In Genesis 2:16-17 we read : “And יהוה Elohim commanded the man, saying, “Eat of every tree of the garden, but do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it you shall certainly die.”

Reading these verses , many questions pop up in my mind. The tree of life wasn’t forbidden, nor any other tree in the Garden.Why was only the tree of knowledge forbidden. What knowledge would humans gain if they ate the fruit? Why was it there if it was forbidden?

Comparing Genesis 2 and 3 shed light on these questions. Genesis 2 depicts the creation before the snake’s arrival in Genesis 3.

In Genesis 2, God put the human in the Garden of Eden “to work it and to keep it” (Gen 2:15). This meant God-given agricultural “work” (avad), which would teach the human to “keep” or look after the garden (shamar).

After that, God brought the animals “to the human to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam, as the earthly authority figure, named every living creature, that was its name” (2:19). This shows mutual learning: God presented each animal, then waited “to see what Adam would call it” (lirot mah-yiqra-lo), with the knowledge of their names coming from the interaction between God and the Adam.

Finally, God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and created the woman as his equal. When God brought her to the man, he realised, “At last! This one is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (2:23). By the end of Genesis 2, the first humans gained knowledge of physical labour, agriculture, environmental care, animal life, gender equality, and male-female relationships, all directly from God.

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve’s quest for knowledge leads them away from God and toward the created world. The serpent, described as “more crafty than any of the wild animals” (3:1), focused Eve’s attention on a tree God “had caused to grow” (2:9).

By eating the fruit, they seek knowledge separate from God. While Proverbs 2:5 encourages seeking the “knowledge of God,” the first humans instead pursue “knowledge of good and evil,” which, in Hebrew, implies an understanding of “order and chaos”.  Ironically, Genesis 1 shows God bringing order from chaos. Adam and Eve, however, attempt to achieve this creative insight through creation itself. This highlights an early example of what Paul later condemns as the preference for the “creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). Despite this, the Creator provides them with clothing, showing continued care, love, grace and mercy and the hope for humanity’s eventual return to Him as the source of all knowledge.

The tree  was there as a reminder that God was their source of knowledge. God placed the tree in the Garden of Eden not to be a random test, but to highlight His role as the ultimate source of knowledge to distinguish between good and evil.

The test was a choice : will you depend on Him for wisdom or on other sources? Do we depend on Him or are we independent? By eating from this tree , you were not merely disobedient, but you reject His authority, choosing to define the difference between good and evil for yourself.

But if you choose independence from God’s authority there are consequences. You will realise you are naked. Stripped from His closeness and protection. Not because He left , but because you made a choice to walk away and depend on yourself or other means that looks better at the time.

Shame will cause you to hide your face from Him even more. Independence from our Creator might feel good at first, but it will lead to a life without Him, death, for He alone is the giver of life.

The tree was a reflection of His goodness. Out of probably hundreds of trees, maybe even thousands, there was just one that was forbidden. His provision outweighs what He forbids by far. He truly is a good, good God. The test is , where is our focus? On all the good offered to us, or the forbidden things.

After the act of disobedience and rejection of His authority, access to the tree of life was blocked and guarded by two cherubs with swords. But later we find cherubs again at the entrance to the source of life. On the curtains to the Holy of holies there were cherubs again. No longer do they have swords to keep all out. They welcome the High Priest to enter into the place where the source of life is and atone for His people.

His desire is to offer us a way back to Eden.

All to the glory of our loving Creator.