From the very beginning of the story of the Bible, trees represent God's blessing.

Then on day 6, God gives the fruit trees for the humans and the animals to enjoy.

So that sets you up to see trees as a special divine gift to the land creatures from Genesis

chapter 1.

Then in the next literary unit in the Garden of Eden narrative, the intra-ductory narrative

shows God forming human from the dirt outside of Eden, then planting the garden with the

trees in it and then putting the human in the garden.

And then saying, eat from all the trees and there's that really good one, the tree of

life in the middle.

Trees also represent a moment of testing.

But then there's another one that'll kill you.

If you take the wisdom about knowing good evil on your own terms, there's a test.

They have to choose to trust God to continue eating from the blessed tree of life and if

they don't, then they'll find themselves cut off from life and so on.

The second movement of Genesis is all about Abraham and Sarah, how God is going to use

this couple to bless the world.

Abraham and Sarah depicted as a new Adam and Eve, who God is calling to return to the

Garden so he can bless all the nations to them.

And so it isn't surprising that we see the theme of trees continue.

What does Abraham do after taking a tour of the land God promised him as part of his

blessing?

He sits under the great trees of Momran.

...