WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE EDEN EXPERIENCE?

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE EDEN EXPERIENCE, WAS IT A REAL PLACE?

What can we learn from eden,was it a real place

             

   GENESIS  2 : 8

" Now the lord God planted a Garden in the east, in Eden, And there he put the man he had formed".

God is the creator of heavens and earth and everything that is in the world including the beautiful Garden called the Garden of Eden.

Prophet Isaiah has these to say about in his prophecy in isaiah 51: 3 ::-

" the lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins, he will make her desert like Eden, her wastelands like the Garden of the lord, joy and Gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sounds of singing."

Prophet Isaiah describes Eden as the garden of the lord,  a place of abundance not like a desert ,a place full with joy and gladness ,thanksgiving and singing.

WHO WERE THE DWELLERS OF                    EDEN?

                

  Genesis 2 : 8 - 9

" then the lord planted a garden in Eden, in the east and there he put the man he had formed.

He made all kinds of beautiful trees grow there , and produce good fruits..in the middle of the Garden stood the tree that gives life and the tree that gives knowledge of good and evil."

The dwellers of Eden were Adam and Eve (humans) ,animals (all kinds ,)and plants of different kinds too.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL?

           Genesis 2:9 ,Genesis 2:16 -17

The name of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, implies that evil had already occurred if not in the garden then at the time of Jesus' fall.

Where The Tree Of Life And The Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil Real Trees?

There are two points of view often expressed in the church today::- 

1,   the trees were real but symbolic( eternal life with God was pictured as eating from the tree of life)

2,   the trees were real, possessing special properties.By eating the fruits of the tree of life ,Adam and Eve could have had eternal life ,enjoying eternal relationship with God forever.

Adam and Eve didnt adhere to the commands of God ,they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and sin separated them from eating the tree of life and from their intimate fellowship with God .

The tree of life appears again in the book of Revelation 22 :2

" Down the middle of the street of the city,on each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of  fruits ,yielding its fruits every month, and the the leaves of the tree are for healing of the Nations"

This tree of life is like that of the garden of Eden(Genesis 2 :9).After Adam and Eve sinned ,they were forbidden to eat the tree of life.

                           WHY?

They could not have eternal life from the life they started living under sin.

WHY WERE ADAM AND EVE DRIVEN FROM THE GARDEN?

             

  GENESIS 3 :22 - 24 

"And the lord said, " the man has now become like one of us , knowing good and evil.he must not be allowed to reach out his hand andbtake also from the tree of life and eat then live forever.

So the lord God banished him from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he has been taken."

After he drove man out he placed on the east side of the garden of Eden cherubims and a flame sword flashing back and forth  to guard the way to the tree of life.

   Life in the garden of Eden was like living in heaven. Everything was perfect and if Adam and eve no longer deserve paradise, God told them to leave.

God placed the flashing flame going forth and back, he also placed the cherubims , they were the mighty angels of the  lord.

This is how they broke broke fellowship with God::-

1,   they became convinced that their way is better than Gods .

2,   they became self  conscious and hide.

3,   they tried to give excuses and defend themselves.

      Let's try to build a good relationship with God not give excuses for our iniquities like Adam and eve.