Originally posted by RJHinds
It is my understanding that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
was in the middle of the Garden of Eden.
There were two trees mentioned. My focus here will hopefully be on the Positive tree -
the tree of life which represents God to be dispensed into man for a union of the Divine with the human.
"And out of the ground Jehovah God caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, as well as the tree of life in the middle of the garden ..."
Focus on the words -
"the tree of life in the middle of the garden".
The word of God first mentions
the tree of life in the middle of the garden. When we are clear concerning this we can go on to see what else it says.
" ... the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
The OTHER tree is mentioned. It is a poison tree. It brings man into bondage to Satan. My focus here is on
"the tree of life in the middle of the garden."
Now, one may point out that the woman said to the serpent
"But of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has saod, You shall not eat of ut, nor shall you touch it, lest you die." (Gen 3:3)
You have some ground to say that at least Eve refered to this Satanic tree of the knowledge of good and evil as being, in her view, in the middle of the garden.
But I believe that the created man was placed before
the tree of life as the choice which God desired for man as His perfect will.
We see the tree of life mentioned in connection with the paradise of God in
Revelation 1:7 -
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God."
God's life is central to God's eternal purpose. That God would dispense His life into man for a union of man with God is
central to the eternal purpose of God. So I emphasize
the tree of life in the middle of the garden, though I admit the other tree is mentioned.
There should be no problem realizing the centrality of this
tree of life in the final consumation of God's will, the New Jerusalem:
"Blessed are those who wash their robes that they may have right to the tree of life and man enter by the gates into the city." (Rev. 22:14)
Redemption is to recover man's right to take into himself God Himself as the Divine Life.