 6:7,8 tells us,
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption...
To the natural man, it may not look like corruption when they seek "money," but God knows their hearts. God knows when Satan enters into the hearts of those who think it's ok to "raise money," and use it deceitfully. No one can "justify" sin. Those who use the Word of God for personal gain are getting close to doing what Judas Iscariot did...
Christians need to be careful when it comes to money, Jesus said in Matthew 19:22,24,
Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Satan will try everything he can to get our eyes upon money. Remember, it was also "money" that Satan used to get Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-10). Be very careful when it comes to "money" in the ministry work. It's not a game to play with, it's serious business in the sight of God.
Money is the world's covering, and Satan is "the god of this world." But Christians have a better system, a covering, which is the LORD and the Blood of Jesus. If a Christian sins, and they need a covering, 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 2:1 says, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Even better yet, 1 John 1:7 says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." When we are cleansed from all sin, Satan has nothing on us. His power over us is broken by the blood of Jesus, that cleanses us from all sin. We are covered by the Blood!
Besides our covering "the blood of Jesus," we have a covenant sealed in the blood of Jesus. In that covenant Jesus said, whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it (John 14:13,14).
Jesus also said, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7). Again, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you" (John 16:23). Then in verse 24, Jesus said, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."
If Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, as He says He is (John 14:6), why do Christians keep seeking Satan's covering? We have a better covering, which is, the LORD Jesus Christ and His blood. Satan is a liar, a deceiver, a killer, and a destroyer. Why, do Christians turn to Satan's covering when they could go directly to God and receive all that God has promised? The promises of God are for His Children, and they are obtained by grace through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8,9, Heb. 11:6). The price is already paid, we should not be looking for money, Satan's covering. We should be looking to Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). By Faith, we can receive all that God has planned for us, including eternal life with Him forever... Nothing is too hard for the LORD (Gen. 18:14).
When Christians look to money to do whatsoever they desire, they are looking to Satan, the god of this world to supply their needs. Christians should be looking to God, and Jesus Christ for all their needs. Jesus said,
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Cannot God do what Jesus said He can do? Why, do Christians look for another source for all their needs? Don't they believe God and His Word?
Why do Christians have to "raise money" to do the work of the ministry? Tithes and offerings are God's way of supplying money into the churches. Tithes are explained throughout the Bible. Offerings are "as the Spirit leads," "not the flesh."
The way the Holy Spirit leads in making an offering is shown in Exodus. Exodus 35:5 says, "Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass." Notice, "whosoever is of a willing heart." Exodus 35:21 says, "And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments." Notice, "every one whom his spirit made willing." Offerings are made when a person's spirit makes him willing. God works through man's spirit, not his flesh.
That which is of the flesh is corruption. "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption" (Gal. 6:8). Corruption is a work of the devil. Can't God supply all our needs? Is Satan's system greater than God's system? Is the devil greater than God? The Bible says, "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2 Cor. 1:20).
Many Christians lie, cheat, steal, and abuse others over "money." They rob the poor widows, so they can live like kings "eating the good of the land." They do everything they can to get "more money." They have all sorts of ways to "raise money." They use Scriptures to compel others to give so they can "raise money" for purposes not ordained by God. It's a work of the flesh, the Holy Spirit is not in on it. Is this of God? Or is it a work of the devil?
Romans 8:5 says, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh..." Romans 8:6 says, "For to be carnally minded is death..." Romans 8:7 says, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Galatians 5:17 says, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other..."
If we will believe God's Word, we will have no need to ask others for "money," for He shall supply all our needs. He is God and there is none greater. He is well able to supply all our needs if we will believe His Word, and walk by faith, not by sight. If we walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh.
Let me give an example of a Christian who believed God for money, and got what he needed. When this certain individual entered Bible School to prepare for the ministry, one of the main requirements was that he live a life of faith. The training was not free. Students had to pay a considerable amount each term for their education. They were not allowed to go out and earn money for their education. Nor were they allowed to solicit support from churches, relatives or friends. They could never ask anyone for money. They had to look only to the LORD to supply all their needs: spiritual, physical, and material.
One day, as this student, along with other students were in morning prayer. He placed his Bible on his chair and knelt down, leaning his chest against his Bible. His arms were under the chair while his chest was against his Bible. He prayed for a long time, along with the other students. He was praying specifically for money to pay tuition. When he arose from prayer, he picked up his Bible and the money he needed fell from under his Bible. Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
In 1981, just after I received the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, I was in need of finances. I was in the television repair business and it was the last week in May. I didn't tell anyone of my needs. The LORD knew my needs and supplied all I needed. On Tuesday, the day following Memorial Day, I was watching television at noon. There was an evangelist on, telling about a situation where he needed one hundred thousand dollars to finish a project.
All of a sudden from my spirit I heard "send ____ one hundred dollars"! It wasn't an audible voice, but it was the same as if it was. I knew I needed about three thousand dollars by the fifteenth of June and didn't have anywhere near that amount. I said, "LORD, I don't have one hundred dollars to spare."
The next day, about noon, from my spirit came these same words, "send ____ one hundred dollars"! I said, "LORD, I don't have one hundred dollars to send, I need three thousand dollars by the fifteenth of June, if I had it, You know I would send it." After I said that, I began to check all the money I had. I totaled everything up; my home money, my personal checking account, my shop checking account, and my shop cash. I had about six hundred dollars total.
Again, on Thursday about noon, from my spirit came these same words, "send ____ one hundred dollars"! This time I answered, "LORD, I'll send the money, but You will have to take care of the three thousand dollars I need by the fifteenth of June." I wrote out the check and went to the corner mail box and mailed it. When I was entering the door to the shop the telephone was ringing. I received one phone call after another for service work.
I started working long hours every day, trying to get all the jobs done on time. By the fifteenth of June I had over three thousand dollars. By the first of July I had another one thousand dollars, and by the end of July I had taken in about five thousand dollars more than any year previous during those three months.
God knows when we have a need, and He wants to supply all our needs. In Matthew 6:8, Jesus said, "your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." Even when I had that need, I did not pray for the LORD to supply all I had need of. I just kept doing what I knew to do, besides studying the Word of God and praying in the Spirit. The LORD knew that I had that need and He worked it out to supply my need. God will do everything He can, according to His Word to help those who are His children.
The LORD has ways to get others to help in the time of need. There was a young woman in a church who had three teen-age children. One in grade school and two in high school. She had no husband, and had to support herself and her three children. She worked long hours, but was always in church on Sunday.
This woman was listening to me when I would talk about faith. One Sunday I had said, if you really believe, God will answer your prayer. Another Sunday I had said, you must be specific when you ask God, and He will answer according to what you pray...
This woman had a situation where her oldest daughter made a lot of long-distance phone calls. She had a baby-sitting job, and used the money to pay for the long-distance phone calls she made. In the month of December, the grand-mother of the child she baby-sat came to stay for a month. That month she did not earn any money baby-sitting. Yet, she kept on making long-distance phone calls.
By the beginning of February the phone bill was so high, that her mother was not able to pay it. They received a warning from the phone company, that if the bill was not paid by a certain date, the phone would be disconnected.
After hearing what I said about being specific when you pray, she said, on Monday morning she prayed. She asked the LORD to have me loan her the money to pay the bill by Tuesday. Then, when her oldest daughter got up, she said to her, "this morning, before you go to school, call the phone company and tell them I will be there on Tuesday and will pay the full amount of the bill." She said, her daughter asked her, "where are you going to get the money?" She said, "I prayed this morning and the LORD is going to have Merle loan me the money." Her daughter asked her, "did you ask Merle"? She said, "No, I asked the LORD to have Merle loan me the money." Her daughter thought she was a little off in the head, but did what her mother asked her, and called the phone company that morning.
Now, faith is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8), and this is what happened. In the early afternoon the mother called me. She said to me, "Merle, will you loan me some money"? Without thinking, I said "sure." The words came out of my mouth without me even thinking about what I was saying. Then I said, "where are you"? She said, she was at work. Then I asked her, "what time do you get off of work"? She said "five-O'clock." I said, "stop by on your way home from work, I will be here until 6:00 P.M."
After I hung up the phone thoughts came to my mind, "what if she wants to borrow $1,000. I don't have that much money"! But, immediately, "words came to my mind," "don't worry, God can handle it"! It wasn't thoughts, "it was words" that came to my mind. The rest of the afternoon I didn't even think about her or the money.
When she came in after 5:00, she said to me, "you will loan me the money, won't you"? I said, "sure I will," without even thinking about what I was saying. The words just came out of my mouth. Then she said, "You don't even know how much I need"! Without thinking, I said, "That's ok." Then she said to me, "I need $135." I immediately said, "Ok, I have it right here." Then she said, "You don't know why I need it." I said again, without thinking, "it don't matter."
Then she told me. Her daughter ran up the telephone bill and it had to be paid. The bill was more than $135, but she only needed $135 to add to what she had, to pay the bill. Without thinking, I said, how long before you get paid again. She said, "Thursday." I said, "then you need some money for milk and groceries before Thursday. I will give you $150 to help you pay the bill and have some money for food."
The way faith works, is the Holy Spirit works on both ends, the one who prays, and the one who responds according to the prayer. The Holy Spirit did for her just as she asked. I did not respond to her request according to my knowledge and thinking. The words came out of my mouth without me thinking about what I was saying.
When the Holy Spirit works, He works all things together for them who love God (Rom. 8:28). She was new at how God works in faith, and so was I. But to the Holy Spirit this is how it has been working from the beginning of time. He puts the words in a persons mouth, without having the person think about what they are saying. He gives us peace, in everything He has us do. He is called the Spirit of Peace. All things work together for our good, and there is no question as to if we should do something or not. When thoughts come to our minds opposed to what the Holy Spirit is doing, He cancels them with assurance, the type that only He can give. An inward knowing, that He can take care of any circumstance that should arise.
The River of Water of Life
Revelation 22:1,2 says,
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.
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.
This river of water of life flows from the throne through the Lamb, through the Tree of Life, to produce fruit for the healing of the nations.
Many Christians today are hearing pastors teach what they have heard others teach. What they do not realize is, that's the flesh, eating of the tree of knowledge. Years ago, there was a word from the LORD saying, "Those who teach, what they have heard others teach, and have not received it from My Spirit, if they will repent, My grace will cover them." Jesus said in John 6:45, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God...." In 1 John 2:27 it says, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."(For more information on this subject get the book "Taught By God" by Merle E. Koepke).
Many teach that the eating of the Tree of Life is not for this age, but "only" for after we get to heaven. This is not so, for it says, "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."
There are no months in heaven, not even days or weeks or years. There is no night, and the light in heaven is from the Lamb. Also, there are no nations in heaven, for all are one. Jesus said in John 10:16, "other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." In heaven there is one Shepherd and one fold.
The fruit of the Tree of Life that Jesus is talking of is the same fruit He was talking of in John 15. Jesus said in John 15:8, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
The whole New Covenant is based upon "what God can do through those who are His Children," not what we can do in the flesh. It's a work of "the river of water of life," flowing through those who have the very life of God in them.
Therefore, the whole New Covenant is based upon what God has done and is doing through those who are born again. It's based upon the "Life of God" living in those who are God's children. It is based upon a work of the Holy Spirit, working through the Word of God, in those who belong to God. It's based upon "walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh." Romans 8:5-8 says,
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(Note: Christians get in the flesh by walking after the flesh).
The New Covenant is based upon "the just shall live by faith," "God's faith, working in us." The faith this is talking about is "the gift of faith" that is "a fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22) In Hebrews 10:38 it says, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."
Christians need this "river of living water flowing through them every day." It is the Word of God empowered by the Holy Spirit coming from our spirit to produce the fruit of the Tree of Life. The fruit of the Tree of Life is for healing, restoring all that was lost. It is to bring health to any part of our bodies that is in need of healing. This is not only physical healing, but also restoring the souls of men and women all over the world.
God is in the restoration business, not the destroying business. Satan is the destroyer, the liar, the thief. Jesus has come that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). We need the very life of God in us to keep us unto eternity. It is the life of God within us that keeps the river of life flowing from our spirit to our minds, our souls, and out to the world.
Revelation 22:17 says, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Whosoever we are, and no matter what we are doing, we should come and take of the water of life freely...
What many pastors don't know is that the Book of Revelation is one revelation, given in many instances, pertaining to many different times here on earth and in heaven. It is not written in chronological order (days, weeks, and years). As an example, verse 1 of Revelation 21 "should have" been verse 16 of Revelation 20. Verse 2 of Revelation 21 is a whole new subject from that of verse 1.
Verse 6,7 and 8 of Revelation 21 "could have" been already at the end of Revelation, Chapter One. (They are speaking of this time, during the New Covenant, which started upon Jesus' resurrection from the dead). Verses 1 and 2 of Revelation 22 "could have" been placed after verses 6,7,8 of Revelation 21, at the end of Revelation Chapter One. Revelation 22:16-22 "could have" been placed at the end of Revelation, Chapter Three.
The reason these verses are where they are in the context of the Book of Revelation is because that is where the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle John to place them. But that does not mean they are in chronological order. There are many other parts of chapters in the book of Revelation that "could have" been placed in other places within the Book of Revelation.
What many do not understand concerning the Bible is that the Bible itself (from Genesis through Revelation), is a revelation of God's Word to man, which was already declared as finished from the foundation of the world. It is the "foreknowledge of God revealed" according to God's purpose and plan, not man's purpose and plan. Revelation 13:8, according to the "foreknowledge and declaration of God" says within it, "whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." By God's foreknowledge, there were names written in the Lambs book of life "from the foundation of the world." God knew everyone, before they were born into this world. God knew who would obey and believe and who would disobey and not believe. God is not ignorant... He knows everything, and always knew everything from the beginning.
God knew the Lamb would be slain, already from the foundation of the world, before man was created. God knew Adam and Eve would sin in the garden of Eden. Therefore, because it is the blood of the Lamb that makes peace with God; God declared the Lamb as slain from the foundation of the world.
Why did the LORD say to the children of Israel already in Isaiah 43:25, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." How did the LORD blot out their transgressions for His own sake? With the blood of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world.
Why did Jesus say to the man with the palsy, "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee" (Luke 5:22)? There was no confession of sin. There was no asking for forgiveness. Jesus had not as yet, gone to the Cross to shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins. But, God had declared the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Christians must learn how to "be taught by God," from their spirit, not taught by man from their mind. The teachings of men are based upon human intellectual knowledge, not on what the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1 Cor. 2:14).
Back to Genesis
In Genesis 2:16, it says, "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat." In the Hebrew it does not say "the man." The word "the" has been added by the translators, changing what the Holy Spirit inspired in the beginning. The word "man" is not the same Hebrew word as used for "Adam." In Strong's numbers, the word for one man by the name of Adam is number 121. The word used in Genesis 2:16 is Strong's number 120, meaning "mankind in general."
The LORD was speaking to mankind in general, that is "all of mankind, male and female." Not just to one man by the name of Adam. This statement was not limited to Adam, but is a general statement for mankind from Genesis through Revelation. God has given mankind a free will, to choose which trees he desires to eat the fruit thereof.
The tree of knowledge of good and evil was not a physical tree as some teach. It was a spiritual tree, and Satan was the master of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The LORD is the master of the Tree of Life. All the other trees were physical trees, and some of them were good for food.
The Tree of Life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil were not in the middle of the garden as some teach. The word "midst" used in Genesis 2:9 means, "in and among" the other trees. The Tree of Life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil were "in and among all the other trees in the garden." The garden of Eden was quite large, extending for hundreds of miles as indicated by the location of the rivers (Gen. 2:10-14). No matter where Adam and Eve went, the two trees were never far from them.
Acts 17:24-27 speaks of this same condition, saying,
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
When the LORD God put man in the garden of Eden, it was so that man "should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one (any one)." The Tree of Life was in the garden, that man would eat of the Tree of Life and live forever. The Tree of Life was never far from Adam and Eve, neither is it ever far from anyone living today. It is here on earth, for those who will seek the LORD, and become born again by eating of the Tree of Life. This Tree of Life will produce "everlasting, eternal life" in whosoever will drink of the water of life freely.
Remember what Jesus said to the woman at the well in John 4:10, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." Jesus was speaking of the water of life, from "the river of the water of life." (Rev. 22:1,17, John 7:39). The "river of the water of life," flows as the Holy Spirit brings forth the Word of God from our spirit.
(Some people do not understand when God speaks in the NOW, present tense, according to His foreknowledge, based upon things which are not yet accomplished in the natural). This is done all throughout the Scriptures at times. It tells us in Job 1:8 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" The LORD was talking to the devil, "speaking those things which be not as though they were" (Rom. 8:17). By the end of Job's trial, he confessed his sin and that brought Job to a position of "a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil." When a Christian confesses their sins, God is faithful and just to forgive them of all unrighteousness, that brings them to a position of righteousness at that time (1 John 1:9).
All throughout the Bible, the Scriptures speak "things that be not as though they were," according to that which was declared by God from the foundation of the world. Christians must learn to speak the Word of God according to what God says, not what man thinks. God is Now, and His Word is settled in heaven, it cannot be changed.
It's important to understand that the gospel "good news" was preached to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, when they were told they could freely eat of the Tree of Life. The "good news" is eternal life, the very life of God dwelling in man. Whosoever will, can have this eternal life, if they will "seek the LORD," they will find Him for He is not far from anyone. It doesn't make any difference if a person is in China, or the United States, in Greenland or in South Africa, north, south, east, or west, the LORD is not far from anyone.
The statement made in Genesis 2:16 is for everyone (mankind in general), from Adam to the last person who will be born on this earth. They are all included, they may eat of every tree freely. This is evidence of man's free will to choose what he will do in this life. Will he choose the Tree of Life, or will he choose the tree of knowledge of good and evil? The Tree of Life will produce eternal life, the very life of God within. The tree of knowledge of good and evil will produce death, two types of death, physical and eternal.
It's interesting to notice that, even though Adam and Eve were driven from the garden after eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil "to keep the way of the tree of life," anyone, even before the flood who called upon the name of the LORD and obeyed him were received into eternal life when they died, including Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. Enoch was taken to heaven without dying a physical death (Gen. 5:24, Heb. 11:5). Jesus said in Matthew 22:31,32,
But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
What's important to understand about Genesis 2:16,17 is that the LORD God will not prevent anyone from eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Man was only kept from eating of the Tree of Life after Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, everyone (except Jesus) already had sin and death residing in them. There was no need to keep man from eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, only the tree of life.
Since the beginning in the garden of Eden, the LORD never stopped anyone from eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Everyone has a free will to choose if they will eat of the tree of life or the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Anyone can believe whatsoever the desire concerning the Word of God or the words of men, the LORD will not stop them from believing whatsoever they wish to believe. In John 5:22, Jesus said, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." In John 12:47, 48, Jesus said,
And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."
Neither God or Jesus is not judging anyone at this time. We are to judge ourselves, according to the Scriptures, and the Words that Jesus spoke.
If we judge ourselves according to the Scriptures, that is, "the inspired Word of God," not the ideas of men, we will be "taught by God," and will not be condemned on the last day. In 1 John 2:27 it tells us, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." God teaches by the anointing, without the anointing we cannot know the truth. Those who teach contrary to the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues will not be taught by the anointing. That is very evident in the New Testament.
The Scriptures are clear, those who believe a lie, will not inherit eternal life in heaven. Those who teach a lie, will receive a greater punishment. All liars, false teachers, and false prophets will have their part in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10, 21:8).
Satan has used every means he has to change the Word of God, to make it say something that God did not say. He did it to Eve in the garden, saying, "Ye shall not surely die" (Gen. 3:4). From that day forward, Satan has been saying things "contrary" to the truth of the Word of God. Many translator's of Bibles have changed what the Holy Spirit inspired, to say what they wanted to say, not what God said. Very few Christians have taken the time to check the Hebrew and Greek to see if their Bibles agree with the inspired Word of God. This is the same as eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, rather than eating of the Tree of Life.
Every person has a free will to choose what they will believe, which Bible they will use, who they will listen to when it comes to the Word of God. On the last day, we will all give an account for what we did about the Word of God and the Tree of Life. Until that last day, Christians can teach whatsoever they wish, but it would be better if they would receive what they teach from the Holy Spirit, not man.
In 1 Corinthians 14:1 it says, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." The thirteenth Chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul had just explained the love of God which is not natural human love, but the love of God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). Now the apostle Paul is continuing on teaching how to do the will of God. He said, continue on in love, and desire spiritual (that is to walk in the spirit). The word "gifts" is not in the Greek, that word has been added by the translators, not having understanding of what Paul was writing. In the Greek, Paul said "but rather that ye may prophesy." The subject of this verse is "prophecy."
Prophesy means, "speak by the unction of the Holy Spirit." Any gift "that is not" inspired by the Holy Spirit is of no value, it is a false operation of the spirits of this world.
Anyone who teaches and speaks from their natural mind, is walking in the flesh not in the spirit. They are speaking and teaching from the ability of man, not of God. Peter used this same example of speaking in 1 Peter 4:11, saying, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Man's speaking in the New Covenant should be "by the unction of the Holy Spirit," which is the same as prophesying.
It is not God's intention that Christians should teach and preach by their own natural, intellectual ability. God wants to give man the words to speak, not from the flesh but from the spirit. No matter what we are doing, God wants to be "the one" doing it through man, not man doing it of his ability.
The only difference between prophecy and tongues, is that in tongues no man knows what is said, unless there is an interpretation; whereas in prophecy all can understand what is said (1 Cor. 14:2). There is a place for tongues and there is a place for prophecy. If there is no interpretation of tongues in a church, no one will understand what is said. But, when there is an interpretation, tongues and prophecy are on the same level, one is just as good as the other.
Yet, in tongues, there is a time "which is very important" when we speak to God and not to man. That is what Paul is speaking of in 1 Corinthians 14:2,4. We need to receive mysteries from God while speaking in tongues as well as edify ourselves. But this should be done in private, not in the church, unless all agree that they will pray in the spirit (Eph. 6:18). When praying in the Spirit they should not expect an interpretation. Jude tells us, we should build up our most holy faith, praying in the spirit (Jude 1:20). This is private prayer, speaking to God in the spirit, not speaking to man.
Praying in the Spirit, or praying in tongues is as man wills, as he prays from his spirit not his mind, or intellect (1 Cor. 14:14,15). It is our responsibility to pray all prayer in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18). Whereas, tongues and interpretation is not an act of man, it is of God. God gives the tongue and God gives the interpretation. If God begins the speaking in tongues, and not man, then God will also give the interpretation. If God didn't give the tongue, then there will be no interpretation. Christians ought to know if it was from God or from man (from their spirit or from their mind).
This is a part of the major difference between the Old Covenant, which was according to the flesh, and the New Covenant which is according to the Spirit. Christians, who do not understand the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant will still be operating from their natural minds, and not from their spirit. Those who operate from their natural mind are still eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, rather than of the Tree of Life. God operates from our spirit, man operates from his mind.
There is a major difference between operating from our mind or operating from our spirit. When we operate from our mind, man is in control. When we operate from our spirit, God is in control. If God is not in control, then man is still eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We cannot by-pass our mind, therefore, we must bring our thoughts in line with the written Word of God. It must be what the Holy Spirit inspired, not what man wrote or translated incorrectly.
The whole New Covenant must be a work of God in man. Philippians 2:13 says, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." It's not man trying to do God's will, but God working in man to do His own will. Man must deny himself so that God can do His good pleasure in man.
Man was given a free will already in Genesis 2:16. We choose if we will let God have His way in our lives, or if we will do our own will of the flesh and hinder God from doing His will in our lives. What is of the flesh is corruption. What is of the Holy Spirit is the will of God. We must walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh.
The Flesh or the Spirit
Those who walk after the flesh are still eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They become religious in their ways, basing much of what they teach and believe upon the Old Testament, not understanding the New Testament. Some of what they teach is in the New Testament, but they are teaching the letter of the law, not the spirit of the law.
This can be seen in the way they teach from the Scriptures. They teach according to man's wisdom and knowledge of the Scriptures, rather than from God's revelation of the Scriptures. The Scriptures contain information from God concerning His Word. This is good, and is needed. For the Holy Spirit cannot work without the Word. It takes the Word and the Holy Spirit working together to accomplish all that the Scriptures say.
Those who are still operating by the flesh, and not by the Spirit have information from the Scriptures, but no revelation from the Holy Spirit. Information is important, but without revelation, we will miss God.
It's important that we get our "information," from the Word. We must not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the Word of God. Yet, we do not base what we do by information from the Word of God only. We must have revelation from the Holy Spirit before we apply the Scriptures to our lives. Once we get the "revelation," then we can apply our faith and see the manifestation.
We must be careful, not to do what Abraham did in Genesis 16. Abraham already had "information" in Genesis 15, that his heir would be his own child, not his servant. But, Abraham did not have "revelation" as to how God was going to give Abraham a child. Without "revelation" from God, Abraham harkened to the voice of Sarah and had a child with Hagar.
That is a good example of what can happen when Christians try to do the work of the ministry without first getting "revelation" from God on how to do what God called them to do. They may have "information" that God did call them into the ministry. But, before they go to do the work of the ministry, they also need "revelation" from God concerning "how to do what God called them to do."
Abraham listened to Sarah, and had a son with Hagar. The result of that operation of the flesh, caused Abraham much difficulty. If Abraham would have trusted in the LORD to work out the details concerning his heir, Sarah would still have had "Isaac." It was in the plan of God from the foundation of the world, that Sarah would bear Isaac, and Isaac would have Jacob, and Jacob would be the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.
God reveals His plan according to His timing, not according to man's ideas. God reveals to us what He is going to do when He is ready to reveal it to us. In the meantime it's up to us to walk by faith, and be led by the Holy Spirit, not the flesh.
All over the world, Christians are taking "information" from the Bible and teaching from it, rather than waiting for "revelation" from the Holy Spirit as to what is written in the Bible. There are all sorts of these ideas, which become doctrines of various denominations or fellowships.
Let's look at one example. Today, there are many Christian churches teaching "you must keep the Sabbath." They have all sorts of "information" from the Bible to prove they are correct in what they teach. Information without revelation is only operating in the flesh, not in the spirit. A person can do all they want in the flesh, but if the Holy Spirit is not in on it, it is all for nought.
What about the Sabbath? The Sabbath was a type and shadow of a rest which should come when we walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. Let's see this in the Scriptures. In Genesis 2:2 it says, "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." Then in Exodus 20, in giving the Law to the children of Israel, it says,
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it (Ex. 20:9-11).
The Law was given by the LORD as a type and shadow of the New Covenant which was still to come. Therefore, those who were under the law had to keep the Sabbath, until Jesus came and fulfilled the Law, that the New Covenant could become effective. The Law also required the blood of animals and fowl to be shed as a type and