Two Different Trees

by Terry Wane Benton

The Bible is basically the history of man and his relationship to two different trees.

The tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden was death dressed up in appeal to the flesh, but the tree in the garden on which Jesus died was ugly, only appealing to the heart and spirit for life, and it was life dressed up as an ugly death.

The first tree dressed death in beautiful appeal, but the second tree corrects the damage, giving life with the promise of eternal life. The second tree shows the ugliness of man’s hatred and the beauty of God’s love.

God forbade eating from the first tree but invites us to eat from the second tree. The first tree opens our eyes to sin and the need for hiding and cover-up, while the second tree opens our eyes to spiritual life and reconciliation to God, covering our sins (shame) and clearing our consciences.

The first tree brought a curse and the loss of paradise. The second tree brought the greatest blessings and the way back to paradise.

By participating in sin, we have eaten of the forbidden fruit. But have you eaten from the second tree? The remedy and restoration to God come only by eating from the second tree! Satan wants you to eat from the forbidden tree, but does not want you to eat from the healing tree. But are you going to keep listening to him? The second tree gets you back to God and paradise! God’s word is marvelous, isn’t it?