Willa

What leads you to suppose that Cherubs (aka Cherubim) are angels? Angel means messenger. Are not cherubim only seen at God's throne? Angels as such are never said to have wings. I was using the term broadly, as angelic beings. Perhaps I should have called them living creatures as John does in Rev. 4. You are correct that angel means messenger. But since Ezekiel calls the things on wheels with 4 faces Cherubim in Ezekiel 10, that is what I call them. I have no Idea if God's throne has wheels but find your proof scriptures do not prove this to be so in my mind.

God also humbles us through trials. But as to not letting us suffer more than we can endure, God rescued my husband from extreme nerve pain in his neck. It was so severe that no narcotics or combination of narcotics could even touch it or take the edge off and he was bed ridden. Finally the physical stress it caused did further damage to his already badly damaged heart. Our pastors annointed him with oil and prayed for his healing. Within hours the severe pain was gone. He still has arthritis in his neck with stiffness and occasional pain. But the severely pinched nerve was healed so that he can endure it. The extra heart problems remain. But now he can function. Willa

We have a lot of those photos--dust on a camera lens. Ezekiel was discribing cherubs. Cherubs are angels and angels are spirits. They are not to be confused with God the Father, Who is also Spirit, or the Holy Spirit, Who is also God. We have one God in 3 persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are our Creator. Cherubs were created beings just as we are created beings with human spirits. I agree that the outer space manefestations are demonic. When they were first being reported they were in areas where there was a lot of occult activity. Now that the occult is prevelant widely in the USA, they are seen more widely and frequently.

John the Baptist, a nazarite, had long hair. It is sad when people are turned away from a church because of the length of their hair. The key was in verse 16. We have no such custom. It was merely a custom or a tradition. Customs change. Nowdays if a woman is in submission to her husband and honors him, it is in her attitudes that she shows regard for him. 1Peter 3:2-6 elaborates on this. v. 2 when they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence for your husband. 3a Do not let your adornment be outward--v4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart. So their humility, modesty and high regard for their husbands are most important. Should my husband want me to grow long hair and cover my head, I would do so and not think twice about it. Today in our culture the symbol has completely lost its original meaning, and when men judge among themselves in verse13, most do not draw the same conclusions as people did in Paul's culture. Women who cover their heads as they did in the first century will be mistaken for muslims. At the royal wedding the women considered the hats that they wore as more of an object of pride than their hair. They just did it to have the most outlandish, expensive fashion and attract attention to themselves. This does not honor God or their husbands. I had to wear hats is the 50s and it was like the royal wedding, a prideful competition to have the latest fashion and to be seen by people. The same is true of women who spend time and big bucks for elaborate hair styles like they did in the first century so that their hair was their pride.. It is annoyingly hard for short people to see over or around other peoples hats or "big hair". The last time I wore a hat to church was so as to not get suburned during the summer service in our amphatheater. The only one I owned was my official birdwatchers hat complete with bird poop painted on its top. Now I take an umbrella.

I thought that all first born sons were offered to the Lord, and that they were educated by the rabbis--Jewish education. He did not have a greco-roman education but neither was he totally uneducated, was my impression. Am I wrong in this?

I agree that the land is only promised to the Jews by birth. But in the mellinnium the Jews will inherit the full borders promised Abe and the church will return and reign with Christ, as well. The believing Jews who survive armagheddon will populate the Promised Land, as I understand it. All of the promised land has never been occupied by the Jews to date. The only thing the church gets from Abe is being declared righteous by faith alone, and not by works of the law. Just my 2 cents. Eph. 2:15 speaks of Christ abolishing the enmity, the law of commandments and ordinances. Since He fullfilled them, there is no more need of them, but He has written them on our hearts of flesh. So we still honor them as the schoolmaster that shows us our need of a Savior, showing us that no man is capable of keeping them perfectly as the law requires.

Nebula, the term "God fearing gentiles" was used of those who were proselytes to Judism, as I understand. I found this on a Jewish site. Those were the ones who practiced Judism but had not been circumcised, I dimly remember. Paul usually went to the synagogs first, and then went to the homes of believing gentiles.

I agree that we must walk in the Spirit, obeying His leading and instruction. Jesus said and did only what the Father revealed for Him to do. If we do the same, it is not our responsibility to carry out the deed, it is God's. The same is true for evangelism. If we are faithful to share the Gospel, it is God Who brings forth the fruit. We can't save anybody. All we can do is be obedient to our part. Of course, love is still the most important ingredient. It takes guts to step out in obedience, risking being made a fool of. But it is also exciting and very rewarding. On the other had, we can expect opposition when God is being glorified. We will be treated as Jesus was.

I agree with Shiloh. Remember King David? He coveted another man's wife, committed adultry, had her husband killed so he could marry her, and still did not repent. It was nearly a year later after Bathsheba had David's baby that the prophet Nathan came and showed him his sins. David finally repented then, and when he did he not only changed his mind about how bad it was, he really changed his ways. But he really paid the consequenses for his sin. You can read the story in 2 Samuel 11-12. Still, God called David a man after his own heart because he took all the punishment knowing he deserved it, and because he returned to the Lord with all his heart. Ask for a Bible and start reading the New Testament in Matthew to Revelation, and then read the Psalms, many of which David wrote. You need to fill yourself with God's word. "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee". Jesus needs to be your Lord, which means you need to obey the Holy Spirit with all your heart. He wants what is best for you and you need to trust Him enough to obey Him. In Hebrews 12:5 NASV He says, My SON, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and HE scourages every son whom He receives. If you endure discipline, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have becaome partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we have had earthly fathers who corrected us, and we respected them;. Shall we not much more readily be subject to the the the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we might share in His holiness. Blessings, Willa You said that you had sinned. So you know that it was wrong but you are not sorry? That was how David was till the prophet spoke to him.. Then he saw how evil he had been and was humbled. God will keep working on your heart till you agree fully with Him. But if you continue to harden your heart against His speaking to you and resist Him till your death, you are in real trouble. All sin seperates us from God. You cannot have fellowship with Him until you cry out to Him to come into your life and change your attitudes and make you like Jesus. God resists the proud but gives grace (underserved favor) to the humble.

It is very difficult for a man to raise the children of another man when the biological father remains around the children. The wife may never really consider her new husband to be in charge of her children and allow him to be the authority figure he is meant to be in the home. Women must be protective, but should support him and present a united front to the kids or the kids will divide and conquer, becomming manipulative. They do that in normal homes but are much worse in "broken" homes. They play on the guilt. The kids should not have the option of running to the other parent if they don't like the rules of their home. These are some of the many practical reasons it is best not to date or remarry, especially when there are children. Kids from 12 up will rarely accept a new parent and will try to break up a marriage so the bio parents can reunite. After the youngest is gone from the home the situation might be better for remarriage. Some will never accept a new spouse. I am just speaking from the situations I have seen over the years. My husband was from a home where each parent adopted the other parent's children. It occurred when they were 4-7 years old but the oldest sibling kept the home divided.. My best friend had the teen age girls drive her out of the home when she married a man with children. They went through years of counseling but he refused to discipline his daughters or protect his wife from their abuse. Our son allowed an "open adoption" of his first child and she also divided the home. The only case where this worked was when the child never learned she had been adopted by her dad when a toddler till after she was 60 and her dad had died. There must be homes where this has worked out well, but I am not aware of them. It is best to obey God.

Job 42:8 God did not deal with Job's 3 friends according to their folly because Job prayed for them. v.10 God restored to Job twice as much as he had before. But I have no idea when it took place.

When a dear friend asked my why God had not saved her dad, it set me on a prayerful search through scripture. He was from a Christian home but died denying God. The only verse God gave me was God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. So I have to second this opinion. Since then He has opened my eyes to the rest of what you have said. Satan wanted to be God and started a war in heaven to overthrow his Creator. So also satan tempted Eve that if she ate of the fruit she would be like God. Even the mormons and other cults offer the temptation that you [men] can be gods if you join their religion and do as they say. The saddest commentary of all is Sinatra singing "I did it my way". Jesus said I AM the way, the truth and the life; no man come to the Father but by Me. We have to humble ourselves and do it God's way, not my way. So pride must be the source of both rebellion and the unforgivable sin. A

We are told it is easier to recognize counterfeit by becoming very familiar with the real thing. Personally, I prefer to stay clear of people who are preoccupied with evil. Godly people hunger for the things of God and find evil to be repulsive.

The scriptures for this is James 5:14-15. It refers to the sick being prayed for by the elders and annointed with oil. But hay, I have layed hands on my car and prayed for it when it didn't start! God was faithful. I did it in faith but in ignorance. I guess you can do as you wish and if the Pastors don't mind, I am sure the Lord doesn't mind. It is the Lord who helps. The oil is just obeying the instruction in Scripture. Our heavenly Father is so faithful and caring. We trust in His character and grace as revealed by the life of Jesus. He helps us because we need it, not because we deserve it. Blessings, Willa

And there's the blasphemy right there; never believe what these "warlocks of the mind" say...all psychologists are evil minded fools. My associate pastor in a very conservative church taught Christian counseling. His day job was as a psychologist and admininstrator in the local mental health facility. He taught most of our classes on marriage and parenting, and the BIBLE was his source. He was a godly man who raised 3 sons that also serve the Lord. He and his wife have always been very dear to my heart for helping us to build a strong marriage that has lasted 50+ years and to also raise sons who love the Lord, as they are now doing as well. My prayer for all of us is that we should be Heb 12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. 2 Peter 3:17-18 But grow in the GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 2 Cor 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen Blessings, Willa

Luke 9:52b-56 NKJV They entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him because His face was set for the journey to Jeruselem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this they said: "LORD, DO YOU WANT US TO COMMAND FIRE TO COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN and CONSUME THEM JUST AS ELIJAH DID? 55 BUT HE TURNED AND REBUKED THEM AND SAID: " YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT MANNER OF SPIRIT YOU ARE OF. 56 FOR THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO DESTROY MEN'S LIVES BUT TO SAVE THEM. And they went to another village. Bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you (Luke 6:28) were Christ's words as well. He also said that Matt 12:32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. So it would seem that out God is infinitely patient with teens who do not respect their elders and men who reviled their Messiah as well. Only those who knowingly revile the person and work of the Holy Spirit as being evil are without excuse. The day will come when He will judge the earth and its inhabitants. But until then mama bears should not be in the picture.

Rom. 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of who they have not heard? . We must believe in order to call on God for forgiveness. Heb 11:6 But without faith it unpossible to please Him, for he who comes to God MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. First we believe that He is and that He personally hears us. But when the Holy Spirit comes to us He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgement. That is when we start to hate our sinful lifestyle and turn to Christ for forgiveness. This alone is repentance. It is a change of attitude. John the Baptist was yelling at the pharasees to produce fruit worthy of repentance. Matt. 3:8. The fruit is the WORKS that FOLLOW repentance. Again, both saving faith and repentance (changing our minds about sin and turning to Christ for forgiveness) are GRANTED by God. A grant is a gift usually based on need. A schollarship is based on merit. God grants us faith and repentance because we need them. However, we are saved that we may bear fruit. Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Or else we get called a brood of vipers by John the Baptist! lol. When we abide in Christ we cannot help but bear fruit. It comes naturally and effortless with the life of Christ flowing through us and as our attitudes, motives and desires change. Usually we are unaware of it. When we TRY to bear fruit it is self effort which will not be rewarded or we will have no reason to cast our crowns before Christ.--we will think we actually earned them. I do not believe believe that anyone is perfect on earth but Christ. Following Christ is like a treasure hunt--one step at a time. When we obey we get another clue. It is an adventure with challanges and surprise. It is never boring. Even when it is trusting God during root canals.

In Bible days all marriages were arranged by parents. Jewish women could turn down a proposal by not drinking of a cup, as I understand it. But as said above, marriage is all about committment. We all must work at making a good marriage. But the commitment has to be to God first and then to the spouse. But I am disturbed that he has no peace about the marriage. We are told to let the peace of God rule (act as an umpire) in our hearts. Col. 3:15 If this is not fear of committment, as many men experience, then he should pray a lot more about this. Communication is also a big part of marriage, and if he cannot tell her that he has doubts, that is also a very bad sign. If he is having doubts, she may also have them and they need to discuss them. Physical attraction is a big part of marriage, but committment and communication are even bigger. But men are likely to be focused on outward beauty, which fades in time. If that is all the marriage is about, it won't last. Godly women are adorned with a gentle and quiet spirit. Godly love is puts her needs above his own, and vice versa. It wants what is best for the other person. There are women that husbands find attractive who are down right ugly. But they have an inward glow or a very winsom personality so they find them to be beautiful and are attracted to them. If he sees no beauty in her something is really wrong.

The thief next to Jesus on the cross could not be baptized. He simply believed and asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus answered "Today you will be with Me in Paradise" Baptism is not necessary at all unless God has put it on your heart to obey Him in this way. Paul baptized only one or two dozen people. But he preached to the gentiles and many believed and were saved through His preaching and teaching. 1 Cor. 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel,-- Jesus said that if your confess Him before men, He will confess you before His Father in heaven. Matt. 10:32 So it is important that you confess your faith in Christ before others. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 If He is Lord of your life you desire to obey Him and baptism also constitutes a public confession. Believe means to trust in, adhere to and rely upon. It is not a passive word. Saving faith produces works like confessing your faith and being baptized, reading the Bible, ceasing from sin, attending church or Bible studies. But works do not save you. If you are asking this question God may be putting this step of obedience on your heart. It helps us to realize that God has buried the old sinful man and given you a new life when we go under water and come up. Col. 2:12, Rom. 6:3-4 (Baptize means to dip to dye clothing.). Sinless Jesus was baptized as an example to us, endorsing a baptism of REPENTANCE for the remission of sin. Mark 1:4 . Repentance is an ATTITUDE of turning away from our sinful lifestyles and to Christ in faith, asking for mercy and help because we are unable to change ouselves in our own strength. A baby cannot repent. Matt. 3:11, Mark 1:4 2Cor 7:10 for godly sorrow produce repentance to salvation. Ritual churches believe that the Holy Spirit comes into the baby when they are touched with blessed water and the word of God is spoken over them. Their excuse is that John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit in his mother's womb. However, we are not John the Baptist. In fact, he was the one who came preaching repentance and baptism. They also claim that whole households were baptized and that included babies. But there is no mention of any babies or young children living in those households. They are reading into it something that is not clearly stated in scripture. The important thing is that you obey whatever Christ is leading you to do. The first thing God led me to do was to tell my friends that I had asked God to forgive me and then to try to make restitution. Then God put it upon my heart to read the New Testament and psalms. We are saved when God's grace grants us repentance and faith, which are gifts of God and are not works. But we respond by obeying His promptings or voice so as to make Him Lord of our lives. These works may include confessing Him before men, baptism, restitution, reading the Bible. I was baptized by immersion when I was 15. I repented and was saved, trusting in Christ's loving mercy, when I was 13. Blessings, Willa Baptism is the commandment from Jesus Christ Himself (Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:19). It was implemented by the apostles on the day of Pentecost, those who believed were commanded to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38). Everybody who believed the gospel were baptized including Paul (Acts 8:36-39; Acts 18:8-9; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 22:16), all these tell us that baptism is very important because the apostles taught and preached it as they were led by the Holy Spirit. The thief on the cross died before Christianity and Jesus Christ whilst on earth had the power to forgive sins (Mark 2:10) so the thief on the cross was not a Christian because Christianity started on the day of Pentecost. Thanks and may God bless you Eben, This is good and correct. thank you for the post. Too much human opinion without proper scriptural backing muddies the waters (no pun intended!!) My above post was scriptural and was not just my opinion. So I have gone back and added the scriptures for you. However, it is my opinion that those who come to repentance and faith in Christ during the last months of their lives, and who are unable to be baptized, will be saved. For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8 Baptism constitues a work and does not save us. It is one of many acts of obedience. I have a friend who very much desired to be baptized by immersion, but could not because of a colostomy bag. She is saved and with the Lord..My opinion. Nor do I believe that all the people in churches that baptize infants will go to hell unless they are rebaptized. My opinion. However I have watched a friend at a camp meeting squirm as baptism by immersion was preached. He had been refusing to do so because he had been sprinkled as a baby. As a result of his stubborness he had backslid and stopped going to church. A few months later he obeyed and was baptized. He become a regional director of Gideons and has served God sInce then. Stubborn refusal to obey God's voice can cause backsliding and may even mean you were not truly saved.. My opinion.

Aah thank you for that, now it's becoming a lot clearer to me. I have a question tho, what is your opinion about the souls of those without Christ who will be judged according to their works, the ones who did not believe but at the same time didn't 'reject' Christ, say...such as a tribesman who had died without knowing Christ due to the gospel never made known to him. Do you believe that these types of people will go to hell?We are told in scripture that everyone can see God in nature. Romans 1:19-20. His invisible attributes can be clearly seen--even His eternal power and Godhead, so they are without excuse. v.20 so although they knew God,, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful. Most become idolitors. However, some like myself did worship God when I saw His power and splendor in His creation during a thunder storm when I was about 13. I had denied the resurrection when I was 4, stopped going to the liberal sunday school, and become an agnostic. But that night I saw God in nature and was overwhelmed with the beauty of His power when the streetlights were out and the lightning lit up the sky, revealing 70 foot trees bending under the wind and leaves whirling around my second story window. So I prayed, if there is a God, please make the lights go out again so I can see this again, and they did. Nearly 20 times they did when I prayed, which far exceeded the laws of probability. So I worshiped God and thanked Him. Some months later the Holy Spirit convicted me of sin. God granted me repentance and I confessed my repentance and faith to my friends. So I am sure that all through time God could have reached others in the same way since no one had told me to do these things. I have heard stories of Him telling people in Muslim lands and India where to go to find a missionary where they were led to the Lord. When we obey the light given us, God gives us more light. There is mention of other godly people in the Bible who God honored, such as Melchizedek. I am sure there must have been others that go unmentioned. But we have to be silent where the Bible is silent, and trust our righteous and holy God. The things that most often keep people from repenting and coming to Christ are the love of their wicked deeds and their pride. Romans 2 14, For when gentiles who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these--are a law unto themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts. But all obey imperfectly and so those who rely on the law/good works to justify them will be judged. But in 4:3 Abraham believed God and it was accounted for him as rightousness. So all who relied on the loving mercy of the invisible creator God will possibly be treated the same way since we also are justified by faith. All we know for sure is that in this day we must be born again. God's grace grants us repentance and faith in Christ, by which we are saved. We make Him our Lord when we obey the things that he puts on our hearts, such as baptism, restitution, confessing Him with out mouths, and reading the Bible.

First we believe that He is. There is a God Who hears us and is concerned with out lives. Soon after the Holy Spirit comes to convict of sin, of righteousness and of judgement. He points out sin in our lives. We respond by abhoring our sin, turning away from it in our hearts, and turning toward God asking Him to forgive us and help us. Repentance, as said, is turning away from sin and turning toward God, but all of this is a gift from God and is not a work. When Peter went to the house of Cornelius and preached to them, they responded by being filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter went back to the Jews and told all that took place saying that God had GRANTED THEM REPENTANCE. A grant is a gift just as faith is a gift. No works are involved, just a changed mind and a changed heart. It is being converted. Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation. 2 Tim. 2:25 In humility correcting those who are in opposition, if GOD PERHAPS WILL GRANT THEM REPENTANCE so that they man know the truth. Yes we are saved by grace through faith, it is a gift from God not of works lest any many should boast. However,, repentance is also a part of salvation, and it also is a gift and is not a work. I used to attend a church that did not teach repentance. It just told people to ask Jesus to come into your hearts and be baptized. There was so much sin in that church, I don't know where to start. A man was having an affair with his sister in law which eventually broke up both marriages. Gossip was condoned. So many lies. It sounded like the Corinthian church. Church money was mishandled. It was so sad. One day I realized that I had never heard repentance preached in that church! It is no more. It died. So just as faith is a gift from God leading to salvation, so also repentance is a gift granted by God leading to salvation. However, making restitution, ceasing from deliberate sin, confessing that Jesus is Savior and Lord, and Baptism are works that do not earn salvation but are produced by our salvation.

J.W.s are a cult that believes Jesus Christ was just an angel and was not God in Human Flesh as Philippeans 2 states. Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, 1 John 4:3 NKJV

There is no purgatory or second chances. The souls of the dead in Christ are immediately in His Presence upon "death". Their bodies return to dust until the resurrection when they will receive a spiritual body like Christ's. Their names are written in the Lamb's book of Life and the second death has no power over them. The souls of those without Christ stay in the place of the dead--sheol, hades,--until the great white throne judgement when they will be judged according to their works. They don't linger around as ghosts either. Those who have rejected Christ will go to the lake of fire.

In the Greek the phrase "doth not commit sin" is a word that means that we don't habitually practice sin. It doesn't mean that we don't stumble in a sincere attempt to serve the Lord. It means that we do not make sin our way of life. So then if a person doesn't practice sin then they must be a believer. Is it then fair to say that the only real sin is unbelief. Jesus said 'go and sin no more'. 1 John 3:6 No one who abides in Him---who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him, [DELIBERATELY AND KNOWINGLY] COMMITS (PRACTICES) SIN. No one who habitually commits sins has either seen or known Him--recognized, perceived or understood Him or has had an experimental acquaintance with Him. 8a But He who commits sin (who PRACTICES EVIL DOING) is of the devil---takes his character from the evil one; for the devil has sinned (has violated the divine law) from the beginning. 9 No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately and knowingly] HABITUALLY PRACTICES SIN. for God's nature abides in Him---His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him---and he cannot PRACTICE SINNING because he is born (begotten) of God. Amplified Version. A person who is born again and who is in communion with God can not knowingly and deliberately pracitice sin. That does not mean the the converse is true. A person who is moral is not necessarily a Christian. Only people who have recieved Christ into their lives, repented, confessed Him as Savior and Lord, and who remain in Him are Christians. However, there are people who struggle with a certain sin for years. They may be godly in most other respects, but they have not yet learned to walk in the Spirit so as to not yield to the flesh in this area. If they are genuinely repentant and do not set themselves up for failure, we should not be quick to judge them but to have compassion and pray for them.

Jesus mentioned a similar parable, saying I am the Vine and you are the branches. John 15:4-8 v.5 He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. The thing I thought of, after our making the moral choice between the trees in the garden, was holy communion, and how it tells us of God living in us by His Spirit. Partaking of the healing, sustaining (bread) flesh and the redeeming, cleansing (wine mixed with water) blood were teaching us that His blood sacrifice made it possible for God to once again live in us by His Spirit and through His Word dwelling in us. (The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit 1 Cor 15:45b) Jesus said John 6:56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day. He who KEEPS ON eating My flesh and drinking My blood abides (continually dwells) in Me, and I in Him. V63 The SPIRIT IS HE THAT GIVES LIFE. The flesh is not of any use at all. THE WORDS I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO YOU ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE. So it is His words and Spirit that are the flesh that we are to consume and to fill ourselves with them. So perhaps the tree of life and the living waters expressed the same thought. The fruit of the tree was to come into us, sustains us and give us life, as was the the water of life of Rev. 22:1. Yet they are connected to God's Words and the Holy Spirit living them. Had Adam and Eve truly perceived God's words and feasted on them and His lifegiving Spirit, they may have deeply treasured what was given them and might not have been so tempted by the words of the serpent. So I also need to feast on, devour, treasure and remain in God's Word. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee. The tree of life is a symbol of God's provision for our eternal life. But it and the River of Life, living waters, also tell us that God gives us of His very Life, His Spirit, which is eternal. John 4:10,14. The only requirement is abiding (remaining in, dwelling in) Him and in His words. Sorry If I am not expressing myself clearly. I was seeing connections of the same thought in many parables and symbols, and they all were tumbling together in my mind. But you guys probably connected all of this long ago. I had in part. Your thoughts? Willa