Indeed, I do believe it is the tree that Adam continued to eat of and not the “ground”.
These things are parables. The “ground” is the “adamah” and speaks of the common man who does not have the Spirit of God within them as Adam did (the Breath of lives was breathed into Adam by God).
The “adamah” (the “ground”) is the people of this earth who do not know God as they do not have His Spirit breathed into them and are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them. They serve the flesh with their carnal minds and cannot please Him. The carnal mind of the adamah is hostile to God....but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Ephesians 4:17-18 KJV (17) This I say therefore, and testify in the
Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the
vanity of their mind, (18) Having the understanding darkened, being
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them,
because of the blindness of their heart:
The “adamah” is by nature “children of wrath” whom we have also taken out from to receive His Spirit so that we may serve Him in a spiritual mind….one of peace and joy. The "others" in Ephesians 2:3 is the "adamah" ...the people in the outside world who live in the lusts of the flesh and only live to fulfill the desires of the flesh in their wrath.
Ephesians 2:1-3 KJV (1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in
trespasses and sins; (2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the
air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (3)
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts
of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and
were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
The Spirit of God (the Breath of Life) was breathed into his “nostrils”…that is, into his wrath.
By nature, the “adamah” are children of wrath….and the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God.
Only with the Spirit can we then work the righteousness of God.
Philippians 2:13 KJV (13) For it is God which worketh in you both to
will and to do of his good pleasure.
The outside people (the “adamah”) cannot please God in their carnal minds as they serve the flesh only and not the Spirit as they do not have His Spirit within them. Only through His Spirit can we please God while the carnal mind (the mind of the "adamah") cannot at all. The carnal mind cannot serve God and is not subject to His law.
Adam was formed from the dust of the “adamah”…the common man. He was a humble man (the “dust”) among men at the time just as those who are called today.
1 Corinthians 1:26 KJV (26) For ye see your calling, brethren, how
that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble, are called:
God formed Adam from the "dust" of the people of the world (the "adamah").
James 2:5 KJV (5) Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen
the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which
he hath promised to them that love him?
I do believe Adam was the first man to receive the Spirit of God and not necessarily the first man physically formed. These are all parables hiding spiritual things.
"Nostrils" = the wrath of man that does not work the righteousness of God.
Genesis 2:7 KJV (7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
became a living soul.
The “ground”…the “adamah”…the people of this world who do not have His Spirit….is cursed for his (Adam’s) sake.
All men (the “adamah”) die through Adam as death passed upon all men.
Cursed is the ground (the adamah = common mankind) for “thy sake” …which is the Hebrew word (abuwr) for “crossed over, transit". It is death that has “crossed over ” from Adam unto all men (the adamah).
Genesis 3: KJV (17) And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast
hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of
which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is
the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days
of thy life;
Cursed is the “ground”…the adamah….for your sake. Death passed upon all men (the adamah) by one man (Adam). By one man the sin entered into the world and death by the sin....and so death passed upon all men for all have sinned.
Romans 5:12 KJV (12) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned:
The curse of death passed upon ….crossed over…unto all men by one man Adam. For as in Adam all (the adamah) die.
1 Corinthians 15:21-22 KJV (21) For since by man came death, by man
came also the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
In sorrow (worrisome labor/pain) shall you eat of it (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) all the days of your life.
Adam was instructed not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Doing so continually brings forth “thorns” and not figs. Speaking evil is bearing bad fruit (thorns and thistles) and brings forth evil things in one’s life when one speaks evil of another in judgment of another. One reaps what one sows (the labor). The wages of the sin is death.
We are not as “gods”…that is, “judges” supposedly for God…when we speak evil of others because they do not follow our particular church’s handwriting of dogmas….the teachings and commandments of men. We cannot say "Lord,Lord" and continue to do these things and not do what He says: to have love for one another. We cannot hide ourselves behind fig leaves only (Lord, Lord) but must bear forth good fruit by doing His will.
Luke 6:43-46 KJV (43) For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt
fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. (44)For
every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather
figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. (45) A good man out
of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good;
and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth
that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth
speaketh. (46) And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things
which I say?
When one judges another…speaking evil of one another (judging another based upon our church handwritings), we are then not a doer of the law of Christ who commanded us to have love for one another.
We act as a judge (a “god”) when there is really only One Judge and One Lawgiver. We must not judge another as an “evildoer” for not following our carnal commandments that a church scribe wrote for us to keep and serve.
Remember how the woman added her own carnal commandment (“neither shall you touch it”) to God’s commandment and then presented it as though God commanded it. Many are doing the same thing today and are continually eating from the “tree” we are not supposed to as they act as judge, jury and executioner of others in their words...bearing thorns and thistles. One is not above the law but must be a doer of it.
James 4:10-12 KJV (10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,
and he shall lift you up. (11) Speak not evil one of another,
brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his
brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou
judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. (12)
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art
thou that judgest another?
With what judgment we judge for others, we shall be judged. We shall eat the fruit of our ways.
Matthew 7:1-3 KJV (1) Judge not, that ye be not judged. (2) For with
what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye
mete, it shall be measured to you again. (3) And why beholdest thou
the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam
that is in thine own eye?
Men are as trees and death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. We must choose life and not death.
Proverbs 18:20-21 KJV (20) A man's belly shall be satisfied with the
fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be
filled. (21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they
that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
By eating from that “tree”…using our tongues to speak evil (the thorns and thistles) of another in judgment upon them…we shall reap evil things (eat of those evil things) within our own lives. Evil things come from it. The fruit of those things is death.
For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
Genesis 3: (18) Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to
thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; (19) In the sweat of
thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for
out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou
return.
To return unto the “ground”…the “adamah”…speaks of to be given over to a reprobate mind to be filled with all unrighteousness because we do not retain God in knowledge. We go back to sowing after the flesh and reaping decay of the mortal flesh.
We who once knew God by His Spirit within us but are given over to serving the works of the flesh (which the “adamah” does) as judgment upon us for serving and worshipping the handwriting of church dogmas as we use them to speak evil of one another that do not follow our particular church “law”. We have no understanding of the Scriptures because of these things.
Romans 1:28-32 KJV (28) And even as they did not like to retain God
in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do
those things which are not convenient; (29) Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;
full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (30)
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of
evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) Without understanding,
covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
(32) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in
them that do them.
As judgment, God gives them over to a rejected mind to be filled with all unrighteousness when we act as judges ("gods") of others using the handwriting of church dogmas (the carnal doctrines and commandments of men) as a basis for. They go back to serving the flesh....to work the "adamah" that the world does.
Genesis 3:23 KJV (23) Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
They exchanged the truth of God into THE lie….the same lie from the beginning and worship and serve the “creature” (the formation…the ordinances of men …for example: “neither shall you touch it”) more than the Creator.
They set aside the commandment of God to have love for one another in order to worship and serve the handwriting of church dogmas which are used to speak evil of one another in their judgment of who is “good and evil” as they see themselves as being wise “judges” for God.
Romans 1:25 KJV (25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and
worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is
blessed for ever. Amen.
We then return to the “dust” ….being considered the lowest by this world as they speak evil of us instead of being the praise of God through us.
Deuteronomy 28:37 KJV
(37) And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.
