Garden of Eden

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The Earthly Paradise (Garden of Eden), painted by Hieronymus Bosch part of The Garden of Earthly Delights.

In the biblical book of Genesis, God created the Garden of Eden as a dwelling place for the first two humans, Adam and Eve. The Garden was a paradise of plenty where Adam and Eve would never suffer illness or death. However, Adam and Eve defied the will of God by eating the forbidden fruit (the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil) at the center of the Garden, and God cast them out of the Garden so that they would no longer live forever. Genesis says that a cherub (angel) with a flaming sword then guarded the Garden of Eden to prevent humans from returning.

Description

Genesis describes the Garden as being "in the east, in Eden". It also says that the Garden was watered by a river that flowed from Eden, and which divided into four rivers, which had the names Phison, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. Many people equate the last two with the existing Tigris and Euphrates rivers, but the existing rivers do not come from a dividing of a single river. It is common for settlers to name local features after similar features back home, and some believe that this is the case with these rivers—that the existing Tigris and Euphrates rivers are not the same rivers, but merely named after the ones that flowed from Eden.

The Garden is described as having "all kinds" of trees growing in it, and two are specifically named, these being the Tree of Life, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the latter being in the center of the Garden. It was this latter tree that Adam was told that he was forbidden to eat from.

Although life was apparently meant to be easy, Adam was given the task of working the Garden and taking care of it.

Other Views

As with many passages in Genesis, there is debate among Christians whether or not the story of the Garden of Eden should be taken literally or metaphorically. If literally, there is also debate over how long ago Adam and Eve were banished from paradise.

The Israelite word for Eden is Aten, which is very similar to the Egyptian word "Atlen" which means "Atlantis". Atlantis is also believed to be the origin of mankind.[1]


The Trees in the Garden Symbolize People

The trees in the garden of Eden were people. Throughout the Bible, trees are used to symbolize people ie., Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, the two witnesses etc.

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

And the Bible tells of a ruler who was in the garden:

Eze 31:3 Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.
Eze 31:6 All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.
Eze 31:8 The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.
Eze 31:9 I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.
Eze 31:16 I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.


And when Jesus came, he talked of men in terms of trees:

Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 3:10 And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.


Thus the trees in the garden of Eden were people. And Adam was to rule over them and protect them.


For more references on trees symbolizing people see: Jdg 9:7-15, Daniel 4:20&21, Rev 11:3&4, Gen 49:22, Eze 17:2-13, John 15:1, and Matthew 3:10.

References

  1. http://www.lilithgallery.com/library/TheSearchforEden.html The Search for Eden / Atlantis