The Garden

[JonC]

Genesis 2:7–8 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

Genesis 2:9 Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

Genesis 3:22–24 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

What is the significance of God taking Adam from where he was created and putting him in the Garden (as opposed to God creating man in the Garden)?

 

[Deacon]

…and notice gentlemen that Eve was made in the garden.

Rob

 

[JonC]

…and notice gentlemen that Eve was made in the garden.

Rob

And this means the creation of Adam, the Garden, and Eve occurred in the 6th Day.....I think, anyway.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

…and notice gentlemen that Eve was made in the garden.

Rob

Yes, but that doesn't hurt the case Jon is making (or seems to be making?), as she wasn't made directly from the ground but rather from Adam.

 

[JonC]

Yes, but that doesn't hurt the case Jon is making (or seems to be making?), as she wasn't made directly from the ground but rather from Adam.

No. I was not making a case that Eve was not made from Adam's rib before Adam was placed in the Garden.

I am saying that I believe God planted a garden in Eden and there He placed the Adam whom He had formed (that God took Adam and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it).

And I am saying that after Adam transgressed God's command God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Then I asked if any, who shared my view, found any significance to it.

You stated that you do not believe that God planted a garden in Eden and there He placed the Adam whom He had formed (that God took Adam and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it). You stated that you do not believe that after Adam transgressed God's command God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

You are not qualified to offer significance to that view as you do not believe it correct (to you it has no significance).

Unfortunately your objection is based on rejecting Scripture as my statements were not mine but God's Word quoted. I think you fell into that error by imagining a case I we could make, but I doubt you know the case I'd really make.

 

[JonC]

The case that I am making is that the Garden can be viewed as God dwelling with man (Adam). This significance exceeds the Hebrew and Christian faith (it is also a part of the ANE worldview).

I suggest that this shared view comes from the truth of the Garden, that God dwelt with Adam in the Garden in a unique way that was lost with sin. The truth was lost among the pagans, as was the truth of the Flood (pagans have a myth of the flood).

The purpose of ANE pagan temples was to entice their god to dwell with them in a temple (cities were centered around temples). In a sense it was an attempt to recreate the Garden.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

No. I was not making a case that Eve was not made from Adam's rib before Adam was placed in the Garden.

I am saying that I believe God planted a garden in Eden and there He placed the Adam whom He had formed (that God took Adam and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it).

And I am saying that after Adam transgressed God's command God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Then I asked if any, who shared my view, found any significance to it.

You stated that you do not believe that God planted a garden in Eden and there He placed the Adam whom He had formed (that God took Adam and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it). You stated that you do not believe that after Adam transgressed God's command God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

You are not qualified to offer significance to that view as you do not believe it correct (to you it has no significance).

Unfortunately your objection is based on rejecting Scripture as my statements were not mine but God's Word quoted. I think you fell into that error by imagining a case I we could make, but I doubt you know the case I'd really make.

Enough of this. You don't seem to understand at all what I just posted and grossly misrepresented my own position before you closed the previous thread. And you did it again just now. Just stop it already.

 

[JonC]

Enough of this. You don't seem to understand at all what I just posted and grossly misrepresented my own position before you closed the previous thread. And you did it again just now. Just stop it already.

Then I misunderstood you. Enough is enough.


I am saying that I believe God planted a garden in Eden and there He placed the Adam whom He had formed (that God took Adam and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it).

And I am saying that after Adam transgressed God's command God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Do you agree or disagree (this way you can't have it both ways)?

 

[Deacon]

There is quite a bit of word play in the early chapters of Genesis that is not able to be translated into our English translations.
“Adam” is the word for mankind AND is a proper name. Examine various translations and you will find that the switch from one to the other varies.
Adamah means dust, dirt, soil, earth.
So Adam is an earthling, a Humas-man.

Eden was the dwelling place of God, later symbolized by the Temple.
Isaiah 51:3;
Ezekiel 28:13
Ezekiel 47:1–12
Psalm 46:4
Zech. 14:8
Revelation 22:1–2

Adam was designed as the garden’s attendant (Ge2:15), it was there that mankind was designed to serve God.
In the garden mankind would have had access to the Tree of Life (Ge 2:9).
Separation and exile from the garden after the fall meant no access to the Tree of Life therefore eventual death. - “With sin came death” (Rom. 5:12-14) for death existed outside the garden, away from the Tree of Life.

Rob

 

[JonC]

There is quite a bit of word play in the early chapters of Genesis that is not able to be translated into our English translations.
“Adam” is the word for mankind AND is a proper name. Examine various translations and you will find that the switch from one to the other varies.
Adamah means dust, dirt, soil, earth.
So Adam is an earthling, a Humas-man.

Eden was the dwelling place of God, later symbolized by the Temple.
Isaiah 51:3;
Ezekiel 28:13
Ezekiel 47:1–12
Psalm 46:4
Zech. 14:8
Revelation 22:1–2

Adam was designed as the garden’s attendant (Ge2:15), it was there that mankind was designed to serve God.
Outside of the garden mankind would have not had access to the Tree of Life (Ge 2:9).
Separation and exile from the garden after the fall meant no access to the Tree of Life therefore eventual death. - “With sin came death” (Rom. 5:12-14) for death existed outside the garden, away from the Tree of Life.

Rob

It would be strange to see God name the first man "Bob".


I agree that there is a lot of wordplay. Many Christians even view the account in the Garden as a myth rather than fact (a myth to teach truths).

But I think when we start questioning specific things in the first few chapters of Genesis then we open ourselves up to error.

For example, Scripture specifically presents an order in terms of the Garden. God created the Earth, plants, etc, but He planted a Garden and took man who had been created and placed in the Garden.

Genesis does repeat some instances and it is not written in a strict chronological manner.

For example, God tells us He made man, planted a Garden, and put man whom He had made in that Garden.

Then we see a description of the Garden, and God took the man and put him in the Garden.

And then God sends man out of the Garden to the ground where he was taken.

We can talk about meanings, the Tree of Life, what would be had Adam not sinned.....but until we can at least agree on what IS stated in God's Word it is impossible to discuss those topics.

 

[Deacon]

It would be strange to see God name the first man "Bob".

Other names include:
Dirk/dirt
Hugh/humus/human
Earth/earthling

My class that Sunday spent a bit of time thinking and laughing at some of the possibilities.

Rob

 

[percho]

The answer lies in the interpretation of the word 'day' in this verse...

Genesis 2:4
"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens"

If we interpret the word 'day' as being literal, then both Genesis 1 and 2 will align perfectly and agree with each other. The order of creation will make perfect sense.

The problem is that all of you have changed that word and thus are having difficulty understanding why the story is not congruent. Therefore, let us not change the Word of God. We will let it lead us where it wants.

So, what 'day' is Genesis 2:4 referring to if it is to be interpreted literally? It is referring to the Third Day when God finished making the Heavens and the Earth...

Genesis 1:10
"And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good."

Genesis 1:13
"And the evening and the morning were the third day."

We have our first Witness. Genesis 2:4 begins a re-telling of the Creation Account starting on the Third Day. How can we be sure? We have another Witness in the very next verse...

Genesis 2:5 (New International Version)
"Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground"

Perfect. Not only are we on the Third Day, but we are also at the moment *before God created any Life whatsoever*.

No plants, no animals, no people... nothing. Note that Genesis 2:5 says that there was no one. So, what was the first form of Life created?

Genesis 2:7
"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

And there you have it. Man rose on the Third Day, just as Jesus rose on the Third Day. Plants (i.e., the Garden) came after.

Now, you folks are probably wondering why Genesis 1 shows Man being created on the Sixth Day.

Again, if we can have a non-dogma, non 'denominational talking points' conversation and stick to the Word, I can answer if you want. if this is too much, I will go.

Would be interested, however not my OP.

@JonC ?

 

[kyredneck]

@YokeFellow, did you come up with all this on your own or are there others that maintain this?

 

[John of Japan]

What is the significance of God taking Adam from where he was created and putting him in the Garden (as opposed to God creating man in the Garden)?

It was to show the grace and mercy of God. The garden shows up again in Revelation 2:7: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

So the perfect Garden of Eden is now in the New Jerusalem, along with it's perfect tree of life. We can be "put" in that garden someday because we are perfect and holy due to the second Adam, who is from above, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[tyndale1946]

@YokeFellow, did you come up with all this on your own or are there others that maintain this?

Ok now its my turn... I also believe in a literal day but Adam was created the sixth day... My question is this, if Adam is created the third day then how can he have dominion over animals that are created the fifth day, if he doesn't know what he will have dominion over?.... Man was created last on the sixth day and there is logic to the creation, it is all of God and man had nothing to do with it... I'm Y.E.C and my firm believe in six literal day God completed his creation and on the seventh literal day he rested... Some on here have mixed evolution and creation together, making the creation in the millions of years... I'm not one of them!... Or taken God completely out of the equation, saying life started with some primordial soup... I've never encountered them in the Creation and Evolutionary Forum... To Yokefellow I say this our agreement or disagreement should not determine weather you stay or go that is your decision and those who want to look into it farther what you posted may but I have no interest in it... There are to many unanswered questions?... Brother Glen

 

[tyndale1946]

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

I don't know how others see this but so far this is my understanding... When Adam and Eve sinned there were two deaths, there was the death of the fellowship they had with God... Followed by bodily death of Adam 930 years later... The Bible is silent when Eve died... Brother Glen

 

[tyndale1946]

@YokeFellow, did you come up with all this on your own or are there others that maintain this?

So should we prepare for an invasion?... Brother Glen

 

[JonC]

It was to show the grace and mercy of God. The garden shows up again in Revelation 2:7: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

So the perfect Garden of Eden is now in the New Jerusalem, along with it's perfect tree of life. We can be "put" in that garden someday because we are perfect and holy due to the second Adam, who is from above, the Lord Jesus Christ.

I agree.

What struck me about studying ANE religions is the prominence of a type of "Garden of Eden" idea in temple cities where men would entice their god(s) to come down to dwell with them, making their city great. I personally believe the "Tower of Babel" was a ziggurat in this tradition...but that's based on opinion (I have an abundance of opinions).

It is less about, IMHO, the Garden and more about God dwelling with man. In this scene, the Garden itself can be viewed as symbolic of Christ (God dwelling with man) and our placement "in Christ" a return to the Garden which will be realized to its fullest in the New Heaven and New Earth as the Old passes away.

 

[John of Japan]

I agree.

What struck me about studying ANE religions is the prominence of a type of "Garden of Eden" idea in temple cities where men would entice their god(s) to come down to dwell with them, making their city great. I personally believe the "Tower of Babel" was a ziggurat in this tradition...but that's based on opinion (I have an abundance of opinions).

It is less about, IMHO, the Garden and more about God dwelling with man. In this scene, the Garden itself can be viewed as symbolic of Christ (God dwelling with man) and our placement "in Christ" a return to the Garden which will be realized to its fullest in the New Heaven and New Earth as the Old passes away.

Well put.

 

[37818]

I did a quick search on Google Books and found this...

View attachment 8752

101 Myths of the Bible - Google Books

Sadly, the author of the book uses it against Christianity by claiming Genesis is a 'myth' full of errors and contradictions. This is a problem I see on secular forums. When the average non-Christian reads Genesis, they see these issues clearly.

I have taken it upon myself to address these issues and offer a solution that keeps the literal translation intact, while agreeing with the rest of the Bible.

Here is another interesting commentary with regards to Genesis 2:5...

"Not a plant of the field was yet in the land. - Here it is to be remembered that the narrative has reverted to the third day of the preceding creation."

Genesis 2:5 Commentaries: Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. (biblehub.com)

Not a good Biblical interpertation. The garden is not the whole surface of the Earth those six days.