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Tree of Life – 176

Welcome to Hank’s Place

We’re concluding Jesus’ letter to the church

at Ephesus in Revelation 2. Our takeaway
thus far: stop trying to get it right for Jesus,
stop our toils FOR Him, but let us remember
that place of grace we lived in when we
began our walk with Him, receiving the love
of God freely.

How about the promise at the end of the

letter? “To him who overcomes, I will grant to
eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise
of God.” In today’s world it sounds
mysterious, puzzling to be sure. We have
learned that Jesus is THE Overcomer, in us,
and us in Him, making us Overcomer —
believe it!

How about that “tree of life?” No puzzle for

the Ephesians. The Temple of Artemis in
Ephesus was built on the site of an ancient
tree shrine. A date palm tree. It was known as
a refuge – as a place of salvation. There were
even coins in Ephesus that had a date palm
tree, their tree of life and salvation, stamped
on them.

So Jesus gives them a promise – using what

was very familiar. Beside the sacred tree they
all knew, there now grew a new, true, tree of
life for the believer. Jesus is giving them a
wonderful afSrmation of their position in
Christ. He is saying that they – as
Overcomers – have the right to eat from the
REAL tree of life. What an awesome promise!

Let’s move on to the next letter, written to

the church at Smyrna, Rev 2:8-11. The picture
Jesus gives them of Himself is, “The Srst and
the last, who was dead, and has come to life.”
Smyrna worshiped Dionysus, the Greek god
of wine – who supposedly was killed and was
brought back to life by his father Zeus. So
when Jesus presents Himself as the
Resurrected One, He is saying, ‘I am the
reality to your myth.’

The city itself had been sacked by the

Lydians, but 300 years later was rebuilt
better than ever. She was a city that was
dead and had come back to life. Thus Jesus’
picture is letting them know – HE knows
them, very well indeed!

More next time – till then: be encouraged –

for Jesus knows YOU very well indeed. Be
encouraged – and COME ALIVE!

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