The Two Trees

One of the most mysterious and profound stories in all of Scripture is the account of two trees planted by God in the Garden of Eden. One of them was dangerous: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

📖 “And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground — trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”— Genesis 2:9

A natural question arises: Why?Why would God, knowing the end from the beginning, place such a tree in the garden?Why allow the very thing that would lead to mankind’s fall? Couldn’t the tragedy have been avoided?

But alongside that tree, God also planted the Tree of Life.

And in this, we see His deep wisdom and eternal plan.The knowledge of good and evil, the development of spiritual maturity, the soul’s growth into conscious communion with God — these were always part of His design. But they were meant to unfold in time, through relationship, and under guidance — not prematurely, under deception.

There are stages in life: infancy, adolescence, and maturity.So it was in Eden. Adam and Eve were spiritual children.God gave them everything they needed: His presence, His guidance, His protection.

The command not to eat from the tree was not a rejection of knowledge — it was a boundary of protection, guarding them from the crushing weight of responsibility their hearts were not yet ready to carry.

📖 “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation…”— 1 Peter 2:2

The apostle John outlines these stages of spiritual growth:

📖 “I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven…I write to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning.I write to you, young men, because you are strong,and the Word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”— 1 John 2:12–14

Each stage has its purpose.

God created humanity in His image — not as hired servants, but as heirs.

📖 “So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir.”— Galatians 4:7

📖 “What is mankind that You are mindful of them…You made them a little lower than the angelsand crowned them with glory and honor.You made them rulers over the works of Your hands…”— Psalm 8:4–6

Unlike the angels — who serve — we were created to reign with Christ:

📖 “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”— Hebrews 1:14

Just like in Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, the Father allowed humanity to leave — knowing our weakness — but always with hope for our return.

The son left, squandered everything, fell low…But when he came back, repentant, the Father restored him — not as a servant, but as a son — returned to the full dignity of his inheritance.

Through Jesus, we were given a chance to reclaim our inheritance in the Kingdom — a spiritual kingdom, for God is Spirit, and His Kingdom is not of this world.

The Tree of Life — A Symbol of Healing and Immortality

The Tree of Life symbolized eternal life and divine healing.But God could not allow fallen humanity to eat from it.

📖 “And the Lord God said,‘The man has now become like one of Us, knowing good and evil.He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the Tree of Life and eat, and live forever.’”— Genesis 3:22

Why? Because humanity first needed healing —through suffering, through repentance, through discipline, and the refining fire of love.

That is why the way to the Tree of Life was closed… until the appointed time — until the Father’s wayward children would return home.

📖 “Just as through the disobedience of one man many were made sinners,so also through the obedience of the One, many will be made righteous.”— Romans 5:19

📖 “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to inherit all this.And I will be his God, and he will be My son.”— Revelation 21:7

📖 “And He has made us kings and priests to His God and Father…”— Revelation 1:6

The End of the Story — Is a Return to the Beginning

The story ends where it began —in a garden, in the presence of God.

But now it is not Adam and Eve… it is the Church, the Bride of Christ — mature, wise, purified.

She enters the Kingdom not as a child but as a co-heir — fully prepared to receive what was meant for her from the beginning.

And there, the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil stand side by side —bearing fruit according to the eternal plan of God.