A Journey to the Garden Of Eden Before Sin

As with many historical accounts recorded in the Bible, not much information is given about the Garden of Eden. In Genesis it talks about the creation of Eden and the placement of Adam and Eve in the Garden, but not much description is given of the Garden itself.

Pinpointing the exact Garden of Eden location is difficult. Some theories place it near the source of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the Armenian highlands. The Bible in Genesis 2:10-14 locates the Garden of Eden at the source of a great river that later splits into four separate rivers known as the Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel (known today as the Tigris), and the Euphrates. Any remnant of the first two rivers was concealed by the flood during Noah's time.

In the mean time, let's take a journey into the imagination of what it could have been. I asked a group of individuals in a class discussion the other day to describe for me what they envisioned Eden to be like before sin entered the world.

Picture in your mind tranquil lush green trees and plants laden with all sorts of fruits. All the plants would be much larger and more vibrant in color and texture than what we see today. Their fruit would be the sweetest, juicy, best tasting fruit you have ever eaten. There would be the perfect balance of humidity and warmth to provide the most comfortable environment for both plants and animals. Flowers of every variety imaginable would be continuously blooming to treat your senses to a fragrant reminder of their delicate beauty. Lions and sheep would stroll shoulder to shoulder as though they were old friends from high school. The sound of birds singing would resonate through the air like a symphony playing a concert. Try to picture in your mind the most peaceful, relaxing environment possible for any living being, human or otherwise, and then place them all together in one place.

Interestingly, our discussion centered primarily upon the physical attributes of the Garden. The most important aspect to me is the close personal communion with God himself that was available during mankind’s presence there. Before sin, Adam and Eve could walk side by side with God and have a face to face discussion with him. There was no prayer channel necessary. If you had a question, just go ask God himself. Without the presence of sin, God was able to walk around on the earth and show himself to every living creature.

For some, the Garden of Eden is nothing more than a mythical bible story. For the believer, it is a place created by God perfectly suited to support all living creatures on earth. A place where food and water was plentiful, there were no threats of violence or civil unrest, there was no death or decay. Life itself was in perfect balance with the nature that surrounds it. No earthquakes, tornado's, tsunamis', hurricanes, floods, or any other natural disaster that causes mayhem and destruction. With a perfectly balanced climate there was no need to build and maintain houses and other structures. It was a place where every living creature lived in perfect harmony with one another in the very presence of God himself. It was in essence, Heaven on earth.

Unfortunately, just as Satan and his followers were expelled from Heaven for choosing to sin, Adam and Eve were not allowed to enjoy the paradise God had created for them to the end of their days. Thus, with the bite of that first fruit, the great controversy between good and evil began. The garden of Eden remained on the earth for a while but entrance was forbidden to prevent the sinful couple and their offspring from eating of the tree of life.

For those who choose to believe the Biblical account, we have the anticipation that when the earth is cleansed from sin, the garden of Eden will be restored and we will again be able to walk in the very presence of God himself. A day that we can all hope will come very soon.