END OF TIME PROPHECIES 039

                                 EPHESUS     The Compensation        Revelation 2v7

"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."

Hearing the voice of the Spirit, as the Lord suggests, will designate us as "overcomers."   The term is not to be understood as referring to "super Christians", or even "special Christians" rather is it the term in the book of the Revelation for those who are the true children of God.   A study of the "overcomer" throughout the book will make this abundantly clear.   All true Christians are overcomers to one degree or another.   The truth is that heeding the word of God will bring the blessing of reward.   God will be no man's debtor; not only does He save us, but He rewards us for anything that we do in return.  

The compensation mentioned here is in line with the general metaphor of a fallen church.   This takes us back to fallen humanity in the garden of Eden.   The resultant consequences of their sin in the garden was that they were debarred forever from Eden,  the paradise of God.     Indeed such was the prohibition placed upon them that the cherubims with a flaming sword turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life.     The symbol of the tree of life, which is the promise to the overcomer represents  "living forever"   (Genesis 3v22).   The tree of life therefore means eternal life from which Adam & Eve and all their prodigy were excluded because of sin.   God and sin will never dwell together.   Eternal life is to be understood not only as the duration of life but the quality of life;   Jesus said in John 17v3 that "eternal life is knowing God."   This is the promise to the overcomer.   We are going to eat of the tree of life, which basically means we are going to enjoy God forever in His home which He calls paradise, which was God's desire for mankind always.

The Bible only describes heaven in terms of things not there of the consequences of sin.   This is because the glory of heaven is way beyond our understanding or even our imagination and so the bible puts it in terms we can understand.   There is no denying that there are pleasures in sin in this world, but there are infinite and indescribable pleasures at God's right hand which will never end  "There are pleasures at thy right hand for evermore."  ( Psalm 16v11)   The same Psalm speaks of "the path of life, in Thy presence is fullness of joy."   This is what the tree of life means; a never ending supply of pleasure in surroundings described as paradise,  

The tree of life next appears in ( Revelation 22v2)   in the city of God, by the river of life.   When we compare this with  (Ezekiel 47v12)  we get some idea of the indescribable life that heaven is going to be.

• Twelve manner of fruits which yielded her fruit every month   -    a year round supply of food of tremendous variety.
• The leaves of the tree will never fade   -    it is prime summer forever.
• The leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations   -   this just means there will be no illness or sickness there at all.  
• The tree is sustained by living waters from the sanctuary  (which means the life of God)   -   beyond this we cannot explain further.   it is just a scene of indescribable security and provision and pleasure and variety from God Himself.  

Constant supply; variety of supply; no ill health; no fading of the leaves; a constant river flow of blessing from the God who dwells in paradise.   Since such is going to be our home forever, would we not here and now want to live for Him here in this world, to do His bidding and to enter into the joy of heaven on earth? We are going to a place of immortality, incorruptibility, of eternal pleasure. The short time we have left here will seem as nothing when we arrive in Paradise.