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.” (Genesis 2:16-17)

God's Command

The first thing we must notice is how the LORD God commanded the man (16). He told Adam what was good (and bad) for him. He told Adam he had a choice -- life or death.

And, for ancient Israel, a similar decision existed. God commanded them as well, and they could choose life or death. Near the end of Moses' life, he said:

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live...” (Deuteronomy 30:19, ESV)

So, in one sense, Adam's story would help Israel and every other generation of believers. God gets to command us, and His way is best. Adam's life demonstrates the evil of neglecting God's command. We should listen to Him.

You Shall Surely Die

And the consequence for disobedience, the eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was death (17). In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die, God said (17).

Of course, when Adam did eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he did not die right away. Death, for him, was eventual, not immediate. And because he and Eve covered themselves and hid from God, many have speculated God only meant spiritual death.

It is better, though, to see death's full package. Physical and spiritual death came to humankind as a result of sin. Spiritual death was immediate. Sickness and decay were also immediate. The world was cursed immediately. And, eventually, all of them would succumb to physical death.

And Adam would have understood the grave nature of this warning. He could not have comprehended everything death would entail, but he knew it severe and unwanted. The fact of the warning itself indicates man knew the meaning of the word. Perhaps, as some theologians believe, the Scripture allows for death in the animal kingdom before Adam's fall. Somehow and someway, Adam knew death was a severe outcome.

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

But what are we to make of the trees in Eden? Let's begin with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (17). The question: what does it mean to be knowledgeable about good and evil? It cannot mean Adam was not yet morally aware, for it seems impossible to live out of and be made in the image of God without knowing goodness and love. Besides, how could God hold Adam accountable for a moral failure he was not yet awake to. It also cannot mean omniscience or universal knowledge.

A clue is found in the temptation Satan brought to Eve:

“For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5, ESV)

It is possible that man's condition before the fall was one of childlike trust in God. He knew there was good and evil, but he went to God for those definitions. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, then, paved the way for life without God. His commands and opinions were no longer sought, though they were still needed. Man began thinking he could live without His creator.

If this is what the tree of the knowledge of good and evil provided, then it screams of the independence from God that so many in our fallen world crave. People want to cast off the yoke of God's morality and judgments. They don't want Him to declare what is good and evil, but to find out and define it for themselves. It is the debased mind described by Paul (Romans 1:28-32):

The Tree of Life

But what about the tree of life? Some have thought it a wellspring of everlasting life. This is based on God's directions to lock the garden of Eden away from humanity after the fall.

“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.” (Genesis 3:22, ESV)

Based on this, some have thought the fruit of the tree of life, just one bite of it, would lead to never-ending life. And God did not want us to live in death forever, so He kept the tree of life from us.

But others have seen the fruit of the tree of life as a sustainer of life. The idea here is that regular access to the tree of life could extend life, sort of a constant counteracting of the natural aging process the fall brought on.

And though I do not know, I do know the tree of life will be our forever possession.

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 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.” (Revelation 22:1–2, ESV)

There, with its fruit of the month, it seems the tree of life is meant to be continually consumed. Health and healing come from interaction with that tree.

The Choice

What should be obvious, though, is how God gave man a choice. Life or death. And, because the choice had to be real, man was given the ability to choose death, to choose against God. The temptation was real because the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was attractive (Genesis 3:1-7).

Today, another tree of life is offered to humanity. The cross of Christ is called a tree in Scripture (Galatians 3:13). It is the exact opposite of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was planted by God, but the cross was planted by man.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was beautiful, but the cross was ugly.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was forbidden by God, but the cross is God's invitation.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil keeps us from God, but the cross makes a way to God.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil resulted in sin and death, but the cross results in righteousness and sanctification.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil banished man from paradise, but the cross leads us to Paradise.

Choose life!