When God established the Garden of Eden, he made it to grow two peculiar trees in the midst of the garden.
It is written, “And out of the ground, the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food: the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – Gen 2:9.”
We are here concerned with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Why are they associated, one with life and the other with knowledge of good and evil?
How can a mere tree grant either life or knowledge?
May I at this point ask all our readers to request for our informative message; “Where to begin” It has leads on how one can get the true meaning of anything from the bible.
People have speculated on these trees, especially on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
They attach it to the sin of Adam and Eve. They say that the tree has to do with sexual intercourse by the two. But can this be true? When God created Adam and Eve, he commanded them saying; “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth – Gen 1:28.” We all know that the multiplying is by way of giving birth which begins with a man going into a woman (Sexual act) after which impregnation takes place. It is God who ordained sex to be done strictly in marriage. It therefore becomes plain clear that the speculators are wrong. The tree has nothing to do with sex.
What then does these two trees stand for?
Let’s open our bibles (the only source of true information) and get our answers from there. Remember to request for the message; “where to begin.” It shows in details, how to search for information from the bible.
THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.
When God was creating man, the earth was and up to now is under the rulership of evil angels. (For details on this, request for the message; “WHO IS SATAN?”).
He was creating him to live the way he himself lives. There were these evil angels who had rebelled against god and began to lead a life which is the very opposite of God’s life. Man had to freely choose between the two lifestyles.
After creating him, God commanded the man saying; “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat: for in the day that you should eat of it, you shall die – Gen 2:16-17.”
Here man is permitted to eat of all the fruits in the garden even the tree of life, except the one tree of knowledge of good and evil. If eaten, it causes death. What is this tree? Yes what does it stand for? Lets not imagine please. Lets consult with the bible for an answer.
Eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil causes death. Elsewhere in the bible, our creator who named these trees tells us that death is a result of sinning, for he says, “the wages of sin is death – Rom 6:23.”
We can therefore draw this conclusion. Whatever sinning is, and the eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, are one and the same thing. Why? Doing both causes the same thing –death.
So what is sin which is the same as eating of the tree of good and evil? ‘everyone who commits sin is guilty of breaking the law. Sin is the breaking of the law-1 John 3:4.”
What do we deduce from this verse?
It is now very clear that this tree is a law (a lifestyle) which once obeyed, it breaks God’s Law and because it acts against the only life- giving instructions, then it destroys life – brings death.
Let’s prove please. After God gave Israelites his commandments, he told them; “See, I have set before you this day, life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, you will live. But if your heart turns away (disobeys) ……………… I declare to you this day; you shall perish (die) – Duet 30:15-18.”
Again, here for disobedience which is a sin, there is the same result of the forbidden tree – perishing (death).
Therefore, friends, this tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolizes Satan’s lifestyle which opposes God’s Life. It is also a law which is called, “the law (lifestyle) of sin and death – Rom 8:2.”
It is God who created life and gave instructions (Laws) on how it should be lived. But Satan rejected that life, introducing a life- destroying one. It is this Satan’s life which we call the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Living by it is the eating of that tree – are you eating that fruit, killing yourself?
THE TREE OF LIFE
After creating Adam, God commanded him to eat the trees in the garden among which was the tree of life. What exactly is it?
God being a master creator, designed a foundation on which all existence stands. Like any other manufacturer, He wrote a manual and attached it to His product- the creation.
So, anytime we want to know anything about life, we must read from the manual. It is non –else other than the bible. Whatever is written in the bible, is what life is. What has this to do with the tree of life?
If one eats of the tree of life,he/she lives forever..If on obeys God’s law ,he/she lives forever. See- Deut 30:15.
Christ confirms this saying “Whoever lives and believes me shall never die.”
And again, “It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life – John 11:26; John 6:63.”
The law (word) of God is his life explained in words and is an everlasting life. It is the one symbolized by the tree of life, for our Lord says; my son, be attentive to my words; incline your ears to my sayings;…………. For they are life to him who finds them and healing to all his flesh. Do not forget any of my teachings……….. ‘let your heart keep my commandments; ………… she is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her – Prov 4:20,22;3:1-2,18.”
Is anything more plain and clear than this? These two trees are standards of two different lifestyles. The tree of life is representative of God’s life which is also his law as detailed in the scriptures. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a representative of Satan’s life which opposes God says in His law and goes by imaginations, trying to produce his own laws which destroys life.
The two are summed up very well in this manner:
“for the law of the spirit of life (tree of life) in Jesus Christ has set me free from the law of the spirit of sin and death (The tree of the knowledge of good and evil) – Rom 8:2.” (For details our message, “ the ten commandments” is helpful)
Here you are my friend. God through his word has revealed to whoever wants, the mystery of the two trees.
What he gave to Adam (Gen 2:16-17) is what he gave to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3,17:1-2) and his descendants, Israel (Ex 19:4-6; Deut 30:15-18),and later on to his church today (Mat 19:17; John 14:!5;15:10)- the two trees. Choose which one to eat of its fruits. The life -giving, or the life- destroying?
This is coming to you from your maker through his servant
THE END TIME CHURCH OF GOD