WHAT WAS THIS TREEE?
The two trees, were in the middle of the garden and it appears to me they might have been side by side. The tree of knowledge of good and evil is the one where WE decide what is right and wrong and in essence be god. The tree of Eternal life is the one where we submit to God, let him be in charge of truth and we spend an eternity with him.
Those two trees exist everyday in my life. Do I decide what is right or wrong (I do often) or do I let God decide. They cannot be separated, it is one or the other. That decision is always before us.
I often thought that they should be separated also. Makes more sense from a human perspective to protect the children. My folks never moved the wood stove outside to protect me, but instructed us not to touch it. Some never got close, and some of us got burned but we had to learn. But remember Adam and Eve were not children, they were fully formed.
The choice has always been part of the deal, maybe God was just honest about it. He was. It was the devil who lied. Jesus was no different, he did not come to bring peace but to cause division. It is one or the other, no luke warm.
Just some thoughts, we don't know the mind of God but sometimes he gives clues.
By the way, the Tree of Life is only mentioned 3 times in the Bible. Genesis and Revelations are two, I will let you research the third.
A few observations about the third reference to the "Tree of Life" in Proverbs 3:
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: ... She [is] a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy [is every one] that retaineth her. - verses 1 and 18
From the Jewish perspective, the Torah (first five books of the Bible) IS the Tree of Life. And from the Christian perspective, Jesus Christ IS the Word of God (Logos - also the root of the word "logic" by the way.)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. - John 1:1-5
From the Jewish mystic perspective (as I understand it) the Torah was written before the creation and is itself a Name of God. One might wonder about such a teaching since the Torah as a Name is quite long. But it could also be argued that our individual DNA is a very long "name" for who we, individually and physically "are."
Following that line of thinking, one might view the names given to animals to be of that sort, physical and lively:
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought [them] unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that [was] the name thereof. - Genesis 2:19
All of which brings me back to the original article - what if the language being spoken in the Garden of Eden were not like symbols or representations but rather a lively language? Certainly the words of God are enlivening:
For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12
Or to put it another way, when Eve was talking to the snake perhaps it was in a language that cannot be discerned by mere physical sensory perception?
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. - Revelation 2:7
Christians have the gift of "ears to hear:"
And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. - Deut 29:2-4 Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word. - John 8:43
But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. - Matt 13:16
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. - I Cor 2:14
We can discern spiritual truths and speak of spiritual things - and perhaps in the next life, we will be given lively words or perhaps even a new language. After all, the Tree of Life is in the midst of Eden (Gen 2:9) and Paradise (Rev 2:7). God's Name is I AM.