THE FRUIT TREES OR THE FORBIDDEN TREE
Genesis 2:16-17 - And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day* that you eat thereof you shall surely die.
[*Note: Adam did not die physically that day; he died spiritually - see Ephesians 2:1-5. Adam lived physically unto the age of 930 years - see Genesis 5:5. Note that he lived less than a thousand years; in God's economy, God being eternal and not affected by time - see 2 Peter 3:8 which reads "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day - also see Psalm 90:4.2.]
THE TREE OF FAITH
Genesis 3:22-24 - And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of Us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat, and live forever . . . the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from where he was taken.* So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden Cherubim (four-winged angels), and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep (block; guard) the way of the Tree of Life.
[*Note: Adam was formed from the dust of the earth and then placed in the Garden of Eden - see Genesis 2:7-8. Because the Tree of Life was in the garden, God removed Adam from the garden, and he was then in the place where he was formed.]
THE TREE OF DEATH PROVIDES LIFE
Acts 5:30-31 - The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, Whom you slew and hanged on a tree.* Him has God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince (a prince awaits his turn to be king) and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 10:38-40 - God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; Whom they slew and hanged on a tree:* Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly....
Acts 13:27-30 - For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause of death in Him, yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree,* and laid Him in a sepulcher. But God raised Him from the dead....
Galatians 3:13-14 - Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hanged on a tree:* that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
1 Peter 2:21-24 - For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously: Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree,* that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.
[*Note: "Tree" is a metaphor for the cross upon which Christ gave His life - see Matthew 27:32, 40, 42; Mark 15:21, 30,32; Luke 23:26; John 19:17, 19, 25, 31; Philippians 2:8; Colossians 1:20; 2:14; and Hebrews 12:2!]
FALLEN HUMANITY HAS ALWAYS TRUSTED IN THE WRONG TREE!
BORN AGAIN HUMANITY TRUSTS IN THE RIGHT TREE:
THE CROSS UPON WHICH JESUS PAID FOR OUR SINS WITH HIS LIFE!
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