Question about Genesis

ebia

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jpcedotal said:
Even Jesus believed in the Garden literally.
Did he? How do you know that? His only recorded words on the topic are consistent with it being a literal or a parabolic shared account.
 
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InSpiritInTruth

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Your post is interesting, and I'd like to know a bit more.



So if we take the Tree of knowledge as a symbol and not the actual literal meaning:

So what does Eve taking an apple from it, and eating it symbolise? That we chose to find out the difference between good and evil? If so, how?

Who said it was an apple? God told both Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge because in the day they ate from the tree of knowledge they would surely die. God did not say the tree was evil, but rather it gave knowledge to know good from evil; but God did say the day they ate from the tree they would surely die.

Why did they die? Because sin would first enter into their hearts and minds by way of suggestion of the serpent, which then in turn would cause them to transgress the commandment of God, which was that God had told them not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge.

What happened when they ate from the tree of knowledge? Their eyes were then opened, and they saw their own nakedness and shame because the knowledge of Gods law exposed their sinful nature. Just as we had not known sin but by the law, for by the law of God came the knowledge to know good from evil.

Just as by the law came the knowledge of sin, but the law itself was not evil, it was the sin nature that entered into man that was evil and caused him to die. For it is written the wage of sin is death.

Now in order to live we must eat from the Tree of Life, which is in Christ Jesus.
 
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InSpiritInTruth

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Not to hijack the thread but I had a question about the trees also. In addition to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, there was the Tree of Life. If God made Adam & Eve with the intention of them living forever and made them in His imagine, what was the point of the Tree of Life? Weren't they supposed to have life forever? Or did Adam and Eve have a choice from the beginning as to whether or not they would live forever?

If Eden was paradise why would God need a Tree of Life in it?

God knew man was going to sin against his Word from the beginning, that is why he placed the tree of knowledge to know good from evil in the garden in the first place. It was to bear witness and expose man's sinful nature, and by that knowledge man was shown his own shame and nakedness before God.

The Tree of Life was given to take away the death, which would come upon man by way of sin. Just as the wage of sin is death. That Tree of Life was symbolic of the Way, the Truth, and the Life which can only be found through faith in Christ our Lord.:thumbsup:
 
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Now in order to live we must eat from the Tree of Life, which is in Christ Jesus.
:thumbsup:
A few years ago God revealed this to me, in a spoken message. I was reading in the NT when I heard the Spirit speak and say, "The Tree of Life is Jesus, The Tree of Knowledge is the Law, and the Tower of Babylon represents all of those people who try to achieve heaven through their own efforts, including many Christians."
 
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InSpiritInTruth

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:thumbsup:
A few years ago God revealed this to me, in a spoken message. I was reading in the NT when I heard the Spirit speak and say, "The Tree of Life is Jesus, The Tree of Knowledge is the Law, and the Tower of Babylon represents all of those people who try to achieve heaven through their own efforts, including many Christians."

Blessed are your eyes for they see.:thumbsup:

1 Corinthians 2:10
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.:clap:
 
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The Father granted Jesus to have life in himself even as the father has life in himself. Jesus ate of the Father even as we eat of Him. Of this Life who is the Father. All things lead back to One, Father. This same Spirit, the Spirit of Truth that proceeds from the Father who now abides in us forever, Christ in us, as it was in Jesus. The leading into all Truth is the eating of the tree of life. Just as it was for Jesus, the Father is in me he does the work, so it is with us. This is the reality of being a son, one taught of the Father. This Life abides in us presently to the point, regardless if we understand or not, that we are in a state of fulness.
 
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I know this is not a new question, and it's been asked around before everywhere. But I'm having trouble finding something I can properly understand also something I can agree with because there are multitudes of views some diametrically opposed to one another.

1) Why did God put this "tree of knowledge" and then tell them not to eat from it? -- isn't this essentially God tempting them? Although elsewhere in the Bible it is claimed that God does not tempt, although I can't remember which verse(s).

2) Why was the snake cursed due to Satan's actions? After all, Satan is not a snake and that's just the form he took. God could not have been oblivious to this, yet the snake and its descendants are cursed with enmity between humans.

Please forgive my late post. I hope you find this supports scripture. From God's Word, I am learning His nature. He knows all from beginning to end of time and beyond. He knows every detail of what has ever happened and ever will happen to each of us. He knows what is hidden and unhidden to us. He knows all beyond what is mystery...He knows all. That's one aspect of His nature - His all-knowing. (Matthew 6, Daniel 11th and 12th chapters, Revelation. And all true prophecy - telling of future events revealed by God Himself - proves this)

What is most important to God is His Word. St. John 1 lets us know He is His Word. He honors His Word above all. What is most important to Him from mankind is that we honor His Word through obedience - so much, that He gave His only begotten Son as the only sacrifice for our disobedience (sin) and for our salvation in His Son Jesus Christ alone. Only that shed blood could reconcile us from our fallen state.

He also lets us know that obedience of angels is of high regard from Him. Lucifer was not willing to obey God to give all honor to Him. (Isaiah 14) Fallen angels were fallen for not honoring our God. (2nd Peter 2 and Jude)

It is impossible to have a relationship with God without demonstrating obedience to His Word. (He knows who will obey and disobey His Word. He knows how regard for His Word will be carried out. Yet He gives each of us the privilege of demonstrating honor of His Word) That tree of knowledge of good and evil was not a temptation to do evil - as God tempts no man according to James 1. Rather, it was opportunity to show/demonstrate obedience to God, Who had given Adam and Eve instructions concerning it. They chose to disobey. We are given privilege of choice to carry out God's Word in obedience in our lives even knowing God knows all. It's hard to see it as a privilege because, in our wretched world, we tend to not see God's Word and obedience to It as a blessing but as an obligation. So, to look at God's instruction as the blessing that it is (St. John 17), we need Jesus Christ our Savior and LORD.

We will then so honor His Word, but we will then see that God has to have no reason understandable to our feeble minds on why He chooses to carry out His plans and His designs. He chose to grow poisonous mushrooms, which we shun eating - not because He told us not to eat them but because scientists, teachers, or other humans say don't eat them. And we understand that not eating those poisonous mushrooms, grown under God's authority, can kill or sicken us within days. We see the temporal. We have a tendency not to see long term and certainly, in our carnality, not to see why we should obey, for no other reason but for God's own pleasure.

The serpent was the slickest animal in the garden. This was Satan's loophole. His curse demonstrates that allowing Satan to use us (due to not subjecting our vessels to the LORD) can cause us to partake in curses. The serpent is a walking (or slithering) example to us about stepping into the crossfire between God and Satan from the wrong end.

I would suggest praying for clear answers on this and search God's Word through and through learning His nature, His standards, His plans, and the fact that there are mysteries He chooses to withhold for His purpose (partly being that we live by faith). I still don't know so many of the why's and how's as none of us do concerning an issue like this one - that has been asked of me before. You have given so many of us continued reason to dig deeper in God's Word from your post. I appreciate your question. I have to study some more.
 
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ebia

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unfinishedclay said:
Please forgive my late post. I hope you find this supports scripture. From God's Word, I am learning His nature. He knows all from beginning to end of time and beyond. He knows every detail of what has ever happened and ever will happen to each of us. He knows what is hidden and unhidden to us. He knows all beyond what is mystery...He knows all. That's one aspect of His nature - His all-knowing. (Matthew 6, Daniel 11th and 12th chapters, Revelation. And all true prophecy - telling of future events revealed by God Himself - proves this)

What is most important to God is His Word. St. John 1 lets us know He is His Word. He honors His Word above all. What is most important to Him from mankind is that we honor His Word through obedience - so much, that He gave His only begotten Son as the only sacrifice for our disobedience (sin) and for our salvation in His Son Jesus Christ alone. Only that shed blood could reconcile us from our fallen state.

He also lets us know that obedience of angels is of high regard from Him. Lucifer was not willing to obey God to give all honor to Him. (Isaiah 14) Fallen angels were fallen for not honoring our God. (2nd Peter 2 and Jude)

It is impossible to have a relationship with God without demonstrating obedience to His Word. (He knows who will obey and disobey His Word. He knows how regard for His Word will be carried out. Yet He gives each of us the privilege of demonstrating honor of His Word) That tree of knowledge of good and evil was not a temptation to do evil - as God tempts no man according to James 1. Rather, it was opportunity to show/demonstrate obedience to God, Who had given Adam and Eve instructions concerning it. They chose to disobey. We are given privilege of choice to carry out God's Word in obedience in our lives even knowing God knows all. It's hard to see it as a privilege because, in our wretched world, we tend to not see God's Word and obedience to It as a blessing but as an obligation. So, to look at God's instruction as the blessing that it is (St. John 17), we need Jesus Christ our Savior and LORD.

We will then so honor His Word, but we will then see that God has to have no reason understandable to our feeble minds on why He chooses to carry out His plans and His designs. He chose to grow poisonous mushrooms, which we shun eating - not because He told us not to eat them but because scientists, teachers, or other humans say don't eat them. And we understand that not eating those poisonous mushrooms, grown under God's authority, can kill or sicken us within days. We see the temporal. We have a tendency not to see long term and certainly, in our carnality, not to see why we should obey, for no other reason but for God's own pleasure.

The serpent was the slickest animal in the garden. This was Satan's loophole. His curse demonstrates that allowing Satan to use us (due to not subjecting our vessels to the LORD) can cause us to partake in curses. The serpent is a walking (or slithering) example to us about stepping into the crossfire between God and Satan from the wrong end.

I would suggest praying for clear answers on this and search God's Word through and through learning His nature, His standards, His plans, and the fact that there are mysteries He chooses to withhold for His purpose (partly being that we live by faith). I still don't know so many of the why's and how's as none of us do concerning an issue like this one - that has been asked of me before. You have given so many of us continued reason to dig deeper in God's Word from your post. I appreciate your question. I have to study some more.

1. You realise the Word of God is Jesus, not a book?
2. Are you suggesting Christians should (must?) eat poisonous mushrooms?
 
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1. You realise the Word of God is Jesus, not a book?
2. Are you suggesting Christians should (must?) eat poisonous mushrooms?

Out of context. Hope I didn't write it to guide anyone into going in the direction you're suggesting I went.

Yes, Word of God is Jesus (St. John 1:1, 14). My point is how He honors His Word. He is His Word. Father and Son are one. (1st John 5:7) My point was that honoring His Word, Which is Who He is, is important to Him in having a relationship with Him. He has always been His Word...before Adam and Eve. When He gave Adam instructions, Adam had that much of God's Word to honor. (Matthew 4:4). If that Word proceeded from God's mouth, it is His Word.

Does my post *read* as though I suggest Christians eat poisonous mushrooms? are you serious???? Does it not read as an example to prove that just because God places something in our path doesn't mean we should eat it?
 
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ebia

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unfinishedclay said:
Out of context. Hope I didn't write it to guide anyone into going in the direction you're suggesting I went.

Yes, Word of God is Jesus (St. John 1:1, 14). My point is how He honors His Word. He is His Word. Father and Son are one. (1st John 5:7) My point was that honoring His Word, Which is Who He is, is important to Him in having a relationship with Him. He has always been His Word...before Adam and Eve. When He gave Adam instructions, Adam had that much of God's Word to honor. (Matthew 4:4). If that Word proceeded from God's mouth, it is His Word.

Does my post *read* as though I suggest Christians eat poisonous mushrooms? are you serious???? Does it not read as an example to prove that just because God places something in our path doesn't mean we should eat it?

That's what it seemed to be suggesting at first glance.
 
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sonhador

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The Garden of Eden story is largely symbolic. Early man was like a child with a huge propensity toward curiosity. Since all that God created was Good, He wanted man to embrace the Good and not even address the concept of evil. Think about it; as a child if you were never exposed to anything bad or evil, would it not be all good and pure until someone told you different? That's why I think children are innocent until shown or told otherwise. This helps me to understand Adam and Eve.

Thankyou for what you said. I feel along the same way. The tree of knowledge of good and evil leads to judgement. If you do not judge anything is evil, then everything is forgiven, as Jesus stated, to forgive endlessly, and not resist evil. If you do not resist it, you do not judge it as evil.

The tree of life is simply living without knowing. Humans do not need to know. They just need to live in love. Knowing is assuming truth about people, things, events, places. It is unnecessary.

To be able to live without judgement is an eye of the needle task. Because we are programmed to judge, because since early development in our life, we have been judged, so we have reflected the same behaviour.

That is why so much emphasis was put on do not judge. Yet each and every day, people say they are christians, and judge willingly. Life is our judge. Life gives instant reward for good deeds, it makes your heart feel clear and free, and it is only when we do bad deeds, and hate other people, that we feel dark and miserable, leading to a vicious cycle of inflicting that pain on others.

People are very quick to judge. Because they see or hear people do things that are horrible to perceive. But once those who have done horrible things, are judged and marked with that judgement, they are burdened with it and usually end up doing worse things to compensate. It embodies the idea that there is no greater sin. That we are all created equal at birth, and are largely just results of our life experiences. There is nothing that can be achieved by judging another person wrong, because the only power to change that person is that person, whereas, if you judge yourself wrong, you have the power to change.

There once was a clinical test, whereby certain number of volunteers role played for two weeks prisoners and wardens. They assumed the roles, and it was uncanny to notice how the wardens became worse as time went on with power and abuse, and then the prisoners became submissive to the wardens but vengeful and ill-minded to those around them, ie. other prisoners.

At the end of the trial, a majority of the volunteers had mental illness because of the experience, and required deep counselling. Life itself could be considered the same experience. Nobody needs judgement, only counselling. Although many, would say Jesus is coming to judge, well if you listen to what he said about judgement, he says I do not judge, but my father in heaven, which essentially means quite literally to me, the future of life itself, or love (God is love) judges automatically.

I am just taking the metaphorical scripture and translating it into a psychological basis that can be applied today. Just my view, and if you disagree please feel free, but I hope that helps anyone. I for one spend my life these days avoiding any type of judgement on anyone, and I have never seen so clearly as I do, considering every person just a lost soul trying to exist in the best way they know how.
 
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BobRyan

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I know this is not a new question, and it's been asked around before everywhere. But I'm having trouble finding something I can properly understand also something I can agree with because there are multitudes of views some diametrically opposed to one another.

1) Why did God put this "tree of knowledge" and then tell them not to eat from it? -- isn't this essentially God tempting them? Although elsewhere in the Bible it is claimed that God does not tempt, although I can't remember which verse(s).

2) Why was the snake cursed due to Satan's actions? After all, Satan is not a snake and that's just the form he took. God could not have been oblivious to this, yet the snake and its descendants are cursed with enmity between humans.

God could always have created robots - no sin no fall - no great achievement. He has chosen instead to create intelligent life in "free will" model. That is His own choice.

Adam and Eve were to eat of the tree of life - and all the other trees as well - but not of ONE tree.

This was not a huge burden to bear - nothing like we have today when it comes to "choose not to sin".

And Satan did not have access to Adam and Eve - except at the forbidden tree.

With all the odds stacked against him - it is amazing that Satan got Adam and Eve to fall in the first place.

The serpent is not an advanced form of intelligent life and so it serves to illustrate a point - visible for all of time after the fall. So also the plants with thorns and the animals that have turned from plant eating to flesh eating.

Many changes since the fall of mankind 6000 years ago.

in Christ,

Bob
 
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There is from the moment that God said, let there be light a moving away from God. When something comes out it splits into two, or a perception of two. There is always a dividing until you get to the seventh day which is rest, where there is no night.

The tree we were not to eat of was the tree of our own reasoning. To lose your soul is to not eat. The way back into the garden is kept open not closed, but you must go through the cherbiums who hold one sword, this is the way Jesus both was and showed through the entirety of his life. This is the symbolisim found in the drink offering unto the Lord, a pouring out of your soul.

Isa_53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
 
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mercy1061

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Question about Genesis

I know this is not a new question, and it's been asked around before everywhere. But I'm having trouble finding something I can properly understand also something I can agree with because there are multitudes of views some diametrically opposed to one another.

1) Why did God put this "tree of knowledge" and then tell them not to eat from it? -- isn't this essentially God tempting them? Although elsewhere in the Bible it is claimed that God does not tempt, although I can't remember which verse(s).

2) Why was the snake cursed due to Satan's actions? After all, Satan is not a snake and that's just the form he took. God could not have been oblivious to this, yet the snake and its descendants are cursed with enmity between humans.

Maybe God did not plant the forbidden tree in the garden.

Gen 2:9

The Lord God placed all kinds of beautiful trees and fruit trees in the garden. Two other trees were in the middle of the garden. One of the trees gave life—the other gave the power to know the difference between right and wrong.
 
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