Thoughts by Thomas Boston in "Voices from the Past", Page 349
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Adam
had perfect tranquility and calm in his own breast in paradise. His
conscience had nothing to do, and the happy pair lived in perfect
unity. They were liable to no disease or pain, and had a life
of pure delight and unmixed pleasure. Wisdom and knowledge was
pleasant to their souls. They knew the knowledge of God, enjoyed
communion with him, and saw the delights of his glory. The forbidden
fruit in this paradise of Eden was a gracious provision to protect Adam
from falling. God made man lord of the world, but Adam needed to know
by a particular visible sign that God had sovereign dominion over all.
It was for man’s safety, and an act of infinite wisdom and grace, to
keep him from one single tree as a visible testimony that he must yield
all to his Creator, so that while he saw himself as lord of creation, he
might not forget that he was still God’s subject. This tree was a
memorial from heaven
to warn him of his danger and cause him to be aware of his changeable
state. Man was created with a free will to do good, of which the tree
of life was an evidence, but also free to do evil, and the forbidden
tree was to remind him of this grave danger. It was a continual
reminder to Adam against evil. It was a beacon set up before him to bid
him beware of dashing himself to pieces on the rocks of sin. God
created man to stand upright, that he might look up to God and find
happiness above, and not on the earth. This fair tree taught him this
lesson. His happiness was not to be found in the enjoyment of creation,
for there was a lack even in paradise. The forbidden tree was, in
effect, the representative of all creation. It pointed man away from
himself, and to God for happiness. It was a sign reading ‘Emptiness’
hung over the door of creation.
Read more at http://creationrevolution.com/daily-devotional-the-lord-god-made-to-spring-up/#29wz6cQrAHmo4vJd.99
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