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.
Whatever He saith unto you, do it
54-0722 §12
In the Garden of Eden, there were two trees: one was knowledge and one was life. And as long as man eat off the tree of life, he had everlasting life. The first bite he took from the tree of knowledge, he separated his fellowship from God; and every time he takes a bite yet, he destroys himself. He bit off gun powder; look what that does. He bit off automobile off the tree of knowledge; kills more of his comrades than all the wars does. He's got a hydrogen bomb bit off now. I wonder what he's going to with that. Go...
Be not afraid, it is I
62-0629 §92
He was the tree, the tree of life from the garden of Eden---which, the woman was the tree of death, the perversion. That's what makes them act the way they do today. The whole thing's been a perversion acting that way. So hard to come up against it, but you must stand. Somebody's got to say it. Certainly. Be a lot more popular if you didn't say it; but who's going to say it? Somebody's got to say something about it, 'cause God who... Then it's going to be... They're responsible then at the day of the judgment. But...
Turn on the Light
64-0125 §38
It's a bride tree. Jesus was a (bride) He was a tree. They cut Him down. He was the tree of life that was in the garden of Eden. They cut Him down and hung Him on a Roman tree to make fun of Him. What did He do? God raised Him up the third day from the dead. And today there's a bride tree. It started back there at the beginning, way back at the day of Pentecost. Listen, you people who belong to church. The church never started at Nicaea-Rome. It started in Jerusalem. On the day of Pentecost started the church. And...
Church Ages, part 3: The Ephesian Church Age
60-1205 §107
Now, let's take this just a minute. And now the tree. St. John, the 6th chapter, if you want to mark it down, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life." Now remember... Now, we're going to use these two posts as a symbol here, so ... just before closing now. Now, on my right hand is the tree in the garden called the "tree of life." On my left hand is the tree in the garden that's called the "tree of knowledge." How many knows that the Bible says that it was a tree of life and a tree of knowledge? Now, man was to live by...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
56-0426 §32
There was two trees in the garden of Eden. One of them was the tree of knowledge. One was a tree of life. As long as man eat from this tree he lived. But, when he left this tree and bit his first bite off there, he separated himself from his maker. And he's been biting on it ever since. And we've even brought it over and put it in church. You got to have so many degrees, or you have to say "Aaah-men" a certain way, or you can't get to the platform. You have to have all your papers and everything to show what creed...