Back to the beginning

For some years, I have chosen to read through the Bible in chronological order. Just felt moved in my spirit to do this again this year. Today, as I was reading, I heard ‘go back to the beginning.’ A few years ago, I heard something similar. That time, when I went back to Genesis, I saw the authority that God had given to Adam, prior to the fall of man. An authority that our Lord Jesus Christ came to restore. I also began to see more and more parallelism throughout the whole of Scripture. Something caught my eye and ears then, but I didn’t really follow through at the time. The trees.

Today, the following verse was highlighted to me.

“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.” Genesis 2:9

Why would every tree be described as pleasing to the sight and good for food, THEN the mention of the tree of life also being in the midst of the garden along with the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Did the tree of life appear different? Was it not appealing?

Now, I was intrigued to know more or dig for more like digging for treasure. I sensed a stirring that there was more than meets the eye. So, I read on. Then verse 16 and 17…

“The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 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.”

Yes, there was a warning. A warning to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But there was no such warning to not eat from the tree of life. They could have eaten from the tree of life. But they didn’t. Did they? Let’s keep going….

Chapter 3! Okay, here is where the crafty serpent comes and asks the woman, “has God said…” I am going to leave some of this for you, the reader, to go investigate. Her reply is that “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 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.” (vs. 2-3)

So here comes Satan to tempt the woman, questioning what God said. But do you see that there is only one tree in the middle of the garden that they could not eat from? The other was an option. Right there in front of them stood the tree of life. However, the one they could not have was the one the temptation involved and in verse 6 it is written that ‘the woman saw that the tree was good for food and it was a delight to the eyes.’

I do not want to focus on the tree they ate from. Yet, we should consider the name of that tree….the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Just ponder the repercussions of that today. How far from the fall we are and the long lasting ripple effect that has had on us all. Not only spiritual death, and shame (as they saw their nakedness), but the unending pursuit of knowledge of good and evil.

Daniel 12:4, “But as for you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal up the book until the end of time; many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.”

Let’s return to the tree of life. When do we read about it again? The end of the chapter.

“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”— therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 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.”

Previously, there is no mention whether they ate of the tree of life, but after having eaten from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, it is not permitted.

It appears to me that these two trees were a point of testing so to speak. Which tree would they choose to eat from? The garden was a place of protection, provision, and dare I say possession. Adam was given authority to name every living creature (Gen. 2:19-20). Their purpose in the garden was to be fruitful and multiply and live in communion with God. A place of intimate fellowship unhindered by the knowledge of good and evil. Partaking of the tree of life would have kept them into an unhindered purpose that was lost once they took and ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Once lost, yes, because I believe today that the life of our Lord Jesus Christ is the tree of life that has been restored. We, too, are tested daily of what tree we are going to partake of…the tree of life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I do not believe this is a one time partaking, as if we accept Him as Lord and that’s it. The tree of life stood in the garden for them to partake of daily. So it is with us. Does the tree of knowledge of of good and evil keep us independent from the Lord? While the tree of life keeps us submitted and dependent upon Him?

This all makes me wonder again about the appearance of the tree of life versus the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We know from Genesis 3:6 that the second was a ‘delight to the eyes’ but it leads to death. Therefore, it could be said that it was very attractive, appealing to every aspect of our flesh. What comes to mind about the tree of life if Isaiah 53:2….

“For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.”

This is a description of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had no appearance that would be attractive. I guess I could write that the tree of life could have appeared very ordinary. Every day, we have a choice to make. Are we going to partake of the the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which on the surface appears very attractive, but is actually temporal and self-centered. Or will we choose the tree of life, the life of our Lord Jesus Christ? A choice that may seem unpleasant, unattractive, but it truly extraordinary.

I think Paul understood this when he wrote Philippians 3:11, “in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” When we choose the tree of life, we are going beyond the natural. Going beyond the temporal things of this world, which Paul counted as refuse. Let us choose wisely…”Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14

And keep pressing on! When you get knocked down or make a poor choice, get back up and keep going, refocus on THE tree of life, our Lord Jesus Christ.

One might ask, “What does choosing the tree of life look like daily?” That’s a fully loaded question. And honestly, a life long question. As we walk with Him and continue to grow up into Him and His likeness, this daily choice will look differently.