The Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil
Bible records that God created Adam and Eve, at the beginning they lived in a garden named “Eden”, they were happy, healthy and also had ideal job. They were living in a beautiful place, enjoying life enjoying rich and delicious food, enjoying the grace of eternal life.
But soon afterwards, something happened that had a profound impact on them and the mankind. It was related to a serpent and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This accompanied by fear and tremor, pain and disease, getting old and death. Some questions about the tree of knowledge of good and evil are worth of us to think about it.
1. What is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
2. Why was there a tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden?
3. What happens if eaten the fruit of it?
1. What is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
Genesis 2:9 is the first record about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Says “And out of the ground the YHWH 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 2:16,17 God warned Adam do not eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which would cause the death. ‘And the YHWH God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 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.”’
Please think about it, if someone eats the poisonous deadly food, usually within a few hours or one day or two days, his physical body will feel unwell or maybe die. But when Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they haven’t any discomfort, any physical sick or unwell.
Therefore, that tree did not cause the death to them physically. Surely there should be something HIDDEN BEHIND it, Bible did not provide the further information about the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but it is surely related to the Serpent (Satan) closely.
Just like Bible Job1:6-12 and 2:1-6, please read it. There was a meeting of Jehovah God and His sons including Satan in the Heaven, something happening in the heaven. Satan challenged Job that he was evil and unrighteous. Similarly, the tree of knowledge of good and evil was not only related to Adam and Eve (Human), but also related to the Heaven including Satan that we can’t see. Just same as Job, surely the tree was not only related to Adam and Eve, but also related to the Heaven and Satan.
2. Why was there a tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden?
Please imagine a caring parent who love their child so much, they always make delicious and nutritious food to them. One day they tell the child there are two dishes on the table. One is delicious and good for health, will make you strong. But another you must not eat, as you eat you will certainly die.
Would you feel very strange? Will someone make food to you but set a rule and order you cannot eat? Will you ask why make this food for me but does not allow me eat? Normally, if you make food for someone, you will expect and willing him to eat. If do not want him to eat, why make that food to him? Is it very strange?
On the other hand, if someone make the poisonous food for you to eat, will that person warn and command you don’t eat that food otherwise you shall die? Is it very strange? Normally that guy shall encourage you, and use any methods as he can to let you eat it, and as soon as possible, right?
So who want Adam and Eve eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? “Serpent”, surely is your answer. Yes, that’s true. Then we would know about the existing of the tree of knowledge of good and evil should be related to Devil(Satan).
Actually this “OLD” Serpent is Devil(Satan), how can we know that? Revelation 12:9 says “And the great dragon was thrown down, the SERPENT OF OLD who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”
But why did the serpent want Adam and Eve eat the fruit? Probable maybe if Adam and Eve eat that fruit can achieve Devil(Satan) a certain goal, or give something great to him. if something does not achieve a certain goal or gain nothing, who will put in a lot of effort?
It seems he wait and wait and discovered Adam and Eve were not interest about the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He knew that if he doesn’t take action, Adam and Eve will never eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Why we can say that? It’s simple, if he knew they would ate the fruit, he not need to take risk to deceive them, just wait. But it seems he need to take action and Satan knew he was taking a big big risk, that maybe judged by God. Why did he take this risk? You can imagine, should be something great he could gained if Adam and Eve eaten the fruit of the tree. He took the risk and actioned.
Surely, Devil (Serpent) elaborately planned and calculated how to deceive Adam and Eve. Firstly, he deceived Eve, not Adam or both of them. Maybe he watched Adam and Eve for a long time and knew that Eve trust someone easily, and Adam loved Eve very much so that he would’t refuse her.
Genesis 3:1 says “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the YHWH God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
“Serpent” started from asking Eve a question, “Is that you (Eve) cannot eat ‘ANY’ tree fruit of the garden?” Serpent(Devil) is much highly intelligent, why he asked this nocommon sense question? Everyone knows that humane must eat otherwise will death, and God told Adam and Eve only eat the fruit of trees.
Why Serpent did not ask directly, ‘Did God say that you should not eat from one of the trees, the tree of knowledge of good and evil?’. But asked her, ‘Did God say You shall not eat from ‘ANY‘ tree of the garden?’. Surely this is not a simple question. Why we can say that? Because Serpent is the Devil and his mind is full of evil, so his question shall be hidden something evils. Let’s think about why he ask this question, maybe…
Eve answered : “No, we CAN eat ANY trees of fruits, except the tree of knowledge of good and evil“. Actually, Eve’s answer is : we CAN eat ANY trees of fruits… Maybe that was the answer the Serpent wanted, that Eve answered herself “YES” subconsciously she CAN eat ANY trees of fruits, only one consideration.
Serpent said “You certainly will not die! 5 For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil”. Serpent made the worry of Eve disappeared, she won’t die.
She CAN eat ‘ANY’ trees of fruits, it will bring something great to her, become like God knowing good and evil. For her, surely may not exactly understanding the meaning “like God knowing good and evil”, but she feel amazing about it. Then Eve ate the fruit and gave to Adam, and he ate too.
Was Satan like a scammer? Just like parents warned their children not to go with strangers, and scammer lure them over and saying that I have a lot of candies and they are sweet, come here… Although we know not much about the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but the sure is close related to Satan(Devil).
3. What happens if eaten the fruit of it?
Surely, finally Adam and Eve died after eaten the fruit of tree of the knowledge of good and evil, although not immediately. But let’s see more verses of Genesis.
Genesis 3:6 says “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.”
Genesis 3:7 says “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves waist coverings.”
Genesis 3:10 says “He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
Verse 6 says, Eve ate the fruit but she was nothing change, she didn’t open her eyes. But when she gave the fruit to Adam and after he had eaten, both of their eyes were opened at the same time.
So, if the fruit make them open the eyes just works as take medicine, then Eve should opened her eyes immediately or at least earlier than Adam, because she ate earlier than him. But their eyes opened at the same time, that means made them change differently was not the fruit(physically), maybe it represents something hidden that we can’t see. Maybe…
Maybe it represents they accept something if they eat the fruit. What is that? Does it represent an “operating mechanism system- spirit system” hidden behind of it? Is that represents Adam and Eve allow this system enter their mind? It seems Satan has control right of this system which can change Adam and Eve’s mind.
Why we say that is a “system”, because Satan not only can send message to individual but all. System means it can affect all people, not only one by one. God forbid this “system” entered the human world, so He commanded Adam did not eat the fruit. But Satan used unrighteousness method to deceive Eve, and get the control right finally. And now he could send message to them, so they opened the eyes at the same time together.
But Bible didn’t mention there was someone send message to Adam and Eve, then how do we know that?
Genesis 3:11 says, ‘And YHWH said, <Who told you> that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?” ‘.
What did Jehovah God say? He said <Who>, <told you> naked.
That means someone has told them or gave them signal(message) that they were naked. Who told them? Surely not the God.
Just want to ask, who wanted very much Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit? Who deceived them ate the fruit? Yes, Satan(Devil). So that was Satan told them they were naked. Satan changed their minds, he told(sent) evil minds and evil ideas to them. Is that real? Any example about that? Yes.
Matthew 16:22,23 Jesus said to Peter strongly “And yet Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.”
What did Jesus define Peter’s improper mind? He said “Satan”, so it proves that evil mind come from Satan. What was the first message of Satan(Devil) sent to Adam and Eve? The first message was the improper thoughts and concept about – “Sexuality”.
And John 13:2 says how Satan affect Judas to betray Jesus ”And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him”. It proved again Satan can send “MESSAGE” to human(us) to affecting our minds.
Revelation 12:9 says ”And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him”. Bible says Satan deceives the whole world.
Why Devil want to deceive Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of tree of knowledge of good and evil? It seems that it represents Adam and Eve ‘ACCEPT’ or ‘ALLOW’ Satan to build a symbolic bridge with them. If they eat the forbidden fruit, it is like they open their mind ‘window’ to Satan, they allow Satan send message(evil minds, sin) to them directly, to affect or change their minds to do evils(sins). Someone says our eyes are the windows of the soul.
There was never happened before. Before they ate the fruit the mind(soul) ‘window’ was always locked, and Satan couldn’t enter. No doubt, from the moment when they ate the fruit, Satan could send message to all. And Bible said sin entered the world from that time.
Romans 5:12 says “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned”.
How could the sin enter into the world? Bible said it was through one man(Adam). And where did sin come from? It was through Satan.
What is ‘Sin’? what does it mean? Actually Bible does not explain clearly what is that, but says sin started from Adam and Eve after they eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
What is the difference between the ‘Before’ and ‘After’ they ate the fruit? We see that the evil mind(sin) has come after they ate the forbidden fruit. So probably sin represents evil mind, and it makes people doing evil things(sins).
Evil mind occurs in everyone whatever who you are (except Jesus) because our ancestor Adam ate the fruit of tree of knowledge of good and evil, it represents they accept Evil, accept Satan, accept Sin(evil mind) enter the world.
Why Devil Satan doing this? What did he want or gain? Maybe it can bring him the control right of human, or Power Authority, or gain something great for him. Please read <Babylon the Great>. In fact, we know little about the Heaven, but we are sure that he brings us pain, disease, war, death… to satisfy his selfish desires and ambitions.
There is an interesting question, why God calls that tree’s name “the tree of knowledge of good and evil”? If someone got the knowledge of good and evil, isn’t it a wonderful thing? It sounds a very beautiful and good name of that tree, right? But it causes human death, then why did God call this name? We believe that, if God called the name “the knowledge of good and evil” of that tree it must be the truth.
Please think about it, will God has any unrighteous or evil thoughts himself? Absolutely no!
Romans9:14 says “What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? Far from it!“
Why can we believe that faithfully?
Because Genesis 35:11 says “God also said to him, ’I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply…’”
Jehovah God says He is Almighty God, that means he CAN accomplish his will by using many different methods. He no need to use some specific methods(such as evil method) but also can ACCOMPLISH his will. God will accomplish his will by using the good method(way), just same as the six creation days he declared “good”.
Does our Almighty God need to use evil ways to accomplish his will? Absolutely not. Our Almighty God has unlimited power and has unlimited ways(methods) to accomplish his will which we are unable to count. He knows the evil way is not good and harmful. He no needs to use it but also CAN accomplish his will, no matter how difficult is it. Because He is the Almighty God, God is good and all His will are good.
He knows what is the Truth and what is really good for us(everyone). So for Him hasn’t any injustice and evil thoughts, even a single bit. Actually, we should avoid talking about evil and Jehovah God together, because He is the Light, He is the Holy Holy Holy. 1 John 1:5 says “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”
Let’s think about how Adam and Eve were being created by God. Did they have evil minds? Would God create evil thoughts to them? Absolutely not! For God Himself won’t has any evil minds and He won’t give it to them too. So at the beginning when God created Adam and Eve, they have NO any idea or concept about evil, none of evils but only the goodness and righteousness mind. Then where is the “Evil Mind” come from? Absolutely not from God, yes you know the answer : from “Devil(Satan).
Please imagine when Jehovah God created all creatures, all of them have the righteous and goodness mind, none of evil in the Heaven and the earth . But at a day, started from one of the creatures, please read Ezekiel 28:11-19 verses with allegorical words, and especially verse 15 says,
“You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created UNTIL unrighteousness was found in you.” this verse says one day unrighteousness was found from one of the creatures, and unrighteousness(evil) started from this creature and he is the Father of evil(unrighteousness).
John 8:44 Jesus says “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Let’s think about how can human know the knowledge of good and evil? Firstly, give him the mind that come from God (represents good) to human, for him is doing good, and feel good. Then, another mind come from Devil (represents evil) entered, he will do or feel evils.
Romans 5:12 says “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world…”. When human had done or seen something good and evil, and comparing both of them after a while, he may know what is good and what is evil. For someone who could got the ‘knowledge of good and evil’, maybe using the whole of his life, or may not know even though when he died.
Anyway, after Adam and Eve eaten the forbidden fruit, as the Bible recorded, we don’t see they have gotten the knowledge of the good and evil, but injustice, hatred, killing, wars occurred afterwards so. For our world our society this “complex systematic” to know the knowledge of good and evil, we don’t know how long, maybe more than thousands years, who knows?
Yes, God knows. So why God called that tree “the knowledge of good and evil”? Obviously, He called this name showed us, if Adam and Eve eat the fruit, evil(sin) will enter into the world, then they will know the knowledge of evil but painfully. And finally humans would got the knowledge of good and evil, that will be the final result.
Something interesting about those 2 trees, that is Bible mentioned the ‘Tree of Life‘ again in Revelation. But the ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil’ is no more mentioned again, why?
Because if someone got the knowledge of something, that will be no need to mention again, just same as people know the truth of the Earth is round, that’s why Bible does not mention again. Devil, evil mind and sin shall be disappeared and no more exist in the future. On the other side, tree of life will be given again for healing the nations.
Another interesting question : why Jehovah God called that tree the knowledge of “good and evil”? Why didn’t God call that tree “Right and Wrong” or use other name?
This tells us, most He concerns of us is good and NO evil minds, not about Right or Wrong.
John 5:28.29 Jesus says “Do not be amazed at this; for a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come out: those who did the ‘Good’ deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the ‘Bad’ deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”
Who will Jesus resurrect and give them life? Yes, people have “Good” deeds. So the “Right” and the “Wrong” is not much important as we think. “Good and evil” and “right and wrong” sometimes can be totally different.
Many people emphasized that “I am Right! I am Right! You are Wrong!!” So, don’t angry so much and please forgive your husband when he did wrong or made some mistakes(maybe made dressing dirty or untidy), or your wife (maybe bought something wrong), or your kids (maybe did homework wrong), or your mother, father, brother, sister… classmate, neighbor, colleague… Or whatever we are right or wrong of some knowledge of the Truth.
God most concerns us is good and no evil, “good and evil” and “right and wrong” sometimes can be totally different, so the FIRST we concern should be “good and no evil”.
God knows that we will know the Truth finally(just as He called the tree “the knowledge of good and evil”), but it needs time. However, it does not mean knowing the Truth is not important, actually it is very important and we should keep learning and keep asking Heavenly Father to give us the Truth. Let us imitate God our Father to show mercy, not pursue other’s offenses, love good and hate evil. Amen.
Let’s Prayer
Please Jesus our lord as the high priest and God’s beloved son, please ask Heavenly Father to forgive us. Our Heavenly Father, please forgive us for many of us even can’t distinguish between left and right, so how can we distinguish good and evil?
So please Jesus pray to heavenly Father to forgive us and save us from evil. We admit that we are sinners. Please create a clean heart for us, and a new, steadfast, good spirit for us, and don’t let us fall into the temptation of the devil. Amen.
Our Father in heaven, may your name be holy, and may your kingdom come. May your will done on earth as it is in heaven. You, our Lord, our God, are worthy of Glory, Dignity, and Authority; because you created all things, and because of your will, we are existed and were created. May we all glory and praise our Almighty God and worship and honor you.
Amen.
Prayer is also in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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