Discernment in a distorted world: Heaven’s guide for telling good from bad (Genesis 2–3; Ezekiel 28; Romans 5)

Hallel Fellowship

Does the Bible’s creation account truly depict the beginning of all things or merely the writings of sun-stroked shepherds? In contrast to the mythological narratives found in other ancient cultures, the Genesis account presents a distinct perspective. Rather than a haphazard emergence of the cosmos from chaos, we see a purposeful, step-by-step unfolding of creation by the hand of a sovereign God (Genesis 1:1-2:3). God “creates” and “forms” while mankind “makes.” This the difference between God’s power of creation and mankind’s power of creation. This stark contrast challenges the prevailing notion that “things generated out of what is,” inviting us to consider a higher, more intentional origin of the universe.

Genesis 2:4-3:24, with companion passages in Ezekiel 28:11-26 and Romans 5:12-21, is not only a offers a transformative understanding of the human condition and the Creator’s plan for restoration.

Really just male and female?

A key aspect of the creation narrative is the establishment of male and female as the intended design for humanity (Genesis 2:18-25). This is not a myriad of variations — as increasingly more advocate today — but a clear and purposeful distinction, as is “understood through what has been made” (Romans 1:20).

When manufacturers reverse-engineer a product, they look to how the product works most of the time, rather than focusing on exceptions or anomalies. How much more, then, can we to discern the Creator’s original intent by looking at what is almost always the case in humanity — the binary of male and female.

A unique place for a unique encounter

The earth is not on the periphery of the universe but at its center. The people of the earth are God’s highest priority. So, when the children of Israel traveled through the wilderness, God’s house was not on the periphery of the camp but at its center. At the heart of the creation account lies Gan Eden (Garden of Eden), a place set apart and demarcated for a special purpose. This garden is where the Presence (literally, “face”) of Elohim would walk and commune with the first man and woman (Genesis 3:8). This intimate encounter between the Creator and His creation underscores the original intention for a harmonious relationship between Heaven and Earth.

The Tabernacle and Temple: Symbols of Presence

Expanding on the theme of the Creator’s presence, there are parallels between the Garden of Eden and Israel’s later Mishkan (tabernacle and temple). These sacred spaces are designed to be the dwelling place of God among His people, a tangible representation of the restored relationship (Exodus 25:8; 1Kings 8:10-11). However, the presence of God is not to be taken lightly, as evidenced by the holiness buffer and strict protocols surrounding access to these holy sites (Leviticus 16:2; Ezekiel 44:15-16).

2 trees, 1 decision

At the center of the Garden of Eden stood two pivotal trees: the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:9). These trees represented a choice, a decision that would have far-reaching consequences — the curse of death and moral malignancy in humanity. The Tree of Life symbolized the words and wisdom of God, the source of true life, while the Tree of Knowledge represented the human desire to determine good and evil independently (Proverbs 3:18; Romans 5:12-14).

Peril of underinformed knowledge

The Tree of Knowledge highlights the danger of seeking to discern good and evil apart from the Creator’s guidance. Later in Israel’s history at the golden calf incident at Mount Sinai, where the Israelites sought to create their own deity, a reflection of their desire to be autonomous (Exodus 32:1-6), cloaked in the name of the One Who delivered them from the “house of bondage” (Egypt/Mitzraim). It was only because of God’s lovingkindness that He forgave them, but He had to separate from the people of Israel until they truly repented of their sin against Him.

Just as after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, God had to separate them from His presence, when Israel sinned in the wilderness, He again had to separate from the people. Yet, Heaven longed to live in the midst of His people. This tendency to rely on our own understanding rather than submitting to the knowledge of God is a recurring theme throughout Scripture.

However, just as Solomon said during his prayer of dedication, that the Temple was the Palace of the Lord but it’s not the only place where one can communicate with God and God is not limited to that one place as though humans could presume to cage Him or control Him.

We are to respond to the Creator by approaching Him the way He tells us rather than trying to discover or invent our own way of approaching Him.

The One Who created this planet and the heavens fashioned them “good” and made humanity “very good,” in the image and likeness of Elohim, but when Adam and Eve disobeyed Him, they rebelled against Him, and in a sense, committed adultery against Him and this idea of adultery is a common motif that God uses to explain how serious it is when we rebel against Him. Adultery divides what God unites.

Choose wisely: Role of leaders and judges

Building on this foundation, leaders and judges play a critical role in society. That’s why the Torah directs the people of God importance of selecting (literally, “seeing”) individuals who fear God — are men of truth — and hate dishonest gain (Exodus 18:21; Deuteronomy 1:13). These leaders were tasked with the weighty responsibility of discerning between good and evil, upholding justice, and guiding the people in the ways of the LORD.

Ezekiel 28 seems to present a dual perspective — speaking both about the prince or king of Tyre as well as a figure that is described in language reminiscent of the Garden of Eden and the angelic realm.

This passage highlights how even those in positions of spiritual and political leadership can become ensnared by pride, greed, and a desire for autonomy, rather than remaining faithful to their calling to serve God and His people.

The passage contrasts the intended purpose of the priesthood and leadership — to be a bridge between heaven and earth, to uphold righteousness and justice — with the reality of leaders and priests becoming corrupted, turning their backs on God, and leading the people astray.

This serves as a sobering warning about the importance of selecting and empowering leaders who truly fear God, uphold truth, and reject dishonest gain – as outlined in the Mosaic law. It underscores the grave responsibility that comes with positions of spiritual and political authority, and the need for constant vigilance to avoid the temptation of self-serving autonomy.

The lesson from Ezekiel 28 is a call for godly leadership that remains steadfast in its allegiance to the Creator, rather than succumbing to the allure of power, wealth, and independence from divine guidance.

The Messiah and the restoration of relationship between Heaven and Earth

Ultimately, the Messiah is the pivotal figure in the restoration of the relationship between Heaven and Earth. Drawing from passages in Ezekiel 28 and Romans 5, he explained how the Messiah’s work would address the fundamental issue introduced in the Garden of Eden – the separation caused by the knowledge of good and evil (Romans 5:12-14).

The Messiah is the embodiment of the Tree of Life, the One Who reveals God’s true knowledge of good and evil (John 1:14; 5:39-40; Jeremiah 31:31-34). Through the Messiah’s sacrifice and resurrection, the barrier of sin, transgressions and iniquities that had divided humanity from the Creator would be removed, paving the way for a renewed and unhindered relationship available only by trusting in the Messiah as the truly efficacious offering (Hebrews 10:19-22).

The ‘new creation’ and the Tree of Life

This dilemma set up a diverging path in humanity’s relationship with God, as both of these trees were declared “very good.”

The Tree of Life is often associated with the Torah or God’s wisdom, providing guidance towards spiritual life. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, on the other hand, embodies a choice that appears wise but leads to separation from God and mortality (Proverbs 3:18; John 1:1–14).

Looking ahead to the promise of “a new heavens and a new earth” in Isaiah 66, in the New Jerusalem, there will be no more Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — only the Tree of Life (Revelation 22:1-2). This signifies the ultimate restoration, where the knowledge of good and evil will no longer be a source of temptation and separation, but rather a means of healing and life.

The high priest’s pivotal role

Integral to this narrative of restoration is the role of the high priest, who served as an intermediary between the people and the Creator (Hebrews 4:14-16). The author of the book of Hebrews explained how the high priest’s duties in the tabernacle and temple, such as the annual Yom Kippur ritual, foreshadowed the Messiah’s work in reconciling humanity with the holy God (Leviticus 16:15-16, Hebrews 9:11-12).

Tension between tradition and revelation

Scripture cautions against prioritizing human traditions over the clear instructions and revelations of God. We have the example of the P’rushim (“separate ones,” Pharisees), who in their early formative days seeking a separation between the pagan ways that doomed Israel to exiles but later became more concerned with compliance to sectarian interpretations and regulations than with the Heaven-directed heart of the matter (Mark 7:6-9).

Tradition has its place for directing spiritual discipline from generation to generation. But even good practices and regimes can become detrimental when they become the focus rather than a means to an end. The advice of Qohelet (the Preacher) for a balanced approach can seem cynical — neither being “over-religious” nor “under-religious” (Ecclesiastes 7:16-17). Yet across Scripture we glean the wisdom of seeking to align our lives with the knowledge of good and evil as revealed by the Creator.

Lessons for today

The creation account in Genesis, the prophetic warnings in Ezekiel, and the theological depth of Romans all converge to paint a comprehensive picture of the human condition and the Creator’s plan for restoration.

The choice presented in the Garden of Eden — between the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — is a choice that each of us faces daily. Will we submit to the wisdom and guidance of the Creator, or will we succumb to the temptation of autonomous knowledge and the resulting separation? This decision has profound implications for our individual lives, our communities, and the trajectory of human history.

The role of leaders and judges is particularly poignant in our current sociopolitical climate and when elections approach. The need for discernment and righteous decision-making is paramount. Today, we have the rare freedom to choose our own leaders through a democratic process—a right that, for much of history and across most of the world, was unavailable. The ability for each citizen to vote for leaders and judges has only become commonplace in recent centuries. Most of the ancient absolute democracies, such as ancient Athens, the Roman Republic and the Hindu Mahajanapadas devolved into autocracy and monarchy in a few centuries because of the shortcomings of democracy. The practice of voting for our leaders is a rare privilege in human history. Yet the Torah provides a model for selecting leaders, the model Moshe’s father-in-law Yitro recommended (Ex. 18:13-27).

On the one hand, democracy is not bad in and of itself yet the Torah instructs judges to not be swayed by “majority rule,” expanding on the Ninth Commandment.

As we navigate the complexities of modern life, we would do well to heed the Torah’s instructions on selecting and empowering leaders who fear God, uphold truth and reject dishonest gain.

Moreover, the promise of the Messiah and the new creation offers a glimmer of hope in the midst of a world still grappling with the consequences of sin and separation. The Tree of Life, which will one day be the sole source of life and healing, stands as a beacon of the ultimate restoration that the Creator has in store for His creation.

We can be left with a profound sense of gratitude for the depth and richness of the Scriptures. Far from being at best mere historical accounts or at worst collections of superstitions and fables, these ancient texts continue to speak to the human experience, challenging us to align our lives with the knowledge of good and evil as revealed by the Creator.

We’re reminded of the importance of submitting to God’s wisdom and guidance, rather than relying on our often underinformed understanding because we lack the million-foot-high view of time and the present condition that the Creator has. The choice presented in the Garden of Eden is one that we face daily, and the consequences of our decisions can have far-reaching implications.

At the center of the Creator’s perspective is the Messiah, the Restorer of the relationship between heaven and earth. The Messiah’s work as the embodiment of the Tree of Life offers the hope of reconciliation, healing the divide caused by sin and the knowledge of good and evil. As we look forward to the promise of the new creation, where the Tree of Life will be the sole source of life and healing, we can be filled with a renewed sense of anticipation and purpose.

Moreover, the lessons on the role of leaders and judges challenged us to consider the weight of responsibility that comes with selecting people for and ourselves assuming positions of authority. Best case scenario is to choose individuals who fear God, uphold truth and reject dishonest gain, because decisions made by those in leadership can have a profound impact on the well-being of a society.

We can apply these insights of Scripture to own lives and spheres of influence, submitting to the Creator’s wisdom, discerning between good and evil with the guidance of the Scriptures and supporting and empowering leaders who are committed to the pursuit of righteousness and justice.

The Creator’s design and purpose for humanity transcends the boundaries of time and culture. By embracing the knowledge of good and evil as revealed by God, and by placing our trust in the Messiah’s work of restoration, we can find the path to true life and the fulfillment of the Creator’s original intention for His creation.