THE TREE OF LIFE AND THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE

     In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, our answer to the question "What really matters?" begins to unfold.

“When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:5–9, ESV)

     The Hebrew word for man (vs 5) is the word "Adam".  Adam means man or mankind.  All of mankind (humanity) came forth from Adam--the first man.  We are all born of our own kind--man--Adam.  Adam's life, indeed all of mankind’s Life began in the refuge, the shelter of God’s rest. We began in God’s camp!  This refuge was a shelter of safety, created by God, always under God’s personal control. God provided everything. This garden was a place of rest. This was paradise!
     The Hebrew word for “garden”[1] contains the imagery of a hedged-in, well protected, well defined piece of ground. This ground was separated from the wilderness by the hedge row that acted as its shield, standing between the wildness of the wilderness (field, vs 5) and the protected territory contained within. The garden was a refuge of safety and rest.  The garden of God was the refuge of God's camp.
     Within the refuge of God's camp God placed two unique trees: the “tree of life” and the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” In the beginning God gave ONLY ONE command accompanied with one clear warning:

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:15–17, ESV)

     The “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” was the way of certain death! WHY? Apparently, this tree was the way to be God’s equal. Through this knowledge of good man can provide for himself, save himself and rule himself. For if man can believe that he or she is good in and of themselves, then the goodness of God is rendered irrelevant to them. God’s goodness, that is feeding off of God’s very presence, is not needed. Mankind can provide for themselves. Instead of actually experiencing the gift of the refuge of God’s provision, protection and presence, Adam could choose to take this burden upon himself and through the self-actualizing power of this knowledge of good and evil he or she can hope to attain equality with God. This is revealed in the next chapter of Genesis, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5, ESV)
     Mankind is now able to produce a good that is separate from the goodness that is God.  This good is born from mankind and NOT FROM GOD.  "Good" is one of the two mentioned fruit of man's camp.  The Bible calls this fruit--self-righteousness.  This fruit along with mankind will surely die.  This fruit does not impress God, neither will God reward it.  This "goodness" is accomplished without God and presented in the very face of God.
     The other fruit is "evil."  Mankind will know all evil--unspeakable evil--evil that through the powers of self-governance mankind will forever attempt to suppress, confine and hide.  This fruit along with mankind will surely die.
     Both of these fruit make up the sum total of mankind's shame.  The very life of Adam within us is mankind's collective shame.
     Life outside the camp of God's refuge is the reality in which ONLY MANKIND MATTERS (man’s camp); while, life within the camp of God's refuge is the reality in which ONLY GOD MATTERS—(God’s camp). Life outside the refuge is the reality in which man is in awe of man; life within the refuge is the reality in which man is in AWE of GOD.
     The “tree of life” was also in the midst of this paradise. The tree of life is what defined this paradise. The name “tree of life” implies God’s presence and that God IS the source of life and the all power and provisions for living that life. The ground upon which God is present is a separated ground, a sacred ground, a holy ground—the camp of God's refuge. Although the following words are not said, it is evident: God intended for Adam to freely and daily eat of the TREE OF LIFE.
     Elsewhere in the scriptures God reveals His presence as the tree of life. The word “tree”[2] in the Hebrew as used in this verse is actually the word “wood.” God also revealed His presence through the wood of Noah’s ark; through the wood of a burning bush; through Moses’ wooden staff; through the wood of the Ark of the Covenant; through Jesus’ revelation, “I am the vine and you are the branches . . . ;” and finally, through the wood of Christ’s redeeming cross.
     The tree of life was to be the source of mans’ life, strength and joy. God intended mankind to eat of this tree and remain in God’s presence and refuge forever. We were to always live in the refuge of God’s camp.
     Adam, however, chose to strengthen his own hand instead. By way of Satan's tempting Adam became impressed with himself. Adam desired to be like God and be independent of God rather than remain under God’s control and God’s care. He wanted to be as rich in knowledge and power and strength as God.
     The scriptures call this “pride.” In the New Testament, Jesus called this, “the deceitfulness of riches.”[3] This desire to be like God is the source of mankind’s blindness to the riches of God’s presence. This desire in Adam to be like God blinded Adam to the AWE of God. Adam became impressed with something other than God. Therefore, Adam approached and embraced the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Because of Adam’s actions—God true to His word—gave Adam the desires of his heart: knowledge to be good apart from God, build his world without the Creator, self-rule and total independence from God.


 “Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22–24, ESV)


     In the refuge of the garden Adam had it all: rest (Sabbath), safety, peace, joy, the very image of God within him, for Adam was indeed already like God.[4] Separated from the world (wilderness) Adam had everything needed for life and godliness. This is separation UNTO God (connected, dwelling with, walking with, abiding, consecrated, holy).
     Adam lost the very presence of God; a presence that every man and woman must search for with ALL his or her heart. In losing God’s presence Adam, along with him all of humanity, lost God’s nature and presence. Everything that was NOT GOD, Adam and humanity became—this is our present fallen state. Adam’s spirit was eternally banished from God’s presence and the refuge of God’s camp. This is separation FROM God.
     To ensure that Adam does not attain eternal life to remain forever in this fallen state, God placed a Cherubim wielding a flaming sword at the entrance to the tree of life and the garden—God’s camp. The only way back to the tree of life is through the flaming sword—that is death. If Adam want to depart from his fateful choice, he MUST pass through death to receive the new life that the tree of life provides.


[1] “Gan,” an enclosure, garden:—garden
[2] עֵץ ets (781c); from an unused word; tree, trees, wood:—carpenters*(4), framework(1), gallows(9), handle(1), logs(1), shaft(3), stalks(1), stick(8), sticks(3), timber(19), timbers(5), tree(74), trees(71), wild*(1), wood(111), wooden(6).[2]
[3] “but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” (Mark 4:19, ESV)
[4] “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, ESV)