A Sweet Dream
Daily Passage
Reflections
In chapter 11, I became interested in The Tree of Life image in verse 30: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, but violence takes lives away.” Because I was finding so much material about this image, I decided to return to the topic today when again, the tree of life is mentioned: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life” (12).
When viewed together, the message is that those who are righteous will produce the fruit of eternity, a dream come true. I find this idea that we create our own eternity intriguing especially when it is tied to our fulfillment or life purpose. With each choice we make - to live in love or to live in hate, we are creating our life or our death and all of this seems be be tied to the reason we are here. Moment by moment we are living or dying. I now hear Bob Dylan’s gritty, “ If you're not busy being born, you're busy dying” from his song “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding).”
The first mention of the Tree of Life scripturally is in Genesis: “Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (2:9). The tree of life is placed in the center of the garden with fruits ripe for eating, life-sustaining fruits of eternity. And there in the garden is that choice again: life or death. For by its side, also with fruits ripe for eating, is placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, offering death: “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Genesis 2: 16-17).
Looking ahead in Proverbs, I find another description of this tree: “A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit” (15:4). This is yet another reminder that even our words that we choose to release in the world affect us. The tongue is the tree - giving life or death. We are so important. Each and every word released builds life or takes life away.
You know the story of Adam and Eve in Eden right? The first of all humans, created and placed in the garden, given the fruits of all the trees to eat, communing with God and the animals in a peaceful eternity. But, one day, a choice is made to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which they were told to avoid at all costs. Purity is challenged with corrupt thinking, and because of this, Adam and Eve and all of humankind are bared from the garden and not allowed to eat of the tree of life. Outside of the garden, no longer allowed to eat the fruits of eternity, we, in our mortal bodies, dwell in a world of contrasts — a world of pain and suffering, a world more often than not, where many choose death over life. And we are not allowed to eat of the fruit of the tree of life which would heal us.
The tree of life is next mentioned in The Book of Revelation, the last Book in the basic Biblical collection. John, a Christian known as "John the Elder" is writing and proclaims: “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7: 7). He continues, “Through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). He suggests, “Blessed are those who wash their robes,[so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates” (Revelation 22:14). And, he finally warns, “If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Revelation 22:19).
This is another invitation. Just as we are invited to come into the house built by Lady Wisdom and eat at her table, we are invited to enter into the city of God and once again are welcomed to eat of the fruit of the life giving tree of life. In this description there again are two trees, but this time, both are the tree of life. Is the choice gone? Where is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? No, it is not gone, we still have choice. If we choose to take away the words of the book of this prophecy, we will once again be bared from the tree of life.
This city described here is referred to as the kingdom of God throughout the scriptures. This place is described many times by Jesus. In Luke some of the religious teachers are questing this traveling sage, asking when this kingdom will be established. Jesus answers, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21).
Just as we are Lady Wisdom or Lady Folly from one moment to the next, we also hold this kingdom of God within. Through living the life we love as the love and the light that we are, we embrace our true selves and enter into the garden which was created specifically for us. And what is the key to the gates? It is not something that we must find, it is something that we have to release.
What is the importance of these trees? When we eat of the fruits, we are healed moment by moment. This is not a fixed one time event, but a continual choice, a response. Living eternal and communing with God is an ongoing process. Like all relationships we have to keep it going.
Once I made a fire on the banks close to a River. The fire burned bright and warm and reached up into the sky so beautifully. I decided to go into the river to swim. I left the fire. As I was swimming, I saw the traces of smoke lifting into the air. But, by the time, I came back to my pyre, the fire had died down. It needed more fuel. How dependent. At that moment, I realized that relationships are a lot like fire. They are built carefully and neatly. The wood is staked first the smaller logs and then, as the flames catch, the bigger ones. Yes, relationships that are lasting are built in the same way. And then, as the fire grows, it warms us. So very strong. Strong enough that we can walk away and see its burning, trusting that it will remain when we return to its side. But, if we are gone too long, and do not add any fuel to the flames, it begins to die. Through the fuel, we give it life, or death. It is the same with us.
Proverbs is not just a book underscoring good behavior. It is a book about eternity. And what is eternity? A relationship. It is fueled by fruit, the fruit of our actions, the fruit of our lips. As we live in love, we exists in love— it is our kingdom, our birthright. We must let go of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, all of the contrasts. We must see only the brightness of the light of love. Once we “wash our robes,” as John suggested, letting go all of that does not serve our well being and the well being of others, we are there - in the garden, the “city of God.” Isn’t this our desire and in existing there, isn’t that a dream come true? Let’s end by remembering our passage from today: “a desire fulfilled is a tree of life” (12).
List of scriptures naming the tree of life:
Genesis 2:9 “Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
Deuteronmy 20:19 (KJVA)When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege.
Psalms 1:3: “He is life a tree planted by streams of water the yields its fruit in season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”
Proverbs 3:8: “She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy.”
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
but violence[a] takes lives away.
Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 15:4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Revelation 2:7: 7 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.
Revelation 22:2 through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life[a] with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes,[a] so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.
Revelation 22:19 if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
The reference "tree of life" also appears in the Jewish Apocrypha:
2 Esdras 2:12 They shall have the tree of life for an ointment of sweet savour; they shall neither labour, nor be weary.
2 Esdras 8:52 (KJVA) For unto you is paradise opened, the tree of life is planted, the time to come is prepared, plenteousness is made ready, a city is builded, and rest is allowed, yea, perfect goodness and wisdom.
2 Mac16 He recounted to you Solomon's proverb, "There is a tree of life for those who do his will.'
Ben Sira 19:19 (KJVA) The knowledge of the commandments of the Lord is the doctrine of life: and they that do things that please him shall receive the fruit of the tree of immortality.
desire
“If you're not busy being born, you're busy dying.”
—Bob Dylan
Eight Affirmations of Gratitude
I am grateful for the desire of my heart.
I am thankful the life-giving fruits of the tree of life.
An give thanks eternity.
I am thankful for all of the positive thoughts that I think.
I am thankful for all of the positive actions I choice to take.
I give thanks for invitations and open doors.
I am thankful for choice.
I am grateful for all of the beautiful relationships of my life.
Questions to Consider
How do I cultivate the relations in my life and become more mindful of all that I think, speak, or do?
What choices am I making moment by moment and how are these choices affecting my place in eternity.
What are the twelve fruits of the tree of life?
Blessings
Thank you for joining me. May the desires of your heart be fulfilled and may your life be full and sweet. Love and light to you my friends. Namaste.