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A tree, yes, a simple tree, even two of them represent the crux of God’s relationship with humankind. They reveal His intentions for each of us.

Two trees in the Garden of Eden. One tree represents Life and the other, Death. There's a choice to be made.

Two trees in the Garden of Eden. One tree represents Life and the other, Death. Making a choice is a given.

Scene 3: God gives the Man and Woman Responsibilities and Obligations.

Adam is exploring his new world, and he discovers a magnificent garden. As he looks around in wonder at every kind of plant, God walks onto the scene. No flash of light or thunderclap, no sorcery here. God enters, immediately commanding our attention. Adam scratches his head for a moment but realizes God is someone awesome. He rushes to greet God. Remember, Adam, although fully formed and an adult male, is a child, only a few seconds old.
(Origin of the Universe chapter 4.3)

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God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (Genesis 2.8-9, 15)

Our newly arrived Adam learns he is now in what some consider a myth, but it is called the Garden of Eden. A thousand questions are in his mind, like a child learning about the world. God chooses this moment to have a conversation with Adam. At this point in the Garden of Eden, God is only talking to the man. He has yet to create the woman.

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shalt not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shalt surely die. (Gen 2:16-17)
The two trees in the Garden of Eden summarize why God created and how He works with humankind Click To Tweet

This episode of God instructing the man is full of significance. It is clear and easy to understand. Probably so easy that readers overlook it as old-fashioned, silly, not to say ridiculous. It summarizes the Creator’s primary intentions, what He has in mind, in short, why He created humans. How He works with humans.

The how and the why are two fundamental points that humans of and by himself can’t guess, surmise, deduce, construe or conclude. This scene reveals the how and the why of what God has in mind for humans. By the same token, it also indicates the how and why of humans in their relationship with their Creator. This short scene divulges the intimate interconnection between the two main characters (God and humans) in the play.

The ‘how’ and the ‘why’ of God, are two fundamental points that humans can't know by themselves Click To Tweet The 2 Trees scene divulges the intimate interconnection between God and humankind Click To Tweet

This scene discloses:

  1. The Tree of Life, the fruit of which, if eaten, leads to life
    1. At this point, the man is already alive and has plenty of food, so he doesn’t need to eat of a particular tree for life as we understand it.
    2. The life represented by this tree might incorporate something to do with physical life, but it must also include something else to do with a particular life
    3. There are no do’s and don’t’s about this tree. It was freely available in the garden. It was in the middle of the garden, readily accessible, denoting that the Creator gave them access to this particular life.
  1. The Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, the fruit of which, if eaten, leads to death
    1. Later, as you know or will see, both Adam and Eve ate from this tree and they did not immediately die, certainly not that day. Adam lived over 900 years. Just consider this as a fanciful exaggeration if you like–it’s part of the story, just like other legends, let’s move on.
    2. The death represented by this tree might incorporate something to do with physical death that could be immediate but must also include a period of life before this physical death.
    3. The death represented by this tree certainly includes something to do with physical death, but it might also include something else to do with a particular death.
  2. Both trees are freely available for food; they’re out in the open, neither is hidden.
  3. God instructs them as to which is the better and more unfortunate choice.
  4. The man and woman (after her creation and awareness) are free to choose of which tree they want to partake.
  5. God does not impose one way or the other. Both approaches are equally available to the man and the woman. He allows them to exercise their free choice.
  6. God indicates that the Tree of Knowledge from which they should not eat does have an element of good.
    1. This element is a critical point. God is saying that even certain good ends in death.
    2. Galacti asks: What is the definition of this good? We shall see.
  7. Individual decisions and practices lead to death if they’re wrong, but even if they appear to be good. Indeed, we can all agree on bad decisions and practices, but what about good choices, decisions, and practices? Many people will have a hard time with this one.
  8. There is a way that leads to life.
  9. There is a way that leads to death.
  10. There are only two ways between which we can freely choose. These two ways lead to diametrically opposite results: life and death.
  11. This choosing is the essence of drama: a life and death matter.

Whether this is fiction or fact, we’ve got a real drama. A Supreme Being plants two trees, gives His creation, the man and woman a choice, a dilemma, and, drumroll, what will they do?  Will they capitulate or triumph?

This blog post is an excerpt from chapter 4.3 of the book Origin of the Universe.

 

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