Much has been said that God put evil tree in the garden to tempt Adam. From my study on this I did not see anything that made the tree evil. can a good God produce bad thing?

Genesis 1:31
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

what now make the tree evil. If God says all were good. was it the content of the fruit that is bad.?

The tree was not evil, it was just like every other tree except for the fact that eating from it would make them sentient: consciously perceiving. It was their disobedience that was a sin, the tree was totally harmless on its own.

If God had told them not to swim in a particular river, and they did, sin would have still set in anyway. So would we then say the river was evil? No. All that God made was good.

Sin was brought into being by attributes of disobedience, pride and rebellion in Lucifer, which were fruits of HIS OWN decision.

Genesis 2:17
   But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

if nothing was wrong with the tree why would God not want them to eat. That means there is a curse on the tree. and God said they "will surely die" . moreover he said ,knowledge of good and EVIL. "EVIL"

Well he didn't say "tree of evil" but the tree of "knowledge" of good and evil. In a short form I will say, " tree of knowledge" as emphasis

That's judgement. It's a tree who's fruit contains the knowledge of judgement.

It says good and EVIL

It seems your emphasis is just this " evil"part . But ask yourself , will a good God create evil?

But I didnt write the bible. what about Isaiah prophecy

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

, helloo ,

there is no question it being an "evil" tree at all its a product of God creative ingenuity
the book of james 1:17 "[i][/i]every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights, with whom
is no variableness, neither shaow of turning"

thank you

The tree was a one that made man know btw good and bad, and make them to wanna decide and protect themselves and taking themselves out of the will of God.
But God is still so great and loving still find a way to bring them to His purpose

I actually believe the tree was meant for Adam to eat. but he ate it at a wrong time.that was the troube.

That's just your own interpretation, ofcourse.

Joagbaje:

I actually believe the tree was meant for Adam to eat. but he ate it at a wrong time.that was the troube.

The fruit was meant for them to eat because man was created to judge the fallen angels.

Genesis 2:17
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

1 Cor. 6:3
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
for man to judge ,he needed to have understanding of good and evil which is a sign of maturity . The tree contains that knowledge. We also have to understand that Adam was not yet perfect or mature.His perfection is connected to those two trees. namely,the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
hear what satan said

Genesis 3:5
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened,and ye shall be as (God) , knowing good and evil.

So, to know good and evil is a good thing, Just like God and that was the content of the tree.

Hebrews 5:14
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

So with the understanding that descernment of good and evil was a sign of maturity means God put the two trees there for Adam to eat;The tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But it was not yet time for him to eat.He was not yet fully prepared for this before Satan made him eat it in dissobedience.

Compare what Satan told them here. Satan does not say opposite of truth but can bend truth

Genesis 3:5
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened,and ye shall be as (God) , knowing good and evil.

Now compare it with what God said here:

Genesis 3:22
And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as[b] one of us,[/b] to know[b] good and evil[/b]: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Adam ate the fruit prematurely and at the instruction of Satan and by that he sinned. He couldnt coplete the process now because there is sin in him God had to stop him from eating of the tree of life because if he should eat it , he will remain like that forever, since his nature is already corrupt, there will never be redemption for man. So to stop this, God had to send him out of the garden so that he wont touch the other tree.

Genesis 3:22-24
And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: [23] Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden,, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword , to keep the way of the tree of life.

If God had told them to replesh the earth how come they were not aware they were naked .We dont know how many days or months they were in the garden. They could not think of producing children because they were still under training. It was only when they ate the fruit, they knew what unclothedness is.
Why did God blind there eyes to their sexuality?
why were they confined in a garden ?
when will they replenish the earth?
how would they judge without knowledge?
Is it wrong for them to be like God?

The knowledge was in that fruit, they terminated the initial plan. But Jesus has brought man into that place. We dont have to eat the tree of life now christ has brought the life.

John 10:10
, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

1 John 5:11-12
And this is the record, that God hath given to us[b] eternal life[/b], and this life is in his Son. [12] He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Every body will live forever both good and bad, but in different places. Eternal life is a knowledge based life, not living forever, but a quality of life. by knowledge.

John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

@Joagbaje: Excellent, sir. Just excellent. Thanks for sharing.

inedi:

But I didnt write the bible. what about Isaiah prophecy

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

You jumped this quesion mr joeagbaje

inedi:

But I didnt write the bible. what about Isaiah prophecy

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

babaearly:

You jumped this quesion mr joeagbaje

I didnt want to derail the thread because It is a little controversial. But the truth is that God didnt create evil as far as I know. It is not everything a prophet say that is consistent with truth.

James 1:17
   Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

1 John 1:5
, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1 Cor. 14:33
   For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

I believe that the tree was definitely not evil for god is not evil. Moreover everything he created was termed good Gen1:31 ' and the Lord God looked at what he had created and it was good,

@Joagbaje + Inedi: An accurate translation of the Hebrew Isa 45:7 from Hebrew to English is "I create light and also (the absence of light) darkness. I create harmony in things and I also take it apart (the absence of harmony). . ."

English is weak to convey the word translated evil.

Feel free to investigate what I said above. You are blessed

God did not create man - Adam and Eve - to be independent if Him (God). Thats understandable if we realize that the Creator should be in control of the created -

Jeremiah 10:23
" I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step"

Was the Tree Evil or had the tree some element of evil?

The answer is a clear NO. It was a Normal tree. Only that it was what Jehovah God used as a symbol of his authority to determine what was good and what was bad for Adam and Eve. Recall when God gave them the commandment:

Genesis 2:16 and 17
"And Jehovah God also laid this command upon the man: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.”"

The had freedom to eat from all except one tree. There were other tree that were good for food and eating and were good to look at except one. The act of consenting to go against Gods command was the sin. It was an action that spook loud to God that we would prefer not to be governed by God - The creator.

However, eating of the tree had conditions. "They will die" added to imperfection that will follow. Think of a computer software designed by a programmer. The programmer must have made the program to do something good. In writing most of the codes, he know that certain codes, if allowed to their extremes will yield undesirable results. He, therefore knows that the program must be used is specified ways. He supplies instructions and even warning that guides the user so as to reach desired results. Assuming a user chooses to disregard the programmer's instructions and warning and an undesired result is reached - such as the loss of large store of valuable data - would we conclude that the programmer built in evil or bad code in the program/software? I don't think so.

What about Isaiah 45: 7?
Well, A friend told me that one day, his boss call him and told him, "let us make a computer virus". He said he looked at his boss with surprise and asked, "a computer virus?". Well he said he told him that he does not want to be involved in that. His boss laughed, according to his statement. The the boss said "will you want to be involved in making anti-viruses for computers?" to which my friend said "that will make more sense". The the boss laughed again and said "an anti-virus is a virus. Both are programs that frustrated or stops the actions of another program. It is very possible for God to do bad or good. He has the knowledge. He knows how best to handle good and bad especial with his intent on good. God Chooses to do good. God does not compromise the lasting effects of good for the temporary joys of bad. Job 34:10 - 12 says:

"Therefore, YOU men of heart, listen to me.
Far be it from the [true] God to act wickedly,
And the Almighty to act unjustly!For [according to] the way earthling man acts he will reward him,
And according to the path of man he will cause it to come upon him.
Yes, for a fact, God himself does not act wickedly,
And the Almighty himself does not pervert judgment. "

Traugott:

@Joagbaje + Inedi: An accurate translation of the Hebrew Isa 45:7 from Hebrew to English is "I create light and also (the absence of light) darkness. I create harmony in things and I also take it apart (the absence of harmony). . ."
English is weak to convey the word translated evil.
Feel free to investigate what I said above. You are blessed

Thanks , Actually from my study of Gods word, it is very evident that men prophesy according to their measure of faith. Isaiah was not correct here ,

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

In those days generally men believe God was behind every thing, both good and evil.There was no revelaion of demons as much as now.if a man dies ,it is believed God killed him. People wrote prophecies according to the light they had. compare these two scriptures by different writers yes same story:

2 Samuel 24:1
And again the anger of the[b] Lord [/b] was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

1 Chron. 21:1-2
And[b] Satan [/b] stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. [2] And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

who made David number Israel, God or Satan? A man prophesied according to his faith(revelation).

Romans 12:6
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

That means a prophet word may not be 100% accurate. That is why prophecies can be judged by truth.(the word)

1 Cor. 14:29
Let the prophets speak two or three, and[b] let the other judge[/b].

Jesus didnt have 100% result all the time either. He said lazarus will not die but lazarus died!.

John 11:4
When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death

But thank God he didnt get dicouraged, he called him forth from the dead.

@Joagbaje,

I'm afraid you have not studied God's Word carefully and seem to be quoting it to suit your own convenience. Rather than take every line in your post and deal with, let me make an observation that captures the essence of the way you tend to regard prophetic statements:

Joagbaje:

Isaiah was not correct here ,

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

It were better for you to say that you don't understand Isaiah's prophetic declarations than try to judge it as inaccurate. Humble men show their dignity by accepting that they do not understand some of the things that Isaiah declared, such as the Ethiopian eunuch did in Acts 8:30-31.

Isaiah was not telling us what he thought in Isaiah 45:7 - rather, he was declaring the utterances of God giving him by prophecy. The personal pronounce 'I' in verse 7 flows on from verse 5 ('I am the LORD. .'). It was still the LORD speaking in Isaiah in verse 7 who Himself said that He forms the light, and creates darkness: I makes peace, and creates evil - and here the problem is on the nebulous word 'evil': what does it mean as used there? He attests to these things by saying, "I the LORD do all these things".

It was not only Isaiah the prophet that declared such things prophetically - other prophets did, and would you be saying they were inaccurate as well? Let's remind ourselves of a few:

[list](a) 'Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?' ~ Amos 3:6

(b) In Ezekiel 14:15-21, God Himself makes clear the sort of 'evil' He brings to an ungodly nation or people:
[list]* 'noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it'
* 'a sword . . to cut off man and beast from it'
* 'a pestilence'
* 'my four sore judgments: . . the sword, the famine, the noisome beast, and the pestilence'[/list][/list]

These are just examples - and the NT openly declares both aspects in clear terms:

'Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off' ~ Romans 11:22

People have a choice to continue in God's goodness - and to those who choose to qualify themselves for His severity, He has promised to mete out His severity. On this issue, ALL the prophets of both the OT and NT are agreed, so there's no need trying to play 'Joagbaje' here by saying that Isaiah was not correct in what he declared in chapter 45:7. . . otherwise you would also have to find a way of saying that all the prophets were also not correct, so we know for sure that you are not committed to God's Word or just seeking a religion of convenience. Does it then surprise me that you would be so far gone as to impugn upon the declarations of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself?

@Joagbaje: You missed my point, sir. I was explaining the meanings of the words "peace" and "evil" as opposites to one another. See the MESSAGE translation (which I must confess, I really like):

Isa 45:7 I form light and create darkness, I make harmonies and create discords. I, GOD, do all these things.

The way I see it is that, God does WHATEVER he pleases, and he always has his way. The question is "Are you IN his way, or ON his side?" because whatvere is in his way gets crushed. So Viaro is correct in saying that Isaiah and the other OT prophets knew what they were saying. One needs to stay alert to the "two" qualities in God, He will not be limited in action or form of expression.

Rom 11:22 Make sure you stay alert to these qualities of gentle kindness and ruthless severity that exist side by side in God--ruthless with the deadwood, gentle with the grafted shoot. But don't presume on this gentleness. The moment you become deadwood, you're out of there.

I also do not agree that evil spirits were not known in the OT, and that demonology was a strange thing. e.g. In Jewish mystical books, it is believed that Solomon had control over thousands of demons that he sent on diverse errands. And in the Bible, we have:

Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Deu 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

And this was GOD speaking in Zechariah about an unclean spirit:
Zec 13:2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

viaro:

@Joagbaje,

I'm afraid you have not studied God's Word carefully and seem to be quoting it to suit your own convenience. Rather than take every line in your post and deal with, let me make an observation that captures the essence of the way you tend to regard prophetic statements:

It were better for you to say that you don't understand Isaiah's prophetic declarations than try to judge it as inaccurate. Humble men show their dignity by accepting that they do not understand some of the things that Isaiah declared, such as the Ethiopian eunuch did in Acts 8:30-31.

Isaiah was not telling us what he thought in Isaiah 45:7 - rather, he was declaring the utterances of God giving him by prophecy. The personal pronounce 'I' in verse 7 flows on from verse 5 ('I am the LORD. .'). It was still the LORD speaking in Isaiah in verse 7 who Himself said that He forms the light, and creates darkness: I makes peace, and creates evil - and here the problem is on the nebulous word 'evil': what does it mean as used there? He attests to these things by saying, "I the LORD do all these things".

It was not only Isaiah the prophet that declared such things prophetically - other prophets did, and would you be saying they were inaccurate as well? Let's remind ourselves of a few:

[list](a) 'Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?' ~ Amos 3:6

(b) In Ezekiel 14:15-21, God Himself makes clear the sort of 'evil' He brings to an ungodly nation or people:
[list]* 'noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it'
* 'a sword . . to cut off man and beast from it'
* 'a pestilence'
* 'my four sore judgments: . . the sword, the famine, the noisome beast, and the pestilence'[/list][/list]

These are just examples - and the NT openly declares both aspects in clear terms:

'Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off' ~ Romans 11:22

People have a choice to continue in God's goodness - and to those who choose to qualify themselves for His severity, He has promised to mete out His severity. On this issue, ALL the prophets of both the OT and NT are agreed, so there's no need trying to play 'Joagbaje' here by saying that Isaiah was not correct in what he declared in chapter 45:7. . . otherwise you would also have to find a way of saying that all the prophets were also not correct, so we know for sure that you are not committed to God's Word or just seeking a religion of convenience. Does it then surprise me that you would be so far gone as to impugn upon the declarations of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself?

My sister, God is not author of evil .I know quite well the erronous doctrine you have believed ,but its not consistent with Gods nature. I have greater light than Isaiah, God is love.

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

1 Cor. 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

God is not behind pestilence and famine.The devil is.

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Joagbaje:

My sister, God is not author of evil .I know quite well the erronous doctrine you have believed ,but its not consistent with Gods nature. I have greater light than Isaiah, God is love.

I'm sorry, but you don't have half the light that Isaiah had - and other prophets were consistent in bearing the same message. The only one deviating from them is you, and I have not see how you have managaed to rise above their own light.

Although God is love, have you also forgotten that "our God is a consuming fire", Hebrews 12:29??

The bible says "the spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets" It is not everything the prophet says that should be taken. prophesies are to be judged according to truth. a prophesy that is not consistent with GOD'S nature can be rejected.
take for example , if somebody says " thus sayeth the Lord all those of you wearing earings should take off their earings, take off your earings" would you say that it is of God
apostle paul
john 4:1 said spirits should be tried so
a prophesy that is not consistent with God's word should be rejected

@poster
go and read isaiah 45;7

7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
(king james version courtesy of bible gateway.com)

as for adam and eve eating of the fruit,well one thing which GOD gave us full exercise of without restrictions was "free will" that is why even though a still silent voice of the holy spirit will always caution us when we are about to commit sin,he does not physically stop us

Joagbaje:

My sister, God is not author of evil .I know quite well the erronous doctrine you have believed ,but its not consistent with Gods nature. I have greater light than Isaiah, God is love.

viaro:

I'm sorry, but you don't have half the light that Isaiah had - and other prophets were consistent in bearing the same message. The only one deviating from them is you, and I have not see how you have managaed to rise above their own light.

Although God is love, have you also forgotten that "our God is a consuming fire", Hebrews 12:29??

I have the life of Christ in me which Elijah never had.
Well I dont have much to say with you here, I cant blame you for the level of truth you dont know. When you really get to know who the new creation is, you will know who you are in christ, and all these truths will no longer be mystries to you. The newest convert today in Christ is more than all the prophets put together.

Matthew 11:11
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding[b] he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he[/b].

One of the greatest problems Christians have with their God is the Problem of Evil. . . . .My question is why are you guys so hung up on a God that is completely good and loving even though a simple reading of the bible says other wise? There is even a part in the book of Jeremiah where the God of the bible did evil against a group of people and apologized(I can supply the verse).If you guys can just admit that your God is not omnibenevolent all the time you won't have this problem.I can't think of any other religion, dead or extant, that claims their god/s are compassionate all the time. Christians these days sing songs of praises, hymns to their God through Jesus Christ whom the say is the son of their God. None of these hymns glorify their God's wrath and evil deeds. Their God is love they say. It is delusional IMO. They are just creating an idea of God that they would like to believe in. At the same time they condone wars and are not all pacifist.

The whole point to the Christian religion is claiming that their imaginary friend is better than everyone else's imaginary friend. If your imaginary friend is not omnibenevolent, then someone can claim that their imaginary friend is better than yours, which is simply not acceptable.

Let me just add that omnibenevolence like nearly everything else in Abrahamic religions is part of the religion to make the religion a more effective tool for political control and nothing else IMO That is why you guys are hell bent on claimng that you God is only good and not evil EVEN WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS HE DOES EVIL ACTS. . . . . .Jews don't seem to be so hung up on benevolence. Theirs is more a God of wrath and vengeance type which Christians try to explain away.

They are trying very hard to redefine and redesign their deity(which is a very positive thing), but their holy book and their unyeilding and narrow doctrines are not leaving them enough wriggle room to maneuvre.
I think the whole of the bible needs to be rewritten to fit the changing consciousness of modern mankind.There is no other way ,imo.And the priests all need to be retrained in deep spiritual stuffs rather than superficial dogmatic stuffs that no longer convince anybody of their relevance.As the human consciousness evolves, so must the doctrines themselves and the texts upon which they are based.

mazaje:

Let me just add that Omnibenevolence like nearly everything else in Abrahamic religions is part of the religion to make the religion a more effective tool for political control and nothing else IMO That is why you guys are hell bent on claimng that you God is only good and not evil EVEN WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS HE DOES EVIL ACTS. . . . . .Jews don't seem to be so hung up on benevolence. Theirs is more a God of wrath and vengeance type which Christians try to explain away.