Same tree?

[Tone]

Could you explain that idea a bit more?

I meant this part:

"...to use the product of the knowledge of good and evil for the way of life, to grow and to be satisfied (Genesis 3:6), that is where sin gets to have it's way in the world...they have to conceal their true intentions by lying and making pacts of loyalty to cooperate for a wicked purpose. That is the cause of unfair suffering..."

I've just been thinking about the mark lately and the above struck me as connected.

The mark is something that locks the person into some final choice (judgement) like eating from that tree.

And that becomes their "way of life, to grow and to be satisfied" (buy and sell/commerce).

And the nature of the mark makes those who take it, a party to the beheading and/or starvation of those who don't... I'm sure there is some trickery involved too...I mean, why didn't Eve realize her mistake and dissuade Adam from joining her instead of the reverse...

 

[Serving Zion]

I meant this part:

"...to use the product of the knowledge of good and evil for the way of life, to grow and to be satisfied (Genesis 3:6), that is where sin gets to have it's way in the world...they have to conceal their true intentions by lying and making pacts of loyalty to cooperate for a wicked purpose. That is the cause of unfair suffering..."

I've just been thinking about the mark lately and the above struck me as connected.

The mark is something that locks the person into some final choice (judgement) like eating from that tree.

And that becomes their "way of life, to grow and to be satisfied" (buy and sell/commerce).

Ah, yes it's all the same thing - the serpent becomes a dragon in the end.

Money is a product of the fall - God didn't create money. Money isn't a natural part of the world. That's why Jesus said "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but give to God what belongs to God" (ie: Psalms 24:1).

The two ways of the world to operate are rooted in fear or rooted in love: give freely to provide each other's needs, or hoard and guard one's own reserves in case of scarcity ("one for all and all for one", or "each man for himself").

So the way of the world is the way of the beast: fear, the children of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3). The way of Christ is to restore God's plan, of a world sustained by love (eg: Matthew 5:38-48).

And the nature of the mark makes those who take it, a party to the beheading and/or starvation of those who don't...

Well, they are slaves to the system - a slave does not have power over his master. Even if they wanted to help, they would be ultimately limited in what they were able to do. We can already see that to some extent (depending how much experience you have).

I'm sure there is some trickery involved too...I mean, why didn't Eve realize her mistake and dissuade Adam from joining her instead of the reverse...

It's just that.. she was already taken captive and had already become convinced that the serpent was right: "you shall not surely die!" .. the bigger question (from my perspective, seeing it), is how could Adam have seen the carnal Eve - having lost the spiritual life, and chosen to go with her? That is why God said "because you listened to your wife's voice, cursed is the ground because of you".

 

[Robban]

It is so sad. There is much wisdom in understanding the detail of the "eating" of the "fruit" - knowing that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was always there for them to admire, but it was not to be the way of life for them.

They could have a way of life (eating) by any fruit or herb of the garden, because that was it's valid purpose .. but to use the product of the knowledge of good and evil for the way of life, to grow and to be satisfied (Genesis 3:6), that is where sin gets to have it's way in the world, and people are forced to conceal their deeds with deceit (ie: not walking in the light, that is the "life" of mankind: John 1:4, John 3:20, 1 John 2:9-10).

Those who don't simply live according to the valid way, but who reckon whether good and evil will be profitable for them - that is the "eating" of the "fruit of the knowledge of good and evil" - they have to conceal their true intentions by lying and making pacts of loyalty to cooperate for a wicked purpose. That is the cause of unfair suffering.

(IOW: the world would be a paradise if everyone only ever did what was good by their conscience).

And so God created, and He looked and said,

"I could have done better than this."


Or what?

 

[Robban]

And so God created, and He looked and said,

"I could have done better than this."


Or what?

Not really.

but Gen 1:1, "In the beginning..?."

"In the beginning" said Rabbi Isaac,

"It was not necessary to begin the Torah except from Exodus 12:2, which is the first commandment that the Israelites were commanded.

 

[Serving Zion]

And so God created, and He looked and said,

"I could have done better than this."


Or what?

God was pleased with what He had created ("I have given every seed bearing plant for food, and the fruits that bear seed.. they are for the food for you") .. but He was heart broken when He saw what had become of the world in the hands of fallen mankind (Genesis 6:5-7).

Yes, the time line is an important fact.

 

[Tone]

Found this video and thought it pretty cool:

 

[Scott Husted]

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in the midst of the garden...where was the tree of life...are they one and the same...the former being the result of a carnal approach and the latter being the fruit of a real faith and in spirit?

They are not separate trees ... from one view ... for the woman the tree of knowledge is the tree in the midst of the garden ...

 

[Tone]

They are not separate trees ... from one view ... for the woman the tree of knowledge is the tree in the midst of the garden ...

How about from the Creator's view?

 

[Scott Husted]

How about from the Creator's view?

The same ...

The trees are symbolism just as the garden, the cool of the day, or in the day that thou eatest ... truths/words that build upon themsleves

To know Him is life eternal ... a truth that springs up from within ...