INTRODUCTION
The Bible has many interesting stories involving trees:
1) Elijah sat under the Juniper tree wanting to die after the victory at Mt. Carmel because Jezebel was on his trail.
2) Absalom got his head get caught in the boughs of an oak tree and was slain by Joab.
3) Jesus walked by a barren fig tree and cursed it so that it died.
4) Zacheuus, who was as short man, climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus.
5) Many others.
However, there are two trees that are mentioned in Scripture that stand out more than all the rest.
These two trees have had more of an impact on mankind than any of the other trees.
These two trees stand in contrast to each other:
1) The Tree Of Knowledge Of Good And Evil.
2) The Cross Of Christ.
I want to share with you the contrasts we find in these two trees:
1A. THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL–IT WAS A TREE FORBIDDEN FOR MAN. (Genesis 2:16-17)
A. It Represented God’s Authority Over Man As A Creature That Had Been Created With Reason And Freedom Of Will.
1. Man Was Unlike Any Other Living Creature That God Created.
2. Man Was Created In The Very Image Of God.
(With Intellect, Emotions, and Will)
God has a right to rule us–we are His creation!
Romans 9:20-21–“. . .Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay?”
B. It Represented God’s Allowance Of Liberty To Man. (Genesis 2:8-9)
1. Every other tree in the garden was available to man.
2. Even the tree of life was available to man.
THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL–IT WAS A TREE FORBIDDEN FOR MAN.
1B. THE CROSS OF CHRIST–IT IS A TREE REQUIRED FOR MAN. (John 3:14-15)
Cf. Numbers 21:5-9
The message in Moses day to those who were bitten by a serpent was “Look and live!”
The message today for the sinner is still “Look and live!”
2A. THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL–IT WAS A PLACE OF INSTANT DEATH. (SPIRITUAL DEATH) (Genesis 2:17)
“. . .for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely died”
Hebrew rendering–“dying thou shalt die.”
Ephesians 2:1–“And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. . .”
Ephesians 4:18–“. . .being alienated from the life of God.”
Romans 5:12–“Wherefore as by one man sin entered the world and death by sin. . .”
2B. THE CROSS OF CHRIST–IT IS A PLACE OF INSTANT LIFE. (SPIRITUAL LIFE.)
The tree of knowledge of good and evil was a living tree that brought forth death, but the cross of Christ was a dying tree that brought life.
John 3:16–“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:36–“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on Him.
John 5:24–“Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”
Romans 8:1–“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
Luke 23:43–“. . .Today thou shalt be with me in paradise. . .”
3A. THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL–IT WAS A PLACE OF EVENTUAL DEATH. (PHYSICALLY) (Genisis 2:17)
“. . .dying thou shalt die.” Genesis 5–Adam died physically.
Hebrews 9:27–“. . .it is appointed unto men once to die. . .”
Psalm 89:48–“What man is he that liveth; and shall not see death?”
Ecclesiastes 3:20–“All go unto one place; all are of dust, and all turn to dust again.”
Romans 5:12–“Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin.”
3B. THE CROSS OF CHRIST–IT IS A PLACE OF EVENTUAL LIFE. (PHYSICALLY) (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
1 Corinthians 15:51-57
Hebrews 2:9–“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
As one song we sing says, “We shall rise, hallelujah, we shall rise!”
4A. THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL--IT WAS A PLACE OF ETERNAL DEATH.
Hebrews 9:27–“. . .It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment.
Revelation 20:14–“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
4B. THE CROSS OF CHRIST–IT IS A PLACE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
John 3:16–“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:36–“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on Him.
John 5:24–“Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”
Romans 8:1–“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
5A. THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL–IT WAS A TREE WHERE MAN COULD NOT FREELY EAT.
There was a price to be paid for eating of that tree. A great price.
A. Eating Of It Was In Conflict With The Commandment Of God.
B. Eating Of It Was In Conflict With The Provision Of God.
C. Eating Of It Was In Conflict With The Will Of God.
When a man partakes in the acts of sin today he is in conflict with all three.
5B THE CROSS OF CHRIST–IT IS A TREE WHERE MAN MAY FREELY EAT.
Revelation 21:6–“I will give to him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
2 Peter 3:9–“God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
1 Timothy 2:9–“Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
John 6:37–“Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
6A THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL–IT WAS A TREE THAT SATAN DESIRED MAN TO PARTAKE OF AND GOD DIDN’T. (Genesis 3:1-5)
D. This Tree Was In Harmony With Satan’s Character.
(Disobedience and Defiance)
E. This Tree Was In Harmony With Satan’s Will.
(He Wanted To Be Like God)
6B THE CROSS OF CHRIST–IT IS A TREE THAT GOD DESIRES MAN TO PARTAKE OF AND SATAN DOESN’T.
John 6:35–“Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
Satan will use anything he can to keep a person from partaking of salvation.
7A THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL–IT WAS A TREE THAT WAS PLEASANT TO THE SENSES. (Genesis 3:6)
Satan always gets us looking at sins good points.
A. Alcohol–Relaxation, Forget your troubles, Fun vs broken homes and destroyed lives.
B. Drugs–High, feels good vs Robs of wealth, health, and dignity.
C. Immorality–Its your body, everybody’s doing it, its fun vs disease, unwanted pregnancy, destroyed lives.
7B THE CROSS OF CHRIST–IT IS A TREE THAT IS REPUGNANT TO THE SENSES. (Isaiah 53:2-6)
Put yourself at the scene of the cross:
A. We See The Gory Death. (Blood)
B. We Hear The Cry Of Death. (The Wages Of Sin Being Paid For)
C. We Smell The Stench Of Death.
8A THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL–IT WAS A PLACE OF SEPARATION FROM GOD. (Genesis 3:7-8)
8B THE CROSS OF CHRIST–IT IS A PLACE OF RECONCILIATION TO GOD.
(2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
9A THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL–IT WAS A PLACE OF NAKEDNESS. (Genesis 3:7, 10)
9B THE CROSS OF CHRIST–IT IS A PLACE OF CLOTHING.
(Genesis 3:21; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Conclusion
The Tree Of Knowledge–A living tree that brought for death.
The Cross Of Christ–A dying tree that brought for life.
The Tree Of Knowledge–A place of disobedience unto death.
The Cross Of Christ–A place of obedience unto life.
Romans 5:19–“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
Jesus obeyed the Law.
Jesus obeyed God the Father.
Two trees–you have already been a partaker of one, will you become a partaker of the other?