Since man failed utterly with respect to the law, God became flesh and came into man (John 1:14). The One who came to mankind and became a man was the Lord Jesus. Life was in the Lord Jesus (v. 4). We need to pay special attention to John chapter 1 and Genesis chapter 2; we need to read these two chapters together. Without Genesis, we would think that it is quite strange for the first chapter of John, which outlines God’s purpose, to begin by saying, “In Him was life” (v. 4). We surely would ask, “What is life? What does the phrase in Him was lifemean?” Genesis helps by showing that after man was tempted and fell, he lost the top blessing of life; he lost a treasure, the center in the universe. After Genesis chapter 2, it is difficult to find the matter of life until we see in John 1:4 that life is in Him.
If we have the light, we will excitedly shout, “Now I see that the life in Genesis chapter 2 is actually in Him. The life that Adam lost because of sin is in Him. The life that God cares for is in Him. The center and purpose of the universe is in the Lord Jesus whom we know.” One day He said to His disciples, “I am...the life” (John 14:6). He is the “I am” (8:24); whatever we need, He is. Life is in Him. He is the Word who was in the beginning. He is God Himself, and all things came into being through Him (1:1-3).
Since all things came into being through Him, we have been brought back to the purpose of creation in Genesis. In creation He is the Creator, and one day this Creator became flesh. The first chapter of John speaks of the beginning (v. 1), creation (v. 3), and becoming flesh (v. 14). In the beginning refers to eternity past before time even began. All things came into being refers to creation, and became flesh refers to incarnation. The incarnated Jesus is the God who was in the beginning and who is also the Creator. The life in the tree of life in Genesis chapter 2 refers to the life in Him. If we desire to touch this life, this life is in Him. If we desire to obtain this life, this life is in Him. He is the life. If we touch Him, we touch life; if we obtain Him, we obtain life. If we do not have Him, we do not have life (1 John 5:11-12).
The entire Bible shows the goal of life. Life is the goal of creation in the Old Testament, and also life is the goal of redemption in the New Testament. The purpose of God’s creation is to bring man into life; likewise, the purpose of God’s redemption is to bring man into life. As Christians, we have Christ as our life (Col 3:4). He is in us to save us and be our life. This life is Christ Himself, who is God Himself. This life will lead us into eternity, which means that even in eternity everything will be related to life.
Revelation shows that in eternity we will contact the river of water of life and the tree of life. The river of water of life proceeds out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, and on this side and on that side of the river is the tree of life (22:1-2). In eternity we will contact and see life. The river of water of life and the tree of life can be compared to an electrical wire. On one end of the wire is a powerhouse, God, and on the other end is a light bulb, man, and there is a current flowing between the two. A light bulb and powerhouse are one by means of an electrical current. All the believers are connected to God in life; thus, the believers and God are one in His life. In other words, just as life is in God, life is also in us.
The whole universe is a story of life, because our great universe originates from life. If living things were removed from the universe, the universe would become meaningless and lose its purpose. The beauty of the universe lies in life; without life, the universe is empty and ugly. In a family, a wife loves her husband because he has life and is a living person. When the life in him is gone and only an empty shell remains, even his wife will not like the shell. Life brings meaning to a family; without life, a family is empty and meaningless. The beauty of living things lies in life. The story of the entire universe depends on the presence of living beings, and the reality of living beings depends on the presence of life in them.
The highest life in the universe, however, is not the human life but the divine life. The story of the vast universe depends on the divine life. Plants come in many colors and shapes. Some have red flowers, and some have green leaves, but they are all produced by life. The different characteristics of each animal are an issue of life. A cat jumps and a rooster crows because of life. Even the characteristics of children, who become loud, angry, or happy whenever they desire, are matters of life. A child acts like a child, and an old man acts like an old man; these facts do not differ by nationality. All these characteristics are related to life.
All the stories throughout the vast universe are an issue of life. For example, each one of our homes is different. The furnishings in some homes, from the chairs to the coffee table, are yellow. This shows that the owner likes yellow. In other homes everything is white, and this shows that the owner likes white. Although we can design the furnishings in a home, we cannot design the universe. The universe is not produced from man’s life; rather, the story of the universe comes out of God’s life. God’s life is higher than human life. We know that different kinds of trees produce different kinds of fruit according to their kind. In the same way, a higher life produces a higher life, a better life bears a better life, and a poorer life produces a poorer life. All the stories of the universe are matters of life, and this life is God’s life.