“To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the paradise of God.” Rev. 2:7b (ESV). What kind of conquest is this verse talking about? Here are some of the words just prior to this passage:
I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Revelation 2:4-5 (ESV)
So, in one sense the Christian life is one of conquest: in Christ we conquer the destructive enemies of our life so we can love God and help others to do the same. Sometimes conquest is hard but he makes us “more than conquerors” (Rom. 8:37), and if we persevere God will reward us with the great privilege of feasting from the tree God created to give true life. In Genesis 3:24, God put an angel in the Garden of Eden to guard against people eating from the Tree of Life. But in the next age God provides the tree of life again (Rev. 22:2) so that we can have the amazing life he originally intended for us. This is the certain hope that we set our hearts on.
How much do you look forward to eating from the Tree of Life? Does this help you overcome your challenges?
