Part 5: The trees in the garden & The end of Eden

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Section 1 – The end of the adventurous life in Eden
  • Life in Eden was good
  • God provided the perfect environment
  • Man’s work on earth
  • First marriage
  • Only one restriction
  • Conversation with serpent
  • Moment of disobedience
  • Adam & Eve hid from God
  • Blame shifting 
  • God’s verdict to:
  • The serpent 
  • The woman
  • A three part sentence
  • Pain and sorrow in birth and upbringing of children
  • Will constantly try to rule over husband
  • Husband will rule over wife
  • Everything was changed in Christ
  • True marriage restored in Christ
  • 1 Corinthians 11:3 “man is the head of woman” explained 
  • Punished in relation to his work
  • Ground cursed
  • Thorns & Thistles
  • By the sweat of your face
  • Curse upon earth somewhat alleviated in Noah
  • Further confirmation earth was cursed
  • Devil will try to destroy something new in its infant stage
  • Examples of this
  • Jesus warned us
  • God and man separated
  • Sin and death entered the world
     
    Section 2 – The Trees in the Garden of Eden
  • The Tree of Life
  • Adam & Eve were free to eat of the Tree of Life
  • Tree of immortality
  • God protected the Tree of Life after the fall
  • Christ now our Tree of Life
  • From Him as a Life-giving Spirit flows eternal life 
  • The Tree of knowledge of Good & Evil
  • The origin of the Law of Moses
  • What is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
  • The forbidden fruit
  • The Law released but not yet written
  • The devastating results of Adam eating of the fruit
  • Guilt and condemnation- the result of the written Law
  • The Law completely fulfilled by Christ 
  • In conclusion

 

SECTION 1:

The end of the adventurous life in Eden

LIFE IN EDEN WAS GOOD – GOD GIVEN

 

God provided the perfect environment

Gen 2:8 The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

Gen 2:9 Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing 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 2:10 Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided and became four rivers.

Man’s work on earth

Gen 2:15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

Gen 2:19 Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.

Gen 2:20 The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.

The first marriage took place in Eden

Gen 2:18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

Gen 2:21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.

Gen 2:22 The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.

Gen 2:23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman Because she was taken out of Man."

Gen 2:24 For this reason, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

 

There was just one restriction

Gen 2:9 Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing 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 2:16 The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;

Gen 2:17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."

 

Adam and Eve (having a free will) had a choice between life and death

Adam and Eve were not created immortal, but they could have obtained immortality by partaking of the “Tree of Life”

 

They were free to partake of the tree of life”, which signified the abundant life of God and by partaking of it would have given them immortality. They were not inherently immortal but were capable of being immortal by partaking of God’s constant supply of life.

There was no prohibition of their eating of it, so there was no obstruction to it.

“The tree of life” was designed for their use, to support and maintain their natural life, which would have been continued, had they persisted in their obedience and state of innocence. Some call it the “tree of immortality”.

It might be also a sign, token, and symbol to them of their dependence on God; that they received their life from God; and that this life was preserved by His blessing and providence, and not by their own power and skill; and that this would be continued, provided they transgressed not the divine law (“of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat”)

The fall of man started with the conversation between the serpent and the woman

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

Gen 3:2 The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;

Gen 3:3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'"

Gen 3:4 The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!

Gen 3:5 "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

The tragic moment of disobedience

Gen 3:6 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 desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

Gen 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

Adam and Eve became afraid of God and hid themselves from Him

Gen 3:8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Gen 3:9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

Gen 3:10 He said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."

Quote from “Unlocking the Bible by David Pawson; Page 70)

“Their former relationship with God is destroyed. Their relationship with each other is also affected: they hide from each other and God pronounces a curse over them.”

 

Blame shifting

Gen 3:11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"

Gen 3:12 The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate."

Gen 3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."


GOD’S VERDICT:

TO THE SERPENT

 

Gen 3:14 The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly, you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life;

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."

 

To the serpent, cursed are you more than all: meaning that the serpent would be the lowest of all animals.

The following was taken from “Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary – e-Sword” on this passage

“God passes sentence; and he begins where the sin began, with the serpent.

The devil's instruments must share in the devil's punishments.

War is proclaimed between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.

Heaven and hell can never be reconciled, nor light and darkness; no more can Satan and a sanctified soul. Also, there is a continual struggle between the wicked and the godly in this world.

A gracious promise is here made of Christ, as the Deliverer of fallen man from the power of Satan. Here was the drawn of the gospel day: no sooner was the wound given, than the remedy was provided and revealed. This gracious revelation of a Saviour came unasked and unlooked for.”

(End of quote)

 


GOD’S VERDICT:

 TO THE WOMAN (SHE IS PUNISHED IN RELATION TO THE FAMILY)

Gen 3:16 To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain, you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you."

 

It is very significant to note that God cursed the serpent, but not the woman or the man. The reason for this is that they were created in His image and according to His likeness and by cursing them God would have been cursing Himself

 

The sentence of the woman consists of three parts: the former two regard her as a mother, the last as a wife.

In pain, you will bring forth children; not only physical pain but also the pain, stress, suffering, heartsore and difficulties she will experience in raising children in a broken and incomplete world.

Sorrow is to be multiplied in her pregnancy and is also to accompany the bearing of children. This sorrow will always be part of the mother’s pains and anxieties concerning her offspring.

 

Yet your desire will be for your husband: (this was part of the sentence of God)

The woman had taken the lead in the transgression. In the fallen state, she is to be subject to the will of her husband. “Desire” does not refer to sexual desire in particular. It means, in general, “turn,” “determination of the will”.

“Desire” was used to describe the strong feelings of desire that one person had for another, but it was not always a healthy desire.

Before the transgression, there was equality between the man and the woman, but now she will constantly strive to take the man’s position, to humiliate him, to rule over him, to be the leading one in the relationship and to treat him as one of her subordinates or children.

It is to be understood very clearly that this was not the way God intended it to be – they were created by God equal – just with different roles.

 

And he will rule over you: (also not intended by God to be like this – the man ruling over the woman is part of the sentence of God)

This is ruling over in a bad sense – where they were equal in the beginning, the husband is now in a position to exploit and dominate the wife and lord over her.

His whole approach will be to manipulate and control her and to treat her unfairly.

The sentence of God was this: the woman will constantly strive to rule over the man, but the man will rule over the woman.

 

Thank God everything was changed in and through Christ!

He restored and healed us through His finished work and brought us back to His Father’s original intent and purpose.

I am amazed at the great and awesome work of restoration by Christ concerning the marriage.

Paul is writing this significant portion about the marriage – comparing the relationship between husband and wife with the relationship between Christ and

the church:

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Eph 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Eph 5:24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Eph 5:28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

Eph 5:31 "FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH."

Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

 

Further Scriptures to confirm the aforementioned:

Col 3:18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

1Pe 3:1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behaviour of their wives,

1Pe 3:2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behaviour.

1Pe 3:5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;

Tit 2:4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

Tit 2:5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonoured.

 

Back to Eph 5:22-33: Wives, submit to your own husbands:

The instruction to a wife is very clear – in Christ no more unhealthy “desire” i.e. to rule over your husband, to humiliate him and to take his position.

God’s expectation for the wife now is: submit yourself to your husband

 

Submit:

The following meaningful explanation of the word “submit” was taken from “The Complete Wordstudy Dictionary– e-Sword”

In the relation of a wife to her husband:

(1) Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18; 1Peter 3:1, 1Peter 3:5; Titus 2:5. In these verses, the duty of the wife to submit herself to her own husband is clearly enunciated (Galatians 3:28; 1Peter 3:7). Although there is an ontological spiritual equality between men and women, there remain physical, positional and functional differences. There are designated functions for a husband and a wife which man cannot change because God has ordained them. Any endeavour to effect change will bring frustration, vanity, and emptiness ( mataióte ̄ s [G3153] in Romans 8:20). God has made one woman to become a wife to one man, and she is so constituted by God Himself. But this is not due to her being inferior to her husband, for they are both equal before God. It is a willing personal subjection demonstrated in Ephesians 5:21, "submitting yourselves [hupotassómenoi] one to another in the fear of God."

The word translated "one to another" is alle ̄ ́lois (G240), indicating equality of all concerned. In society all humans, all men and women in various positions of leadership or following and dependence, are equal, yet their functions vary and their responsibilities are diverse. We are all equal before God and the laws of society, and yet we have varying functions and responsibilities. If we accept certain functions under a fellow- human, we must subject ourselves to that individual to accomplish a common goal. So it is with a wife placing herself in the proper and divinely-fitted position under her husband. Only a wife can bear children, and to do this she must subject (hupotássetai) herself to her husband. The functions are equally important although different. And they are different not because we want them to be, but because God made them to be so.

 

Submit (G5293 - hupotásso ̄ – further explanation:

To place in order; to place under in an orderly fashion

The word “submit” has got a military connotation to it meaning “to arrange in a military fashion under the command of a leader” but this is not the Biblical meaning.

In the Bible “submit” describes:

  • A voluntary attitude of giving in

  • Cooperating

  • Assuming joint responsibility

  • To carry a burden

    So what God is actually telling the wife – the curse of Gen 3:16 has now been cancelled and marriage is restored to its original form where love and understanding prevails.

     

     

    Husbands love your wives:

    Husbands – no more ruling and lording over your wife; no more exploitation and mistreatment; no more commanding, controlling and manipulating

    Husbands – understand clearly – the sentence of ruling over your wife has been taken away through Christ by the grace of God – just LOVE her and give yourself to her.

     

    LOVE: ( G25 agapáo ̄ ;)

    To esteem, love, indicating a direction of the will and finding one's joy in something or someone.

    To welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly

    To be well pleased, to be contented at or with

    Another relevant Scripture explained

    1Co 11:3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

    This is not a ranking order of authority indicated here, but a “direction of relation” meaning: as God stands in relation to Christ, Christ stands in relation to the husband and the husband stands in relation to the wife.

    In other words: an amazing unity where the functional, practical position of each role player is described.

    Some husbands so dearly want to have authority over their wives, but such an attitude is part of God’s punishment and has been done away with in Christ – husbands LOVE your wives.

     

    Quote from “Unlocking the Bible” by David Pawson, Page 52 on what God’s intention was for a marriage:

    “We are told that marriage takes precedence over all other relationships.”

    “A person’s partner is their first priority before all other relationships, even before their children. Husband and wife are to put each other as an absolutely top priority. The ideal painted here in Genesis 2 is of a couple with nothing to hide from each other, with no embarrassment and a total openness to each other.”

     


GOD’S VERDICT:

TO ADAM (HE IS PUNISHED IN RELATION TO HIS WORK)

Gen 3:17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.

Gen 3:18 "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field;

Gen 3:19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust, you shall return."

 

Adam lived life by God’s blessing, His Word and His Spirit, but he violated this way of life by listening to his wife, disobeying God and eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

God cursed the serpent and now He is cursing the ground because of Adam.

Cursed is the ground for thy sake:

Meaning that he would have difficulties in producing food from the soil because it is no more the blessed fertile ground

 

“The whole earth, which was made for man, and all things in it, of which he had the possession and dominion, and might have enjoyed the use of everything in it, with comfort and pleasure; that which was man's greatest earthly blessing is now turned into a curse by sin” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible – e-Sword)

 

The result of this curse is the following:

  • In toil, you will eat of it all the days of your life.

  • Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;

  • And you will eat the plants of the field;

  • By the sweat of your face, You will eat bread,

     

    In toil, you will eat of it all the days of your life

    “Meaning that with much toil and trouble, in manuring and cultivating the earth, he should get his living out of the produce of it, though with great difficulty; and this would be his case as long as he was in it”. (John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible – e-Sword)

    Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you

    “Not for his advantage, but to give him more trouble, and cause him more fatigue and sorrow to root them up: these include all sorts of noxious herbs and plants, and troublesome weeds, which added to man's labour to pluck up, that those more useful might grow and flourish”. (John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible – e-Sword)

     

    Thorns:

    Refers to an undesirable, inedible shrub that became part of God's curse on the ground

    Thorns are a sign of desolation and symbolize evil in the heart of men which choke the word of God and also symbolize human suffering (Matthew 13:7 & 22)

    Thistles:

    Depicts weedy, prickly and noxious plants representing all forms of poisonous weeds that were part of God's curse on the ground (Matthew 7:16)

     

    And you will eat the plants of the field

    “Not the fruits of the Garden of Eden, but only the common herbs of the field, such as even the beasts of the earth fed upon: to such a low condition was man, the lord of the whole earth, reduced unto by sin”. (John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible – e-Sword)

     

    By the sweat of your face, you will eat bread

    “Sweat appearing first and chiefly on the forehead, from whence it trickles down by the nose in persons employed in hard labour; and here it takes in all the labour used in cultivating the earth for the production of herbs, and particularly of corn, of which bread is made; with respect to which there are various operations in which men sweat, such as ploughing, sowing, reaping, threshing, winnowing, grinding, sifting, kneading, and baking; and it may have regard to all methods and means by which men get their bread, and not without sweat; and even such exercises as depend upon the brain are not excused from such an expense: so that every man, let him be in what station of life he will, is not exempt, more or less, from this sentence, and so continues till he dies, as is next expressed”: (John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible – e-Sword)

    God somewhat alleviated the earth from this curse in His dealings with Noah (further elaboration will be given on this in another teaching)

Gen 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Gen 8:21 The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.

Gen 8:22 "While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease."

 

 

Further confirmation of the earth being cursed

Rom 8:19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

Rom 8:20 For the creation (creation, and by extension creature), was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope

Rom 8:21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

 

God made the whole creation including mankind "subject" to vanity (futility, aimlessness), because of man's disobedience to God's specific command. Man did not believe God's threatened judgment of death as the consequence of disobedience. Had God not imposed this, He would have proven Himself untrue.

 

A very important issue on Adam and Eve’s downfall:

When God initiates something the devil will always try to destroy it before it is born (made visible) or when it is still in its infant stage because the devil knows that the moment anything has grown to maturity and is self-sustainable it would be virtually impossible to stop it.

That is why the devil via the serpent attacked Adam and Eve before they could reproduce an offspring because children would have had the same qualities as what their parents possessed (the fullness of God). The devil knew that he would have no chance to mislead a whole family.

Every initiative of God in us (whether it might be a business venture, a spiritual mission or whatever) always comes under the most severe attacks from Satan in the beginning stages, constantly trying to distract and discourage you. Therefore this is the stage where prayer, supplication, intercession and thanksgiving are needed the most.

 

Examples of the devil’s endeavours to derail God’s working and initiatives at an early stage:

The king of Egypt trying to prevent the birth of Moses

Exo 1:8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

Exo 1:9 He said to his people, "Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.

Exo 1:15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah;

Exo 1:16 and he said, "When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live."

Exo 1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive."

The devil trying to annihilate Jesus Christ while He was still a baby

Mat 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, (the birth of Jesus) he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Mat 2:7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

Mat 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."

Mat 2:12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

Mat 2:13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him."

Mat 2:16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.

Let us, therefore, take heed of the words of Jesus

Mat 10:16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves.

Mat 10:17 Be on guard against men [whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God]; for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues, (AMP)

God’s verdict is now given, judgement has been passed, but immediately a merciful God starts acting for man again:

Gen 3:21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

Man had discovered his nakedness, and God provides him with a suitable covering. He was to be exposed to the variations of climate, and here was a durable protection against the weather.

How the Lord God did this is uncertain – it could be either by His almighty power, by the ministry of angels; or He instructed and directed them to make them.

 

God and man separated – how tragic

Gen 3:22 Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"--

Gen 3:23 therefore, the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Gen 3:24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

Man is now deprived of the intimate presence of God – they died spiritually and were separated from God’s blessing, God’s Word and God’s Spirit. Man is now on his own, not functioning anymore from his spirit which was infused by God’s Spirit and image. He is now dominated by his soul and body and lost his ability to walk in the purpose for which he was created.

God withdrew His blessings and Spirit from them and man became afraid of God and since then man has a tendency to hide or to flee from God.

They were taken out of the perfect environment – the Garden of Eden – to till the ground from which they were taken.

God stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword at the Garden of Eden to guard it, indicating that there will be no communion with God without His own initiative.

 

Sin and death entered this world:

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men,

 

It is interesting to know that the core meaning of the word “SIN” is “to miss the mark” and from this flow every bad and evil thought, deed and action. Through this one man (Adam) we are missing our destiny and purpose for which we have been created, and as a result of this, we are busy with all kinds of lifestyles contrary to God’s original desire for us.

But, thank God, Jesus Christ came and made everything right – the last Adam – a life-giving Spirit.

Rom 5:19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

Rom 5:21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so, grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 


SECTION 2:

The Trees in the Garden of Eden

The “tree of life” and the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.

Gen 2:8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

 

 

TREE OF LIFE

 

Adam and Eve (having a free will) had a choice between life and death

Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;

Gen 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

They were free to partake of the  tree of life ”, which signified the abundant life of God.

God never forbade Adam and Eve to eat of the “Tree of Life”, so there was no obstruction to it.

“The tree of life” was designed for their use, to support and maintain their natural life, which would have continued, had they continue in their obedience and state of innocent relationship with GodSome call it the “tree of immortality”.

This “Tree of Life” could also have been a symbol to them of their dependence on God; that they received their life of blessing and providence from Him and not by their own power and skill; and that this would be continued, provided they transgressed not the divine law (“of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat”)

(Quote from “Unlocking the Bible” by David Pawson, Page 48-49)

“The tree of life tells us that Adam and Eve were not by nature immortal, but were capable of being immortal. They would not have lived forever by some inherent quality of their own, but only by having access to the tree of life.”

 

Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden and God took careful precautions to guard and protect the “Tree of Life”

Gen 3:22 Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"--

Gen 3:2, therefore, the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Gen 3:24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

The flaming sword waving in all directions is the visible, tangible form of the “Sword of Justice”, preventing the transgressors from partaking of the source of life.

Adam and Eve were allowed to partake of the fruit of the “Tree of Life” and that would have given them the abundant life of God and together with that immortality.

For this reason it was impossible for God to allow them to eat of this fruit after they have sinned – otherwise, they would have gained immortality in a sinful state.

 

Christ is now to us the Tree of life and the Bread of life: He took the wrath of God upon Himself and became to us the righteousness of God.

1Co 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

 

Christ reinstated the way to the tree of life

Joh 14:6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Eternal life (i.e. life without limitations) is only found in God the Father and in the Son Jesus Christ.

Joh 17:3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Joh 1:4 In Him (Jesus Christ) was life, and the life was the light of men.

Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me.

Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live.

Joh 6:48 I am the Bread of life.

Joh 6:51 I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he shall live forever.

Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Rev 22:1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

Rev 22:2 In the midst of its street, and of the river, from here and from there, was the Tree of Life, which bore twelve fruits, each yielding its fruit according to one month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Rev 22:3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;

Rev 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.

 

Christ indeed became the “Life-giving Spirit”

1Co 15:45 So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

Psalm 1 speaks of being planted like a tree by streams of water

Psa 1:1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law, he meditates day and night.

Psa 1:3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

 

The prophet Jeremiah also speaks about this

Jer 17:7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD.

Jer 17:8 "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.

THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL

Where did the law (of Moses) originate from?

It all started in the Garden of Eden

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.

Gen 2:8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

 

What is “the tree if the knowledge of Good and Evil”?

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

 

The word “knowledge” or “to know” also means:

To experience; to be skilful; to consider; to have a relationship

It also implies the exercise of the affections

“Good “ means:

Well pleasing; morally correct; proper; convenient; useful and profitable; abundant and plentiful; kind and benevolent; wellbeing; happiness

 

“Evil” means:

Bad; disagreeable; unwholesome; harmful; destructive; terrifying; heavy in heart; poor quality; ugly in appearance; poisonous; negative

 

“The tree of the knowledge of good and evil” is “God’s second best way of living” - the knowledge of what is wrong and what is right.

Through disobedience, they forfeited the privilege of living life according to God’s best – His blessings, His Word and His Spirit.

They chose to live by the secondary source - the knowledge of good and evil.

NB! Today we still have this choice between life and death

 

Adam and Eve were allowed to partake of the fruit of the “Tree of Life” and that would have given them the abundant life of God and with that immortality.

For this reason it was impossible for God to allow them to eat of this fruit after they have sinned – otherwise, they would have gained immortality in a sinful state.

The forbidden fruit

The Jewish people firmly believe that the forbidden fruit was a pomegranate – around tropical fruit containing 613 (six hundred and thirteen) seeds in a juicy red pulp representing the Law of Moses which consists of 613 different laws, by-laws, statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations.

The moment Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Law with all its condemnation and resultant death was released over the earth (released but not yet written). They immediately experience guilt and condemnation.

 

The Law released but not yet written:

Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the worldbut sin is not imputed when there is no law.

 

The writing of the Law ushered in knowledge of sin and constant sin consciousness resulting in feelings of guilt and condemnation

Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moseseven over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

 

The result of Adam partaking of the fruit of the “Tree of the knowledge (experience) of good and evil” was absolutely devastating:

Sin and death entered the world and everyone is reckoned to have sinned

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moseseven over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God

Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

None is righteous

Rom 3:10 as it is written: "There is none righteous, no not one;

Rom 3:11 there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God."

Rom 3:12 "They are all gone out of the way, they have together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not one."

Knowledge of sin and feelings of guilt and condemnation overwhelmed mankind the moment the Law of Moses was given

Rom 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

 

Life and relationship was replaced by a religious system – the Law of Moses - to be upheld by man himself

This religious system consisted of 613 regulations, laws, by-laws, statutes, commandments, rituals, and ordinances

In stark contrast to the set of rules of the Law, the mandate under life and relationship was:

Be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, subdue it and have dominion – the fulfilment of which was to be done in the power and presence of God Himself

 

All thanks be to God - the law was completely fulfilled by Christ!

Mat 5:17 Do not think that I have come to do away with or undo the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to do away with or undo but to complete and fulfil them. (AMP)

 

Meaning of the word “fulfil”

 

With regard to the “Law”:

To thoroughly accomplish

To bring to an end by completing it

To perform fully

To reach its goal

With regard to the “Prophets”:

To accomplish or perform that which was foretold or prefigured in the Old Testament by the prophets

To prove fully

To confirm with the fullest evidence

 

Quotation from “The Complete Word Study New Testament” by Spiros Zodhiates, Page 948:

“When Jesus said that He came not to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfil, meaning that He came not only to fulfil the types and prophecies by His actions and sufferings but also to perform perfect obedience to the law of God in His own Person and to enforce and explain it fully by His doctrine. Thus He has fully satisfied the requirements of the law.”

*Reader: NB! – Although Christ Jesus completely fulfilled the Law, the Law is not abolished and done away with. I can still revert to the law and live life by its ordinances and statutes. By doing this I move away from Grace.

 

I still (in this modern age that I am living in) have a choice between life and death – I can choose death by still living according to the Law of Moses (the tree of knowledge of good and evil – religion!) or I can choose Life (the tree of life) by accepting and receiving the complete and finished work of Jesus Christ unconditionally.

 

Which way do you choose? It is a matter of life and death.

 

SEE MY TEACHING ON “GRACE” (under Third Dispensation Teachings) WHERE I FULLY EXPLAIN HOW THE LAW OF MOSES WAS FULFILLED BY CHRIST AND HOW WE ARE ENABLED TO WALK COMPLETELY IN GRACE!

 

IN CONCLUSION:

In all the aforementioned Teachings I have endeavoured to give the reader a basic understanding of what God had in mind when He created us. This will be our frame of reference for all further Teachings and I am about to take you on an exciting journey where you will discover true life and abundance in Jesus Christ

 

Compiled by: Deon Gerber
God's Word

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