Under the revelation of the Spirit, we can see that the two trees in Genesis chapter two indicate two principles: dependence on God and independence from God. God’s intention was that the man He created would depend on Him for everything, such as food, protection, rest, and entertainment. Therefore God placed man in front of the tree of life, which represents God as the proper source for all these things. However, Adam partook instead of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, unwittingly becoming one with Satan to be independent from God and even rebellious toward God. As a result, human civilization came into being full of replacements for God as the all-inclusive provision for man. Rather than receive God as life, Adam received sin, death, and the knowledge of good and evil, which caused him to be separated and independent from God. Knowledge causes independence. For instance the more knowledgeable a certain student is, the more independent he becomes from his teachers until he is ready to graduate from the school. However, this student can never graduate from eating or breathing. Life is a matter of dependence and knowledge is a matter of independence. Praise the Lord that we who have received the Lord as our life can depend on Him for everything that we need! While we do need an education and many types of knowledge, let us take Christ as our all-inclusive provision, enjoying Him as everything that we need.
- Gayraud