45 The Two Trees in the Garden - a podcast by Warren Kay and Ian Hartley

We take a look at the two trees in the Garden of Eden and discover how they symbolically represent two views of God. One view is held by the Old Testament writers and the other by Jesus who has seen God and knows God's heart. 

Many Old Testament writers and characters portray God as the source of both Good and Evil.

The Garden of Eden

The two significant trees in the garden were the Tree of Life and the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. This second tree represents the belief that both good and evil come from God. Eating from it means one has subscribed to this dualistic view of God.

The Serpent makes this dualism plain when he says, “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good from evil” (Genesis 3:5 NLT). “Knowing” is from Hebrew yada which implies experience rather than information. The serpent is implying that God experiences both good and evil in himself.

This picture of God results in an unhealthy fear of God and a suspicion that he does not always have one’s best interests at heart. This means one has to negotiate the favour of God with acts of penance and sacrifice to please him to ensure a happy life.

This picture of God has permeated human perception to this very day since this picture is so pervasive. Jesus, it seems, is the only one who knew this picture to be false. He came to correct the picture of his Father and give us the truth about the Father’s heart.

First, we will notice the violent picture of God that was common in the Old Testament.

Satan:  Job 1:11; Job 2:5

Job: Job 1:21; Job 2:10; Job 6:4; Job 10:2-3 (Cf. 13:21; 16:7-9; 17:6; 19:6, 22)

Moses: Genesis 6:7; Genesis 18:7; Exodus 3:20; Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 32:39 NLT

Joshua: 11th century B.C.E.  Joshua 6:17

Writer of Samuel: 1 Samuel 16:14; 1 Samuel 16:23; 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9; 2 Samuel 12:11

King David: (reigned 1010-970 B.C.E.) Psalm 58:6; Psalm 58:10; Psalm 59:13;

Isaiah, 8th to 7th century B.C.E., is of the same opinion as Moses about God being the source of both good and evil. Isaiah 45:7

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