God wants to rule his world in partnership with his human images, and in the garden of Eden, God presents humanity with its first test, represented by a choice between two trees. Will the humans trust God to teach them wisdom, or will they do what’s good in their own eyes? We know how this story ends, and Adam and Eve’s choice begins a downward spiral of failed tests throughout the Torah.

Throughout the Torah God repeatedly tests his covenant partners to see if they are willing to live by his wisdom. We see this testing in the stories of Abraham, Moses, and the nation of Israel. Though there are moments of faith in the face of extreme circumstances, humans continue to repeat the failures of the garden. Humanity is in desperate need of someone who can pass the ultimate test and make right the covenant that was broken in the garden.

All of this leads us to the story of Jesus, the Messiah. He passes the ultimate test by giving up his life for the sins of his people, and through him, God’s life and blessing goes out to all the nations, this is the Good News of the Bible. So while these tests are rarely easy, they are actually important opportunities for God’s people to grow and change, so that they can become agents of God’s blessing to the world around them.