innocency, did not put forth his hand and eat of the tree of life, and live for ever? What

was to stop him?

In our endeavour to find a reasonable explanation of this somewhat strange fact, our

mind returns to the group of references to the tree of life in Proverbs. We observe that

the coming of `desire' is likened to a tree of life (Prov. 13: 12) and that this word `desire'

is a translation of the same Hebrew word that comes in Gen. 3: 6 "pleasant (margin `a

desire') to the eyes". We also note that `the desire accomplished is sweet to the soul'

(Prov. 13: 19). We learn that `the desire of the righteous shall be granted' (Prov. 10: 24)

and that `the desire of the righteous is only good' (Prov. 11: 23).

All desires, however, are not good, nor can their attainment be likened unto a tree of

life. Some desires are but `coveting', as Prov. 21: 26 (margin) will show. Wisdom also

is associated with the tree of life in Proverbs (3: 13-18), and it will be remembered that

when the woman saw that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she succumbed to

the temptation. The word translated `wisdom' in Prov. 3: 13 is defined by Wilson as

among other things, `the discrimination of good and evil'. In following the `desire' and

seeking to be `wise' our first parents did not fulfil one other condition indicated in

Proverbs. They were not `righteous' (Prov. 11: 30) for in taking of the tree of the

knowledge of good and evil they transgressed. It would appear that so far as the typical

teaching is concerned, what needed two separate trees to set forth the truth, can be

represented in the spirit by two aspects of the same action.

Had our first parents obeyed God, desire would have been righteous and the tree of

life would have been taken; but inasmuch as they disobeyed, desire was unrighteous

and death came in its train. There is much more that lies behind the references to these

two trees; but we shall be unable to include one or two equally important references if

we stay longer.

A tree is associated with the bearing of a curse (Deut. 21: 23) and so points on to the

`tree' upon which the Saviour died the just for the unjust (Gal. 3: 13). In three passages

in the Acts the cross of Christ is spoken of as a `tree' (Acts 5: 30; 10: 39; 13: 29), and is

so called by Peter in his epistle (I Pet. 2: 24), who never mentions the word `cross' once.

Paul in Galatians speaks both of the `tree', as it touched the Jew under the law, and the

`cross' as it touched Gentiles by nature.

The `healing' that is associated with the tree of life (Rev. 22: 2) and the `healing'

brought about by the `tree' shown to Moses (Exod. 15: 25) alike point to that salvation

which was accomplished by the cross, for the word `salvation' soteria is derived from

sozo which is often used to speak of "healing" or making "whole" (Matt. 9: 21;

Acts 4: 9, 12).

When the prophet would describe the blessed change that will take place when the day

of glory dawns, he finds the imagery of the trees at his hand.