Forbidden Poison Fruit

Poison fruit from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden was a temptation to Adam and Eve just as it is for all mankind today. Things that are forbidden are always more tempting, it seems. Let’s take a look at the beginning of Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:7-9 and 21-22.

7. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

8. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

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.

21. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.”

The Forbidden Tree

Mankind started life in the Garden of Eden with every possible blessing, even the daily presence of God, as they walked together in the cool of the evening. But because of mankind’s greed and lust to have and do things their own way they ended up in the gutter of existence. Because they were disobedient to God and ate the fruit from the forbidden tree they were cut off from God and forced to leave the garden. Separation from God is spiritual death. Since that time all mankind has been born with a fallen, sinful nature.

As we take a look within the garden, we find two all important trees; the Tree of Life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The last being the one with the forbidden fruit.

15. “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Gen. 2:15-17

Does it seem foolish or unfair for God to place a tree such as this in the garden and then command Adam and Eve not to eat its fruit? Not really when you understand God’s total plan.

First, God commanded total obedience from His children then, just as He does today. What makes Believers think they can call themselves God’s children and not totally submit to Him and His superior wisdom and knowledge? What makes them think they can live outside the dictates of God’s Word and still be assured of making heaven their final home? I wonder sometimes if those people read the same Bible I read.

Second, the Lord knew the fruit from this tree was poison. When God instructed Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil He didn’t say, “If you eat from that tree I’m going to kill you” but “on the day that you eat from its fruit you will die.”

Separation from God which is spiritual death was their punishment for disobedience. Now mankind needed a savior. That’s why Jesus came and died on a cross for all mankind. He shed His blood so you and I could have forgiveness of sins and restored fellowship with God.

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