God doesn’t mind if we have questions about anything. Whatever we seek has to come from right motives, to desire to increase our knowledge of Him and our desire to become more like Him. We just have to understand that this side of Heaven we will not know all we would like to know. The day is coming however when we will know as we are known. I take comfort in that.

What a great teacher. We are blessed to have him.

Thorough is not boring, especially when it's about God and his living word of our salvation. I appreciate the way you teach. Praying for you and Bonnie always. Glory to the LORD our GOD in Christ Jesus ❤

God is outside our time domain and sees the beginning and the end simultaneously.

When God created Adam and Eve, he created them because he wanted a relationship with them. He created them in his image and in his likeness. He wanted them to love him and choose him above all else, the way that he loves us. And so he put them in a position to make a choice. Scripture says choose you this day whom you will serve as for me. In my house, we will serve the Lord. They didn't they chose self. And they did die spiritually. That's why God had to send Yeshua, Jesus to die as payment for our sin. When we are born again we are redeemed. We've been bought with a price the blood of the lamb. We are made to be restored. We are born again into newness of life. And we are restored to the life that Adam and eve had before the fall. Back to the original image and likeness of God. And we are saved by faith. And we are supposed to pursue the Lord. Not the world.

Yes, because He had a perfect plan. And that plan included that men would CHOOSE Him because He is not a dictator. He wants our love for Him to be free, not forced. Now, choices require alternatives. Obedience is a choice. He wanted us to choose to obey Him, to chose to love Him. He knew we wouldn’t and He knew that it would take all of what has taken to happen in history: man’s fall and restoration. It was and is all a perfect plan from the start.

Thanks for tackling (and publishing) such a hard question, head on

Thank you for that. Something that is never mentions is that God is fair and just and super democratic. We all inherited among other attributes; free will to choose, make a decision. Even the angels.

God was giving Adam free will to choose Good or Evil

Perhaps this age is a great Trial to prove what is stronger, Love or Selfishness. God requires faith in Him to prove our Love of Him, even though we can't see Him. Satan has lost the trial, but is selfishly trying to take as many as he can with him to destruction. To accomplish a fair trial, God had to give us freewill and choices to make.

"God has committed all to disobedience that he might have mercy on all ... From him and through him and to him are all things." (Romans 11:32,36a) Romans 8:19-21 is similar.

We are not meant to know everything - (its not wrong to be curious depending on "your" motivation).... but thats what faith in God and Jesus is all about...Love =Trust...And some things are purely Gods (his secrets)... Dr. Barnett is right on target with this teaching. ❤✝

So when the woman SAW THAT THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD, that it was PLEASANT TO THE EYES, and a tree DESIRABLE TO MAKE ONE WISE, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6) For all that is in the world-the LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYES, and THE PRIDE OF LIFE-is not of the Father but is of the world. (1 John 2:16)

Fantastic young man, It's always an inspiration to hear your insight. Not all have what you have. Thanks so much

We don’t talk about it much, but we have to accept that from a human standpoint, good can be a real jerk sometimes.

I absolutely love listening to you ❤ I have learned so much !

It’s HIStory, he’s the Storyteller. Listen to the Author of the Book of Life. 🙏

I was just thinking this question in my mind and this popped up in my feed, God is amazing!

God knows best. Thanks Mr Barnett.

God Bless

Facts

This video covers far more than the 20 minutes it takes to watch it.

I’ve often wondered if we will get to eat of the fruits of the tree of knowledge when we are in heaven with Jesus Christ. Once a season or year.....whenever.....We all gather to get a piece of the harvest and temporarily get a more heavenly experience while already there.

Thanks!

Sophie, I applaud you for your question! Regrettably though, after 20 minutes of piffle it still begs a logical answer. Even though you are young (from the sound of your voice) you are seeing the inconsistencies the biblical narrative faces. The fact that a human has to do the explaining on behalf of the god of the Bible, and polish his image whilst doing so, already speaks volumes. Stay sceptical and trust your gut.

❤✝️😊 i love it 😍 Thank you pastor God bless you

God knows everything 🙏 and in order for Him to honor His gift of Free Will, He needed to provide an item that would accomplish His divine plan. God bless you all ❤

Pretty sure it was the tree of knowledge of good and evil...

it was all a plan to get rid of Satan for ever

I think we humans may not receive the answer to the question as it may pertain to us, but angels watch humans and learn things about God by how he interacts with us feeble frail humans. So the purpose of the tree ((I think) was ultimately so that angels could learn more about God. He shows that even lesser beings than angels can be saved, that right there shows God's grace. And angels continue to watch us and learn about God. In the end we will be raised higher than the angels and judge them.

free will...

What i dont understand is why God even created us, he saw all the pain, tears, suffering, killing, sorrow that would come????? 😢 😢😢

It wasn’t the fact that the tree had powers to give knowledge of good and evil. The fact they disobeyed God and ate the fruit off that tree caused them to receive the knowledge.

Amen ✝️

The fall of man is not the only aspect of this story. The point of this was to draw Satan out and expose him to us so we could know Satan and our sin

It's my belief that Lucifer was the first created, self aware, being. Whether he rebelled because The Father created a new order of beings(Adam) or not, i cannot say.

the tree is symbolic and eat means to partake of, it is a metaphor. If I lie to you or about you, you or another will suffer from misinformation. If I steal from you, you will suffer from lack or have to put out new effort to regain the loss, and all this while my family, friends and neighbors turn a [blind eye] or encourage my behavior. Now multiply that by the world population, then add in pride, greed, sloth, hate, etc, and you have suffering all around. Then stir the pot with the destructive force of three major wars and you have hell on earth (the pit). The evil and suffering in this world is man's doing not some fabled fallen angel. When someone is tempted to do something that they know is wrong they have a little debate in their head and lie to themselves and make excuses to justify the action they want to take. Just like the story of Eve and the talking serpent. A talking serpent is a fable; 2 Tim 4:4 (KJV). A talking serpent symbolic of the lust of the flesh; is truth. The power of those that give into this serpent is what God calls Satan, or to be more specific, the power of those that use and abuse the laws of God “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” the poor, fatherless, and widows, is what God calls Satan, a principality (a government). And any who support him, through lies or evil plans (mind), or with works (hands) are his angels. Hence the mark of the beast. All glory to God. Amen

I felt like he wanted him to create a conscious…for him to be able to develop how to make a choice from doing something GOOD or bad

- fiery stones and the planets to come

The plan is based on the foundational words and action " experiment of choice" . "Free Will" the painting of life and we're the paint of colours. For Gods image He creates is a board game back to the start, which is, unwaving trust through obedience, faith and love. Evil played, evil failed, re-fresh of light and salvation becomes new.

God wanted Adam and Eve to volunteer to know the pitfalls of the knowledge

Adam and Eve disobey the Genesis 1:28 commandment--the first commandment--to "be fruitful and multiply [in the Garden]" when they become one flesh incorrectly (Genesis 2:24) by eating from the wrong tree in the allegorical Garden's center (Genesis 2:9).

He didn't answer the question

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

so why did God say that He regret creating man, knowing beforehand they would fall to sin

Now I have MORE questions. Why did God create Lucifer? God knew what was in his heart and knew he would fall, so why create such a being who would tempt humanity to also fall? Please, Pastor, please help me understand.

God allowed Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to demonstrate who He is by revealing His Goodness (His Grace) and to share Himself with His people (His Redemption) so that we can know Him, glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. God is the Great Giver of all good things, including of Himself, that we may partake of His Kingdom and be filled with great joy. The very act of His great gift to us (Himself), is glorifying to Him, and we are privileged to acknowledge that (the truth of who He is) by giving Him the glory that is due to Him. The knowledge of His Truth produces in us a great gratitude accompanied by profound joy. Amen

The tree of good and evil is not the tree of good and evil; It is the tree of awareness.

Father God did create the tree of good and evil. But the tree was good after it was created, then it became corrupted for the lust and pleasures of this world. Ezekiel 28:II-I9 That tree will go into the furnace. Reb 20:7-9

This is the fundamental question. Suffering starts from the begining, but God knows outcome and why. Hard to understand as a human, since the outcome is what we wonder about. Those of us that asked this question are some of the chosen ones, as we seek guidance through the bible.

he was perfectly kept, but then iniquity was found...when was iniquity created in lucifer, and how did it get there?

I think it has something to do with free will.

🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🌸Please 🙏🏻pray for salvation for Chris, Pete and Nick.

- covering cherub, means ,head cherub

Everything God created seemingly has balance. The universe seems to work off of a balance and counterbalance. Two forces pulling against each other. In order to have free will, this seems to need to exist. Not sure, just spitballing

Thank God for you dr.John

I differ in the analogy. I do not believe God to have purposely disconnected to prove something, this would indicate that God did create evil, its the choices we make that disconnects us to God. Like the analogy Jesus gave of lusting in your mind, this is sin, even the apostle James said, “once sin has conceived then it brings forth sin.” Lucifer allowed pride to take hold of his thoughts, this was his disconnect and downfall. The Tree was put in the garden as a choice and a representation of God and His son. The tree of good and evil represents the Father who is Omniscience, the tree of life represents the son who brought forth life and can give life through the attributes God gave him, so the son has the Omnipotent attribute of the Father in order to create all things whether in heaven or earth. It’s when disobedience took place is when they found themselves naked, which means they were now separated from God, the lifeline. Out of God’s love is the reason He put the tree in the garden, so that man can at anytime choose on his own, without choice there is no love, just robots. Lucifer was in the presence of Father and son, he was the covering cherub, which means he was the protector of God’s sovereign law, the stones of fire [Ten Commandments] which represents the character of God, a transcript of His and His son’s character. God the Father represents the tree of good and evil because He already knew about sin, for He foresaw before anything was even created. But the son, he knew no sin, he didn’t even know what the experience is like, but he was willing to take the place of man in the case he was to sin, this plan was in place before the creation of anything.

Humans are tested in faith in will in obedience

Gen 6:6

Sophie's question could have been backed up to the creation of Lucifer. If he knew Lucifer was going to want glorified why did he create him?

I thought the answer would be “I don’t know “

Because Eden was both a paradise and a prison.

He told them to not eat of the tree because he knew when they did, they would have to be removed from the tree of life. When he said they would die, it was because they would no longer have the option of living forever. Because he is a loving merciful God and he made it so that our lives would have and end so we didn't continue in doing evil forever. Death is our wage for sin but it is also mercy from God. The tree contained the knowledge of good and evil. But they knew good. They walked among him. Knew their creator loved them and provided everything they needed. The knowledge they sought was the knowledge of evil. The serpent lied to them and made them believe that they wouldn't die once they had that knowledge. God in his infinite wisdom had plan before he even started creation. Once we understand what the knowledge of evil cost us ,we can understand the price Jesus paid for us to eat from the tree of everlasting life. We were always going to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. I used to say " if I was eve I wouldn't have eaten from the tree." But now I know that every single human would have and has eaten from the tree. We know what is right and what is wrong yet we still do wrong. We are no different from Adam and Eve. But God saw it all, knew everything, and still chose to create us. Because God loves us, wants to walk among us, help us, provide for us, protect us, have a relationship with us. That is why he still created us. He is God and we are not. We don't have to understand everything. All we have to understand is that God our amazing creator loves us because we belong to him and that he has made a way that we can be with him forever. Thank you Jesus ❤

1. Why did GOD create us in the first place? While knowing that 90% of us are suffering badly. Only Satan would create this world we live in. 2. If god existed he wouldn't have created me.

How can there be no sin in heaven without affecting freewill. Do we still have our same personalities that make us unique from one another. Maybe off topic but it is something I think about.

- well they are going out to pick an apple off the tree of knowledge of good and evil MacIntosh

This is extremely powerful testimony.

I know the answer

Like your family tree, it’s not a literal tree. They learned right from wrong, and used that knowledge for their gain. They ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

As a testimony to the angels?

What's a good proof that we are in a free love relationship with our partners? Our ability to say "no" and "leave" at any moment. If there wasn't something that gave us the opportunity to say "no" to our partners, are we really in a free relationship? Or are we just captives?

God is HOLY and ALL ABOUT VICTORY. "God is Light and Love (1 John 1:5; 4:8). He "dwells in unapproachable light" (1 Timothy 6:16). Because He is holy, He calls us also to be holy. But holiness, for a human being, can come only through temptation. Adam was created innocent, without even the knowledge of good and evil. God wanted him to be holy; and for this, God allowed him to be tested. The tree of knowledge of good and evil had been created by God Himself and was not evil in itself. It existed in a world over which God pronounced the words, "Very good" (Genesis 1:31). It was very good, because it afforded Adam the opportunity to be holy, by resisting temptation. The Bible says, “Consider it all joy when you encounter various temptations” (James 1:2), because temptations give us the opportunity to partake of God's holiness (Hebrews 12:10) and become “perfect and complete” (James 1:4). As we look at the holiness of Jesus, we do not look at that inherent holiness that He had as God, for that would be no example for us. We look at Him as one “made like His brethren in all things” and “tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning” (Hebrews 2:17; 4:15). Jesus is our Forerunner (Hebrews 6:20), Who ran the same race that we have to run, paving the way for us to follow. And so, He says to us, "Follow Me" (John 12:26). And looking unto Him Who has run the race ahead of us, we too can run with endurance, without fainting or losing heart (Hebrews 12:1-4). Jesus endured every temptation that can ever come to any man. He was tempted “in every point, as we are.” This is clearly taught in Hebrews 4:15. And this is our encouragement. Jesus exercised no power that is not offered to us by God today. He met and overcame temptation, as a man, in the strength given to Him by His Father through the Holy Spirit. Satan has always told man that God's laws are burdensome and impossible to be obeyed. Jesus came as a man and exposed that lie of Satan by His life of perfect obedience. If we had any temptation to overcome, or any command of God to obey, that Jesus did not face, then on that point we could have an excuse for sinning. And if Jesus had lived that perfect life, without the weakness of our flesh or with power unavailable to us, then His life could not be an example that we could follow, nor could it be an encouragement to us in the moments when we are tempted. But Jesus demonstrated through His life as a man on earth, that the power God makes available to us is sufficient to meet the demands of His law that we see in His Word. We do not have a High Priest Who cannot sympathize with out weakness, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are (Hebrews 4:15). The sinless life of Jesus is God's demonstration to the world that it is possible for man through the power of the Holy Spirit to have full victory over sin and to obey God joyfully. If we abide in Him, we CAN “walk even as He walked” (1 John 2:6)." From Zac Poonen - Victory is Possible by the Power of the Holy Spirit

I have figured it out. But I don't think anybody believes me. Pity.

he knows we needed temtation to test our tru love for him

God is a sovereign God, He can do what he wants. Sin is inherited and we never get the choice that Adam and Eve had. As a result, many of us will be born into sin and thrown into the burning trash bin of God that is hell, and somehow this is the divine plan. If God didn't know, then He's not omniscient. If God knew we would fall and that people would be born into sin without choice, then by human standards God isn't just. The path to salvation is narrow and not everyone who call themselves Christian will be saved, but if the Christian God is real then He can still do what He wants regardless of how we judge it.

It makes more sense in the original text the enuma elish. Genesis is a plagiarism that made changes

The Lord god said we cannot have this tree because it is used to reach the other tree we can have forever. One tree is eternal life as light that has no sides to itself and cannot be witnessed first. Use the tree with two sides in the mind to see ourselves and evolve to love [neither side] and then go back to ligh-t as Lie cross was the tree of two sides made in the mind just to learn to see without the sides of think. When the Lord god said, You cannot have the tree of the knowledge of good and evil it caused the relative response to want the tree he said you cannot have, This is one false side made in the mind. BUT.. the lord god meant.."You can have the tree of life forever" by simply saying we cannot have this one. This tree has many deaths to reach love from sin and then back to light. Heaven is rev chapter 22 it is there at either side of the river was the tree of life.

God makes all things cooperate for the good of those he has already chosen in the Beloved One. Romans 8 : 28 Ephesians 1 : 6 Proverbs 16 : 4 Ephesians 1 : 3 - 6

Was the Angel's part of the group in Gen. 1:26 us who is us?

Remember also God said that he made the sun, moon and stars. We are taught the sun is a star. So who is wrong the creator or really smart humans..

The more you try to prove predestination the more confusing it becomes. Just like Adam and Eve had free will so did Satan. Christ was ordained before the foundations of the earth which proves God knows everything but in is wisdom he gave man free will knowing the future of his choice. God proves his righteousness in Romans chapter 3. Calvin’s view of predestination is not righteousness in the way that Romans chapter 3 shows it proving we can trust Him

Its the tree of KNOWLEDGE of good and evil. Thats a HUGE difference. Get your facts straight. Its a huge responsibility to teach Torah to a large group of people.

This explanation wasn’t enough for me. I have been struggling with the same question.

He created the tree of the KNOWLEDGE of good and evil. Fix that

Question if lucifer was with god covering the throne why does he say he will ascend above the stars he is already there ?

Why did God create the tree of the knowledge of good and evil knowing Adam and Eve would partake of it? The answer was implied in Genesis 3:22 then further unveiled throughout Scripture... The Lord Jesus had an eternal plan for mankind to be His future eternal sons and daughters before the creation of Creation. In order to create His future eternal sons and daughters the fall of mankind through Adam was put in place in order to create for Himself sons and daughters who were made in His image. In order to be truly made in the image of our Lord Jesus, it was required by design that all of mankind through Adam come to the knowledge of good and evil molded together with free will. It was for the very purpose of creating sons and daughters who were made in His image and knowing that sin and death would ensue that the Lord Jesus predestined Himself to be murdered by His own future eternal sons and daughters in the most torturous and ignominious manner on a cross. In that way, through the Cross, mankind's sins that followed Adam were justified by the Lord Jesus Christ. In that way, through the Cross, the Lord Jesus's righteousness was revealed to all of Creation by forgiving all of mankind's sins committed following Adam. Indeed, then, it was through our Lord Jesus Christ alone that the Lord Jesus's eternal plan of redemption of mankind was finished on the Cross... As our Lord Jesus Christ declared in John 19:30... “It is finished.” So it is finished. Therefore, it is through our Lord Jesus alone that redemption came to all of mankind... Having redeemed mankind through the Cross it was through the Lord's resurrection that the Lord Jesus revealed to mankind and to all of the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies above and the earth below His eternal Gospel of salvation for mankind... That is, since Adam, from generation through generation, the Lord Jesus's future eternal sons and daughters have been coming to the knowledge of good and evil molded with free will. This process of Creation will continue until that last generation, when the fullness of the gentiles whose names were written in the Book of Life before the creation of Creation have come to fulfillment. Then, during that final generation on a day and hour unknown, the Day of the Lord Jesus will come upon all of mankind and Creation like a thief in the night at the last trumpet sound... On that day, the Lord Jesus will be revealed in all of His everlasting glory, and all of the Lord's sons and daughters will be made known to all of Creation. On that Day, the Lord Jesus will be revealed in all of His everlasting glory... That is, at the Name of Jesus, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father. On that Day, the eternal sons and daughters will be made known to all of Creation... That is, in a flash, in the twinkling of the Lord's eye, all will be made incorruptible, and all will be made immortal. On that Day, Paul's revelation of the Lord Jesus's eternal Gospel through Corinthians 15:51-57 will be fulfilled... "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." ...Then the Lord's eternal sons and daughters, together with their Lord Jesus, will live forever in a new heavens and a new earth. This is why the Lord Jesus made the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

So eve falling into temptation was god's plan

Just like you can't have good without evil and light without dark

So…no answer!

I dont understand all the laughing. Especially at a child who is trying to understand.

(Short version) we have to TRUST God no matter what. Even explaining it can be weakening your faith. God reqlly never says why He does anything. But he does tell us why He had to die. But I dont see any explanation of the why. Our finite minds make it impossible to understand the why. Again He does give a why in the finite realm, thats clear. And even then its still difficukt for us to grasp. Sometimes learning the whys will derail your faith. Just accept it and TRUST Him.

How about: "The author of the story needed an excuse to move the plot forward and came up with that nonsense." Which lapsarianism would that be :)

God destroyed the world of old by a flood because the world was full of violence (Genesis 6: 13). The Bible starts with the Spirit of God hovering over the face of the deep (Genesis 1:2). Satan was filled with violence by "the abundance of his trade.". (Ezekiel 28: 16)

To test all those He chose from before the foundation of the Earth that will reign with Him for eternity in His Kingdom.

Gen 1:26 reads, "Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness." Man has been created in the image of God. God is Sovereign. Man has been given "free will" (ie Sovereignty) to choose whether to love, trust and obey God. This is partially what it means to be made in the Image of God. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil allows man to have and exercise free will or his sovereignty. If the Tree was not in the Garden, we cannot truly say that man has been given a choice. And we couldn't say man is then made in His Image or to be considered the 'crown' of His creation.

Scripture tells us why. Genesis 3:22-23 KJVS 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, to till the ground from whence he was taken. Hebrews 2:6-11 KJVS But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? [7] Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: [8] Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. [9] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. [10] For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. [11] For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Men needed to be made spiritually mature by Jesus Christ.

Maybe it was a test and man kind failed GOD knew that . He had already planed JEDSUS as the lamb. To save us ??????

Do you think that the trees represent Jesus and Satan 🙏🙏

Maybe Lucifer was the first example all below God which is everything and everyone cannot have good without him. That's why we accept the lamb of God as our savior. Not Trump or Biden or any man woman, angel etc. God is the glory

JB, you always approach scripture from a Calvinistic perspective... because, as you have admitted many times, that you're a Calvinist. God created us in His image & likeness as volitional beings for genuine fellowship/a personal relationship. Creating us as free thinking autonomous, volitional beings is the only way "Obedience is better than sacrifice" can either be rewarded or criticized (Cain's sacrifice vs Abel). True He is sovereign over all...& He sovereignly created us with a limited amount of sovereignty/free moral agency (Like a parent should have over their children or a Patriarch or King who looks after his people). God's foreknowledge of all events does not make Him the causal agent of all events (as Augustine & Calvin taught) see Jeremiah 19:5 for one of many examples.