In Genesis chapters 2 and 3, the story of Adam and Eve unfolds after the completion of God’s creation of the heavens and the earth. God allowed Adam and Eve, who were created in the image of God, to live in the Garden of Eden (Ge 1:26–27; 2:8). In the middle of the Garden of Eden were two trees: the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. God forbade Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and warned them that they would surely die if they ate from it (Ge 2:9, 16–17). Nevertheless, Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent and committed the sin of eating the forbidden fruit. As a result, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden.
The story of Adam and Eve is well known as the origin of humankind’s sin and death. Surprisingly, God’s secrets of salvation and eternal life are also hidden in this story. Among the secrets, let us focus on the image of God and the Tree of Life.
Adam and Eve Created in the Image of God
The highlight of the Creation is the scene where God made humans. God spoke profound words just before He created them, beginning with Adam and Eve.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness . . .” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Ge 1:26–27
The terms “us” and “our” are first-person plural pronouns, denoting more than one person. It is a generally accepted concept that God is one in the singular form of God the Father only; however, in these verses, God does not refer to Himself as “me” or “my,” but as “us” and “our” in the plural pronouns.
In the original text of the Bible written in Hebrew, God is recorded as Elohim. Elohim is a plural form of El or Eloah [God or deity], which means Gods. The writer of the book of Genesis mentioned that there are two or more Gods, and that the human beings made in God’s image are male and female. This implies that there is a male image of God and a female image of God. In Christianity, the male image of God is known as God the Father. Then, who is the female image of God? Naturally, She is God the Mother.
Adam named his wife Eve, which means life (Ge 3:20). The Bible goes on to record that it is because Eve would become the mother of all the living. Just as Adam represents God the Father and Christ who will come a second time to save humankind (Ro 5:14; 1 Co 15:45), Eve represents God the Mother, who will give eternal life to humankind.
The Tree of Life Gives Eternal Life to Those Who Eat of It
The Bible records that Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden because they disobeyed God’s word. Consequently, they came to die because of their disobedience. This story teaches us how humankind sinned against God, were cast out of Heaven, and were destined to die (Isa 14:12–15; Eze 28:12–17; Ro 6:23). God reveals humankind’s sin and punishment through Adam and Eve, and also concealed the way for humankind to receive eternal life within the same story.
And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” Ge 3:22
God said this after Adam and Eve committed the sin of eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Despite having sinned already, Adam and Eve could live forever if they ate from the Tree of Life. However, God did not allow Adam and Eve to do so. Instead, He blocked the way to the Tree of Life to prevent sinners from approaching it (Ge 3:24).
The Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden is characterized by the power to give eternal life to anyone who eats from it. Jesus said that He would utter things hidden since the creation of the world, and revealed the reality of what we need to eat on this earth to receive the promise of eternal life. It is the New Covenant Passover, through which we can receive the forgiveness of sins and eternal life by eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood (Jn 6:54; Mt 26:17–20, 26–28). The Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden was a copy and shadow showing the Passover of the New Covenant that would be established with Jesus’ flesh and blood.
In the story of Adam and Eve in Eden, God has hidden the answer to life as well as the death of human beings. God the Father, God the Mother, and the Passover which is the way to eat from the Tree of Life for eternal life, are the keys to salvation that all humankind must seek today.