"The Two Trees" Genesis 2:8,9

Episode 003

Title:  The Two Tree’s Text:  Genesis 2:8,9; Acts 5:30; 1 Peter 2:24 Theme: Comparing the tree and knowledge of Good and Evil with the Cross of Jesus Christ

Genesis 2:8-9 8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Acts 5:30 30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

1 Peter 2:24 24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Introduction:  Genesis is a marvelous book; The book of beginnings (origin of heaven, earth, man, woman, marriage, sin, sacrifice, prophecy, human government, etc.) God creates the earth, populates it and destroys it only to re-populate it 4 great events, 4 great people Covers a period of 2,000 years - There is a lot in this book Full of Types / Spiritual illustrations, symbols, and pictures of Jesus Christ and scriptural truth Type – “A divinely appointed illustration of some scriptural truth.” Derived from Greek word “tupos” – impression, stamp, pattern, or form “A type must never be used to teach a doctrine, but only to illustrate a doctrine elsewhere explicitly taught.” – Dr. J. Edwin Hartill A divinely appointed illustration What are some types of Christ in Genesis? The Ark - The Ark is a type of Christ, offering salvation from judgment and destruction. Isaac – promised before he was born, he was offered up as a sacrifice on Mt. Moriah (as a test to Abraham but most importantly a type of Christ) His Father, sends His servent to go fetch Him a Bride after his work as a well digger had been completed. Joseph - despised by his brothers who sold him into slavery for 30 pieces of silver. He was banished into a far country and later forgotten. Eventually he would be exalted to the second highest position in Egypt where he would obtained a Gentile bride and later redeemed the same brothers who had sold him into slavery. Some other types in Genesis: Leah is a type of the Church, and Rachel is a type of Israel. Dr. M.R. DeHaan writes: “Leah represents the Church of the Lord Jesus; Rachel, the nation of Israel. He desired her first, but when He came to present Himself to her nineteen hundred years ago, He did not receive her, but she rejected Him, and now Rachel is barren and despised, and Leah, the Church, is bearing fruit in the millions of the redeemed who are being brought in during this present dispensation. Jacob was a type of Israel, his life was a type of Israel’s history. His whole life he would struggle with others and then he wrestled with God in the Wilderness before his name was changed to Israel. Israel’s history is a struggle with others and a struggle with God. Genesis 2:9; Acts 5:30; 1 Peter 2:24  Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Just after the 6 days of creations and the seventh day of Rest. God’s creation is perfect and He is now creating a home for man. He creates every tree (pleasant to the sight and good for food) and in the midst of the garden there are two trees Tree of life Tree of knowledge of good and evil These tree’s cease to exist so we know very little of them. Let’s focus on the Tree of knowledge of good and evil (we know very little): Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat of it Do not know the fruit Adam was not a puppet; God gave him a choice, and he chose to disobey.  Let’s look over at a tree in the New Testament: Acts 5:30 30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 1 Peter 2:24 24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Notice in each of these passages, the cross of Calvary is called a “Tree”. As mentioned before, the book of Genesis of full of types, pictures, and scriptural illustrations placed by the Holy Spirit. “This first book in the Word of God is full of typical pictures, prophetic foreshadowings, and dispensational adumbrations, as well as important practical lessons,” - Arthur W. Pink, Gleanings in Genesis  Let’s look at the “Two Tree’s.” The Tree of Knowledge of good and evil and the Cross of Calvary.

The Contrast of these two trees: Planting of the Trees Father planted – Genesis 2:8,9 (read verse 8) “Man’s first home was a garden; his final home will be a city. When Adam first opened his eyes to the light of day he looked out upon a scene of matchless beauty and tranquility. The fields were emerald green, the hedgerows ablaze with blossoms, the atmosphere laden with the fra