A few years ago, I started writing a Bible study book on Genesis that I never finished. In recent weeks, I have been called back to it in a strong desire to finish it. It may never reach a shelf in published text, but the lessons I have learned through the study are far more precious to me than any finished accomplishment. In obedience to the strong desire to finish the task, I have been drawn back to the beginning of the study and felt compelled to share something I wrote regarding the scene found in Genesis 3:1-7.
As you may know, this is the scene where Adam and Eve are in the Garden of Eden and the Serpent is placing doubts in their minds about what God had said concerning the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If you know your Bible, you are well versed in what takes place. I wonder if you had the same question I had when I studied this passage. I wrote the following:
"Why would God even create a tree that He didn’t want them to eat from?" If God’s desire is to have uninterrupted fellowship with us, why would He create a tree that would break that fellowship? I don’t know if there is a great answer to this question. The fact that we possess a soul and are created as relational beings, we have to be able to make choices and decisions. Otherwise, we would be robotic and incapable of true love. In addition to love, there is also spiritual growth that occurs as we seek to know God on a deeper level through our choices and decisions based on what we know He has said."
With that being said, I know that everything God created was good; good for man. The preceding verses make that very clear. Therefore, this Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not made poisonous. There was nothing toxic or cancerous about the tree. God's command was simply a test of will and obedience. They only saw the good in the fruit and not the good in God's command. God's command was for their protection from experiencing evil. Once they chose to disobey and eat, they experienced evil for the first time. Up to this point, they only experience good. Once evil was experienced, the relationship between them and God was severed and the consequences quickly followed. The tree was not the cause of the broken relationship.
In life, we will be faced with many choices and will have to make descisions. Will we heed God's word and obey or will we rationalize disobedience when there appears to be no harm?
As you may know, this is the scene where Adam and Eve are in the Garden of Eden and the Serpent is placing doubts in their minds about what God had said concerning the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If you know your Bible, you are well versed in what takes place. I wonder if you had the same question I had when I studied this passage. I wrote the following:
"Why would God even create a tree that He didn’t want them to eat from?" If God’s desire is to have uninterrupted fellowship with us, why would He create a tree that would break that fellowship? I don’t know if there is a great answer to this question. The fact that we possess a soul and are created as relational beings, we have to be able to make choices and decisions. Otherwise, we would be robotic and incapable of true love. In addition to love, there is also spiritual growth that occurs as we seek to know God on a deeper level through our choices and decisions based on what we know He has said."
With that being said, I know that everything God created was good; good for man. The preceding verses make that very clear. Therefore, this Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not made poisonous. There was nothing toxic or cancerous about the tree. God's command was simply a test of will and obedience. They only saw the good in the fruit and not the good in God's command. God's command was for their protection from experiencing evil. Once they chose to disobey and eat, they experienced evil for the first time. Up to this point, they only experience good. Once evil was experienced, the relationship between them and God was severed and the consequences quickly followed. The tree was not the cause of the broken relationship.
In life, we will be faced with many choices and will have to make descisions. Will we heed God's word and obey or will we rationalize disobedience when there appears to be no harm?
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