The Tree!!!!!!

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Sozo

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Just spoke with Nathaniel (Nice guy), but this is way out of my price range. I'll have to wait for the Readers Digest version, or start checking ebaY. :sigh:
 

Sozo

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Originally posted by Goose
I never could understand that God gave a commandment before eating the tree. "Thou shalt not eat of the tree..." and how that is any different to the other commandments.

It's not.
 

Sozo

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I mean, it's not any different. Why would it be? I can't see how anything that God would say would be less the absolute in regard to His will in a matter.
 

Freak

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Originally posted by Goose
Can anyone answer this question for me?

Remember we are but human, God can do anything He pleases. His ways are not our ways.

The secret things belongs to the Lord (see Deut. 29:29).
 

Goose

New member
Originally posted by Sozo
I mean, it's not any different. Why would it be? I can't see how anything that God would say would be less the absolute in regard to His will in a matter.
Exactly. I think the 'eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil' is when you try to learn of just why something is right or wrong by going to the extent of actually doing or 'consuming' that evil. Like committing a murder to find out just why it is wrong. 'Eating from the tree of life' is just hearing and doing what God says, by faith.

  • Deu 5:27 "Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear [it], and do [it]."
  • Deu 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
  • Deu 13:11 "And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you."
  • Deu 17:13 "And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously."
  • Deu 31:12 "Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that [is] within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law"
  • Deu 30:11-14 "For this commandment which I command thee this day, it [is] not hidden from thee, neither [is] it far off. It [is] not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither [is] it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word [is] very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it"

I haven't studied it much, but that seems to be my current framework for the whole thing.

The theory that The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil seems to fall apart if you look at God giving a commandment BEFORE the tree was eaten from.

  • Gen 2:17 "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

I'd like to know what Bob and ones that believe that God's commandments are 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil' have to say about this.
 

Lion

King of the jungle
Super Moderator
Let's make a deal!

Let's make a deal!

I'll have to wait for the Readers Digest version, or start checking ebaY.
Hey, Sozo, private e-mail me and maybe we can work out a deal.
 

Lion

King of the jungle
Super Moderator
Just when was the law written on our hearts?

Just when was the law written on our hearts?

Goose-What if Adam decided to crush Eve’s skull with a big rock because she messed up dinner (prior to eating of the fruit of the Tree)? Would that have been a sin?
 

Nathon Detroit

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
Re: Let's make a deal!

Re: Let's make a deal!

Originally posted by Lion
Hey, Sozo, private e-mail me and maybe we can work out a deal.
Sozo.. you should take Lion up on this offer - he has "inside" connections! :D
 

Sozo

New member
Re: Re: Let's make a deal!

Re: Re: Let's make a deal!

Originally posted by Knight
Sozo.. you should take Lion up on this offer - he has "inside" connections! :D

Thanks again, Knight! I have made contact, and unless Malcolm has plans to end the world before the end of summer, I hope to read it!
 

Goose

New member
Re: Just when was the law written on our hearts?

Re: Just when was the law written on our hearts?

Originally posted by Lion
Goose-What if Adam decided to crush Eve’s skull with a big rock because she messed up dinner (prior to eating of the fruit of the Tree)? Would that have been a sin?
Yes. Could you go on further?
 

Lion

King of the jungle
Super Moderator
Free will (not Willy)

Free will (not Willy)

What if Adam decided to crush Eve’s skull with a big rock because she messed up dinner (prior to eating of the fruit of the Tree)? Would that have been a sin?
Goose-You said yes, and I agree.

Even though God hadn’t commanded them not to commit murder, murder was still a sin.

I think this is because the law was written on our hearts from the beginning of our creation. We were made in God’s image and the law is an expression of God’s character. Since we were created with His character in our hearts, we knew from the beginning that to murder is wrong. This, of course only applies to God’s moral laws. I don’t believe that a Jew would know in his heart that it was wrong to work on the Sabbath unless he had been informed of this commandment. Just as Adam wouldn’t have known it was wrong to eat from the Tree if God hadn’t told him not to, (and it wouldn’t have been wrong in that case anyway, just as it isn’t wrong for us to work on the Sabbath).

The Tree, then, (I think), was really a big neon sign saying; “If you want out of this relationship, take a bite!” It was the door. Showing us right away that God would not keep us against our wills.

This is some pretty deep stuff and I don’t pretend to have it all figured out. The more I consider it, the more things keep popping up in my mind, and it’s back to the Bible to try and sort it out.

So, thoughts?
 

Goose

New member
Lion, I agree wholeheartedly. Genesis is very mystical. If anyone has it figured out 100%, please email me. :D
 

Nathon Detroit

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
Re: Free will (not Willy)

Re: Free will (not Willy)

Originally posted by Lion
Goose-You said yes, and I agree.

Even though God hadn?t commanded them not to commit murder, murder was still a sin.

I think this is because the law was written on our hearts from the beginning of our creation. We were made in God?s image and the law is an expression of God?s character. Since we were created with His character in our hearts, we knew from the beginning that to murder is wrong. This, of course only applies to God?s moral laws. I don?t believe that a Jew would know in his heart that it was wrong to work on the Sabbath unless he had been informed of this commandment. Just as Adam wouldn?t have known it was wrong to eat from the Tree if God hadn?t told him not to, (and it wouldn?t have been wrong in that case anyway, just as it isn?t wrong for us to work on the Sabbath).

The Tree, then, (I think), was really a big neon sign saying; ?If you want out of this relationship, take a bite!? It was the door. Showing us right away that God would not keep us against our wills.

This is some pretty deep stuff and I don?t pretend to have it all figured out. The more I consider it, the more things keep popping up in my mind, and it?s back to the Bible to try and sort it out.

So, thoughts?
I couldn't have said it better myself!!!

The Tree was God opening up the door so the "room" we were in wasn't locked without a way out.

God is not a hostage taker. With the tree we have a sovereign God giving up some of His sovereignity to us in the form of a will that would be our own.
 

Goose

New member
I agree, but I'm still confused about that tree being equated to the law and that initial law,"...thou shalt not eat...".
 

Lion

King of the jungle
Super Moderator
"Don't eat under the apple Tree, with anyone else but...GOD!

"Don't eat under the apple Tree, with anyone else but...GOD!

Hmmmmmm…. Tough stuff, no doubt.

What about this?

God’s moral law was written on our hearts from the beginning, including the law of not disobeying God. But to outline this one, law, (don’t disobey God), because this law is in effect the whole law, God made it blaringly obvious. He did it by underlining, bolding, and italicizing it in huge letters. “DON’T EAT FROM THE TREE!!!!!!! OR YOU WILL DIE!!!!!

All sin is disobedience and that was what the neon Tree flashed out at them, like a giant “EXIT!” sign.

God didn’t spell out the laws of murder and adultery and so on, from the beginning because He didn’t have to. Don’t disobey, (in other words, don’t eat from the Tree), said it all. Making their choice easy, and obvious.
 
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