Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 7/18/2006

Question
What is it?
I have review the 12 places it appears in the scriptures, I do not see how they all tie together yet,

Did Adam and Eve eat of the tree of life prior to their eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil?

Also in Revelation 22:2 it says the Tree of life was for the healing of the nations, what nations? this is after the earth and the heavens have fled away Revelation 20:11  

Answer
Hi Brother Andy,

I am very sorry for this terribly late response.  

Genesis 3:22-24
22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I believe that it is clear that the first couple had not yet tasted of the tree of life.  

In Revelation 22 we are told that there will be a new heaven and a new earth.  I believe that the word nations refers to people of all backgrounds.  I believe that there will be some kind of pro-creation in the new earth, but I am not sure how that will all work.  I am sure that another expert may have more info than I do, but I hope that this helps.

In Christ,
Pastor Don