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Sunday, September 20, 2015

Why Did God Put Man in Front of Two Trees in Genesis 2?

  Everyone seems to know the story of Adam and Eve in the garden.  As a kid I learned that they disobeyed God and ate the apple that they weren't supposed to and because of that they were thrown out of the garden. But is that all this story is supposed to tell us?  

    I've realized by reading this Life-Study that in order to really get this,  I need to factor in the events that occurred between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.  It's amazing that  after Satan and his followers rebelled, God didn't annihilate them all.  I learned in chapter 7 of this Life-Study that God won't do this because it gives Him more glory if man (another created being) would defeat His enemy.  
   
   You may be thinking what on earth does this have to do with anything?  But I learned in this Life-Study that this tree represented none other but God's enemy Satan.  Have you noticed here that God doesn't even tell Adam anything about the epic battle that's been raging between them or anything about what these two trees really symbolize.  

   God's going to leave the choice up to Adam because I'm sure you've noticed that God in His greatness made man with a free will. In chapter 13 of the Life-Study of Genesis Witness Lee mentions this in the opening that only a small person forces someone to take his way, and a great person  allows you freedom of choice.  Surely our God is the greatest One in the universe!

   I guess what puzzles people a lot when they read this story is why did God leave this tree that represents the evil nature of Satan there in the garden of Eden?   I liked reading on  page 160 brother Lee's  thoughts on this:
When I was a young Christian, I was bothered by this.  I said, "Why did God put man into such a dangerous situation?  If I had been God, I would have removed the tree of knowledge of good and evil, I would have left the tree of life, placed man in front of it, and built a high protective wall to keep him safe. Why didn't God do this?  Why did God put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden as  a temptation?  Every problem comes from this source.  Why didn't God take it away?  If He had removed the tree, it would have saved us a great deal of trouble."  I was not the only one who had these questions.  Many young people asked me the same thing.  However, if God had not given man a choice, He would have forced him to take the tree of life.  God is too great to do such a thing.  God is honorable and attractive.  In order to display His greatness and prove His attractiveness, He needs the second tree (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Genesis. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1974 Print).
Through Adam and Eve's disobedience, the evil nature of Satan entered into them and into all mankind after them (See Romans 5:12-19).   And in chapter 14 I was surprised to read that all of God's believers are now a miniature garden of Eden with Christ in our spirit as the tree of life,Satan  is in our flesh as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and  in the middle is our soul with our power to think, feel, and decide.  After reading these chapters in the Life-Study of Genesis there's a question in my heart on what tree am I going to "eat"? 

You can  also listen to live excerpts from these messages on  Genesis on Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.  

Other Posts on the Life-Study of Genesis:

From the Life-Study of Genesis - What is the Focus of the Bible?
What Happened Between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2?
Why Did God Create Man in Genesis 1:26?
Why Did God Create Man With 3 Parts in Genesis 2:7?
Why Did God Put Man in Front of the Two Trees in Genesis 2?
Seeing God's Purpose of Life & Building in the Book of Genesis
What is the Story Behind the Story of Cain & Abel?
What Did Enosh Learn to Do in Genesis 4:26?
How Did Enoch Escape Death in Genesis 5:24?
Why Did Noah Need to Find Grace in Genesis 6:8?
What Does the Rainbow Symbolize in Genesis 9:13?
How Did God Call Abraham in Genesis 12:1?
How Did God Fulfill the Birth of Isaac in Genesis 12:7?
What Does the Marriage of Isaac & Rebekah Show in Genesis 24?
How Does the Story of Jacob Show God's Selection in Genesis 25?
Why Did Jacob Dream About a Ladder in Genesis 28:12?
Seeing Our Spiritual Journey in the Lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, & Joseph
Why Did Jacob Call theTwo Altars in Genesis 33 & 35 By Different Names?
How Do the Stories of Jacob & Joseph Mirror God's Purpose in Genesis 1:26?
How Did Joseph's Dreams Really Get Fulfilled in Genesis 41?

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