What About the Tree of Life?

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The LORD God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. [Genesis 2.8-9]

There were two trees in the middle of the Garden of Eden: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, only one of those trees was designated off-limits for eating: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” [Genesis 2.15-17]

It seems logical then to conclude that the tree of life was acceptable to eat from until such time as man ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I would go so far as to suggest the fruit of the tree of life was necessary for the sustenance of life in man. I would further suggest that the benefit of the tree of life was potent - a little would go a long way - even passing (genetically) to generations to follow. This would explain why Adam and Eve did not instantaneously die and why it took many generations for the lifespan of man to eventually decrease to the near hundred years we experience today (through genetic dilution). 

Interestingly enough, the fruit of the tree of life, potent as it was, was temporary, thus necessitating that it be part of man's ongoing (not forbidden) diet. In contrast, the fruit of the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil permanently changed the consciousness of man as a species.

It is as if God built in a safety mechanism - the tree of life - that, when removed, would prevent man from living forever with the tortuous conflict of the knowledge of good and evil should he disobediently partake of the fruit providing it. It was a brilliant design, the orchestration of which could only be the handiwork of  a thoughtful and loving God.

It's also very interesting that the first thing man's newfound permanent knowledge of good and evil resulted in was his consciousness of being naked. While there may all kinds of reasons for this, I find it most interesting that man's newfound, and obviously troubling, consciousness of "being naked" could not be cured, but only "covered up."

Here's an interesting thought: for all that Jesus would do to provide salvation for man, one might think that we would all be naked in heaven (having been redeemed). However, the Revelation of John clearly points out that is not the case (it mentions robes...). And here is why: consciousness of nakedness is a characteristic of "being like God" to know the difference between good and evil. It was always the plan of for us to be like Him, but the way man achieved that plan in this regard was through disobedience... hmmm.

Father, as I start another year of reading through Your Story (the Bible), please give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart of understanding. Let this year be the year in which my life looks more like Jesus than ever before.