Featured Study

The Tree of Life

From the garden of Eden to the river of the water of life

The Bible opens and closes with a tree. This study follows the Tree of Life through Genesis, Proverbs, the tabernacle and the book of Revelation, and explores the theological symbolism Yona Tree sees woven through it.

A path through Scripture

From Eden to the New Creation

Theological symbolism, traced step by step. Select a symbol to read the passages behind it.

Step 1 of 6

Tree of Life

In the midst of the garden stood the tree of life. After the fall, cherubim and a flaming sword kept "the way of the tree of life." Eternal life with God became the thing humanity lost.

Step 2 of 6

Wisdom

Wisdom "is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her." The Woman who was with God before creation offers what Eden lost: "whoso findeth me findeth life."

Step 3 of 6

Spirit

The menorah — a tree of fire with seven lamps — burned before the LORD continually, as the seven lamps burn before His throne. Jesus spoke of rivers of living water: "this spake he of the Spirit."

Step 4 of 6

Life

The Spirit gives life. Whoever is born of the Spirit receives the eternal life the Tree represents — and the way to it passes through the Sword of the Spirit, the Word made flesh.

Step 5 of 6

Fruit

A life planted by the river bears fruit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life."

Step 6 of 6

New Creation

On either side of the river of the water of life stands the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, its leaves for the healing of the nations. What the sword once guarded is open to the redeemed.

Genesis — the tree in the midst of the garden

God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and in the midst of it “the tree of life also” (Genesis 2:9). After the fall, the way to the tree was closed: “lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever… he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:22–24).

Eden was a paradise where God walked with humanity — a picture of heaven. What was lost there is the story the rest of the Bible sets out to restore.

Proverbs — Wisdom is a tree of life

“She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her” (Proverbs 3:18). Proverbs returns to the image: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” (11:30); “when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life” (13:12); “a wholesome tongue is a tree of life” (15:4).

The tabernacle — a tree of fire

The menorah was shaped like an almond tree, its seven lamps burning continually before the LORD. It recalls the burning bush where God called Moses — “the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2). Explore the Seven Lamps study.

The prophets — trees beside the river

Ezekiel saw water flowing from under the threshold of the temple, deepening into a river. “And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat… and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine” (Ezekiel 47:12). The righteous person, too, is “like a tree planted by the rivers of water” (Psalm 1:3).

The Gospel — rivers of living water

On the last day of the feast, Jesus cried, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me… out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit…)” (John 7:37–39). And the Spirit bears fruit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22–23).

Revelation — the tree restored

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.

— Revelation 22:1–2

“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). What the flaming sword once guarded is open to the redeemed.

Eternal life

The Tree of Life is finally about life with God: “And there shall be no more curse… and they shall see his face” (Revelation 22:3–4). Read: The Flaming Sword and the Sword of the Spirit.