Trees- Lesson 1 (4-25-21)

Overview

The Two Trees in Paradise

Scripture often pictures God as a Gardener, and trees mark some of the most pivotal moments in His dealings with us. In Eden, the Lord planted a garden and set within it two trees of particular significance: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil Genesis 2:8-17. The Hebrew behind "Tree of Life" carries the sense of "the tree that gives life"—not by some property native to the wood itself, but because God's Word was attached to it. In this we glimpse a pattern that runs through Scripture: God joins His Word to tangible things to bestow His gifts. The same logic shapes the Sacraments, where Word joined to water washes us, and Word joined to bread and wine delivers Christ's body and blood.

The second tree carried a clear and good prohibition—the kind of command a loving parent gives to keep a child from harm. The serpent's strategy, however, was to twist the Word and call God's goodness into question Genesis 3:1-6. That serpent, Revelation tells us, is the devil himself Revelation 12:9. Eve's first error was entering into dialogue with him at all; she then added to what God had said ("nor shall you touch it"), and once the Word was altered, the lie could take root. Rather than answering with "Thus says the Lord"—as Christ later would in His own wilderness temptation—our first parents began to rationalize disobedience as wisdom. They came to know evil firsthand: the evil of the devil, of their actions, and of themselves.

Yet hope breaks into this sad story. To the serpent God declared, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" Genesis 3:15. Strikingly, this is the only place in the Old Testament where the masculine word "seed" is paired with the feminine "her"—a prophecy of the Messiah born without a human father, the Savior who would come through a virgin. The expulsion from the garden, with the cherubim guarding the way to the Tree of Life, was itself an act of mercy Genesis 3:22-24; God would not let humanity live forever locked in the state of sin and death. As sin entered through a tree, so forgiveness, life, and salvation would come through another tree—the cross. The ancient Communion preface captures it beautifully: "He who by a tree once overcame might likewise by a tree be overcome."

The story closes where it began—in a garden. In the new creation, the Tree of Life grows again on the banks of the river of the water of life, its leaves for the healing of the nations Revelation 22:1-2. This is paradise restored. For those claimed in the waters of baptism, this is not distant mythology but promised inheritance. We live our days on this side of heaven holding fast to God's Word—neither adding to it nor subtracting from it, neither bargaining with the tempter nor rationalizing his suggestions—trusting the Christ who won us back by the tree of the cross, and looking forward to the Tree of Life that awaits us in the presence of our Lord forever.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to this class simply entitled, Trees. 2s

Let's pray. 8s

It is truly meat, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places. 10s

Give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty ever-lasting God, 16s

who on the tree of the cross did give salvation unto humankind, 22s

that whence death arose, thence life also might rise again, 28s

and that he who by a tree once overcame might likewise by a tree be overcome 35s

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 43s

That prayer comes from the Holy Communion proper preface for Lent. 48s

It is a good prayer, I believe, to begin this series on Trees. 55s

Of all the various images that we can have with regard to God that are born from Scripture, 61s

perhaps the image of Gardener doesn't immediately come to mind. 67s

And yet we see our heavenly Gardener using Trees throughout Holy Scripture. 74s

And so for these next five weeks I'd like to examine with you some of these Trees, 85s

and I pray that this study will be a blessing. 90s

Today, our session is entitled, The Two Trees in Paradise. 95s

Let's begin in Genesis 2. Genesis 2. 102s

And we'll begin in verse 8. Genesis 2. 108s

And the Lord, God, planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 115s

Our first parents, God gave the whole earth to, and in particular he gave a certain plot called Eden. 126s

And there were many types of Trees in the Garden of Eden, but there were two Trees specifically highlighted, 135s

the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 142s

When it comes to the Tree of Life, a more exact rendering of the Hebrew would be the Tree that gives life, 147s

the Tree that gives life. 157s

And so by eating of the fruit from the Tree of Life, they would have life and life with God forever. 160s

How could that be? 172s

Well, it's the Word of God applied to that Tree. 173s

Well, and it's very own sap, one could even say. 178s

It was set apart and set up for that purpose to give life. 184s

When God named the Tree, the Tree of Life, that's what that Tree provided. 190s

Just a little aside here on that, one sees an illusion to the Sacraments here, don't you? 199s

Our first parents would eat of the fruit of this Tree, and the bodies would receive life that God wanted to bestow. 207s

God made the Word tangible, even edible. 217s

Now, think of the Sacraments for a moment. 223s

God puts His Word with the water, and we are washed in that Word, or God puts His Word with the elements of Holy Communion, 226s

and we receive the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 237s

One can see as early as the Tree of Life, kind of a picture pointing ahead to the Sacraments, baptism, and Holy Communion, and how God deals with us. 242s

Let's look at chapter 2 once again in Genesis, verse 15. 258s

The Lord God took the Man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 266s

And the Lord God commanded the Man. 271s

You may freely eat of every Tree of the Garden, but of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat. 273s

You shall die. 286s

There was a penalty attached to eating from that particular Tree, wasn't there? 289s

All the other trees, fine. 295s

But that particular Tree, there's the penalty with regard to eating. 299s

Verse 17 again, 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 die. 303s

This is really a good command of the Lord. 316s

It's like when a parent tells a child, don't play in the street. It's dangerous. 320s

Or a teacher says to children on the playground, if the ball goes over the fence, don't hop over the fence and go and get the ball. 326s

Come and get a teacher. 335s

Why is that said? 337s

Well, that command is said for the safety of the people. It is a good command. 339s

Here's the question. 348s

Why was the Tree named the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? 350s

Why did it have that name? 357s

Let's go to chapter 3, verse 1. 361s

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, 366s

Did God say you shall not eat from any tree in the garden? 375s

The woman said to the serpent, 380s

We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 383s

You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die. 388s

But the serpent said to the woman, 398s

You will not die. 400s

For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God knowing, good, and evil. 401s

Notice here the shrewdness of the snake. 414s

Back in verse 1, now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. 419s

But the serpent is not just any old reptile. We know who it is. 427s

Take a look with me please. 434s

At Revelation, chapter 12, 435s

Revelation, chapter 12, verse 9. 439s

The great dragon was thrown down that ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. 448s

He was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him. 458s

We know who the serpent is in the garden. 466s

It is the devil himself, who, for whatever reason, chose this animal for its disguise. 469s

Back now to Genesis chapter 3, Genesis chapter 3, verse 1 again, 480s

second or halfway through, verse 1. 489s

He said to the woman, 493s

Did God say you shall not eat from any tree in the garden? 495s

The devil goes right after Eve by going after the word of God. 502s

The devil tries to convince Eve that God doesn't have Adam and Eve's best interest in mine. 512s

He is simply acting purely out of meanness to say, well, you can eat of every tree, but don't you dare touch this one. 519s

The devil tries to get them to believe that God isn't taking their best interests to heart. 526s

Notice the response, verse 2. 534s

The woman said of the serpent, 536s

We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 538s

You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, 542s

nor shall you touch it, or you shall die. 546s

But notice what she does here. 552s

She adds to, she altars, what God said. 556s

God never said that they couldn't touch the tree. 561s

Already here you have this altering of the word, what God said. 567s

Verse 4, but the serpent said to the woman, 576s

You will not die. 578s

For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, 580s

and you will be like God, knowing, good, and evil. 584s

That's a lie, isn't it? 591s

It's Satan coming to them and saying, 594s

Well, just think what would happen if you just took a bite. 597s

Why? Just think what could happen. 601s

God doesn't have the best, your best interest in heart. 604s

It's just being mean to you here of not letting you eat of it. 606s

The only response back should have been, 612s

Thus say of the Lord. 615s

That's how Jesus responded. 617s

Remember when he was tempted by Satan. 618s

He said, Thus say of the Lord. 620s

Thus say of the Lord. 622s

Thus say of the Lord. 623s

But the problem here, 624s

it's there's a, thus say of the Lord, 627s

but an altering of what the Lord said. 630s

So it's not firmly rooted in simply that which God said, 634s

but there's an altering of it. 638s

You see one of Eve's mistakes here was to enter into a dialogue 643s

with Satan. 647s

Nope, it should have been the pure word of God that is proclaimed. 649s

Satan is trying to draw them away from the word. 653s

And what happens? 659s

Instead of resting in the word that God had given them, 661s

verse 6 tells us. 666s

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food 670s

and that it was a delight to the eyes 673s

and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, 675s

she took of its fruit and ate and she also gave some to her husband 679s

who was with her and he ate. 683s

Then the eyes of both were opened and they knew that they were naked 686s

and they sewed fig leaves together and made loin claws for themselves. 690s

All of a sudden when they understand that they are naked, 697s

that's the Bible way of saying that they took their eyes off of God. 699s

See the rationalization process that goes here? 704s

No longer are Adam and Eve rooting that which they do 708s

in the promises in the word of God and in God's commands. 712s

Now all of a sudden it is launching into this rationalization 717s

of somehow disobeying God and eating of the forbidden tree 722s

is somehow a good thing. 729s

Now they know not only what is good but also what is evil. 735s

They know the evil of the devil, they know the evil of their actions, 745s

they know the evil of who they are now as one who has disobeyed God. 750s

They know the evil of their selves. 760s

They have determined for their selves that which is right and wrong. 761s

Look at Genesis 3, verse 22. 771s

Then the Lord God said, see the man has become like one of us, 778s

knowing good and evil. 783s

And now he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life 786s

and eat and live forever. 791s

Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden 793s

to till the ground from which he was taken. 797s

He drove out the man and at the east of the Garden of Eden 800s

he placed the cherubim and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way 804s

to the tree of life. 810s

This is really an act of mercy here, expelling them from the Garden 815s

because now if Adam and Eve eat of the tree of life 821s

since they had corrupted themselves because of sin they would live forever 826s

but in the state of sin and death. 834s

So when God expels them from the Garden 840s

this is really an act of mercy. 841s

Amidst this sad, sad story about our first parents placed in the beauty of Eden 851s

imagine what that must have looked like in the beauty of the foliage 859s

and the trees and God providing for them and saying you can eat of every tree 864s

of the Garden except this one. 870s

Yet our first parents disobeying God listening to the voice of Satan 873s

rationalizing their actions. 880s

It is such a sad, sad story but emerging out of this sad, sad story 884s

the light of hope shines. 891s

Verse 15 of chapter 3. 895s

Verse 15, chapter 3. 900s

The Lord God here is speaking to the serpent. 904s

He says, I will put enmity between you and the woman 909s

and between your offspring and hers. 913s

He will strike your head and you will strike his heel. 918s

Let me read that to you again. 923s

I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers. 925s

He will strike your head and you will strike his heel. 932s

That word offspring bear can also be translated as seed. 941s

But this is what I want to highlight. 947s

This is the only place in the Old Testament, the only place 950s

where the feminine pronoun of her is attached to the masculine word seed. 956s

So going back into verse 15, I will put enmity between you and the woman 966s

and between your offspring and hers. 973s

He will strike your head and you will strike his heel. 978s

What we have here is a prophecy, a prophecy of the Messiah to come. 987s

Because to the Hebrew ear, when they hear that word seed, which is male, 992s

but they hear it in association with her seed, 1001s

it is going to catch their ear. 1006s

It is the prophecy of the Messiah to come. 1010s

It indicates the birth of one without a human father, without his seed. 1013s

All the way back into Genesis 3, you have the prophecy of the virgin birth, 1022s

you have the prophecy of the Savior that will come. 1028s

As sin entered the world by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 1035s

so by the tree of crucifixion, forgiveness, life, and salvation come into the world. 1040s

As Satan was once over, once overcame by a tree, 1050s

tempting our first parents to pluck from the forbidden fruit. 1058s

As Satan once overcame by a tree, likewise now, he has overcome by the tree. 1063s

And so that is why we pray, and that he who by a tree once overcame 1073s

might likewise by a tree be overcome through Christ our Lord. 1080s

The beauty of the liturgy and the beauty of the biblical truth that is communicated. 1088s

Lastly, let's go to Revelation 22, Revelation 22, verse 1. 1098s

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life bright as crystal, 1109s

flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city, 1115s

on either side of the river is the tree of life, 1123s

with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month, 1130s

and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 1136s

This is glorious picture, and it harkens back to the Garden of Eden. 1143s

In the Garden of Eden, a river went out to water the garden, 1149s

and here is the image of a river flowing out of the throne of God with the water of life. 1154s

And there is the tree of life once again in heaven growing along the banks of the river. 1164s

It is this beautiful intimate communion with God forever in heaven. 1176s

That's why this portion of Scripture is so often called in Revelation, 1184s

Paradise restored. 1191s

It harkens all the way back to Genesis. 1194s

It harkens all the way back to the two trees. 1196s

It harkens all the way back to the tree of life. 1198s

And now in heaven it is this image of the tree of life once again emerging. 1201s

What a glorious word of comfort that is for us, 1210s

claimed in the waters of baptism. 1215s

Heaven, a reality for us, God coming and taking the victory of the cross and the empty tomb 1218s

and washing us in it, grasping us as His own, 1227s

making His decision about us, the last judgment in miniature. 1232s

And now we can live all of our days this side of heaven, 1237s

knowing of the paradise that awaits us, 1243s

the return of the tree of life and the beauty of heaven 1248s

where we will be with our Lord forever. 1253s

Let's pray. 1259s

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank You for this time today and Your word, Your word is truth. 1261s

We thank You, Lord, for Your use of trees. 1267s

And we ask for Your blessing on this study, 1271s

the blessing on this study today and the blessing on the studies that will come. 1274s

Thank You, Lord, for Your goodness and for Your grace. 1282s

Thank You for the picture of the return of the tree of life in heaven itself. 1287s

Thank You for Your baptismal grasp upon us. 1296s

In the name of the risen and reigning Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. 1302s

Amen. 1308s

We'll continue next week. 1308s