NOW THE LORD GOD HAD PLANTED A GARDEN IN THE EAST, IN EDEN; AND THERE HE PUT THE MAN HE HAD FORMED. AND THE LORD GOD MADE ALL KINDS OF TREES GROW OUT OF THE GROUND-TREES THAT WERE PLEASING TO THE EYE AND GOOD FOR FOOD. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN WERE THE TREE OF LIFE AND THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.
(NIV)
Sometime in the past before "Adam" God had prepared a special place for "man" in a garden in the East, in Eden. This verse does not say that God made all the trees on Earth grow at this time. He had already done that on the third
creation "day." This verse simply says that God "had" planted and prepared this special home for "man" in the past but no exact time is given. This garden was a place of protection and provision. There was an abundance of food. The trees were not only good for food but they were pleasing to the eye (they were beautiful to look at).
God also planted and grew two special trees. There was the "Tree of Life" and the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil."
We have studied earlier that the "Tree of Life" was a tree whose fruit enabled "Adam" to live forever. "Adam" had access to this tree and it was one of the trees that God gave him to eat. "Adam" and "Eve's" access to the "Tree of Life" shows that God's intention for them was life and not death.
Even the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil" was pleasing to the eye.
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