The Gospel Message from the Tree of Life

Ezekiel 47 God forbade Adam and Eve to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. God removed them from that beautiful garden when they chose to disobey for He had said: “you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.” [Gen 2:17] When they disobeyed they died, not physically but spiritually. But, now in the New Jerusalem, Ezekiel sees a river extending from the threshold to the Dead Sea with its healing powers. Along that river is the Tree of Life, no longer in the Garden, but along the river banks. Its leaves are offered to heal and its fruit to feed.

No longer will the Dead Sea be dead but a living and vibrant sea full of fish of all kinds. Men will fish, and men will eat. That is a picture of the transforming power of the gospel. We have the gospel message that heals the “Dead Sea” of men’s hearts and its fruit; the Word of God, to feed their hearts and minds.

Jesus used that picture as he taught the disciples. He said to them: “feed my lambs” and “feed my sheep,” and we do that with His life-changing message of love and hope.