And Yahweh Elohim 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:

Genesis 3:22

Yahweh Elohim is talking to another divine being – they are discussing man’s ability to operate free will, for good or bad. Then He makes a decision about Man’s future state – he shall lose everlasting life (at least for a while).

• Was Man originally supposed to live forever? 
• Were the animals originally supposed to experience death? 
• Did they all need to eat of the Tree of Life on a regular basis to remain in a state of immortality?

   I believe the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is figurative (see notes at the beginning of Chapter 3 from the CKV Bible I am currently writing and have posted at this website) and the Tree of Life may be also, but it could have been a real thing.

   Man was supposed to eat of the vegetation of the Garden.  If he had everlasting life from his creation, why would he ever need to eat?  Dying of starvation would not be possible.

   Angels can consume food (Genesis 18:1 – 19:3), but do they need a ‘tree of life’ to maintain their immortality?

¹ And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; ² And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, ³ And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: ⁴ Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: ⁵ And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. ⁶ And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. ⁷ And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. ⁸ And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Genesis 18:1-8 — emphasis added

¹ And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; ² And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. ³ And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

Genesis 19:1-3 — emphasis added

It appears life has always been conditional on the predilection of Yahweh Elohim – for us and the angels (they will be judged by Yeshua, also, and at least one of them will be cast into the fiery lake and annihilated – Revelation 20:10)

Though Yahweh removed Adam and Eve from the Garden and the life-sustaining tree, His desire is for all to be saved come to a knowledge of truth:

³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; ⁴ Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ⁶ Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

1Timothy 2:3-6

   The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Peter 3:9

But I hear you cry out, “What is Truth?” Everyone has their version of what they believe to be Truth. “The Truth” must be universal or else it is just a local custom. The tricky part is finding that universal truth . . . or is it?

¹⁷ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. ¹⁸ As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. ²⁰ Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

John 17:17-20 – emphasis added

The Word of Yahweh is Truth. It has the key to everlasting life, but Yahweh has an adversary that actively attempts to delude the nations. Everything about our culture, today, is about denying Yahweh and taking pleasure in sinning against His Word.

¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:1-2 – emphasis added

He gave us His Word. He sent His only son to be a sacrifice that would blot out our sins, forever. He provided the means to salvation . . . it then comes back to our desire for truth and for life. Yeshua gave his life – what are you prepared to do?

¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2Timothy 3:16-17

¹⁵ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ¹⁶ But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

2Timothy 2:15-16

²² But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. ²³ For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: ²⁴ For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. ²⁵ But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

James 1:22-25 – emphasis added

We are to do more than just read the Word. Reading is important, but we must study the Word to understand its guidance.

We must do more than listen to a preacher and then say, “Amen”. Listening to the teachings of others is good (hey, you’re listening to mine, right now), but we must prove their words (and mine) by comparing it to the Scriptures.

We must act on the Word we have heard. Hearing is important, but faith without works is dead (James 2:17-26).

Satan has dominion of the world and he does not want you to hear, know, or act on Truth. Temptations and misinformation are rampant – by design. Satan has a substitute for everything that is good and right . . . and they all lead to the path of destruction that he is on.

The tricky part is first deciding you want the Truth, and then wading through the voluminous amounts of distraction and misinformation to make the Truth your own. See my blog “Making the Word Your Own” for tips on how to study the Word for understanding.

All pagan religions and false doctrines have their own version of a “tree of life”. They all purport to elevate the believer to a higher form of consciousness, but none promise everlasting life.

No form of faith or goodness leads to eternal life except for one. You must evaluate carefully and do due diligence, because, like Adam and Eve, you have the ability to choose the good or the bad. Many will try to lead you astray.

¹³ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

Even faith ‘leaders’ can lead you astray. There are pious people who proclaim they have the secret to salvation, or to leading an abundant life, or . . . whatever the new craze is.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Matthew 24:24

There are obvious charlatans among the many gospel preachers of today, but there are also many that are sincere in their beliefs and teachings (I could be one of them!).  How can someone tell whether truth unto salvation is being taught or not?

Does it matter whether the person is teaching error has good or bad intentions? No, because the end result of believing either one of them takes us from the Law and leads us down the path to destruction.

²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

Matthew 7:21-23

See my blog, “Lord, Lord“.

Yahweh Elohim drove Adam and Eve from the Garden and the life-sustaining tree for their own benefit.

Living forever in a sinful nature is worse than dying and being restored in a new, sinless body at judgment day.