The Lord who gives Life
“And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Gen 2:9) People always challenge us Christians: “If the tree of the knowledge of good and evil didn’t exist in the Garden of Eden, our ancestors wouldn’t be tempted and sinned against God.” After the fall of man, the sinful nature leads us farther away from God so that we know nothing about the Creator, the Life Giver and His loving kindness.
From the six days of creation, we can appreciate the beauty of God’s preparedness. On the first day, God created light, He separated the darkness and the light. On the second day, God created the firmament Heaven by separating the waters between the two layers of firmament. On the third day, God made the dry ground. On the first three days of creation, God prepared a suitable environment for living beings. God also created all kinds of plants on the third day. On the fourth day, God created all the stars, the sun and the moon for dividing the day from the night, and let them be for signs and season and for days and years. All these are essential to our living and life. On the fifth day, God created the abundant living creatures on the waters and all kind of birds in the sky. On the sixth day, God made all the land creatures and insects according to its kind on the earth. From this process of creation, it reflects the wisdom and riches of God. When we study biology and the food chain of the nature, it confirms the great design and the wonderful provisions of the Creator. God prepared all things before He created the human being on earth. Can we see the great love of God?
God accommodated our ancestors in a beautiful Garden of Eden. They were assigned to take care of the garden. They were free to eat from the trees and all kinds of vegetables. God’s provisions were so wonderful. Since our ancestors had so many options of foods, they should not choose the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Moreover, God prepared a tree of life in the middle of the garden. His intention was to provide an additional choice of life for men so that their life would be more plentiful and perfect.
After the fall, man lost the chance to receive the fruit of life. God set the cherubim and a flashing sword back and forth on guard the way to the tree of life. He did not want to see a sinful man live forever if he also ate the fruit of life from the tree. If a man desires to receive life from the tree, he must go through the judgment and death.
In the ancient time, when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness to Canaan, God gave them manna from the heaven and water from the rock. These miracles in the Old Testament are the proofs to show us that God is the life provider. According to the salvation plan of God, God prepared His Son Jesus Christ as the life of bread from heaven. When His Son came to this earth, He was born as a baby on the manger. To the sheep and cattle, the manger is a sign of eating and drinking. To the lost sheep like us, baby Jesus in the manger is surely the bread of life from God to this world. “Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’" (John 6:32-33) The Son of God went through the judgment of the cross and death for us, He also raised from the death; if sinner repents to God and receive Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, he will entitle the eternal life.
“God has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 2 Tim 1:9-10
By: Daniel To