Advent Reflection Dec 8

Morning
Gen 2:5-9

When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.  And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.  And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Notice the tree of life. Free to humanity before the fall. Human beings free to live forever in union with one another and their creator.

Afternoon
Gen 3:22-24

Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.  He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Notice the Tree of life. Hidden away from humanity after the fall. to prevent them from living forever. Why would God now all of a sudden want to prevent eternal life? Could it be to spare them from the horrors of living forever in a world unlike they were meant to live in? What a grace.

Evening
Rev 22:1-5

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

In the new Creation, we see a scene including the Lamb of God, come as an infant given as a redemption sacrifice. The lamb reigns over the land where there is a tree of life (are you keeping up?) The fruit from this tree is abundant, and its leaves provide healing for the nations. We are people who wait and hope at this time of year anticipating the coming of the one who will finally make things right again.