Details about God’s Planted a Garden

A Devotional Series from Genesis

Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)

3/2 Reading Portions: Exodus 13; Luke 16; Job 31; 2 Corinthians 1

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.

TREES

Beginning with this verse, and going until the fourteenth verse, we have another recapitulation—details of YHVH God planting the garden we just read about at the end of Genesis 2:8 immediately after He had formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen 2:7). And these details, as mentioned in yesterday’s devotional thought, prophetically foreshadow Christ building His church as well as His preparing a place for us when He returns.

In YHVH God planting the garden, I suggest that He made the trees grow from the same seedless, weedless ground from which He formed Adam. For that’s where Adam gets his name. The Hebrew word for “ground” is אֲדָמָה (ad-aw-MAH). Yet the trees in the garden are what should be most significant to us. Later in the chapter, when Adam is given the commandment about the trees (Gen 2:16-17), much of what I’ll mention today will become clearer. Now, the Hebrew word for tree is עֵץ (etz). That’s the same Hebrew word for “cross.” Paul quoted Deuteronomy 21:23 in Greek,

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— Galatians 3:13

The Tree of Life in the middle of the garden is reflective of the gospel truth of Christ crucified (1 Cor 2:2). The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is an antichrist counterfeit; for knowledge of good and evil, apart from redemption from Christ and fellowship with Christ, is sin against God. It is written,

For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Romans 14:23

The other trees planted in the garden prophetically foreshadow the fruitful trees of our redeemed lives as Christ builds His church (Matt 16:18; John 15:1-5). If we are partakers of Christ’s cross, of His mercy, love, and grace, as reflected in the Tree of Life in the middle of the garden, we will see Christ in fellow believers (trees). We will see Christ in our situations and circumstances (trees). We will see Christ’s potential salvation in unbelievers (trees).

On the other hand, if we pursue self-interest, self-exaltation, selfish gain apart from Christ crucified (tree of life), this is akin to partaking of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then every tree in our lives will carry with it a perspective of that tree. This is reflected in a religiosity that aims at gospel words, spiritual exploits, and good works, but are void of Christ and therefore rejected by Christ; just as our Lord preached in His famous sermon:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23