“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.”
My Notes
What Does Revelation 2:7 Mean?
Jesus promises the overcomers in Ephesus access to the tree of life in the paradise of God. The tree of life — last seen in Genesis 3, when access was blocked after the fall — is restored. What was lost in Eden is regained in paradise.
"To him that overcometh" — the promise is for overcomers. Those who endure, who persist, who do not give up despite opposition and testing. The tree of life is not for spectators. It is for those who overcome.
"I will give to eat of the tree of life" — eating is intimate, personal, nourishing. The tree of life does not just exist in paradise. You eat from it. The life it provides is consumed, internalized, made part of you.
"Which is in the midst of the paradise of God" — the tree is in the center of paradise. The life of God is the centerpiece of eternity. Not on the margins. In the midst.
The full circle: the tree that was lost in Genesis 3 is restored in Revelation 2. What was forfeited by the first Adam is returned through the last.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does the tree of life in Revelation connect to the tree of life in Genesis — and what does the full circle mean?
- 2.What does 'overcoming' look like for you in your current season?
- 3.Why is the tree of life 'in the midst' of paradise — what does its central position signify?
- 4.How does the restoration of what was lost in Eden shape your hope for eternity?
Devotional
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life. The tree that disappeared behind the flaming sword in Genesis 3 reappears in the promise of Christ. What was lost in Eden is restored in paradise. The story comes full circle.
The tree of life. Life itself — eternal, unending, sustained by God. The tree that Adam and Eve were barred from reaching is now offered as a gift to the overcomers.
Which is in the midst of the paradise of God. The tree is central. Not peripheral. Not one attraction among many. In the midst — the heart of paradise. The life of God is the centerpiece of eternity.
To him that overcometh. The gift requires overcoming. Not perfection. Endurance. Perseverance through the difficulties the Ephesian church was facing — false teachers, persecution, the temptation to abandon first love. The overcoming earns access to the tree.
The first humans ate from the wrong tree and lost access to the tree of life. The overcomers in Christ will eat from the right tree and live forever. The fall is reversed. The access is restored. The tree that was guarded by a flaming sword is now offered with an open hand.
Overcome. And eat from the tree of life. The paradise that was lost is being given back.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
He that hath an ear,.... Such who have new ears given them, as all have who are made new creatures; such who have their…
He that hath an ear, let him hear ... - This expression occurs at the close of each of the epistles addressed to the…
He that hath an ear - Let every intelligent person, and every Christian man, attend carefully to what the Holy Spirit,…
We have here,
I. The inscription, where observe, 1. To whom the first of these epistles is directed: To the church of…
He that hath an ear A repetition, with a merely verbal alteration, of one of our Lord's characteristic phrases in His…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture