Death of Death - Week 2

Death of Death
Week 2
“The Other Tree”

Two Trees and a Choice:
Genesis 2:9
“And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

TREE OF LIFE: Life with God, dependent on God, and under God's authority.

TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL: Death apart from God, independent from God, under your own authority.

When One Tree Becomes an Idol:
Genesis 3:6
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

“You say in your heart of hearts, ‘If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning…’”
Tim Keller

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

The Trade: Knowledge for Life

Instead—it offers a third way…

A Merciful Banishment:
Genesis 3:22-24
22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

But this was not just punishment—it was protection.

The Tree Restored:
Revelation 22:1-3
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.

“On either side of the river stood the tree of life… and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”

In the end, the Tree of Life returns.

No longer guarded by cherubim, no longer out of reach—it’s in the middle of the City of God, accessible again to those who have been redeemed.

Small Group Questions
1. Which tree am I living from?
In Genesis 2:9, Adam and Eve had a choice. What are some modern “trees of knowledge” we choose that promise meaning, value, or identity apart from God?

2. What has become too big in your view right now?
Eve lost sight of the Tree of Life by fixating on the forbidden one. What’s something good that may have taken a central place in your life—possibly even becoming an idol?

3. How do we see God’s mercy even in His discipline?
In Genesis 3:24, God blocks access to the Tree of Life. How might that have been an act of mercy rather than just judgment?

4. How does Jesus as “the way” in John 14:6 connect with the loss of the way in Genesis 3?
What does this reveal about the mission of Jesus and our pathway to restored life?

5. Why does eternity matter now?
You mentioned that we often live without considering eternity. What would change in your daily choices if you lived more fully in light of eternal life?

Day 1: The Trees and the Choice
Read: Genesis 2:9 & Genesis 3:6
Reflect:What are the “trees” in your life that look good to the eyes but may pull your heart away from God?
Pray:“God, help me to see clearly what draws my heart away from You. Open my eyes to the life You offer and the beauty of walking with You.”

Day 2: The Mercy of a Closed Door
Read: Genesis 3:22–24
Reflect:Where in your life has God blocked something you thought you needed—but now you see His protection?
Pray:“Lord, thank You for the doors You’ve closed to protect me. Help me to trust Your ‘No’ as much as Your ‘Yes.’”

Day 3: The Way Back
Read: John 14:6 & Revelation 22:1–3
Reflect: How does Jesus make the Tree of Life accessible again? What does it mean that the leaves are for the healing of the nations?
Pray: “Jesus, You are the way back to life. Teach me to follow You, trust You, and invite others into the healing You provide.”