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   7 "Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life, which stands in the paradise of God, to everyone who wins the victory.
    "Let the person who has ears listen to what the SPIRIT says to the CHURCHES.
Besides REMEMBER, CHANGE your ways, and DO (Revelation 2:5), the people in the church at Ephesus are asked to LISTEN. However, this time rather than it being Christ talking (Revelation 2:1), it is the SPIRIT talking to ALL the churches. BUT you must listen first.
    I will give the PRIVILEGE of eating from the TREE OF LIFE, which stands in the PARADISE OF GOD,
The TREE OF LIFE is first mentioned in Genesis 2:9 and it gives everlasting life. When sin entered this world, we humans were banned from getting to it in Genesis 3:22-23. However, here it is promised to victors.

Even at the end, this TREE OF LIFE is shown as straddling the river of life flowing from the throne (Revelation 22:2). Lastly, anyone who takes away from the words of this Revelation prophesy will have their part in the tree of life removed (Revelation 22:18-19).

    PARADISE
In Jewish apocalyptic works, it is mentioned that the glorious new age of the Messiah will have Eden restored to its former beauty and verdancy (including the TREE OF LIFE). Isaiah 51:2-3 sounds a lot like the new Jerusalem of Revelation. Everyone knows that it is the Lord who made the desolate wilderness like Eden again as described in Ezekiel 36:33-36. In fact, before the fall of man into the sinful state, we all, in a sense were in this Eden - Ezekiel 28:11-19.

The TREE OF LIFE is symbolically the source of our eternal life. This place of fellowship and sustenance for the victor is no longer forbidden or hidden.

    to everyone who wins the victory.
We, humans, continually fight a spiritual battle to overcome principalities, powers, seen and unseen. For the victor, there is comfort to know Christ has already been there and done that. Christ is not the enemy; He only causes "good things" for the victor. This is described in Romans 8:28, Ephesians 1:18-23, and Colossians 1:15-18.
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