The Tree, The Tree & The Tree

Thoughts on three Trees.

1. The Tree of The Knowledge of Good & Evil
The motives that led to disobey God were, a desire to be independent ("You will be as gods"), this is the essence of all sin. A reliance on self ("to make one wise"), and, a love of self gratification ("good", "pleasant").
So when men seek by works of the law to live independently of God, he learns his own sin & shame & ends in death.

2. The Tree of Life
Similar to the 'Brazen serpent (Num 21:9) this tree is a medium through which life came. In one case it was "look & live" in the other it was "eat & live". Each taught the great lesson that eternal life is the gift of God received by faith when the sinner 'looks' or 'eats' (believes).
(The Tree of Life is perhaps the first shadow of Calvary).

3. The Tree on Which Jesus was Crucified
The above examples of 'the brazen serpent' & 'the tree of life' is a shadow of this tree. The Son of God was "hung upon a tree" so that life could come to us. He was "lifted up" (John 3:14), and so the believer receives eternal life.


[Taken from George Goodman's 70 Familiar Bible Stories, though I have edited it a bit]