Why I believe in Talking Snake

Originally posted by @divegeester
Where do you believe the tree of life is now?

I think it probably perished in the Flood. I believe the tree of life mentioned in Revelation is literal but probably not the one from Eden because of what that article said - the earth was cursed and something cursed would not be in heaven.

Originally posted by @romans1009
I think it probably perished in the Flood. I believe the tree of life mentioned in Revelation is literal but probably not the one from Eden because of what that article said - the earth was cursed and something cursed would not be in heaven.

Are you suggesting there are multiple trees of life?

Originally posted by @divegeester
Are you suggesting there are multiple trees of life?

Revelation 22:2 indicates that is correct.

“In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

(Revelation 22:2)

Originally posted by @romans1009
Revelation 22:2 indicates that is correct.

“In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

(Revelation 22:2)

Ok interesting, a few questions spring up...

In your opinion then, is there just the two trees of life or more?

Are each of them guarded by flaming swords and cherubim, or just the one that was originally in the garden of Eden?

Do they all produce a literal fruit which when eaten literally gives eternal life?

Do they all have literal leaves which are for healing the nations and how do these literal leaves in fact “heal the nations”?

Originally posted by @divegeester
Ok interesting, a few questions spring up...

In your opinion then, is there just the two trees of life or more?

Are each of them guarded by flaming swords and cherubim, or just the one that was originally in the garden of Eden?

Do they all produce a literal fruit which when eaten literally gives eternal life?

Do they all have literal leaves which are for healing the nations and how do these literal leaves in fact “heal the nations”?

1) I’d go by what the Bible says. I haven’t read Revelation in a long time, but if only two are mentioned in Revelation, I would say only two exist. How would I know otherwise since I’ve never been in heaven?

2) I would say just the one that was in the Garden of Eden. Why would the tree of life need to be guarded in heaven? Isn’t God’s will always done in heaven?

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

(Matthew 6:10)

3) I think people in heaven already have eternal life. Why would they need to eat fruit to get that?

4) I think the leaves are literal. How they heal the nations, I have no idea and couldn’t venture a guess since I haven’t read Revelation in a long time.

Originally posted by @romans1009
1) I’d go by what the Bible says. I haven’t read Revelation in a long time, but if only two are mentioned in Revelation, I would say only two exist. How would I know otherwise since I’ve never been in heaven?

2) I would say just the one that was in the Garden of Eden. Why would the tree of life need to be guarded in heaven? Isn’t God’s will always don ...[text shortened]... ons, I have no idea and couldn’t venture a guess since I haven’t read Revelation in a long time.

It’s interesting how you (and a few others here) can be so adamant about something you are speculating about.

Two trees of life!

astonishing intellectual contortions.

Originally posted by @divegeester
It’s interesting how you (and a few others here) can be so adamant about something you are speculating about.

Two trees of life!

astonishing intellectual contortions.

That’s what the Bible says in Revelation 22:2. Do you interpret that verse differently or do you not believe it? If the latter, on what basis do you not believe it?

Originally posted by @romans1009
That’s what the Bible says in Revelation 22:2. Do you interpret that verse differently or do you not believe it? If the latter, on what basis do you not believe it?

As I have explained on many occasions, I believe much of genesis and most of Revelation to be symbolism.


Claiming that there are multiple trees of life in order to maintain one’s stance on the literalism of the bible, is a new one to me, I have to admit.

Originally posted by @divegeester
As I have explained on many occasions, I believe much of genesis and most of Revelation to be symbolism.

What has lead you to believe this? Is it because you don't find eternal suffering to be credible and need a mechanism to explain it away?

Originally posted by @divegeester
As I have explained on many occasions, I believe much of genesis and most of Revelation to be symbolism.

So what is the tree of life in Genesis a symbol of? And if not literal, why would it need to be guarded? Or are the flaming sword and cherubim also symbols?

Originally posted by @divegeester
As I have explained on many occasions, I believe much of genesis and most of Revelation to be symbolism.


Claiming that there are multiple trees of life in order to maintain one’s stance on the literalism of the bible, is a new one to me, I have to admit.

You ought to read Biblical commentaries by folks who read and study the Bible for a living. Multiple trees of life is not a wild proposition.

Originally posted by @dj2becker
What has lead you to believe this? Is it because you don't find eternal suffering to be credible and need a mechanism to explain it away?

You can see the contortions that Romans1009 is having to go through in order to maintain his belief that all the bible is literal; that’s an example of why I believe what I do.

Originally posted by @divegeester
You can see the contortions that Romans1009 is having to go through in order to maintain his belief that all the bible is literal; that’s an example of why I believe what I do.

What contortions?

The tree of life in Genesis was subject to the curse God put on the earth and likely perished in the Great Flood as nothing that is cursed would be in heaven.

Revelation says the tree of life is on either side of a river, meaning there are at least two.

It’s intellectually lazy to just claim something is symbolism without explaining what the symbolism represents or means.

Originally posted by @romans1009
What contortions?

The tree of life in Genesis was subject to the curse God put on the earth and likely perished in the Great Flood as nothing that is cursed would be in heaven.

Revelation says the tree of life is on either side of a river, meaning there are at least two.

It’s intellectually lazy to just claim something is symbolism without explaining what the symbolism represents or means.

It’s sybolism.

Originally posted by @divegeester
It’s sybolism.

You’re being intellectually lazy.