Good Morning.
“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.” (Genesis 2:9)
Yesterday we spoke of the Tree of Life; today we will glean something from the other tree — the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This forbidden tree was a mingled tree that produced a fruit that rendered death. That is why man was told not to eat from it. From the beginning, the Creator tells His people to beware of things that have mingled two opposing natures together; we are not to mingle clean with unclean nor are we mix holy things with things that are profane.
This concept is demonstrated by the encounter between Elijah and the prophets of Ba’al as they gathered on Mount Carmel:
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, ‘How long will you halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him.’” (1 Kings 18:21)
The message is very simple. God’s people are required to be set apart, and He will not long allow His people to mingle with those things that are unclean. These forbidden things would include philosophies, religions, and traditions that lead people away from the truth. A holy God doesn’t want true worship mingled with false worship. Yeshua addressed this same issue when He spoke to the congregation of Laodicea.
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)
The challenge for us is to recognize those things in our lives that are from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and quickly purge them from our lives. That is our duty because we have been called to be a holy and set apart people. Let us pray that the Father will help us to identify any deadly fruit in our lives that we might, with His help, rid ourselves of it.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Recent Comments