Tawa Baptist

The Mustard Tree

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-33

Video Link: https://youtu.be/kEpEo0T-vtg

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Transformation
  • Abundance
  • Usefulness
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

In our fridge at home, we usually have three different kinds of mustard: mild mustard, which we use on hot dogs and sausages, whole grain mustard, which has a bit more of a kick to it, and Dijon mustard which is useful for making salad dressings.  

Mustard is used all over the world as a condiment or a spice in cooking, from India to Europe, to the Middle East and the Americas, as well as Tawa.

Mustard requires just four ingredients to make: seeds from the mustard plant, vinegar, salt and water.

Today we continue our Testimony of Trees series by focusing on the mustard tree. Three of the four gospels record Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed. Our message today draws on Matthew’s version, which also includes Jesus’ parable of the yeast. From Matthew 13, verses 31-33 we read…   

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty poundsof flour until it worked all through the dough.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

If you google images of heaven you tend to get pictures of blue sky and rays of light shining through the clouds. But this is not the image Jesus gives of heaven. The images Jesus uses for the kingdom of heaven are very down to earth. A common mustard seed and yeast for baking bread. 

The kingdom of heaven is not so much a geographical location. It’s more a state of being in which God’s will is done perfectly. The kingdom of heaven (also known as the kingdom of God), is characterised by justice and mercy, truth and grace. It is a community of lasting peace, joy and love.

The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast are both telling us something about the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven (come to earth) is about transformation, abundance and usefulness. We begin with transformation…

Transformation:

Most of you will have heard of the story of the Ugly Duckling. A mother duck is sitting on her eggs and one of the eggs is larger than the rest and takes longer to hatch. Then, when it finally does hatch, out crawls a drab grey looking creature, not a beautiful yellow chick.  

The ugly duckling looks and feels different to everyone else and because of this he is teased and taunted by the other ducks until finally he leaves home.

But the ugly duckling doesn’t fare much better out in the wide world, because all the other birds he meets also point out his flaws.  

The ugly duckling manages to survive one catastrophe after another until eventually makes it through the winter. Then one spring day, when the lake has melted, some children start throwing bread for him to eat.

And as they do they say to each other, ‘look at that beautiful swan’. The ugly duckling thinks the children are talking about someone else and so he looks down. But as he does, he sees his reflection in the water. He can’t believe his eyes. He was never a duckling in the first place. He had always been a swan.

Now he is able to find his own kind and is welcomed by them

The story of the Ugly Duckling is a parable of transformation, from humble beginnings to a beautiful end. The kingdom of heaven (or the way of God) is like the ugly duckling: different, misunderstood, abused and rejected at first. But in the end God’s will proves perfect and pleasing.

How often do we resist or even despise the will of God, finding it too distasteful, too difficult, too embarrassing, too small or too inconvenient, only to learn in the fullness of time that God’s will was the best thing to have happened to us, better than we expected or imagined.

Although the kingdom of heaven starts out small (like a mustard seed) it finishes up the largest of all garden shrubs. Likewise, although only a small amount of yeast is used in baking, it permeates through a large amount of flour, transforming it into delicious, nourishing bread. 

We note that the yeast permeates the flour from the inside. The kingdom of heaven is not a violent take over from the outside. The kingdom of heaven (like yeast) transforms the world, quietly, from the inside out.

Implied in these parables is an encouragement to persevere. It’s like Jesus is saying, I know the kingdom of heaven doesn’t look like much to start with, but don’t despise small beginnings. You will be surprised to see what comes of it. God’s kingdom (in its fullness) is worth remaining faithful for.  

Jesus was the original ugly duckling.

Jesus was born of a virgin and people questioned his parentage.  

Jesus came as a carpenter, when people were expecting a warrior king.

Jesus spoke the truth, and people threw him out of the synagogue.

Jesus cast out demons, and people accused him of being the devil.

Jesus ate with sinners, and people called him a glutton and a drunkard.

Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead, and people crucified him.

But that is not the end of the story, for Jesus embodies the kingdom of God in himself. Jesus is like the mustard seed and the yeast. Jesus’ coming has a transformational effect on the world.

After Jesus died, they laid him in a tomb and on the third day God raised Jesus from the dead, the first of many. If you confess with their mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast show us that the kingdom of heaven, coming to earth, involves a process of transformation. Heaven’s humble beginnings on earth are a complete contrast to its glorious end.

So hang in there – persevere – for God’s kingdom is worth it in the end.           

The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast show us the kingdom of heaven is about transformation and abundance.

Abundance:

In verse 32 of Matthew 13 Jesus says that though the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree…

Now in reading this we need to remember, Jesus is not giving a scientific lecture on seeds and plants. This is not a botany lesson. This is a kingdom of heaven lesson. It would be a mistake to test the truth of Jesus’ words using a scientific method. A parable is like poetry, it uses a certain amount of creative license to get the point across.

Jesus’ point is not that mustard seeds are the smallest seeds in all of creation. Mustard seeds are about 2-3 mm’s in diameter. Obviously there some seeds (or spores) which are smaller.

Nor is Jesus saying that mustard trees are the tallest of all trees. A mustard tree might grow between one and two metres tall, maybe more if conditions are right, but we are not talking the height of a kauri tree or an oak.  

Nevertheless, in the context of a herb garden, mustard seeds are tiny in comparison to the size of a mustard tree. And that is the point. From one tiny seed comes an unbelievable transformation and abundance.

You don’t see a lot of mustard trees growing in New Zealand, but you do see quite a bit of gorse. Gorse is not like mustard in every way, but it is similar in some ways.

Gorse and mustard plants are around the same size and both come out in a bright yellow flower. What’s more they are both abundant. Gorse and mustard plants are so quick to self-seed and spread they are considered an invasive weed by some people.  

As many of you will already know, gorse is not native to New Zealand.

Gorse was introduced to New Zealand a couple of hundred years ago from Scotland, I believe, where it is used as an ornamental hedge.

The settlers who introduced the gorse plant to New Zealand did not expect it to become so pervasive. The climate in New Zealand is warmer and so gorse plants grow more rapidly here and are harder to control.

Despite the millions spent on herbicides, slashing and burning, gorse is still found everywhere in New Zealand. In fact, gorse is so resilient that burning just makes it spread further

I imagine it must have come as quite a shock to Jesus’ first century listeners when he compared the kingdom of heaven to a mustard plant. They would have been expecting Jesus to say the kingdom of heaven is like a tall cedar of Lebanon, just as we might expect him say the kingdom of heaven is like a mighty Totara of Aotearoa.

Instead, Jesus uses a far more ordinary image, the image of a common shrub that was actually unwanted by many. It would have seemed strange to Jesus’ original audience when he said, a man took a mustard seed and planted it in his field. Why would anyone intentionally plant mustard seed in their field. That would be like a farmer intentionally sowing gorse seed.

But despite being unwanted at first, the kingdom of heaven is resilient.

Not only do we get such an abundance of it from a small seed, once the kingdom of heaven is sown it is practically impossible to get rid of.

The kingdom of heaven spreads everywhere like mustard plants in Palestine or like gorse in New Zealand.

The parable of the yeast also speaks to the abundance of the kingdom of heaven. In verse 33 of Matthew 13 Jesus says: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty poundsof flour until it worked all through the dough.”

60 pounds is an enormous amount of flour, more than you would normally bake for a family. It would make enough bread to feed a small village.

But that’s the point. Jesus is drawing a comparison between the small beginnings of the kingdom of heaven and the abundance it produces.

This idea of God’s abundance is often lost on us. We live in a society and culture which is more focused on scarcity and missing out. Our economy is driven by demand and supply which assumes there isn’t enough to go around, because sometimes (due to greed) there isn’t enough.

Not so in God’s country. The underlying assumption of the kingdom of heaven is abundance (due to generosity) with more than enough for everyone. Just imagine how different life will be when heaven is realised on earth in its fullness.   

The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast show us the kingdom of heaven is about transformation, abundance and usefulness.

Usefulness:

When I was a teenager living at home, we used to grow mustard plants in the vege garden. Once the mustard plant got to a certain height (and before it went to seed) I would dig the foliage back into the soil. The green leaves acted as a fertiliser replenishing the soil’s nitrogen levels.

The mustard plant is useful for more than just fertiliser though. Indeed, the whole of the mustard plant is edible. The roots can be mashed up into a paste to be eaten. The leaves of a young mustard plant can be used in a salad and the seeds from the flowers are used to make the mustard you put on your ham.

In this way, the mustard plant is different from gorse. I wouldn’t advise trying to eat gorse, although goats have been known to feed on it.

Jesus finishes the parable of the mustard tree by saying: it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.

Birds do in fact find sanctuary in the branches of the mature mustard tree, but this is a parable and so the word, birds, has a double meaning. The prophets Daniel and Ezekiel used the image of birds perching in a tree as a metaphor for the gentile nations. 

Many of Jesus’ Jewish audience, therefore, would have understood the birds of the air to be a poetic reference to non-Jews. Once again, Jesus’ parable probably grated with some of his listeners. The nation of Israel, at that time, was under the thumb of the Romans. Some of Jesus’ Jewish listeners would have preferred God to destroy the people of other nations, not create a sanctuary for them.

There is one other way in which the mustard plant is similar to the gorse bush. Just as a mustard plant provides sanctuary for birds, so too the gorse bush is useful in providing a nursery for New Zealand native trees. If you leave gorse undisturbed, native seedlings will grow up through it, protected by the gorse.

In much the same way that gorse is useful for regenerating native bush, so too the kingdom of heaven is useful for regenerating the souls of people of all nations.

We are talking about the usefulness of the kingdom of heaven. In thinking about Jesus’ parable of the yeast, the question of usefulness should be obvious. Bread feeds people.

More than that, fresh bread baked with yeast is usually more pleasant to eat than unleavened flat bread. The yeast of God’s kingdom makes all that it comes in contact with more palatable, more delightful.

Now in case you are thinking, ‘this is just poetry and clever story telling with little or no application to real life’, let me give you some examples of how the mustard seed and the yeast of the kingdom of heaven has made a significant impact on human history (as if the impact of Jesus himself is not obvious enough).

The first hospital was set up by a Christian woman called Fabiola of Rome. Fabiola lived during the fourth century, about 350 years after Jesus. Fabiola came from a wealthy noble family and was married off at a young age to a husband who proved to be abusive and probably unfaithful.

Fabiola found the courage to divorce her brute of a husband and start again. She had to really, for her own survival.

After the death of her second husband, Fabiola had a conversion experience. She used her wealth to build a hospital in Rome where she gave herself to caring for the poor and the sick, those rejected by society because of their illnesses.

You have to understand that there were no hospitals in ancient Rome. The poor would often die in the street. 

Fabiola’s idea of a hospital caught on and spread around the world. Where would we be today without hospitals? Hospitals are like mustard trees in which the sick and injured find sanctuary. There are other examples too of the mustard seed of God’s heavenly kingdom taking root and having a positive effect in the world.

In his sermon last month, Murray Lucas highlighted Christians like Robert Boyle, John Dalton and Michael Faraday who rescued science from the blind superstition of the dark ages, giving us a more reliable scientific method which has enabled the advances in medicine we have today.

Closer to home, many of you will be familiar with the story of Ngakuku and his daughter Tarore. A mustard seed of heaven found its way into Ngakuku’s heart and mind, transforming his way of thinking and living.

Jesus taught us to pray: …forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us…

Ngakuku took Jesus’ words to heart. When Tarore was murdered, Ngakuku was determined to forgive those who killed his daughter. Ngakuku discouraged his people from seeking revenge and God honoured Ngakuku’s faith and obedience to Christ.       

Tarore’s killer found a Māori translation of the gospel of Luke in Tarore’s pocket. When someone read the gospel to him, a mustard seed of heaven found its way into his heart and he sought forgiveness from Tarore’s father.

That is the kingdom of heaven at work in people’s lives and relationships.

Small seeds of love and truth growing and spreading to make a positive difference where it matters. What other mustard trees of heaven do you see in the world today?

Conclusion:

The mustard seed and the yeast of the kingdom of heaven are at work all around us, silently and right under our noses. The question is not, what can we do to make the world a better place? The question is: how might we join God in what he is doing in the world?

Let us pray…

Gracious God, open our eyes to the mustard trees and the bread of the kingdom of heaven all around us. Help us to sow the seeds of your love and truth wherever we are. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Do you have mustard at home (in the kitchen or in the garden)? What do you use it for?
  3. What are some of the characteristics of the mustard tree?
  4. What is the kingdom of heaven?
  5. In what ways is the mustard seed similar to the kingdom of heaven? In what ways is yeast similar to the kingdom of heaven?
  6. What mustard trees of God’s kingdom do you see growing in the world today? How might we join God in what he is doing in the world?
Tawa Baptist

The Almond Tree

Scriptures: Numbers 17 and Jeremiah 1:4-12

Video Link: https://youtu.be/s7j84uA3qy0

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Numbers 17 – Priest
  • Jeremiah 1 – Prophet
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

One of the greatest joys in life is learning something new. One new thing I learned this past week is that walnuts, cashews, pistachios and almonds are not nuts. Technically they are drupes. 

A drupe is a kind of fruit with the fleshy part on the outside and the seed inside. The seed, on the inside, is often encased in a hard shell. Other examples of drupes include peaches, plums and cherries. The flesh is on the outside and the seed is on the inside.

It’s a bit confusing because with peaches, plums and cherries we eat the flesh on the outside and throw away the seed in the middle. But with walnuts, cashews, pistachio and almonds we don’t eat the flesh on the outside. We discard the flesh and the shell and eat the seed in the middle.

When you buy walnuts, cashews and almonds in the shop they usually come with the outer fleshy part removed. Sometimes they come in their shell, but more often all we see is the edible seed.

Today we continue our Testimony of Trees series by considering the almond tree, the fruit of which is not a nut but a drupe. There are different kinds of almonds, some bitter, some sweet.

My favourite kind is a variety known as Scorched Almonds. Scorched Almonds are native to New Zealand. Unlike regular almonds, you do eat the chocolatey flesh on the outside as well as the almond seed on the inside. No part of the scorched almond fruit is wasted.

Our message this morning focuses on two readings from the Bible which feature the almond tree. Numbers 17 and Jeremiah 1.

Numbers 17 – Priest:

We begin with Numbers 17, where we pick up the story of Aaron and Moses and the people of Israel in the wilderness. From Numbers chapter 17, verse 1 we read…

The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. 3 On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. 4 Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. 5 The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.” 6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. 7 Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law. 8 The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff. 10 The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” 11 Moses did just as the Lord commanded him. 12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! 13 Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Almond trees grow best in a Mediterranean type climate. They prefer warm dry weather. Too much rain and the crop will fail. A few years ago, they tried growing almond trees in the Hawke’s Bay. At that time the Hawke’s Bay had a drought and they found the almond trees did well in the dry weather, better than any other tree.

The name ‘almond’ derives from the ancient Greek word, ‘amygdala’.

For us today, the amygdala refers to that part of the human brain (shaped like an almond) which is associated with memory and emotion, in particular fear. The amygdala triggers the body’s fight or flight response when you feel like you are in danger.   

For example, if you have a bad experience around water when you are young, your amygdala stores that memory so that whenever you find yourself in a similar situation, you automatically feel frightened and want to get out as quickly as possible, whether it is dangerous or not.   

People in Biblical times would not have understood the structure of the brain in the same way we do today. For them an amygdala was an almond, so we shouldn’t make too much of it, but it’s a curious connection, particularly given the fear reaction of the Israelites in Numbers 17.

In the context of Numbers 17, the people of Israel are in the desert after their exodus from slavery in Egypt and they are not happy. In fact, many of the people are angry with Moses and Aaron.

Some people (led by a bloke called Korah) resented Moses and Aaron, accusing them of setting themselves above everyone else. Korah thought any Israelite should be able to serve as a priest.

It was the priests’ job to act as an intermediary between the people and God. Among other things, the priests helped the people deal with their sin so they could be right with God.

But ancient Israel was not a democracy. Ancient Israel was supposed to be a theocracy, which means the priesthood is decided by God, not popular vote.

When Korah and his followers tried to act as priests by burning incense (in Numbers 16) some were swallowed by the ground, some were consumed by fire and others were killed by a plague. Thousands died. It was carnage.

To settle the matter once and for all, the Lord tells Moses to gather up the staffs of the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel, write each man’s name on his staff and leave them in the tent of meeting (aka: the tabernacle).

The tent of meeting was a holy place, like a mini portable temple for God’s presence. God would choose the high priest he wanted by causing that man’s staff to sprout.

Sure enough, the next morning when Moses went to collect the 12 staffs, he saw that Aaron’s staff had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

Normally, it takes about three years before the almond tree is ready to bear fruit and once it is mature enough it takes between 7 and 8 months from when the tree first flowers (in early spring) to when the fruit is ripe (in autumn).

God had made Aaron’s staff (a dead piece of wood) flower and produce almonds in one night. This miracle served as a sign to the people that God had chosen Aaron and his sons to serve as priests for Israel.

We don’t need to try and find a scientific explanation for Aaron’s staff budding. That would miss the point. Better to be filled with a sense of awe and wonder.

The miracle performed by Yahweh shows that God enlivens every stage of life, from flower to fruit, from youth to maturity. Indeed, it is the Lord who makes life fruitful and fulfils its purpose.

More than that, the Lord has power over sin and death. It is God who appoints an intermediary to deal with our sin and it is God who causes dead things to spring to life.

From our vantage point in history, we who believe in Jesus, can see that Aaron’s budding staff points to the resurrection.   

You might be wondering, why did Aaron’s staff grow almonds? Why not plums or cherries or apples? Well, if Aaron’s staff was made from almond wood, then that might explain it.

Nevertheless, there is a curious connection between God and the almond tree. When God gave instructions on how the tabernacle should be built, he stipulated in Exodus 25, that the gold cups of the lampstand be shaped like almond flowers, with buds and blossoms. The almond tree, then, is associated with divine light, holy light.  

I said before, there are different varieties of almonds, some bitter and some sweet.

Bitter almonds contain a compound that when ingested breaks down into cyanide. Cyanide is poisonous of course.

Sweet almonds (which you get in the supermarket) are safe to eat, but bitter almonds are dangerous and should be avoided. Around 50 bitter almonds could kill an adult, even less would kill a child. 

Were the almonds on Aaron’s staff bitter or sweet? We don’t know. But there is something mysterious and potentially dangerous about these almonds. Just as there is something mysterious and potentially dangerous about God.

The young nation of Israel is terrified by the miracle of Aaron’s staff growing almonds overnight. It is a clear sign of God’s holiness, power and sovereignty. The memory of God’s holiness sears itself on the collective amygdala of the nation.

Instinctively, on an unconscious level, we all know that God is holy. Deep down we all know that God is good, but he is not safe.

People living in a Western society today (people like us) tend to struggle with what God did in Numbers 16 and 17. It offends our sensibilities. The society we live in believes in personal freedom.

Freedom is not a bad thing in itself, it’s a good thing. I’m thankful for the freedoms we enjoy in New Zealand (democracy is better than fascism).

But if we put personal freedom on a pedestal and make an idol out of it, then we reject God’s sovereignty and forfeit true freedom.

Any society that sacrifices holiness on the altar of individualism is on a dangerous path. May God deliver us from ourselves.

Jeremiah 1 – Prophet:

Our second reading, featuring the almond tree, comes from the book of Jeremiah chapter 1. In Numbers 17, the Lord makes it clear to everyone that he has chosen Aaron as high priest. In Jeremiah 1, the Lord chooses Jeremiah to be his spokesman, his prophet to Israel and the nations.

From Jeremiah chapter 1, verses 4-12, we read…   

4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knewyou, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. 9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” 11 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”

“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. 12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watchingto see that my word is fulfilled.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us. 

The famous Renaissance artist, Michelangelo, painted an image of the prophet Jeremiah on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel in Vatican City. In Michelangelo’s fresco, Jeremiah is depicted as deep in thought and anguish as he laments over the destruction of Jerusalem. His face is darkened with grief, his countenance heavy with unwanted responsibility.

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. He was reluctant to accept God’s call on his life. He didn’t want the job and who could blame him. He had the unenviable task of telling the nation that Jerusalem would be destroyed because of the people’s sin. Very few people listened to him. Jeremiah was misunderstood and mistreated, even though he was the real deal.  

God’s call is not always attractive or comfortable. Sometimes we are compelled by God, whether we like it or not. We may protest (like Jeremiah) or rebel (like Jonah) but eventually we realise God’s purpose is inevitable and irresistible, like the current of a river or the ocean’s tide, or the pull of gravity.

Some art historians think Michelangelo’s painting of Jeremiah is a self-portrait. It seems Michelangelo identified closely with Jeremiah. Michelangelo was burdened by unwanted responsibility. He did not want to paint the Sistine chapel. He wanted to sculpt, but the Pope gave him little choice.      

Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests of Israel. That means Jeremiah was related to Aaron, for only Aaron’s descendants could serve as priests.

Jeremiah’s message was two parts judgement and one part hope. In verse 10 the Lord says to Jeremiah: “See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

For Jeremiah there will be twice as much uprooting as there will be planting. Uprooting and planting is something one does with trees. This metaphor suggests God’s sovereign activity in restoring order to his creation by his word.

The almond tree features in verses 11 and 12 of chapter 1, where we read:

11 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

Sometimes in English you come across words which sound the same and are spelt the same but have different meanings. We call these words homonyms.

Take for example the word bark; depending on the context bark can refer to the skin of a tree (as in tree bark) or it can refer to the noise a dog makes.

Crane is another homonym. A crane can be bird or a piece of machinery used for lifting heavy objects. One might also crane their neck to see over an obstacle. Spelt the same but with a different meaning.

Homonyms are fodder for puns and jokes. And so we get sayings with a double meaning like, “You’re barking up the wrong tree”.  

We can’t see it in the English translation but in the original Hebrew there is a play on words with almond and watching. They are not homonyms exactly, but they are very close. In Hebrew, the word for almond and the word for watching come from the same root and are spelled the same except for one letter. [1]

This gives the word almond a double meaning. Essentially, the almond tree is also the watching tree.

It makes perfect sense. One thing that is true of almond trees the world over is they are the first tree to bud and flower in spring. They are like the daffodils of the tree kingdom.

Just as one might watch for the flowers of the almond tree to see when winter is ending and spring is starting, so too God is watching over his word to see that it is fulfilled.

On the one hand this is a word of encouragement to Jeremiah, a reassurance that God will make his word (through Jeremiah) come true. God isn’t going to let Jeremiah down or give him a message that is not fulfilled.

At the same time, God is telling the people of the day that Jeremiah is the one to watch. By paying attention to Jeremiah, the people will know when the long winter of Judah’s idolatry and apostacy are coming to an end and the spiritual renewal of spring is close at hand.

Basically, God’s word through Jeremiah is like flowers blossoming on an almond tree. God’s word will bear fruit in season but not right away. In fact, Jeremiah prophesied for about 40 years before the words God gave him about Jerusalem were fulfilled.

Conclusion:

You may be relieved to know the almond tree passages in Numbers 17 and Jeremiah 1 are not primarily about us. In the Bible, the almond tree is a sign of what God is doing in Israel. They also point to Christ.

The almond tree is associated with God’s selection of Aaron to be the high priest of Israel. Jesus is the high priest chosen by God to be our intermediary. Faith in Jesus makes us right with God. Don’t be like Korah who rejected God’s sovereignty. Choose life.

The almond tree is associated with the lamp stand in the Tabernacle, God’s holy place. Jesus is the light of the world; the holy one who reveals God’s glory. The light of Jesus casts out darkness and fear. The light of God’s love for us in Christ illuminates the way of humility and respect. Walk in the light.   

The almond tree is associated with the fulfilment of God’s word through the prophet Jeremiah. Jesus is the word of God in human form; Jesus (the Christ) fulfils the law and the prophets. If you want to understand God’s word, then trust and obey Jesus.

The almond tree is associated with spring and new life. Jesus is the first sign of the resurrection to come. Those who embrace Christ, even though they suffer for it, will be raised to eternal life. Build your hope on the firm foundation of Jesus’ resurrection.   

The almond tree is a sign pointing to the beauty, the mystery and the holiness of God’s presence among us. With this in view our response needs to be that of wonder, awe and praise. May the word of the Lord blossom in your life. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What are some of the characteristics of the almond tree and its fruit?
  3. What is the almond tree associated with in Numbers 17?
  4. What did the budding of Aaron’s staff signify? Why did the people of Israel react with fear? What do we mean when we say God is holy? How does God’s holiness affect you? 
  5. What is the almond tree associated with Jeremiah 1?
  6. In what ways is does the almond tree point to Jesus?
  7. Discuss / reflect on the meaning of Jeremiah 1:11-12. 

[1] Refer Derek Kidner’s commentary on Jeremiah, page 27.

Tawa Baptist

The Tamarisk Tree

Scripture: Genesis 21:22-34

Video Link: https://youtu.be/w4-ftz3ddMM

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Peace
  • Prayer
  • Purpose
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

There are two kinds of trees: deciduous and evergreen.

The word deciduous means ‘to fall off’. Deciduous trees shed their leaves in autumn, to conserve energy in winter, then regrow their leaves in spring. Deciduous trees tend to have broad leaves, like oak or maple.

In contrast, evergreen trees keep their leaves all year round and generally cope better with hot weather. The leaves of an evergreen tree tend to be narrower, like pine or kānuka.

Today we continue our series, The Testimony of Trees. Last week we heard about the tree of knowledge in Genesis 2 and 3.

This week our focus is the Tamarisk tree, in Genesis 21. There are about 60 varieties of tamarisk trees growing around the world. Some are deciduous and some are evergreen.

The variety of tamarisk native to the Middle East (the geographical setting of Genesis 21) is Tamarix Aphylla. Tamarix Aphylla is the largest of the tamarisk family, growing up to 18 meters tall.

It has slender branches and scale like leaves. The tamarisk tree is known to be very tolerant of salts. In fact, its leaves excrete salty water. Due to the high salt content of its foliage tamarix aphylla is slow to catch fire. Which means it can be used as a fire barrier.

Tamarix aphylla grows relatively quickly, providing shade from the sun and shelter from the wind for stock. It also has an extensive root system which makes it good for erosion control, particularly in sandy soils. 

Basically, tamarix aphylla is a hardy, resilient tree. A friend to shepherds in the middle east. From Genesis 21, verses 32-34 we read about the tamarisk tree.

32 After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In the context of Genesis 21, the tamarisk tree is associated with at least three things: peace, prayer and purpose. Let’s begin by considering the peace connection.

Peace:

Last Thursday, the 6th of February, was Waitangi Day, a national holiday for the people of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Waitangi Day commemorates the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) in 1840.

The Treaty was eventually signed by 531 Māori chiefs and the representatives of the Crown. Queen Victoria of England was the reigning monarch of the day.

The purpose of Te Tiriti was to protect Māori and their land, as well as establishing stable government to keep peace and order. New Zealand was a pretty wild place in those days, without law or an effective justice system.

You sometimes hear the principles of the Treaty summarized by the three P’s: partnership, participation and protection.

Those who signed the Treaty in 1840 understood it to be a covenant, a forever agreement. The wording stipulates ‘forever’. Sadly, there has been much disagreement over the interpretation and application of the Treaty during the past 185 years, not helped by the fact there are two versions of the Treaty, one in English and one in Māori.      

In verse 22 of Genesis 21, Abimelech, the king of Gerar, and his general, Phicol, offer to make a peace treaty with Abraham. If you think about it, this is quite remarkable really. Normally, with peace treaties, the party in the weaker position approaches the one in the stronger position.

Outwardly, Abimelech appears to be in a stronger position than Abraham. Abraham is a wandering shepherd, a sojourner, a resident alien in the land;   he doesn’t have a fortress or an army like Abimelech and so we don’t expect Abimelech to make a treaty with Abraham. Why then does Abimelech feel the need to do this?

Well, Abimelech gives his reason in verse 22 when he says to Abraham: “God is with you in everything you do”. What does it mean that God is with Abraham?

I’ve come up with a little acronym which outlines what it means to be with someone. W is for wellbeing, I is for intimacy, T is for trust and H is for help.

You know someone is with you when they are committed to your wellbeing. When they share themselves intimately with you. When they trust you. And when they provide you with help.   

God is with Abraham, as a friend. Theirs is a relationship characterised by wellbeing, intimacy, trust and help.

One of the names of Jesus is Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’. Jesus is, God with us. Through faith in Jesus, we can have a relationship with God based on wellbeing, intimacy, trust and help.

Returning to Genesis, Abimelech has the spiritual sensitivity and insight to see that God is with Abraham. And so, Abimelech says to Abraham…

23 Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.”
24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”          

By making a treaty with Abraham, Abimelech is aligning himself with Abraham’s God who holds the power of life & death. Abimelech wants Abraham to deal honestly with him and to treat him with kindness

The Hebrew word translated as kindness here is hesed. Hesed is a Hebrew term which is sometimes translated as kindness, sometimes as mercy and other times as steadfast love or loyal (covenant) love.

Hesed isn’t just an abstract concept though – it is an action, something tangible that one does for someone else’s well-being. Abimelech wants Abraham to make a solemn commitment to always treat him and his descendants with hesed, and Abraham agrees.

In agreeing to a covenant with Abimelech, Abraham shows respect, humility and meekness. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is strength tempered by self-control. Meekness is the twin of gentleness.

God was with Abraham and had promised the land to him. But Abraham does not let that go to his head. Abraham does not seek to take the land by force. Abraham prefers peace. He respects the people of the land and waits for God.  

Abimelech’s treaty provided Abraham with the opportunity to sort out a dispute over watering rights. Abraham had dug a well and Abimelech’s servants had seized it. Water wells were vitally important in that part of the world. Rain fall was seasonal (it wasn’t all year round) so wells were essential to the survival of people and animals alike.

Abimelech wanted peace with Abraham but without justice there can be no peace. So, Abraham sought justice over the well.

This was an awkward moment for Abimelech. The king has just given a speech about how he has treated Abraham with ‘kindness’ or hesed and now he is learning that in fact his servants have done nothing of the sort. The servants have embarrassed Abimelech and the king is quick to plead ignorance.     

What happens next is quite unexpected. Normally the one who has been wronged (in this case Abraham) would be owed some compensation. But in this situation Abraham doesn’t seek compensation for himself. He does the opposite. Abraham gives Abimelech seven sheep. Abimelech is confused and asks, ‘what does this mean?’

Abraham explains that by accepting these sheep you are acknowledging that I dug this well.

By seizing Abraham’s well, Abimelech’s servants had done an injustice to Abraham and brought shame on their master. To save face Abimelech might feel it necessary to punish his servants. But Abraham comes to the rescue of the men who seized his well by providing compensation on their behalf.  

In this way Abraham has done hesed by preserving Abimelech’s honour and shielding the servants from punishment. Indebted by Abraham’s hesed, Abimelech and his servants will now stay away from Abraham’s well.

Prayer:

It is after making this peace treaty with Abimelech that Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and there called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God.     

To call on the name of the Lord is another way of saying that Abraham prayed to God and worshipped him.

Elsewhere in Genesis, Abraham is noted as building an altar and calling on the name of the Lord. In this context planting a tree is like building an altar. It designates a sacred place for prayer and worship.

Now to be clear, Abraham is not worshipping the tree. The tamarisk is not like an idol that he bows down to. Nor does the tamarisk tree in anyway represent God. We should not think of the tamarisk tree as a metaphor for God.

As hardy and resilient as the tamarisk tree is, it is not eternal like God.

A tamarisk tree might live somewhere between 50 to 100 years depending on the circumstances. In contrast, the Lord lives forever.

What we notice in verse 33 is Abraham’s prayer life. He has a special place for calling on the Lord. We can pray to God anywhere and at any time, of course. God is not rooted to one location, like a tree. The Lord will hear us wherever we are. Nevertheless, it can be helpful to us if we have a special place where we pray.   

Abraham’s special place was by the tamarisk tree he planted in the dry and desolate wilderness of Beersheba. Once grown, the tamarisk tree would act as a sanctuary, providing shade from the harsh sun for Abraham while he prayed.

Prayer is like a tamarisk tree in that it provides a sanctuary for the human soul.   

The wilderness of Beersheba is an interesting choice. Around the same time as agreeing to a peace treaty with Abimelech, Abraham sent his eldest son, Ishmael into the desert of Beersheba, with his mother Hagar and a skin of water.

Abraham’s second son, Isaac, had just been born and there was friction in the household between Sarah and Hagar. Long story short, once the water had run out, Hagar left Ishmael under a bush to die. Was the bush a young tamarisk tree? Quite possibly, we can’t be sure. From verse 17 of Genesis 21 we read…

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.

Interesting that Ishmael became an archer. I read somewhere that the wood of the tamarisk tree is good for making bows. Apparently, tamarisk wood has the strength and flexibility needed.

What did Abraham pray about under his tamarisk tree? We are not told but probably all manner of things. As a parent, we could well expect him to pray for his children, that God would be with them and watch over their lives for good. In fact, God was with Ishmael and Isaac, even as they took different paths in life.

Prayer is like a tamarisk tree. It provides a sanctuary for the human soul.

Where is your tamarisk tree? Where is your sanctuary for prayer?

Do you have a private prayer closet in your home? Or do you prefer to pray in a small group of close friends? Maybe this church auditorium is your prayer place? Or perhaps you prefer to pray with your hands in the garden, pulling out weeds and watering the plants?  

The tamarisk tree of Genesis 21 is associated with peace, prayer and purpose. 

Purpose:

You may have heard of the term agroforestry. Agroforestry does not refer to angry trees. Rather agroforestry is a sustainable farming practice. That is, planting trees and shrubs alongside crops and livestock.

Agroforestry enhances biodiversity and mitigates the harmful effects of monoculture. (Monoculture is when just one crop is grown.)

Tamarisk trees are used in agroforestry as wind breaks and they also help with the reclamation of marginal lands. As already mentioned, tamarisk roots give stability to the soil and the branches provide shade for livestock. If pasture is scarce, then sheep and goats and cattle can feed off the leaves of the tamarisk.

What’s more, the tamarisk flower attracts bees, which are good for the pollination and propagation of a variety of plants. 

Abraham probably chose to plant a tamarisk (rather than an oak or something else) because it served a practical purpose. The tamarisk was suited to the harsh environment of Beersheba and, as verse 34 makes plain, Abraham intended to stay there for a good long while.

Planting tamarisk trees in Beersheba was an agroforestry strategy long before the term ‘agroforestry’ was coined. Planting tamarisk trees would help Abraham and future generations with farming and shepherding livestock.  

I can’t help noticing how Abraham is a bit like the tamarisk tree in some respects.

Through years of waiting in barrenness, God had grown Abraham & Sarah’s faith strong and deep and wide, like the root system of a tamarisk tree.

Abraham’s faith in God has proven resilient, prospering in even the harshest of environments.

Abraham (who is now over 100 years old) is still evergreen, fathering a son in his old age.

What’s more, Abraham is a salt of the earth kind of person. Just as the tamarisk leaves sweat salt, so too Abraham is salty. Abraham is in the world but not of it, maintaining the distinctive flavour of holiness.

Abraham and the tamarisk tree are both a blessing to the land. Abraham does not try to take the land by force. He is humble and meek, lending stability and peace. Abraham is a man of prayer and a servant to God’s purpose.

Perhaps also the tamarisk tree serves as a symbol of God’s purpose for the nation of Israel. Through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God was making a nation that would be resilient and life-giving, a source of shelter and sustenance to those who find themselves in the wilderness. A blessing to the nations.

Sadly, the people of Israel fell short of God’s purpose for the nation, as we have all fallen short. But by God’s grace Jesus fulfils God’s purpose for Israel and for all humanity.

Like Abraham, Jesus serves God’s purpose as a man of peace and prayer.

Jesus did not go to war against the occupying Roman forces of his day.

Jesus chose the path of gentleness and humility, saying…

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

And, blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

Conclusion:

At this point in the sermon, you might expect me to encourage you all to be more like the tamarisk tree; hardy, resilient, salty, lending stability to the land and providing shelter from the harsh elements of this world.

And while they might be good things to aspire to, I’m not sure that is the best application of the text. What you will notice as we go through this series is that each variety of tree we learn about is different.

A better question might be: If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? How has God made you? Some of you may be like the tamarisk tree, but not all of us are suited to a dry and desolate environment. Most of us do better when planted beside streams of water.

The point is, don’t try and be something you are not. Be who God made you to be. Whatever tree you might be like, grow where you are planted and let God fulfil his purpose for your life.

Let us pray…

Gracious God, help us to grow to full maturity in Christ and be the people together you made us to be. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What are some of the characteristics of tamarix aphylla? What are tamarisk trees useful for?
  3. Why did Abraham plant a tamarisk tree in Genesis 21? What is the tamarisk tree associated with in Genesis 21?
  4. Where is your tamarisk tree? Where is your sanctuary for prayer? 
  5. In what ways is Abraham like a tamarisk tree?
  6. In what ways are Jesus and Abraham similar? (How do Abraham’s actions in Genesis 21 point to Jesus?)
  7. If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? How has God made you?
Tawa Baptist

The Tree of Knowledge

Scripture: Genesis 2:8 -3:7 (selected verses)

Video Link: https://youtu.be/qC2-dBaqrLs

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Genesis 2 – Paradise
  • Genesis 3 – Paradise Lost
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

The street we live in is lined with Pōhutukawa trees, well mostly. We actually have one or two Rātā trees as well, although it’s hard to tell.

Rātā and Pōhutukawa trees appear almost identical at first glance. Their flowers and trunk and branches all look the same. The difference is with the leaves. The underside of a Pōhutukawa leaf is a greyish colour and furry to touch, while the underside of a Rātā leaf is light green in colour.

The difference is subtle but there is a difference, and I didn’t know this until about six weeks ago.

Today we continue our new sermon series which I’m calling, The Testimony of Trees. Last Sunday we heard about riparian planting in Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17. This morning, we explore the meaning of the Tree of Knowledge in Genesis 2 and 3.

The tree of knowledge is about discernment. Not so much the knowledge to discern the difference between Rātā and Pōhutukawa. Rather the knowledge to discern the difference between good and evil.

There’s too much going on in Genesis 2 and 3 for us to do justice to every verse, so I will read a selection of the verses as they relate to the Tree of Knowledge. You can read chapters 2 and 3 in their entirety later, if you want. From Genesis 2, verse 8 we begin…

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 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… 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” 18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” …22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the ribhe had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man…  25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Genesis 2 – Paradise:

There are 13 national parks in New Zealand, taken care of by the Department of Conservation. Our national parks are protected by law. They are sanctuaries or sacred spaces, to be preserved for their own sake and for the enjoyment of the New Zealand public.

In Genesis 2, we read how God planted a garden in the East, in Eden. When we think of a garden, we probably imagine a nicely manicured back yard, perhaps with some roses and raised vege beds. But the sort of garden in view here is more like a national park.

The garden of Eden is sacred space, like a sanctuary or a temple for God on earth. Adam is formed and placed in the garden to take care of it. In many respects Adam is like a DOC ranger and a priest, serving in God’s natural sanctuary. 

Eden (which in Hebrew means ‘delight’) [1] is filled with all sorts of trees which look beautiful and are good for food. The garden of Eden is a picture of bio-diversity and abundance.

At the centre of God’s national park / holy temple, are two special trees. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.   

We might talk more about the tree of life another time. Today though, our main focus is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The knowledge of good and evil is most likely the ability to discern between right and wrong. Sort of like discerning the subtle difference between Rātā and Pōhutukawa, except with moral issues, as opposed to botanical issues.      

So, eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, would impart wisdom, opening the mind to discern what is beneficial and what is harmful.

(Sort of like eating an orange imparts vitamin C.)

We might wonder why God commanded Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge. Afterall, isn’t knowledge, discernment and wisdom a good thing?

Well, yes. Knowing the difference between good and evil is helpful. The tree and its fruit are not bad, but knowledge is something we human beings need to grow into. We learn in stages.

There are some realities we shield children from because it would be harmful for them to know before their minds and hearts are ready to take it.

As permissive as we are, we don’t let five-year-olds watch R rated movies for the same reason we don’t let them drive cars or play with matches; it would put them and others at risk.

Likewise, we have laws against sexual contact with minors, just as there are laws against children consuming alcohol and so on, because that sort of experiential knowledge is damaging to children.

It stands to reason that God put the tree of knowledge in the garden because he intended for Adam and Eve to eat from it eventually, when they were mature enough. [2]  

Okay, so God’s prohibition on the tree of knowledge is there to protect Adam and Eve from harm. If that’s the case, then why plant the tree of knowledge in the garden in the first place? Wouldn’t it be better to keep the tree away from Adam and Eve, out of harm’s way? 

No, it wouldn’t. God’s command not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge provided Adam and Eve with the freedom of a real choice. Adam & Eve could opt out of their relationship with God at any point by eating the forbidden fruit. Human freedom (or free will) means the Lord is vulnerable to rejection.

God is love. He loves us and his love makes him vulnerable. God was trusting Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge, and he was inviting Adam and Eve to trust him with what they did not understand.

God’s commands may seem strange or puzzling to us, but they protect us, they create real freedom, and they foster trust.

In verse 18 of Genesis 2, God says: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Everything God has created in Genesis so far is good. Man’s loneliness is the first not good. This shows us that human beings were made for fellowship. People need people. So God makes Eve, a suitable helper for Adam.

The word ‘helper’ does not imply that Eve was somehow less than Adam.

It’s not that Adam was the boss and Eve was his assistant. More like they were co-workers in God’s sanctuary. God is described as a helper 16 times in the Old Testament. [3]  So, calling Eve a helper signals the woman’s value and dignity.

I like the way Matthew Henry puts it, and I paraphrase…

‘Woman is not made out of man’s head to top him, not out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected and near his heart to be loved.’

God presents Eve to Adam, as his wife and (in their state of innocence) they felt no shame (even though they were naked). We pause here to consider the implications. Knowing the difference between good and evil makes us responsible.

If we know what is right and do not do it, or if we know what is wrong and do it anyway, then we are guilty. But if we don’t know, our conscience cannot condemn us. That said, innocence is not the same thing as righteousness.

Genesis 3 – Paradise Lost: 

If Genesis 2 depicts humanity living in paradise, then Genesis 3 describes how paradise is lost. That phrase ‘paradise lost’ comes from the famous poem written by John Milton, first published in 1667.  

Milton’s Paradise Lost is really long, consisting of ten books initially, then later arranged into twelve books. His poem reimagines the story of Genesis 2 and 3. However, Milton takes some liberties with the text, filling in the gaps with his own creative license.

He has quite a bit to say about Satan and hell, which is extra to the Bible, and his characterisation of Adam and Eve goes beyond the text too. Although most of us wouldn’t have read Paradise Lost, its cultural impact has indirectly shaped (or perhaps misshaped) the way we read Genesis 2 and 3.  

For example, in Milton’s poem, Eve sees her own reflection in a lake after God has formed her and she quite likes what she sees. Later Eve tells Adam that she found him less enticing than her own reflection. That is not found in Genesis.

It plays on the stereotype that women are vain. This is unfair and unhelpful. The truth is, almost everyone harbours some kind of vanity.    

Genesis 3 introduces the crafty serpent. The intriguing thing about this serpent is that he (or she, we can’t be sure of the snake’s gender) is able to talk.

How do we explain a talking snake? Does Eve speak parcel tongue? Or does the snake speak human? Or is the conversation more psychological, something Eve imagines in her head? Perhaps the evil one is speaking through the snake?

Who knows? The Old Testament doesn’t identify the serpent of Genesis 3 as Satan in disguise, but the inference can be drawn from various verses in the New Testament which refer to the devil as a serpent. [4]

There are a few subtle tricks the serpent uses to tempt and deceive Eve. Identifying these tricks in our own lives can be difficult, like discerning the subtle difference between Rātā and Pōhutukawa. But knowing the tricks will help us avoid falling for them. Here’s your defence against the dark arts.

Firstly, the serpent subtly calls God’s goodness into question by saying, Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden? The serpent makes it sound like God is mean or unfair or overly strict. The truth is Adam and Eve could eat from all the trees, except for one. Far from being mean, God is generous.

Eve takes the serpent’s bait. She responds by misquoting God: “…But God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

God didn’t say anything about not touching the tree of knowledge. By adding to the word of God, Eve has made God seem less reasonable than he is.

Her mind is now fixed on the one thing she cannot have rather than the many things she can enjoy.   

Our first defence against the darks arts then is to remember God’s goodness. If we go down the path of thinking God is mean or unfair, then we will become vulnerable to evil.

For example, if we are wronged by someone and they make no amends, we may feel tempted to take our own revenge. We resist the temptation for revenge by reminding ourselves that God is good. He is just and fair. He will right all wrongs. The Lord will justify us and restore us (if not in this world, then in the next), so we don’t need to take matters into our own hands.    

The second trick the serpent uses is to deny or minimise the consequences of wrong doing. You will not certainly die, he says. This is an outright lie. If we entertain the thought that God won’t hold us to account for our actions, that he will let it slide, we lose the Godly fear that prevents us from doing harm.

We need to remember there is a day of judgement for us all. No one in the Bible talks about the eternal consequences of our actions more than Jesus.

It’s important though to hold defence 1 and 2 together. In remembering God’s judgment, we need to remain mindful of God’s goodness – his fairness and mercy. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.   

The third trick of the serpent is to make evil seem good: …when you eat the fruit your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Being like God, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? Being able to discern good from evil, also a good thing, right? Hmmm. I wouldn’t want God’s job for all the gold in the world.

When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he began by suggesting Jesus turn stones into bread. Turning stones into bread is not an inherently bad thing to do. In fact, it is potentially good. Imagine all the people you could feed. 

But Jesus wouldn’t have a bar of it. Jesus responded to Satan by quoting Scripture: ‘People cannot live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Our defence is to remember God’s word, to put our trust in that and not rely on our own understanding.  

So here again are our three defences against the dark arts…

Firstly, remember God’s goodness to you personally. You might do this by keeping a gratitude journal. 

Secondly, remember God’s judgment. There is a reckoning with God. The Lord is merciful and just. He will hold us to account and right all wrongs.

And thirdly, remember God’s word. Do not rely on your own understanding but trust in God’s wisdom. We remind ourselves of God’s word by reading the Bible.

You might be wondering where Adam was while this conversation was happening. Well, in Milton’s poem, Paradise Lost, Adam and Eve have a disagreement which results in Eve suggesting they work in different parts of the garden for a while. During this time apart (according to the poem) the serpent (aka Satan) tempts Eve into eating the forbidden fruit.  

But this part of John Milton’s poem is fiction. Verse 6 of Genesis 3 says quite plainly that Adam was with Eve. Apparently, Adam has nothing to say while Eve is chatting away to the snake. Was he even listening? Isn’t that typical of men. Adam should have intervened and told the serpent to get lost. But he silently goes along with it. Adam is just as guilty as Eve.     

When Eve and Adam eat the forbidden fruit, their innocence is lost and their clear conscience becomes clouded by shame and guilt. Their shame and guilt cause them to hide, first behind fig leaves and then later from God. This is what it means to know evil. This is why God commanded them not to eat from the tree of knowledge.

To be clear, the original sin committed by Adam and Eve was not sex.

Humanity’s original sin was idolatry. Idolatry is when we put something else in the place of God. That is, when we worship something other than God.

Adam and Eve tried to put themselves in the place of God. They grasped at knowledge and the power they thought this would give them so they could be like God, so they would not need God.

With the power of knowing good and evil they thought they could set up their own empire and make their own rules independently of God. But this was just vanity and chasing after the wind. There is no life apart from God. To declare independence from God is to choose death.   

For us today, death has been reduced to physical terms. Death is when your heart stops beating and your brain function ends. But for the writer of Genesis, life and death are not just physical, they are spiritual as well. Life is connection. Life is intimacy with God and death is when we are cut off from the presence of God, alienated from him, hanging on by a thread.

Adam and Eve survived physically for many years after eating the forbidden fruit, but they were driven out of God’s presence and denied access to the tree of life immediately after God had confronted them over what they had done.

Their existence outside of Eden became a painful struggle in contrast with the abundant life they had known with the Lord in the garden of Eden. 

Conclusion:

So where is the good news? Well, as always, the good news is found in Christ. For God so loved the world that he sent his own dear Son that all who believe in him would not die but have eternal life. And by eternal life, we mean life in God’s presence. Intimacy with God. Abundant connection.

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple which separated the holy of holies, was torn in two as a sign that humanity has access to God the Father through faith in Jesus.

We were not made for power. We were made for fellowship. We were not made for independence or self-reliance. We were made for trust. We do not live by our own strength or by our wits or by luck. We live by faith in Jesus and by God’s grace.

May the Lord bless you with abundant life in Christ. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Why does God plant a garden in Eden? What is the purpose of the garden? Why does God form Adam and put him the garden? What purpose do Adam and Eve serve?
  3. Why does God command Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge? How does this command benefit Adam and Eve? What are the implications of this command for God?
  4. What subtle tricks does the serpent use to tempt and deceive Eve? How might we defend ourselves against ‘the dark arts’?
  5. What was the original sin committed by Eve and Adam? What were the consequences?
  6. What is life, in the Biblical sense? What is death? How do we find life? 

[1] Refer Derek Kidner’s commentary on Genesis, page 62.

[2] Refer John Walton, NIVAC on Genesis.

[3] Refer Bruce Walke’s commentary on Genesis, page 88.

[4] E.g. Revelation 12:9 and 20:2