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.jpcedotal said:Even Jesus believed in the Garden literally.
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?
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?
Now in order to live we must eat from the Tree of Life, which is in Christ Jesus.
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."
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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