Genesis 2:15-17
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord 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.”
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One of the main goals we have in this study of Genesis, is to recognize how certain themes originate here… carry themselves through the entirety of the Bible, and are fulfilled in the Gospel.
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The biggest ones we will see, have to do with the three rebellions…
Genesis 3… brings death and the loss of God’s presence.
Genesis 6… brings destruction, because mankind deteriorates morally without God’s presence in his midst..
Genesis 11… brings national division… - Moses describes Babel to us in Deut 32
8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. 9 But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.
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The rebellious nations were given an inheritance due to their rebellion. Yahweh would no longer be theirs. In their rejection, they earned other forms of leadership. - What was it? The were give a governance under the ‘sons of God’… - Spiritual leaders, powers and principalities… who also would rebel against God… and receive a judgment described in Psalm 82… - Spiritual being took rule over the nations… and in their rebellion, led these people into all kinds of wickedness and idolatry…
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But God took for Himself an inheritance… a portion… He took Jacob as His alloted heritage. - A PEOPLE… who, btw… didn’t even exist yet in Genesis 11… but came on the scenes in chapter 12, with the call of Abraham.
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These are things we will hit down the road when we finally reach chapter 11...
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But I mention them briefly here tonight… to show… how these events in Genesis… lay out a theme which is prevalent throughout the whole Bible… and is fulfilled in Jesus.
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Every curse brought on by the three rebellions… in Genesis 3, 6, and 11... is reversed in the work of Jesus and in the coming of the Holy Spirit..
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The Death.... the separation from God… the wickedness that comes from a lack of God’s presence… and the captivity of all the nations under the powers and principalities… - All of these things… from the three rebellions in Genesis… are reversed with the cross, the resurrection, and the coming of the HS at Pentecost.
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There are massive themes beings established in Genesis.
Stages are being set.
The implications of Genesis reach far, and explain so much about idolatry, false religions, the perpetual rebellions of humanity, the uniqueness of Israel, the design of the tabernacle, work and identity of spiritual beings, even into Revelation… we see connections with the new heaven and earth… and New Jerusalem…
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We will hit on all of this stuff as we continue on… but tonight, we are going to look at three verses and consider the implications of three things… Biblically:
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Trees in General
The Tree of knowing good and knowing evil
The Tree of life
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First off… let’s talk about trees in general.
In the ancient world, religious sites were often identified with trees. There might be a tree on a hill, or on a mountain, and an ancient religion would consider that tree as something holy. They would treat it like an idol and worship their gods in and through that tree. Babylonian and Egyptian religions even had a belief in sacred trees that offered divine life.
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Now, throughout this study, we will continue to reference the beliefs of the pagan cultures that surrounded Israel… and there are two points of significance on why we will do this.
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First off… it helps to know how the ancient people thought about terms and ideas… to fully understand how scriptures we read in our modern world, were received by people in the ancient world. This is why we spoke at length about the term ‘the one who rides upon the clouds’… and how, when God is called this… it’s a direct snub to a belief system that has Baal and El as their objects of worship. In the Ancient world… ‘the one who rides upon the clouds’… was Baal… and everyone knew it. -
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Secondly… the common religious beliefs of the ancient world inform the beliefs, responses, and actions of the people we read about in the Bible. We don’t always understand why these people are doing the things they are doing… but if we understand how they believed, it gives us a better understanding on why they act the way to do.
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Thirdly… and I believe this is the most important reason. We need to consider the parallels of belief between our Bible, and the doctrines of these ancient people. Why? Because, the closer we get to the source, the more easily we are able to identify, how a pagan culture observed something that was true, and corrupted it into a different belief system. They all had stories of the flood. Many of them had stories of spiritual beings who had children with humans and created giants. Many of them had, (and still have), the same supernatural worldview outlined in the passage we just read in Deut. 32:8-9.
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So, when we observe… that Babylonians and Egyptians believed in sacred trees that offered divine life… - It’s a reminder to us… that THAT idea, came from somewhere. That concept, started with a truth, before it became corrupt.
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I often recommend the book, ‘Eternity In Their Hearts’ by Don Richardson. - In that book, he looks at different religions and cultures, and traces their corrupt belief system back to something that looks an awful lot like the Gospel.
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In the very beginning of creation… trees were major players in God’s story with mankind. - That story has echoes through out the ancient world.
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Biblically… trees are popping up all the time.
After humans… they are the most mentioned of all living things..
They often illustrate moments of decision and testing for humans. This is most significant in Genesis 2… but also with Moses when he stands before a burning bush… (and don’t be distracted by terms like ‘bush’ or ‘vine’… categorically they speak of the same thing, even though our English puts them in different categories)…
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There is a significant connection between trees and humans..
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Their creation experiences parallel one another… - Everything else was spoken into existence… but trees and humans, were formed from the dirt… God breathed upon dirt to create Adam… and God caused the the trees to sprout from the ground.
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Throughout the Bible… tree language is used to speak of human characteristics, with words like, ‘seeds, fruit, uprooted, cut off, watered, leaves… and so on.
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One of the most familiar passages that uses tree language to speak of humans… is Psalm 1.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
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We use tree language in conjunction with people all the time… when we encourage one another to ‘bear fruit’ or to be mindful in ministry that… ‘one plants and another harvests’…
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In Judges 9… after the death of Gideon… there arose a conflict between two of his sons. One, Abimelech, was appointed as the leader of the nation. They even called him ‘King’… even though Israel had no kings as of yet. Another son of Gideon, whose name was Jotham… spoke a parable to the nation about his brother Abimelech…
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All the potential leaders of the nation… were represented as different trees (olive tree, fig tree, grape vine) who were reluctant to lead… but Abimelech was a thorn bush, a bramble… who would bring trouble upon the people.
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There is no small amount of tree language in the NT also… the most common of which is when Jesus refers to Himself as the vine… and us, as His branches. - But we’ll touch on that passage I’m sure when we dig into the ‘tree of life’.
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But first… let’s talk about this tree of ‘knowledge of good and evil’… literally… the tree of knowing good and bad.
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We already know where this tree is:
9 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.
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Both of these trees, were in the midst of the garden.. - the garden that God planted in Eden…
The word midst, tells us a couple things...
That these two trees were among the other trees...
And it tells us… that these two trees were ‘half-way through the garden’ or ‘in between the other trees in the garden’
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Basically… we conclude… that these two trees were in the middle of the garden. To eat from the other trees… you had to be close to, the tree of knowing good and bad.. To eat from the tree of life… you had to be close to, in the vicinity of… of the tree of knowing good and bad.
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We have specific instruction about the tree of knowing good and bad. - It is the only tree that they are commanded to ‘not eat of’… why? When they do eat of it, they will surely die.
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So… even though we haven’t reached these events in Genesis 3… we know, that they do eat of this tree, and we know… that in that moment, they don’t die. In fact, Adam lived to over 900 years.
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We know… that God does not lie… and we know that God said that the eating of the fruit will produce death… and we know that Adam lived to 930 years old. This information helps us to define just what God meant when He said, “You will surely die.”
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It means… that their actions led to them being cast out of the garden… they lost access to the tree of life… and as a result, they lost immortality. Without God’s presence, and w/o immortality, they, as humans, would sin… and sin leads to death. Eventually. Adam died.
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The tree of knowing good and evil is understood, by simply regarding it’s name. If you eat of this tree… this act of rebellion will corrupt your thinking. You will become a person who gains a personal understanding of what is right, and what is wrong. To put it Biblically… you will become a person who does what is right in your own eye…
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There are a ton of passages that proceed judgment and correction… with the statement… ‘the people did what was right in their own eyes’
6 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
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25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
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This statement is a common refrain throughout the book of Judges. This is where the people ended up w/o good leadership and direction.
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The wisdom writings have much to say about this....
15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
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This Proverb lays it all out… from beginning to end.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
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And what is the outcome of a people who do what is right in their own eyes? What is the outcome of an entire population just doing what is right in their own eyes?
We will see this outcome in the second rebellion of Genesis.. chapter 6...
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5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
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When Adam and Eve partook in the one act of rebellion that was available to them… they lost two things… they lost the presence of God… and they lost access to the tree of life. The result of this… was mortality. And mortality, led to them doing what was right in their own eyes… which led to their descendants doing what was right in their own eyes… which led to death… - in Genesis 6… it was a lot of death.
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So… this brings us to the third tree.
The tree of life.
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It too was planted in the midst of the garden… and Adam was told that he could eat of it.
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We learn a little bit about the tree of life, by what God says after the rebellion of Adam...
22 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—”
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We learn a few things about the tree of life in this passage.
First off - By eating of it, an additional life-force is given to man. Adam was created by God with life… but, by eating of the tree, apparently, there was a supernatural, immortal type of life available to him.
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Secondly - It is inappropriate, for humans who have gained the mindset of doing what is right in their own eyes… to have access to the tree of life.
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Why? Because they have already committed an action that led to corruption. - God…, here in vs. 22… speaking either amongst Himself in the Trinity… or amongst the divine counsel… recognizes… that mankind will not maintain an obedient relationship with God…- if man has a knowledge of good and bad, he should not have access to immortality. - ++
Interestingly… if this is God speaking amongst His counsel… there will be, according the spiritual being rebellion story of Psalm 82… a similar problem amongst these beings.
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Ps. 82:1… God takes His place in the divine council in the midst of the gods he holds judgment…
Ps. 82:2-5… He tells them how they have become wicked..
6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; 7 nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”
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Psalm 82:8 speaks a prophetic promise… that God will arise and take back the nations as His own inheritance…
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But what about these spiritual beings who rebelled and did wickedness? - They will… like men… die… and like any prince… they will fall.
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So, in Gen 3.22… and Ps. 82… we see, that this isn’t just a human problem. This is a divine being problem also… And for both beings… human and spiritual… the end result of doing what is right in your own eyes… is death.
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So… back to the tree of life. - after the sin… humanity is cut off from accessing it. As a result, humanity becomes mortal… and mortal beings, cannot… not sin… and therefore… they will surely die. The thing that sustained their natural life with something supernatural… was no longer accessible to them..
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But… the tree of life continued to be a major theme throughout the Bible. But in the OT… it merely becomes symbolic of wisdom and character.
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18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.
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30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.
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12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
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4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
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But… this is not the end of the tree of life. John sees a vision of New Jerusalem… and there, in that vision of the future… the tree is back.
2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
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Suddenly, we know a bit more about the tree of life. If it is the exact same tree of life from Genesis… we find out now that it has 12 kinds of fruit… which makes sense, because 12 is a number that God likes to group things in… It yields fruit monthly… and this part is cool… the leaves of the tree are for healing the nations.
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So… not only is there a life force of immortality in the fruit… but there is healing in the leaves… - What that means exactly, is beyond me. I read a few views on it, but they all felt like grasping at straws…
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Now… there is more ‘tree of life’ stuff happening between Genesis 3, the Proverbs, and Revelation 22…
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The fruit of the tree gives spiritual life… this is something we know about the tree of life…
…Now.. remembering that… let’s look at a few things Jesus said.
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5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
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I think… what we are seeing here, is that Jesus is letting us know… that He is ultimately… the tree of life.
In Genesis… if there is life giving power in the tree of life… it is something supernatural that comes from God.
In Revelation 22… if there is life and healing in the tree of life… is is something supernatural that comes from God.
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In the Gospels… Jesus makes it abundantly clear… that eternal life.. and healing… are things that are available… to those who WOULD ABIDE IN HIM.
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And yet… to abide in Him… to truly know Him… to receive what He has for us… we need to be recipients of a work that happened on a different kind of tree.
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To reverse the curse of death from Genesis three… someone had to conquer death. And that’s what Jesus did..
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How did he die? On a cross. But don’t you find it interesting that the cross is called a tree more than once.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,
29 And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
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These verses use a different word than the standard word for cross… - this word is either translated ‘tree’ or ‘wood’… while the word for cross was ‘stake’ or ‘pole’.
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But the scriptures do call it a tree… and that means somethings.
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And I personally… think it’s a link to the tree of life… - The tree of life, is where God gave supernatural life and healing to people. - And this is exactly what Jesus became when He was crucified.... He became a tree… through which life and healing are available.
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And through His resurrection… He became an eternal source of life and healing… to the nations. - … to all those who would abide in Him… to those who would trust in Him, and identify with Him… To those who would align themselves to HIm…
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The cross reverses the curse of Genesis 3...
They were cut off from the tree… and they were cut off from a relationship with God..
But through the cross… the life which came from the tree, is again ours… and our relationship with God… is restored.
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There is actually… a lot more content on the tree of life… but we only have a small amount of time, and I wanted to make this somewhat consumable..
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So, we will end there… and move on to the naming of the animals and the creation of Eve next week.