In each of the seven letters to the churches, Jesus speaks to “him that overcometh”. Praise the Lord that the way to overcome is through faith and belief in Jesus Christ (1 John 5:4-5).
In the letter to the church in Ephesus, Jesus’ promise is that those who overcome will eat of the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God. Amen!
Beyond the tree of life in Genesis and Revelation, the only other book that mentions the tree of life is Proverbs. Solomon tells us that wisdom is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her (Proverbs 3:13-18), that the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life (Proverbs 11:30), and a wholesome tongue is a tree of life (Proverbs 15:4).
Wisdom, a wise tongue and the fruit of the righteous all come us as we grow in the Lord by abiding in Jesus (John 15:4-7) and since Jesus is THE Word (John 1:1) this means we must abide in God’s word, laying it to heart so that we’re always ready to give an answer of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15).
The word paradise only occurs three times in the entire Bible. Jesus speaks of paradise twice: in Revelation 2:7 (above) and when he tells the thief on the cross, “to day thou shalt be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Paul speaks of paradise once, and crucially in a way that shows paradise equates to the third heaven:
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)
This is the fifth verse image in our ongoing series from the Book of Revelation. See here for all images in the series.
Revelation 2 Audio
Revelation 2:1-7 (Letter to the church in Ephesus)
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 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.
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