Daily Good News – The Two Trees

• Bible
• Bible study
• Christian Evidences
• Christian Living
• Christianity
• Eternal Life
• Faith
• Glory
• Gospel
• Grace
• Jesus
• New Testament
• Prayer

Aug 3, 2015 1211

“In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9).

There are many comparisons between the cross and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Both trees are in a garden. Genesis 2 is about a tree in a garden. Have you ever noticed in John’s gospel, “In the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden.” In connection with the tree in Genesis, it tells us that the tree was in the midst of the garden; when you read the story of the cross, they crucified two thieves and they put Jesus in the midst.

The tree in Eden was a tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and that’s what the cross is. At the cross we see the goodness of God, but it is a tree of the knowledge of evil because of how we react to God’s love – we spit on him; we refuse him. It was said of the tree in Eden that it was good for food, and Christ said that whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood – symbolism – will find the heavenly manna that results in heavenly life.

In connection with the tree God planted the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; in contrast, wicked men planted the tree of the cross. It is said about the tree of knowledge that it was pleasant to the sight; in contrast, the cross was hideous to the sight – the bleeding Son of God. We read about the tree of knowledge that man was forbidden to touch it; that disobedience would bring death.

When we come to the cross, there’s no greater disobedience than murdering the Son of God, and it brings death to all mankind. We read in Genesis that there were two thieves by the tree of knowledge – Adam and Even; they stole from the tree. When you come to the tree of Calvary there are also two thieves there. The thieves in Genesis are turned out of Paradise because they partake of the tree; when we come to Calvary, one thief partakes of the tree and is turned in to Paradise.