Tree of Life - Day 5
“Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” Psalm 25:4-5
In Genesis 2:9 God tells of two specific trees He planted in the middle of the garden of Eden. These two trees are the only trees He names.
“And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”
And what a variety of trees too! Beautiful trees, big trees, small trees, fruit bearing trees, and flowering trees. All had their purpose. Then there are two curious trees specially mentioned by God, the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
First let’s consider the Tree of Life and its purpose. Remember God is the source of all life, including Adam’s life. How do we know that to be true? The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God…breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” If Adam became a living person, it was only because God gave him life. That means Adam belonged to God and should therefore do what He says. So this is what God said in Genesis 2:16-17:
“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But 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.”
So if Adam ate from the tree of life, what would that say about Adam? That he believed God and showed his belief by obeying Him in eating what God had permitted and by not eating what He had prohibited him to eat. But specifically, as to the Tree of Life, God was teaching Adam that God knew what was best for him and that God is not only his life-giver but also his life-sustainer. God gave Adam a choice. By eating of the Tree of Life Adam would be agreeing with God that He was his life-giver and life-sustainer - an awesome provider and his rightful authority. God, being Adam’s just and rightful authority, could place Adam in the garden and tell him what he could and could not do. Adam was to live under God’s authority. At this time, Adam was the only human who had been created. This is still the sixth day of creation, but Eve had not yet been made.
Genesis 2:15 says, “And the Lord God took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden to dress and keep it.” Adam not only has a home given to him by God, he also has a job to do, a work assignment given to him by God. This is the wisdom of God in providing for man’s good. Adam had a purpose to live for. Praise God for His wise gifts to man in the wonderful world He created.
“Thank you, Father, for lovingly providing not just what we need but many things for our sheer enjoyment. With it all, You gave us what we really need, a purpose to live. Amen.”
