Nothing is ‘just’ a symbol. That’s a misunderstanding of what symbols are (they’re signs that participate in the reality that they signify). That tree was made by the Lord to communicate meaning to you that glorifies Jesus. That is its primary purpose. Wonder is the correct response.

We see this first in the structure of Genesis 1. We have a two panelled story in 3 sections. What I mean is that day 4 corresponds to day 1, day 5 to day 2 and so on. In the first three days, three arenas are constructed by divisions. On day one, light is separated from darkness, which seems to be happening in the heavens for all they aren’t named yet, on day two heavens are separated from earth, one day three land is separated from sea and trees sprout.

Wait, on the third day trees sprout? Almost like when Paul said that Jesus rose on the third day ‘according to the scriptures’ he meant we should notice that kind of thing (that’s exactly what he meant).

Put that thought aside, and let’s continue our look at the days of Genesis. We have three arenas created: heavens, earth, sea. A triple-decker universe. This is nuanced later in the Bible with the breaking of the heavens into ‘heaven’ (sky) ‘heavens’ (where planets are) and ‘heaven above’ or ‘third heaven’ (where the heavenly temple is), but that distinction doesn’t seem to be in view in Genesis 1, they’re all just ‘heavens.’ These three arenas are defined by three distinctions: light/dark, waters above/waters below, sea/land.

On day four we return to the distinction of day one, light/dark, and fill it with the sun, moon, and stars. These are intimately related to spiritual powers as well as the ball of gas and barren rock we naturally think of, this is evident not least because we all know that plants don’t grow without the sun. Moses was as aware of this as you are. The form, made by division, is filled with life.

On day five we return to the distinction of day two, waters above/waters below, and fill them both with life: birds and fish.

On day six we do the same, returning to the final distinction, land/sea, with the filling of the land with life, including the man and woman. The third day wasn’t only a day of distinction because life started then, with trees sprouting on the land. We see man and woman placed in a garden that was made for them.

What does this have to do with the tabernacle? Everything. Moses is hoping you read that and thought to yourself, ‘wait… that sounds so much like the tabernacle.’ Is the world also a tabernacle? It is, dear friends, made for his glory.

What we should be looking for is a threefold structure, with some parallel to sea->earth->heaven, that is then also filled with things.

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