The Bible Project | – Tree of Life

In the opening pages of the Bible, God gives humanity a gift that they quickly forfeit—eternal life that comes by eating from the tree of life. In this video, we explore the meaning of this powerful image and how sacred trees play a key role throughout the story of the Bible. It all leads up to Jesus himself, who died upon a tree so that he could become a new tree of life for all humanity.

#BibleProject #TreeofLife #Eden

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BibleProject BibleProject is a nonprofit animation studio that produces short-form, fully animated videos. Our videos and all of our other resources are available for free to help people everywhere experience the unified story of the Bible. For the entire list of our localized channels visit www.tbp.xyz/languages BibleProject

Comment (40)

  1. In the opening pages of the Bible, humanity is portrayed as God's royal partner, his divine image. God orders a sacred space where heaven and earth are one, and then makes eternal life available to humans by means of a tree. While many throughout history have imagined this as a magical tree that imparts eternal life, the biblical story paints a bigger picture. Sacred trees that offer divine life were a major theme in religious art of ancient Egypt and Babylon. But in the Garden of Eden, the tree is located at the central hot-spot of sacred space, the "holy of holies" of this heaven and earth place (see Gen 2:9). The fact that the tree of life is in the middle of sacred space means that the life it offers is not inherent to the tree, but a divine gift that comes through the tree. The tree of life imparts God's own life, and to be near it and eat from it is to be near to God and to ingest his own life power and presence. Or, in the words of Genesis 3:22 "to take and eat and live forever." But sadly, humanity is exiled from this tree because of a foolish quest for divine wisdom, and so they find themselves outside the garden in a realm of mortality and grief, longing to return. In the family of Abraham, this divine human meeting place was recovered in Israel's tabernacle and temple. These structures housed holy places, the hot-spot of God's presence where a new humanity met with God in a heaven and earth space (see Exodus 25:22). These rooms were designed with a tree-like lampstand (see Exodus 25:31-40) and with trees all around (see 1 Kings 6:29). It was a renewed Eden, but sadly the family of Abraham replays the Eden story, as they try to recreate their own version of the tree of life. Think of the many 'high places' where Israel worships other gods at the foot sacred trees (see Deut 12:2; 1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 16:4). Eventually, God allows these sacred spaces to be destroyed and lets the Israelites be exiled from their sacred home (see 2 Kings 24-25). This entire story is the context for understanding the arrival of Jesus and his message about the coming of God's kingdom on earth as in heaven. He said that God's heavenly presence was arriving on earth through him and his mission. And he often likened this to a huge tree, growing and spreading in surprising ways (Matthew 13:31-32). Jesus even claimed to be a tree of life, a vine that offers God's life to the world (see John 15). But in a sad inversion, the leaders of Abraham's family kill Jesus on what they think is a tree of death. But because of God's love, which is stronger than humanity's evil, God transformed the cross into a tree of life. Whoever eats from this new tree of life, that is, whoever trusts Jesus and follows him (see John 6:41-58), will discover the gift of God's eternal life. This is why the story of the Bible concludes with a renewed creation, a garden-city with a new tree of life at its center (Revelation 22:1-2), which is also the throne of God and the risen Jesus (Revelation 21:22). The whole story of the Bible can be told as a story about trees: from the tree of life to the tree of death, which becomes a new tree of life that sprouts into a new creation.

    For more information on this topic, check out these resources:

    Tree of Life podcast series: https://tbp.xyz/treepod
    Tree of Life Explore page: https://tbp.xyz/exploretree
    Tree of Life blog: https://tbp.xyz/treeblog

  2. ✝️Im not trying to be a spammer or force my religion,✝️but we are in the end times right now✝️you see all over social media its a trend to worship the devil✝️and people think its a party in hell✝️,but its not you will be in unbearable pain for all of eternity✝️please before its to late turn to God build a relationship with him repent from your sins✝️ask God for forgiveness✝️Jesus loves you he died for you accept him into your heart✝️and as your lord and savior✝️and you will have eternal life with him✝️Thank you for reading.✝️

  3. You got God, Moses, and Aaron. Father, Mediator son(Moses, Jesus) Aaron (comforter, holy spirit). Foreshadowing the trinity. Not from me but what God revealed to me. You're welcome

  4. Can y'all please do an expounded video on the Garden of Eden, focusing on the Scripture that discribes it as being on a mountain, and also more detail as to how heaven and earth overlap on high places?

    I have been fascinated with climbing mountains from a very young age, and I always felt closer to God when I was on top of a 14,000+ peak. Is it literal when you guys say that heaven and earth overlap on high mountains? And how high of a mountain? I'm pretty sure that's why I even atheists are subconsciously drawn to places like K2 and Everest, such as I am…

  5. Knowledge is not Authority, nor can it ever be. The tree and its fruit of Knowledge of good and evil is Power, not Authority. Knowledge is the knowing the difference between what is Good and what is Evil. That specifically of this tree and it fruit, is knowing what God, Our Father in Heaven, has determined what Good and Evil is in his eyes. That is the Power of God. Just because you may know what is right or wrong does no give you authority to do it

  6. Who can put this entire video together as one story from beginning to end: from life to death to life again? Only I can through Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit who lives in me as the gift and miracle of God our Creator who is My Father. The life of Jesus and his crucifixion and suffering are real, there are 3 religions also that own this one story….

  7. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

    Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
    2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
    3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
    4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

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