Copyright 2007 Rev. David C. Hammerle

Permission to copy granted—not for sales or profit.

Any serious student of God’s word will confirm the importance of looking for the details when attempting to find the meaning of biblical truths. Whenever considering the importance of God’s instructions to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, it is vital that we focus on the title that was given to the forbidden tree. Genesis 2:17 reads, “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.”

If we were to compare God’s instructions to the title given to this tree, we would reach one basic conclusion concerning God’s desire for His creation. In essence, God is saying that I do not what you to know evil. I only want you to know good. The description of the provisions that God has made for the human family found in the second chapter of Genesis indicates that life was meant to be a pleasure for both God and man (Revelation 4:11).

The rebellious act of Eve and Adam would forever change the original design that is found in the story of creation. The term “original design” is chosen with care. God was aware of man’s failure long before He created the human race. The Book of Revelation describes Christ as the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8) This would indicate that God designed the plan of redemption before He created the faltering human family who would one day need it. This fact presents us with an age-old question for which there is a simple but often overlook answer.

If God knew that man was going to sin, why did He make him? Of course this could be followed by another question. If God knew that man would make the wrong choice,

why did He give him a choice? The answer to both of these questions can be found in God’s love. In order to make man in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27), man would have to be given a free will—the power of choice. No one can have the power of choice unless there is a choice to be made—the tree of life versus the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

God’s love was again displayed when He created a human being who would make a wrong choice. In the infinite knowledge of God, He also knew that there would be individuals who would turn from sin and find forgiveness through Christ and His sacrifice at the cross. God’s love for the latter individuals forced Him to create man and endure such rejection of sinners. If God chose not to make man, the beautiful creation of heaven with the fellowship between God and His special creation would not be possible. Christ said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2-3) Christ provides mankind with another choice.

Let us take a look at the result of man’s wrong choice. “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” According to the third chapter of Genesis, Adam and Eve were walking about in the Garden of Eden and having a conversation with God after they had eaten the forbidden fruit. The conversation informs us of the consequences of man’s sin. When we reach the end of this conversation between God and Adam, we note that God would no longer allow man to have access to the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24). Death was now a sure thing. A consequence of man’s rebellion would mean that death would be a sure thing.

Some would like to suggest that death is a judgment for man’s sin. If this were true, the forgiveness of sin that comes from God’s mercy shown through Christ’s sacrifice should eliminate death (1 John 1:7-9). Death is a consequence of man’s desire to know both good and evil.

Death is also God’s way of stopping sin from having an eternal rule over mankind. By the time that the human race reached the generation of Noah, “God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5) Can you imagine what life would be like if man were allowed to live forever while carrying out his sinful imaginations? Sickness and pain are part of the consequence of man’s choice—part of the evil that man chose to know. Can you imagine what life would be like if there was no end to that pain and sickness? Death would bring an end to the reign of this kind of evil.

The term evil does not apply to sin alone. God does not sin. However, He told the people of Judah, “Behold, I will set My face against you for evil….” (Jeremiah 44:11) Evil is a term used to describe negative things that happen to us day by day. Jesus stated, “…in the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33). Tribulation is one of the evils that man chose to know when eating from the forbidden tree.

When my mother asked me to preach my father’s funeral sermon, she gave me a Scripture text that she wanted me to share. Isaiah 57:1 reads, “The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, non considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.