What was the purpose for the creation of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? And why was it created and placed on earth?
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, why was it created and placed on earth?
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It was created to give man a choice. God made man good, but incomplete. Completion should have been Adam eating from the Tree of Life. Adam chose to disobey God and the rest is history. Everyone is still born incomplete, because only God's life can complete us.
If God had not given Adam a choice, he would have been a puppet man. God wants children, not puppets. We face the same choice today. Most are controlled by the principle of good and evil. Even Putin thinks he's doing a good and right thing. He's self deceived, of course. Jesus said that He came to give life more abundantly. It's like the tree of Life has once more been made available to mankind. What will he choose this time? Some choose the wrong tree still. Others come to Jesus daily for life. I've learned the difference. I cannot live without Jesus now.
According to your Profile Page, you are UNSURE of your Spiritual Status. UNSURE if you are saved or not. In my experiece, those who are UNSURE of their spiritual status are NOT saved. Simply because those who are saved KNOW IT.
Given this, I wonder why you are Authoring Threads here with questions such as this thread? Should you NOT be more concerned with learning how to receive forgiveness and salvation than why a tree was created and placed on earth?
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FAQ: Why on earth would God plant a hazardous tree in an otherwise perfect
environment? Was that really necessary? What real purpose does a tree
serve that has the potential to shorten longevity and alter human
consciousness? Why even create such a tree in the first place?
REPLY: The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was unfit for human
consumption; but it wasn't necessarily a bad tree. When God finished
creating, He looked over His handiwork on the 6th day and rated it all not
just good, but "very" good.
Take for example light. God pronounced it good; but in practice light has the
potential to burn your skin and/or cause permanent eye damage: some
forms of light can even cause cancer.
I don't know what that tree's purpose in the garden might have been but I'm
confident it was no more intrinsically evil than toad stools, poison ivy,
lightening, rattlesnakes, scorpions, avalanches, gravity, tornadoes,
typhoons, hurricanes, cactus needles, tsunamis, the solar wind,
earthquakes, electricity, fire, lava, lead, cadmium, and arsenic and hemlock.
Those things are hazardous, yes, but they all fit into the natural scheme of
things.
_
FAQ: Why on earth would God plant a hazardous tree in an otherwise perfect
environment? Was that really necessary? What real purpose does a tree
serve that has the potential to shorten longevity and alter human
consciousness? Why even create such a tree in the first place?
REPLY: The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was unfit for human
consumption; but it wasn't necessarily a bad tree. When God finished
creating, He looked over His handiwork on the 6th day and rated it all not
just good, but "very" good.
Take for example light. God pronounced it good; but in practice light has the
potential to burn your skin and/or cause permanent eye damage: some
forms of light can even cause cancer.
I don't know what that tree's purpose in the garden might have been but I'm
confident it was no more intrinsically evil than toad stools, poison ivy,
lightening, rattlesnakes, scorpions, avalanches, gravity, tornadoes,
typhoons, hurricanes, cactus needles, tsunamis, the solar wind,
earthquakes, electricity, fire, lava, lead, cadmium, and arsenic and hemlock.
Those things are hazardous, yes, but they all fit into the natural scheme of
things.
_
Thanks for your interest. I would identify as a follower of Jesus but have no denominational allegiance.
If Adam and Eve didn't eat the fruit of that tree when they did and just fulfilling their Creator's mandate to be fruitful and fill the earth along with tilling the ground for food, would God have given them access to it when they completed that mandate or was it God's intention never to give them access to it, to prolong the possibility indefinably? It would not have been just Adam (Eve) who would have had the opportunity to eat of it but millions of humans. God took a bit of a risk. Was it a calculated risk? The outcome known to God?
Just wondering if you are saying that Adam and Eve didn't (never) ate from the tree of Life before they were prevented by angels from getting near it, after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
Yes, Adam and Eve were prevented from accessing the Tree of Life. It seems that they could not have died if they had eaten from the tree of life. If they could not have died, they would have remained eternally evil, like Satan.
God’s purpose for designing and creating the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
For eternity (past - as some would explain it) the knowledge of certain characteristics of God was hidden (not revealed). He decided to devise a plan to create a way in which these attributes could be known, not just as a theory (a contemplative and rational type of abstract or generalizing thinking about a phenomenon) but as a proven, by evidence, reality or truth.
Some of these characteristics, attributes, traits or qualities are forgiveness, mercy, grace, longsuffering, compassion, reconciliation, tolerance, sympathy, patience to name a few were concealed within God. So, in order for Him to be fully known by the principalities and powers, the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, angels and demons, He created this creation and in the middle of it placed a tree, a unique tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The focal point in all of His creation was planet Earth. And in the middle of this planet was the Garden of Eden as we know it. In the middle of this garden, He placed a distinctive and particular tree of note (The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”)
Why was this Tree so important to be given extra, special attention? Because through this tree God was going to introduce for the first time EVER, Himself as NEVER seen before. This Tree was going to be the means of beginning a process that would arrive at a pinnacle (possibly the greatest, of many **) when God came to this planet in human form, lived, died, was resurrected and received back from where He came. This process was the unveiling of the GOD Who created all things. The main participating audience being the principalities and powers, the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, the angels and demons. Wow, what a blockbuster movie this would be, with such an incredible script!!
Ephesians 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things (including the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). 10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose ** that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are the most blessed who have come to know more fully this GOD through experiencing His characteristics, attributes, traits and qualities. Yes, us the Church, the Body of Christ are the focal point, as Paul said, For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. Oh what a privilege to be counted worthy to participate in the revelation of GOD be it in life or death. May we in life reveal Him greatly. May we in death reveal Him even more.
For eternity (past - as some would explain it) the knowledge of certain characteristics of God was hidden (not revealed). He decided to devise a plan to create a way in which these attributes could be known, not just as a theory (a contemplative and rational type of abstract or generalizing thinking about a phenomenon) but as a proven, by evidence, reality or truth.
Some of these characteristics, attributes, traits or qualities are forgiveness, mercy, grace, longsuffering, compassion, reconciliation, tolerance, sympathy, patience to name a few were concealed within God. So, in order for Him to be fully known by the principalities and powers, the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, angels and demons, He created this creation and in the middle of it placed a tree, a unique tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The focal point in all of His creation was planet Earth. And in the middle of this planet was the Garden of Eden as we know it. In the middle of this garden, He placed a distinctive and particular tree of note (The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”)
Why was this Tree so important to be given extra, special attention? Because through this tree God was going to introduce for the first time EVER, Himself as NEVER seen before. This Tree was going to be the means of beginning a process that would arrive at a pinnacle (possibly the greatest, of many **) when God came to this planet in human form, lived, died, was resurrected and received back from where He came. This process was the unveiling of the GOD Who created all things. The main participating audience being the principalities and powers, the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, the angels and demons. Wow, what a blockbuster movie this would be, with such an incredible script!!
Ephesians 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things (including the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). 10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose ** that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are the most blessed who have come to know more fully this GOD through experiencing His characteristics, attributes, traits and qualities. Yes, us the Church, the Body of Christ are the focal point, as Paul said, For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. Oh what a privilege to be counted worthy to participate in the revelation of GOD be it in life or death. May we in life reveal Him greatly. May we in death reveal Him even more.
Yes, God knew what would happen. He knew that redeeming Adam would cost the life of His Son. Lord Jesus is the Lamb of God slain from the creation of the world (Revelation 13:8).
I would only be assuming this, that they would have eaten from such an inviting and appealing tree that brought life that was in the middle of the garden that God made special mention of. But maybe they didn't see it or come across it before they ate of the one they were commanded no to touch or eat from. I would doubt they missed either of those 2 trees. But it is possible I guess.
Let me ask you this first. Do you thank his was just a tree or something else? We find the Tree Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Is there anything that you can eat that is going to give you the knowledge of Good and Evil? Is it possible that God is using symbolism here as He does throughout the Bible?
Genesis 3:22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Here we have a tree that gives life the tree of life. Again I ask is there a fruit that you can eat and live forever?; Or is God using symbolism. The answer is yes God is using symbolism, Jesus said I Am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. God always is fair if He give one side one thing He gives the other side something as well of equal weight. That may not be the best way of saying it. Neither one of these were a fruit tree. The Tree of Life is Jesus and The Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil is Satan.
Ezekiel 28:3 Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: God was talking to Satan The Prince of Tyrus. He is wiser than Danial and Danial was one of the wisest men to ever live.
Is there anything that you can eat that is going to give you the knowledge of Good and Evil? Is it possible that God is using symbolism here as He does throughout the Bible?
Genesis 3:22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Here we have a tree that gives life the tree of life. Again I ask is there a fruit that you can eat and live forever?; Or is God using symbolism. The answer is yes God is using symbolism, Jesus said I Am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. God always is fair if He give one side one thing He gives the other side something as well of equal weight. That may not be the best way of saying it. Neither one of these were a fruit tree. The Tree of Life is Jesus and The Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil is Satan.
Ezekiel 28:3 Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: God was talking to Satan The Prince of Tyrus. He is wiser than Danial and Danial was one of the wisest men to ever live.
I think Adam knew this would be the case.
because they could have eaten from the tree of life instead of taking a bunch of time to make garments out of fig leaves, yet they didn't.
The world has always had good and evil from the moment of creation. The tree of knowledge was there in the garden, but it wasn't to be eaten.
In this world there is up so there can be down, good so there can be evil, short so there can be tall.
There were no people until Adam.
So when you say 'as He was never seen before' - seen by who?
Something to keep in mind: the angels saw all these things being created and taking place. So, when we ask why did God put these two trees in the garden, we maybe should not approach the question from such an human-centered perspective. Perhaps God did these things to show them something.
I don’t know how the world was at creation and I don’t know how you know that the world was evil but this is more about the state of mind of Adam and Eve. There were in a child-like state. No clue of their consequences or what death meant.
So why are we here? To appreciate God more and sing praises to Him out of free will. Because free will makes you appreciate God more than when you are in a child-like state in presence of God.