But the tree was created by God, and I would think that it's power came from God.

Right! So, is it true that God blocked access to the tree because He didn't want sinners to "eat, and to live forever"? Or, as Tom affirms, would they have died gradually anyhow?

"Tree Adventists" are a very small clique, acoording to my research, who have a tendency to praise the twiglet and focus on the tiny, slighting the trunk and the Tree-Planter Himself.

We are warned not to look for molehills:

"Satan will be sure to come to that mind with the temptation to misconstrue and to make a mountain out of a molehill. A mind that easily stumbles over hurt feelings will conjure up mistaken ideas of all kinds." {TDG 19.3}

Phil, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Ha! So, what do you make of the quotes posted above (the ones concerning the tree of life)? BTW, "plowing"? Isn't that what people do to ready the ground for trees and plants?

Well, the significance of the matter escapes me, but then it is that way with a lot of things. Does it bring us any closer to God to know how we will have eternal life, or is it that we just have eternal life important?

I can just imagine the 'tree of life' standing today somewhere in the treacherous middle east.

I can imagine who would have possession of it and allowing access to it; and how we small fry, would ever get any of it.

My guess is that if the tree had been left to this world; Armageddon, and then some, would have happened 5000+ years ago.

I doubt there would be anyone alive to eat of it.

I have an idea that sin can kill in spite (or because) of it.

Ask Adam and Eve how important the tree of life is. Without it we die. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev 22:14. Restoration to the tree of life is a major theme in the Bible and the SOP.

Revelation
2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

MAR 354
The Garden of Eden remained upon the earth long after man had become an outcast from its pleasant paths. The fallen race were long permitted to gaze upon the home of innocence, their entrance barred only by the watching angels. At the cherubim-guarded gate of Paradise the divine glory was revealed. Hither came Adam and his sons to worship God. Here they renewed their vows of obedience to that law the transgression of which had banished them from Eden. When the tide of iniquity overspread the world, and the wickedness of men determined their destruction by a flood of waters, the hand that had planted Eden withdrew it from the earth. But in the final restitution, when there shall be "a new heaven and a new earth" (Revelation 21:1), it is to be restored more gloriously adorned than at the beginning. {Mar 354.1}

EW 149
He then made known to the angelic host that a way of escape had been made for lost man. He told them that He had been pleading with His Father, and had offered to give His life a ransom, to take the sentence of death upon Himself, that through Him man might find pardon; that through the merits of His blood, and obedience to the law of God, they could have the favor of God, and be brought into the beautiful garden, and eat of the fruit of the tree of life. {EW 149.2}

EW 289
I then saw Jesus leading His people to the tree of life, and again we heard His lovely voice, richer than any music that ever fell on mortal ear, saying, "The leaves of this tree are for the healing of the nations. Eat ye all of it." Upon the tree of life was most beautiful fruit, of which the saints could partake freely. In the city was a most glorious throne, from which proceeded a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal. On each side of this river was the tree of life, and on the banks of the river were other beautiful trees bearing fruit which was good for food. {EW 289.1}

MAR 325
The fruit of the tree of life in the Garden of Eden possessed supernatural virtue. To eat of it was to live forever. Its fruit was the antidote of death. . . . {Mar 325.1}

After the entrance of sin the heavenly Husbandman transplanted the tree of life to the Paradise above. {Mar 325.2}

The redeemed saints, who have loved God and kept His commandments here, will enter in through the gates of the city, and have right to the tree of life. They will eat freely of it as our first parents did before their fall. The leaves of that immortal widespread tree will be for the healing of the nations. All their woes will then be gone. Sickness, sorrow, and death they will never again feel, for the leaves of the tree of life have healed them. Jesus will then see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied, when the redeemed, who have been subject to sorrow, toil, and afflictions, who have groaned beneath the curse, are gathered up around that tree of life to eat of its immortal fruit, that our first parents forfeited all right to, by breaking God's commands. There will be no danger of their ever losing right to the tree of life again, for he that tempted our first parents to sin will be destroyed by the second death. {Mar 325.3}

Obedience to all the commandments of God was the condition of eating of the tree of life. Adam fell by disobedience. . . . {Mar 325.4}

Obedience through Jesus Christ gives to man perfection of character and a right to that tree of life. The conditions of again partaking of the fruit of the tree are plainly stated in the testimony of Jesus Christ to John: "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." {Mar 325.5}

Restored to the tree of life in the long-lost Eden, the redeemed will "grow up" to the full stature of the race in its primeval glory. The last lingering traces of the curse of sin will be removed, and Christ's faithful ones will appear in "the beauty of the Lord our God," in mind and soul and body reflecting the perfect image of their Lord. Oh, wonderful redemption! long talked of, long hoped for, contemplated with eager anticipation, but never fully understood. {Mar 325.6}

CET 98
[Speaking of other worlds] Then I saw two trees. One looked much like the tree of life in the city. The fruit of both looked beautiful, but of one they could not eat. They had power to eat of both, but were forbidden to eat of one. Then my attending angel said to me, "None in this place have tasted of the forbidden tree; but if they should eat, they would fall." {CET 98.1}

The tree of life would not have helped Abel, whom his brother slew. So it would have become a source of contention and murder. You can imagine what a sinful heart would decide to take possession of it and to kill anyone else that would attempt to eat of it.

That in itself is proof that God never meant "his warning" to be a threat; because the tree of life does not stop anyone from killing.

According to DA 108, the glory of God imparts life to the righteous.

Surely it must be obvious that life comes from God, not from a tree. Sin leads to death because of what it is in its nature:

quote:

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God is the fountain of life; and when one chooses the service of sin, he separates from God, and thus cuts himself off from life. (DA 764)

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This is clear, isn't it?

I'm pretty sure that Adam and Eve were more greeved over the loss of living with God than the tree.