The Wisdom Tree

     There were two trees in the Garden of Eden. One was The Tree of Life and the other The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and evil. All that is known in Genesis of The Tree of Life was that it was good for food and pleasant to the eyes, and that the two inhabitants could eat of it freely (Gen 2:9).
     Also known is that the creation was "very good" (Gen 1:31) as was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. There were two choices: (1) freely eat of The Tree of Life, or (2) do not eat of The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 2:27). God said nothing about the beauty of the forbidden tree, but did note that its fruit would make one die if eaten.
     Why was God so graceful to Adam and Eve? Because they didn't understand death, neither physical or spiritual death. But that is another subject.
      Adam and Eve were also created "very good." God's work was perfect and as only God is good (Mat 19:27), and at the time of Jesus that was true. However, in the beginning the two were created in the image of God, and were good. They could freely eat of The Tree of Life because they were "good" enough to do so... but they chose not to! They ate of the forbidden tree and were despoiled. They were no longer "very good" and not even "good" at all. Now consider The Tree of Life: What have you to say about that tree? It was "very good?" Yes it was; extremely good - perfect.
     Being a literalist, I believe that there were real trees in the Garden. I believe that two of those trees are still represented. What kind of trees were in the midst of the Garden? Let's take the easy one first. The forbidden tree was likely a fig tree. Why so? Before the pair left the vicinity of their sin, they made aprons of fig leaves (Gen 3:7). They tried to cover their wrongdoing themselves but their covering was ineffective. That was an attempt to redeem themselves and was impossible because they are not god(s). Then God made them a coat of skins to completely cover their flesh (Gen 3:21). Ones own works to save their own flesh was and still is ineffectual to live forever. God's grace was the antidote for the sin virus, not the work of men's hands.
     The fig tree, then, is associated with humanity and humankinds free will. Because they had already eaten of the forbidden fruit, God allowed them to continue to do so if they wanted. In the sacred books of Adam and Eve, we find that the pair carried around a fig the size of a watermelon but were afraid to eat it although God gave it to them to nourish them.
     Note that God said nothing good about the forbidden tree. Neither did Satan describe it's appearance, but deceived Eve in the consequences of eating it. It was Eve who saw the tree: "that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise." (Gen 3:6). She saw more good in the forbidden tree than God did, and even Satan. She believed it offered better fruit than any of the other trees, The Tree of Life inclusive. Since
 that time mankind has always viewed two "fruits" and most often choose the worldly fruit over the spiritual fruit.
      There is an irony with the forbidden tree. It was to make one wise (Gen 3:5-6). The Serpent deceived Eve with that and Eve believed it. She ate the fruit of the forbidden tree without even biting into the real fruit. Hence, she did not have an appetite problem but an attitudinal dysfunction. She made God a jealous God by not choosing His fruit!
     Although the tree was claimed to "make one wise" it did not. Eve was foyled. She thought she would not die, and was foolish. Adam didn't see here die so he ate. Neither were wise but both foolish.
      Christian call the forbidden tree, "The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil." The Jews do not; they call it "The Wisdom Tree;" albeit it is false wisdom. Not knowing that, a few years ago, I wrote of it as "The Philosophy Tree." I was wrong; it was "The False Wisdom Tree" because wisdom was only knowing "good" but after eating, they acquainted themselves with the knowledge of evil. Guess which  mankind most often chooses?
     Both Adam and Eve became "Philosophy Trees." In the New Testament blind Bartimaeus "saw men as trees, walking." (mark 8:24). I marveled at that because throughout the Old Testament, especially Genesis, I saw trees as men walking. Adam and Eve were the first philosophers. They began to reason with God, mingling truth with hyperbole. Eve blamed the Serpent, Adam blamed Eve, and the Serpent was well pleased.
     The Philosophy Tree became full-bloomed in the Enlightenment - The Age of Reason. The unseen fruit on that fig tree was human reason. It is still alive and well in the field of psychology. The attitudinal problem of the forbidden tree was faulty reasoning. Philosophy is the love of wisdom, not God, and psychology is the study of the soul without the inspiration of God who is the Creator of the human soul.
     The other "tree walking" is Jesus Christ. That tree was surely the long-living olive tree which may still be alive in the Garden of Gethsemane since some have estimated those trees to be over 4000 years old. That makes sense because the olive tree represents peace and Jesus is the King of Peace.
     The spiritual Tree of Life is Jesus Christ. He still lives in the same Garden Paradise which like Jesus has ascended into Heaven:

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Rev 2:22).

     Thus, The Tree of Life represents Jesus. What about the Wisdom Tree? It's utility is the love of wisdom., hence the philosophy of living and dying. The main philosophical question is, Why am I? Of course, the answer is because of The Tree of Life. The giver of life is Jesus Christ - the Tree of Life. You are because HE IS!
       The Tree of Life is Jesus since anytime God is manifested, His manifestation is called Jesus (Mat 1:16).
     Who does the Wisdom Tree represent? First off, God made it very good, as he did the lowly snake. Satan corrupted both. God allowed that to test the free will of mankind. Satan, as Lucifer, also had a free will. He rebelled. God needed Lucifer to test the faith of His new creatures.
     The Wisdom Tree, the snake, and Lucifer were made for the purpose of testing. Adam failed the test, but God granted him a reprieve because of His grace. God saves mankind whosoever trusts Him. (John 3:16). Adam once trusted the Serpent, then when he felt sorrow, he trusted God.
      The Wisdom Tree represents Satan, as does the serpent. When Satan entered into the serpent, the Serpent became Satan. Not all snakes, but that specific "BEAST." Surely, the original serpent (little s) died and Satan needed another being. Lying low until the opportune time, Satan chose Judas Iscariot.

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.(Luke 22:3). And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. (John 13:27)

     It is to be noted that Satan entered the Serpent to kill mankind, and he entered Judas to kill the Savior of mankind. Why would he do that?

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. (Isa 14:12-13)

     Satan used the very good wisdom tree, the very good snake, and the not so good Judas to  exalt himself above God. Judas Iscariot and Jesus both then died on a "tree." Jesus an innocent Man who IS God, and Judas whose existence was used by Satan to unseat God just as he had the snake earlier. Judas was the son of the pretend god, Satan - the pretender to God's throne.
     Satan is not through yet. Most Muslims don't believe that Jesus died on the cross. Of course, the flesh of God did, but God never died. Judas hung himself on a tree because he could not live with Satan within him. Most Muslims credit Judas as the savior of mankind, and Jesus as a mere prophet.
     Without boring the reader with Greek verb tenses, Iscariot is from the same root as "Quran," the sacred book of Islam whose name means 666. I believe that Iscariot, from the same root, also means 666. During the Great Tribulation, a new "Judas" will arise from the Mid-east. Satan will enter another creature. That initiative is to kill off all Christians, but again, Satan will fail! The lowly Serpent, then, was the Antichrist, as were Judas and some Mulsim leader to be proclaimed later on. I am on the watch for the physical return of Satan.
     If you have read and understood this, you shall have discernment. It may save your head someday from Islam. Beware of vain philosophy (Col 2:8) and false knowledge since truth comes only from God. Beware of psychology because the knowwledge of the soul comes only from God!
     The Wisdom Tree bore very good fruit and very bad. Humans must use reason to trust God or deny Him. Those who fairly consider God are the real "free thinkers." To deny God without considering Him is the sin of Adam. Mankind still fails that same test. To return to the "very good" condition in which mankind was generated, they must be regenerated. That is being persuaded that Jesus died for all mankind. Satan still attempts to make your rationalizations co/ntrary to that seem reasonable, but they are not!