Excellent! One of the things I’ve noticed about our current western reading of the garden of Eden story is that it sets us up to see God incorrectly. It creates the same doubt that Eve has when the serpent speaks to her: is God good?
So many people tell me that they reject the story of the garden of Eden because God is setting us up to fail, knowing that we’re going to fail.
I tell them that they’re reading the set up wrong. God is not setting us up to fail, he’s setting us up so that whichever way we chose, he would win us in the end! If they had called out for God’s help, he would’ve answered and come to them and rescued them. Since they did not, he still came to them and rescued them. Either way, he won us in the end. That’s the real set up.
Yes and honestly I had that feeling at one point in my life... that God had set us up to fail so he could show us our need to a Savior. That is what I was taught when I was younger.
That’s really an unfortunate thing to hear and I’ve come across so many who did! I wrote a blog on that several years ago and it’s the most commented blog or the blog that gets the most people asking deeper questions.
What a joy. I just a Gentile taught by the Holy Spirit and recently He has been showing me that what He taught me is backed up by the Hebrew. At 82, I'm not up for learning a language. I'm assuming that will come with my perfect spiritual body. But thank you for your explanation. The core of my teaching has become for a couple decades: The Lord requires that we know Him. I've been looking for it in the creation story—and there it is.
Girl God has raised you for such a time as this. I have told myself on occasion “you really need to go back and study and research to learn what the meaning of these two trees are because I think there’s something there.” Thank you for doing it for me and I really wanna sit here with this. It’s beautiful. It’s wonderful and I love how you’ve tied it to the other their references in scripture. Most of us were taught incorrectly about this and it just sets us up to be dutiful followers not delightful daughters.
I just wanna hug your neck! Will you receive that virtually? Keep writing I’m going to keep reading.
I love the way you tie things together that we might otherwise miss.
The link in the tree of life from Eden to Revelation isn't hard to make, but I have to admit that I completely missed the link to Proverbs!
I've been saying for a long time that the barring of Eden was not a punishment but a gift. Looked at from the correct perspective, we could say that the most hideous punishment imaginable would have been allowing them free access to the tree of life in their fallen state.
I apologize for the note below. I hit “post” before I was finished.
It sounded like Adam and Eve, in the presence of the Tree of Knowledge, had the right to decide what was good and evil and I’m quite sure that was not your intention.
Did you intend rather that they choose to enter/experience either good or evil?
Otherwise, thank you so much for the lesson on spiritual horticulture, the unique lesson of the trees! Incredible, life changing truths!
You wrote that Adam and Eve were given “The right to define reality for themselves. The right to be the ones who decide.” …
That is not eating an apple. That is a coup!
The first sin underneatwas not disobedience to a rule. It was the grasping of an authority that was never theirs to take. The serpent’s pitch was, “You will be like God, knowing good and You won’t need Him to tell you what’s true anymore. You can decide for yourself
Excellent! One of the things I’ve noticed about our current western reading of the garden of Eden story is that it sets us up to see God incorrectly. It creates the same doubt that Eve has when the serpent speaks to her: is God good?
So many people tell me that they reject the story of the garden of Eden because God is setting us up to fail, knowing that we’re going to fail.
I tell them that they’re reading the set up wrong. God is not setting us up to fail, he’s setting us up so that whichever way we chose, he would win us in the end! If they had called out for God’s help, he would’ve answered and come to them and rescued them. Since they did not, he still came to them and rescued them. Either way, he won us in the end. That’s the real set up.
Yes and honestly I had that feeling at one point in my life... that God had set us up to fail so he could show us our need to a Savior. That is what I was taught when I was younger.
That’s really an unfortunate thing to hear and I’ve come across so many who did! I wrote a blog on that several years ago and it’s the most commented blog or the blog that gets the most people asking deeper questions.
God is not setting us up to fail, he’s setting us up so that whichever way we chose, he would win us in the end! Girl! This is brilliant!
Thank you!!
What a joy. I just a Gentile taught by the Holy Spirit and recently He has been showing me that what He taught me is backed up by the Hebrew. At 82, I'm not up for learning a language. I'm assuming that will come with my perfect spiritual body. But thank you for your explanation. The core of my teaching has become for a couple decades: The Lord requires that we know Him. I've been looking for it in the creation story—and there it is.
Thank you so much David!! That is wonderful!!
Girl God has raised you for such a time as this. I have told myself on occasion “you really need to go back and study and research to learn what the meaning of these two trees are because I think there’s something there.” Thank you for doing it for me and I really wanna sit here with this. It’s beautiful. It’s wonderful and I love how you’ve tied it to the other their references in scripture. Most of us were taught incorrectly about this and it just sets us up to be dutiful followers not delightful daughters.
I just wanna hug your neck! Will you receive that virtually? Keep writing I’m going to keep reading.
I receive it and return it! Thank you so much!
I love the way you tie things together that we might otherwise miss.
The link in the tree of life from Eden to Revelation isn't hard to make, but I have to admit that I completely missed the link to Proverbs!
I've been saying for a long time that the barring of Eden was not a punishment but a gift. Looked at from the correct perspective, we could say that the most hideous punishment imaginable would have been allowing them free access to the tree of life in their fallen state.
Yes absolutely!!
Thank you, I always knew there was more to the trees. You have done such an amazing job of explaining. I'm going to jump right in. Again thank you.
Thank you so much!!
I truly appreciate the way you explained this! I’d never considered our fall from grace in such a way. Thank you!
Thank you!! I am glad it helped!!
Wonderfully brought together. With your permission I would love to share this three days from now when sending out my regular erev Shabbat posting.
Absolutely!! Thank you!
Thanks very much and many blessings!
MY GOODNESS!! Thank you for this ❤️
I am glad you liked it!!
I recently heard Chuck Pierce of Glory of Zion say, "God just wanted that one tree. Give that tree as a tithe unto me and I'll give you all the rest."
Very good study, thank you!
Diane,
I apologize for the note below. I hit “post” before I was finished.
It sounded like Adam and Eve, in the presence of the Tree of Knowledge, had the right to decide what was good and evil and I’m quite sure that was not your intention.
Did you intend rather that they choose to enter/experience either good or evil?
Otherwise, thank you so much for the lesson on spiritual horticulture, the unique lesson of the trees! Incredible, life changing truths!
Hi Don
I see where it was a bit confusing so I fixed it. It was about the illusion created by the serpent, not their actual right.
Wow! Thank you so much.
Diane,
You wrote that Adam and Eve were given “The right to define reality for themselves. The right to be the ones who decide.” …
That is not eating an apple. That is a coup!
The first sin underneatwas not disobedience to a rule. It was the grasping of an authority that was never theirs to take. The serpent’s pitch was, “You will be like God, knowing good and You won’t need Him to tell you what’s true anymore. You can decide for yourself