SERIES A --- YHVH’S PIONEERS -- LESSON 3

TWO TREES

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

From Genesis 3

Of all the creatures YHVH made, the serpent was the most cunning. [Did YHVH Command you not to eat any of the fruit in the garden?] he asked the woman one day. [Oh, no,] the woman answered. [Only the fruit from the tree in the centre of the garden is forbidden. YHVH warned us not to eat that fruit or even touch it, for if we do, we will die.] [YHVH knows that is not true,] said the serpent. [He knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat that fruit, and then you will have His power to know good from evil.] The fruit looked beautiful. The woman was sure that it would be delicious, and convinced by the serpent that it would make her wise, she picked some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, and he ate it, too. But as soon as the man and woman had eaten the fruit, they realized that they were naked, and they were ashamed. So, they sewed fig leaves together to make clothing to cover themselves. In the cool of the day the man and woman heard the sound of Adonai walking in the garden, and they were afraid. They quickly hid themselves among the trees of the garden. [Where are you?] Adonai called to the man. [When I heard You coming, I hid, because I was ashamed for You to find me naked,] the man answered. [Who told you that you were naked?] Adonai asked. [Have you eaten the forbidden fruit from the tree that I warned you not to eat?] [It was the woman You gave me who brought the fruit to me,] the man argued. [Then I ate it.] [Why did you do that?] Adonai asked the woman. [The serpent deceived me,] the woman answered. Then Adonai spoke to the serpent and told him of the punishment He was sending: [Because of what you have done, You are cursed more than all animals, Both the wild and tame animals of the earth. As long as you live You will crawl on the ground, Making your way through the dust. I will cause you and the woman and your offspring and hers to be enemies. While you strike at his heel, He will crush your head.] Adonai also spoke this punishment to the woman: [I will bring great pain to you when you give birth to children. Yet you will still desire your husband and he will rule over you.] To Adam YHVH gave this punishment: [Because you listened to your wife and ate the forbidden fruit the fruit which I warned you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; you will labour and struggle to earn a living from it as long as you live. While you sweat and toil to grow plants to eat, the soil will also grow thorns and thistles for you. Until the day you die you will sweat and toil to earn your daily bread. Then you will return to the ground from which you were taken; for you were made of dust, and to dust your body will return.] The man named his wife Eve, which meant [The One Who Gives Life,] for she became the mother of all people who were born on earth. Adonai made clothing from animal skins for Adam and Eve to wear. [The man has become like one of us,] Adonai said, [because he knows good from evil. Now he must not eat from the tree of life and live forever in this condition.] Therefore, Adonai drove the man out of the Garden of Eden and made him cultivate the soil from which he was made. At the eastern entrance to the Garden of Eden Adonai stationed cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction, guarding the path to the tree of life.

COMMENTARY

THE GARDEN OF EDEN

The Bible tells the story of human failure as well as of YHVH’s Love. Frequently, a tree plays an important part. Here we read of a forbidden tree, and of the disobedience which brought sin and death into our world. Later in the Bible we will read of a tree called [the cross,] where YHVH gave the gift of eternal life. Even in this tragic first story of sin, we catch a glimpse of a tree of life. Almost anyone who reads the account of Adam and Eve wonders about the Garden of Eden. What was it like? What kind of plants grew there? How large was it? Where was it located? What has become of it? The Bible is the only guidebook to Eden, and it gives only a few clues. The Genesis account says the river that flowed out of the garden divided into four branches that became the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Pishon and the Gihon. Two of these rivers are known today. The Tigris and Euphrates flow through the modern countries of Iraq, Syria and Turkey. But the Pishon and the Gihon remain a mystery. Some have suggested that they are branches of the Nile River in Egypt. Others say that they are smaller branches of the Tigris and Euphrates. The exact location remains a secret. What has happened to this marvellous garden? Nobody knows. Some believe it withered and died when YHVH expelled Adam and Eve. Others say it was destroyed by the waters of the Great Flood in Noah’s time. Some think the garden may still exist, hidden from men’s eyes. Many have searched for Eden, but no one has found the exact location. However, it would seem that the juncture of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers may be close. For modern man, the importance of Eden does not lie in its foliage or its location, but in the events that happened there and the lessons to be learned from them.