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Q: Preacher, what’s known about the Tree of knowledge of good and evil? A: Only what is written at the beginning of the Book of Genesis. Then it takes all the Written Word of GOD to understand the matter. 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. (Genesis 2:9) And the LORD GOD commanded the Man, saying, Of every tree of the Garden thou mayest freely eat: 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. (Genesis 2:16-17) Then, Chapter 3 of the Book of Genesis described our fall and ended this way: And the LORD GOD said, Behold, the Man is become as one of Us, to know Good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD GOD sent him forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So He drove out the Man; and He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden Cherubims, and a Flaming Sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the Tree of Life. (Genesis 3:22-24) The end of the story. Let’s be reminded, by the way, that Genesis 3:22 is GOD’s sarcasm. Well, the story left out some questions, which we try to get the Answers to. The first. What did the name of the tree mean? GOD’s Test & Warning. Why so? Because only GOD gives Knowledge & Understanding, not any tree. Consequently, the second question: how were the fruits of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil supposed to work? By Genesis 2:16-17, to live eternally we were (and still are) going to have to be Obedient to GOD. Therefore, the only Reason why the Tree of knowledge of good and evil existed at all, was Prohibition. The fruits thereof were prohibited in favor of our Strict Obedience to Heavenly Father. Mind Satan’s interest in our being fed on that tree. He was (and is) himself disobedient to the LORD and purposed to spread that disobedience throughout all Creation. The evil one has always done that by propagating the worldly reason, a.k.a. “common sense,” which is nothing but corrupted seeing of good & evil. Taking the way of disobedience, we moved away from GOD and Communion with His Holy Spirit discontinued. When He leaves us, immediately the evil spirit stepped forward. No, it wasn’t a work of a tree, but the terrible change in the Spirit Realm. That “step-back-step-forward” principle, or else the move of the Light-darkness frontier we discussed in chapter 64 (GOD’s Punishment). Little children are called naive. Well, instead of learning from them, their parents teach them “wisdom.” And their young eyes get opened to see “good” and “evil” from Satan’s perspective. So, the satanic reason became the “processor” of the human mind. Genesis 3:7. Now, we can better see the third and most important point – why were those fruits forbidden – only for our Good. As you know, human brainpower can be useful or dangerous, as it can protect & save or ignore & destroy the World created, our sorry selves inclusive, depending on where that power is directed. Shall we be disobedient to Father GOD and live forever? No way. May the Wisdom of GOD be praised! The Tree of knowledge of good and evil could best serve people when left alone. It wasn’t the indispensable one in the Great Garden of GOD. Genesis 1:29-31. As for the Tree itself, it was as wooden as any other, without any hidden mystery or powers or so. Its fruits were nice & tasty (Genesis 3:6) but in no way exceeded the physical value of those of the Tree of Life, which were to be most useful. They say, when GOD closes one door, He opens another. So, there is a sure Way back to GOD. ...men do not become Christians by associating with Church people, nor by Religious contact, nor by Religious education; they become Christians only by Invasion of their nature by the Spirit of GOD in the New Birth. (A.W. Tozer, GOD’s Pursuit Of Man) (“Q & A – Christian Communion in Questions & Answers,” chapter 440)