Have you ever wondered what was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that was in the Garden of Eden?

Was it a literal tree or was it symbolic?

Some people understood it to mean a literal tree bearing fruit such as an apple. As a matter of fact, when I was a child this was how I learned it in Sunday school.

Some people think of the tree as symbolic referring to the knowledge of evil.

There was another tree in the Garden and it was the tree of life. The tree of life along with all the other fruit trees in the Garden, Adam and Eve were allowed to eat freely.

But the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was strictly forbidden by God.

When you think of a tree you immediately visualized a solid living plant which is rooted firmly in the soil.

Indeed, the Bible stated that the man who delights in the law of God and does not take counsel from the ungodly nor stands in the ways of sinners will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water who will bear fruit in season and whose leaf will never wither and whatever he does will prosper (Psalms 1).

Since man was symbolically referred to as trees in the Bible, we can also see the trees symbolically referring to man.

The man Christ Jesus who conquered death and the grave is the tree of life. The tree of good and evil represent the sinful nature of man.

After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit the Lord said that they had become like one them knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:22). (Read also: The knowledge of nakedness.)

This implies that they received information about good and evil. However, they could not differentiate between good and evil so the evil knowledge corrupted their bodies and they died spiritually.

God created the human body to process only good. Due to the sinful nature of man he is still unable to differentiate between good and evil up to this modern day.

Men have become so confused that they are calling evil good and good evil. They have confused darkness for light and light for darkness, and they cannot differentiate between bitter and sweet (Isaiah 5:20).

We are living in a world of confusion. Hence, many people are easily deceived.

How can we differentiate between good and evil?

Solomon was known as the wisest king that ever lived. Amazingly, Solomon became wise overnight.

Solomon was crowned king at a young age so he had no knowledge or experience to rule the great nation of Israel who had conquered many nations.

One night in a dream the Lord told Solomon to ask Him for anything that he desired. The young king asked for the right hand of God.

Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore, give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:7-9)

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King Solomon asked the Lord for an understanding heart to judge the people and to discern between good and evil.

Evidently, only God can bestow upon us the spirit of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in order to distinguish between good and evil.

The Lord has already granted this to us through the Lord Jesus Christ. We can go to Him freely and drink of the living water of life so that we can bear fruits of righteousness.

Thank you, Lord, for this great provision!

Related: Behold the Lamb of God