Genesis 2:8-9
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Have you ever asked why did God planted the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden? Let’s be real! Everyone who hears, reads, or listens to this part of God’s creation ponder on that question. To understands God's mindset, you can't skip His last warning in verse 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" God does not practice trickery. From the beginning of creation, He gave us options. Unfortunately, many continue to choose death instead of life. In Genesis chapter 3, humans chose to listen to Satan's voice instead of God regarding the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The serpent was not Satan, but it had tendencies that invited the spirit of Satan to lead Eve and Adam astray. For many years, I have heard sermons suggesting that the woman was weaker, which is why Satan approached her first. As I read scripture and observed different species (female and male), I believe a unique transition occurred during the fall of humankind in the garden. Satan knew that if he could get through the stronger link, it would be easier to draw the weaker link to follow. Initially, God created men to represent His strength in authority. For example, God gave Adam instructions about what would happen if he ate from the tree and expected him to lead Eve. Eve was not yet created when God gave Adam these instructions; therefore, we can only assume Adam shared them with her because she repeated them to the serpent.
Has it ever occurred to you that what God said to Adam exposed his character and God's disappointment with his willingness to relinquish the authority He had given him? "And to the man he said, 'Since you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat from it,' cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life'" (Genesis 3:17). In 1Peter 3:7, men are instructed to treat their wives with understanding and honor them as the weaker vessel. This scripture emphasizes that men and women are heirs together, warning men that their prayers may be hindered if they do not treat their wives properly. Men’s failure to trust God's wisdom led to heartbreak for God, enabling Satan and his demons to lead humankind into detestable acts, starting with Cain killing his brother Abel out of jealousy (Genesis chapter 4). As humanity multiplied from Adam and Eve's generations, evil grew on earth. It grew so much that even angels who were God's messengers fell into temptation by sleeping with the daughter of earth (women) and created giants on earth—Nephilim (Genesis 6:1-4; Jude 1:6). Humans' continuous disregard for God's law led Him to destroy the earth (Genesis chapters 6-8). Knowing that humankind would continue to sin, God made a covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never again to use water to destroy all life (Genesis 9:12-17). God did not stop there; He provided a way back to Him through Jesus Christ, who is the only door to God. "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus came to restore humanity back to God in the order He always intended, reestablishing trust and authority tainted by Adam's disobedience when he allowed himself to be persuaded by Eve. Jesus, the Word who became flesh (John 1:1-14), came to show us how to live for God's glory. He is coming back to reward those who have responded to His sacrifice and destroy those who have chosen to be God's enemies. Are you ready to face your Creator, Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and Judge on that final day (Revelation 20:11-15, Revelations 22:12-19)?
