CHAPTER NINE

CHRIST OPENING THE WAY TO THE TREE OF LIFE

Scripture Reading: Gen. 3:22-24; Heb. 4:12, 14-16; 10:19-20

THE REQUIREMENTS OF GOD’S GLORY, 
GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND GOD’S HOLINESS 
FULFILLED BY THE DEATH OF CHRIST

Genesis 3:22-24 says, “Jehovah God said, Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat and live forever—Then Jehovah God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to work the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.” Cherubim signify the glory of God (Heb. 9:5). The requirement of the glory of God closed the way to the tree of life from fallen man. The sword signifies judgment by God’s righteousness. We have to fulfill God’s righteousness; otherwise, we are under the judgment of God. Fire signifies God’s holiness. The requirements of God’s glory, God’s righteousness, and God’s holiness kept fallen man from the tree of life. Until these requirements could be fully met, the way to the tree of life could never be open to fallen man.

Hebrews 4:14-16 says, “Having therefore a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast the confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all respects like us, yet without sin. Let us therefore come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help.” In these three verses there is Christ as the High Priest ascended to the heavens. Second, this ascended Christ can be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses. Although He is in the heavens and we are on this earth, He can be touched by the feeling of our weaknesses. Third, in verse 16 [150] we are charged to come forward to the throne of grace. Verse 14 tells us that Christ, who is on the throne of grace, is in the heavens. How then can we come forward to the throne of grace in the heavens? Before we solve this problem, let us read verses 12 and 13 of chapter 4: “The word of God is living and operative and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature that is not manifest before Him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we are to give our account.” Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “Having therefore, brothers, boldness for entering the Holy of Holies in the blood of Jesus, which entrance He initiated for us as a new and living way through the veil, that is, His flesh.” In these verses we are told that we have the boldness to enter the Holy of Holies. The throne of grace is equivalent to the expiation cover in the Holy of Holies (Exo. 25:17, 21). Thus, to come forward to the throne of grace means to come into the Holy of Holies. We enter into the Holy of Holies in the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way.

We have seen that the tree of life is nothing less than God Himself in His Trinity presented to us. But due to the fall of the human race, man became sinful, and the way to the tree of life was closed. Man had fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Man was also under the condemnation of God’s righteousness, and man was against God’s holiness. God’s desire was still that man would enjoy Him as the tree of life, but His glory, His righteousness, and His holiness kept fallen man away from the tree of life. No fallen man can get through these three items—the cherubim, the slaying sword, and the flaming fire. If man is going to eat the tree of life, he has to fulfill the requirements of God’s glory, God’s righteousness, and God’s holiness.

On the one hand, man’s fallen condition, man’s sin, has to be solved, has to be taken away. On the other hand, all the requirements of God’s glory, God’s righteousness, and God’s holiness have to be fulfilled. Otherwise, there is no way for human beings to eat the tree of life. Where is the tree of life? The tree of life is in the Holy of Holies. How could a sinful person get through the outer court, enter into the Holy Place, and pass through the inner veil into the Holy of Holies to eat the tree of life? On the altar in the outer court, [151] the sacrifices dealt with the fallen condition and the sins of man. The altar typifies the cross of Christ. On the cross, not only was sin dealt with, but also the veil was rent (Heb. 10:20). This is the second veil (9:3) within the tabernacle, which typifies the flesh of Christ. When Christ’s flesh was crucified, this veil was rent (Matt. 27:51), thus opening the way for us who were excluded from God, signified by the tree of life (Gen. 3:22-24), to enter into the Holy of Holies to contact Him and take Him as the tree of life for our enjoyment. Christ, the eternal all-inclusive sacrifice, died on the cross, on the altar. He fulfilled all the requirements of God’s righteousness, God’s holiness, and God’s glory. By His death Christ opened the way for us to eat God as the tree of life. This is why Christ told us in John 14 that He had to go to prepare a place for us.

The Gospel of John tells us that the Word who was God became flesh (1:14), and this is the Christ, the Messiah (v. 41), the One who is the life (14:6), the light (8:12), the food (6:35), the drink (7:37-38), the air (20:22), the Shepherd (10:11), the door (10:1), and so many other items. How could Christ be so many things to us? We have sin within, and we commit sins without. If Christ is going to impart Himself to us as so many things, He has to solve the problem of sin and sins. God’s glory, righteousness, and holiness would not allow Him to impart Himself to such sinful persons. Therefore, Christ had to fulfill the requirements of God’s glory, righteousness, and holiness through His death on the cross.

HOW THE GOD-MAN WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO US

Now we need to see how this God-man could be made available to us. As an illustration let us use the example of a family partaking of a watermelon. The parents will not let their children eat with dirty hands. The children have to first wash their hands before they eat the watermelon. Then the melon has to be cut into pieces. When the slices are eaten by the children, they become juice for easy digestion. On the one hand, the children are cleansed; on the other hand, juice is available for them to digest. The Triune God has been processed in a similar fashion. In order for the watermelon to get into the children, the sequence is first watermelon, then slices, and finally juice. The Father is illustrated by the whole melon; the Son by the slices; and finally, the Spirit by the juice. The Father is not only the Father but is also the Son. And the Son is not only the Son but is also the [152] Spirit. In other words, this melon is also the slices to eat and the juice within us. The melon disappears after it is eaten. Originally, the melon was on the table, but after being eaten, the melon is in the whole family. The Father is in the Son, and the Son is the Spirit, who is just like the juice. Actually, the Spirit is more available than the juice because the Spirit is air (Gk. pneuma and Heb. ruach). Both pneuma and ruach can be translated into four English words—air, breath, wind, and spirit. Christ, the God-man, in resurrection became a life-giving Spirit. This big melon became the refreshing juice.