Genesis contradiction?

Question

If God is truly omniscient (all-knowing), then he placed the Tree of Knowledge into the Garden of Eden KNOWING that Adam and Eve would disobey him. According to Genesis, Adam and Eve were consequently punished for failing the "test" put forth by God and giving into temptation. Intrinsically, God placed the Tree into the Garden KNOWING that he would eventually have to punish Man terribly. Is God sadistic?"

Answer 1

He is not sadistic. He is mythological.

Answer 2

Let's not forget All-Powerful too. Omnipotence means God could have made anything happen. So here's the test. Ask yourself: 'Could God have made existence for Adam and Eve any better than he did?'. 'Could God have made Adam and Eve exactly the same, with free will, etc. while maintaining their Edenic setting without compromising his perfect plan?' Any time you ask if an omnipotent being "can" do something, the answer is always yes (leading to some interesting contradictions, but that's another matter). The answer is yes, an omnipotent being, aka God, could have made existence better for humanity without compromising anything else, including his plan or our free will. An omnipotent God could have done it. Why Not? Beats me. Sadism might be an appropriate explanation. But I don't think God's sadistic, because a God like appetite for sadism would be alot worse than the life we have. Better answer (without stating there's no God, which I'm inclined to do) : God isn't very concerned with the quality of our earthly existence, it either isn't relevent or important for his purposes. Or, God isn't very purposeful at all. Spend eternity knowing everything and able to do everything, and you'd be in one huge existential trap. What to do what to do, when every outcome is known and nothing's left to experience. What's the point, for God?

Answer 3

You're looking at it the wrong way I think. God is omniscient and omnipresent, I'll leave the omnipotent part out for now.

Anyway, Omnipresent means he is everywhere at all times, including TIME. So yes, he knows the outcome. That's how he was able to give us prophecy about things to come.

But YOU and I don't live outside of time. We live in our little piece of present. So this is about us, about learning and having faith when we're unable to see the whole picture. Yes, we're all sinful, but we also all have free choice and if you can trust the numbers, then there are currently 1 billion people on the Earth who sincerely trust in Jesus Christ and will be with him. I think that number is lower frankly because there are a lot of people who say they are Christian but really don't understand the definition of the word.

So, if there are BILLIONS who are going to be present with God in Heaven for eternity.... then how did he fail? How was he sadistic?

Answer 4

Through Adam and Eve, umbilical cord to umbilical cord would come Christ.

Satan seduced Eve then Adam. Adam and Eve disobeyed.

They ate (assimilated or consumed knowledge) from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Satan).

That's why God said;

Gen 3:22 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:

We all must eat (assimilate or consume knowledge) of the tree of life (Jesus Christ), to live for ever.

But you are right in a way it was God's plan from the beginning to come and pay the price Himself for sin.

Answer 5

Why do you limit God's omniscience to knowing what DID happen?? He also knows what would have happened if they didn't eat the fruit...or if Eve did and Adam didn't...and an infinite number of other possibilities.

Omniscience means ALL knowing. All means ALL. Infinite outcomes. Don't put limits in the Unknowable One.

God is not a man. His thoughts are not our thoughts.

As St. John Chrysostom said...

"A comprehended god is no god."

Answer 6

I fail to see the contradiction posted in your question. But allow me to touch on the rest of your remarks.
Yes, God planted the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in Eden-though Satan most likely had corrupted the fruit of it. Yes, God knew that Adam and Eve would disobey Him and eat of its fruit. Yes, God knew that as a result of that disobedience sin and death would enter the world. That is where my agreement with you comes to an end.
Meditate upon this for a moment. The Tree of Knowledge was only one of the trees in the garden. It was also the only tree from which Adam and Eve were not to eat. That means they could eat anything else provided in the garden, except for one lousy tree. They could've eaten different oranges, apples, figs, dates, coconuts, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries etc etc etc. Then there were also the numerous vegetables, berries, oats, grains etc etc that they could've eaten. But most importantly is the fact that they could also have eaten from the Tree of Life and lived forever, because God didn't prohibit this tree until after they sinned. Now all they had to do was abstain from eating from 1 lousy tree, eat from the Tree of Life and they would've lived forever. But as we all know, they disobeyed God, denied His goodness and provision, and even doubted His word by eating from the only tree that was prohibited to them. No one held a gun to their heads or compelled them to do this, they chose to do this.
There's been a long lasting spiritual war going on since Satan rebelled against God and took a 3rd of the angels with him. If you've ever read the book of Job you'd get an excellent idea of how the devil operates as accuser. If the Tree of knowledge hadn't been there then Satan could've said that there was no test of mankinds' love and trust in God -this is what Satan did to Job. Without a choice to make, there would've been no point in granting mankind free will. In fact, there'd be no point in creating humans at all, for robots would've been much better. Robots would've done exactly what God programmed them to do, except love and fellowship with Him. Robots are not capable of making decisions or having emotions. Humans are capable of both.

Answer 7

All true except the part about god being omniscient. He is not since he called “Adam, where are you?” But you didn’t mention that he’s a grudger since he didn’t let Eve & Adam have the best fruit. Ah, this is where Jesus screws the Pharisees by saying “Which father would give his son a snake if he asks for a fish..” and also “… your father, the devil…” It’s clear that Jesus thought the OT was pure mythology and he didn’t actually believe in that volcano god. The biggest contradiction in the bible is OT/NT, they are completely incompatible.

Answer 8

Not necessarily.

God wanted people to love him and obey him out of their own free will. In order to have free will you must have a choice. God, through the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, gave human beings a choice: to trust and obey him, or not to. They chose not to. After this choice, God had to create a way to reconcile with humans, and therefore we have the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, the Judges, the Kings, the Prophets, and lastly the Messiah.

Answer 9

Are you trying to prove the Bible is wrong, and there is no God, just so you will feel better? Not so sure you are right?

I don't know all the answers, but I'm sure glad God made me. I look forward to the day when he gives me a new body and everlasting life.

Keep reading the Bible, and I hope you find the truth you are looking for.

Answer 10

There are many verses like that. "I am the Lord thy God, am a jealous God." I will strike thee with my mighty lightening bolt. None of these sound loving, or friendly.

The Hebrews were at odds with they're environment. It was a harsh environment, hardly any water, a desert environment. So it's natural they're conception of a god would be a harsh God.

Still, the Bible is full of great wisdom. It is believed it is connected with Egyptian as well as many other ancient cultures, many things in it seem totally beyond our understanding.

We lose it with this incidence that it is true word for word. That's how many people see it today, scientists, and other thinking people.

Answer 11

if you read the text, it's not clear that Adam and Eve were punished solely for the act of eating the fruit.

God knows they ate the fruit, but decides to confront them anyway. First, God asks Adam about it, and Adam then blames Eve. Eve then blames the Serpent for eating the fruit.

i see it not as a tale of punishment for wrongdoing, but rather as a parable to instruct people to own up to their own mistakes and not try to pawn them off on somebody else.