The Tree in the Midst of the Garden Meaning?
1) Direct Answer
It means the two great choices God set in the very center: the Tree of Life (Christ, God’s own Life and Word) and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Satan’s reasoning). In the “midst” of the garden stood life by the Word or death by unbelief.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- The Bible says there were two trees in the midst: “The tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). Eve later refers to the forbidden one as “the tree which is in the midst of the garden” (Genesis 3:3).
- God’s command: “Of every tree… thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it” (Genesis 2:16–17). The issue was obedience to God’s Word.
- When they chose the wrong tree, “their eyes were opened,” shame entered, and death followed (Genesis 3:5–7; Romans 5:12).
- God then guarded the Tree of Life with cherubim and a flaming sword (Genesis 3:22–24), showing that life is now only by God’s appointed way.
- The Tree of Life is Christ. “In him was life” (John 1:4). He said, “I am the life” (John 14:6). Wisdom is called “a tree of life” (Proverbs 3:18), and Christ is the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).
- Access to the Tree of Life is promised again to the overcomer: “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life” (Revelation 2:7), and it appears in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:2,14).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Now notice: it wasn’t an apple. Eating fruit doesn’t open spiritual eyes, bring moral shame, multiply sorrow in conception, or create two opposing seed lines. Yet Genesis 3:15 declares two seeds at enmity, and 1 John 3:12 says Cain “was of that wicked one.” That shows the forbidden “knowledge” was Satan’s corrupt approach to life and reproduction, not a harmless bite of produce.
- The serpent was cursed to go on his belly (Genesis 3:14), meaning he was different before the curse. Through that subtle beast Satan introduced a carnal, unbelieving union, and death followed. Adam and Eve were to live by every Word of God; instead, Eve received the serpent’s reasoning against the Word (2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:14).
- So the “midst” marks the center of decision: Will man live by God’s revealed Word (Tree of Life), or by a mixture—good and evil together—offered by the serpent (tree of knowledge)?
4) Reinforcing Statement
You see, the question of the garden is still the question today. Choose Christ the Word and live, or mix the Word with human reasoning and die. The way back to the Tree of Life is opened through Jesus Christ, and the overcomer will eat of it again.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
But it wasn't so from the beginning
61-0411 §32
There was a tree in the garden of Eden called the tree of life. There was one called the tree of knowledge. When man left the tree of life, where he was eating to live forever... The first bite he took from the tree of knowledge, he separated himself from God and brought death to his soul. That's right. And ever since then, every time he bites off of that tree of knowledge he destroys himself. He bit off gunpowder---kills his brother, his comrade. He bit off automobile science. What does he do? Killed more than all...
The Basis of Fellowship
61-0214 §35
Now, do you see the great thing they're doing now? God never destroyed anything; but man destroys himself by his own wisdom. There were two trees in the Garden of Eden. One of them was the tree of life, the other one was the tree of knowledge. The first time a man taken a bite from the tree of knowledge, he separated his fellowship from God. Every time he takes a bite he destroys himself. He bit off gunpowder; kills his comrades. Next thing he bit off was automobiles; kills more than the gunpowder. He's got himself...
God's power to transform
65-0911 §35
Remember, first Satan quoted that scripture just as clear as it could be. "God has said that ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden of Eden. [See?] You shall not eat of every tree." And remember now, Eve said, "Yes, we may eat of every tree. But the tree that's in the midst of the garden, we mustn't even touch it." Now watch him in his message twist that word just a little bit, in saying... Eve said, "For God said that if we do this, that day we die." He said, "Oh, surely you'll not die." See, he was a man. H...
Revelation, Chapter 4c Throne of mercy and judgement
61-0108 §125
You notice, these Cherubims that John saw here must have been interested in keeping the tree of life, so they must be interested in human beings. Or read Genesis, getting back to Genesis again. They kept the tree of life, guarded it, the way of life. The way of life. How is the way? Jesus said, "I am that way. I am that bread that come from God out of heaven. If a man eats this bread, he'll live forever." Now there is a way back to that tree of life. You get it? Now, at this, I want to show now and make this sure....
The restoration of the Bride Tree
62-0422 §37
Now, I do appreciate... Now, if you get tired and want to go out, go ahead, see. But, this will be my last message to the church for ... this part of the church, for some time; and we're expecting a healing service this morning. And I want this message, if God will bless it to sink deep into our hearts, so we'll get the meaning of what it means. Now, we're here to express ... to say the things that we believe, and prove it by the Scripture, that the Scripture says so; and then, may God turn and prove it, that it's...