16 Mar Where is Eden?
The world the Lord has made is physical, beautiful, grand and amazing, and yet before sin ruined it, it would have been much more glorious than we are capable of imagining.
Eden was no little garden, no tiny planting of herbs, and no orchard, or minuscule collection of fruit trees. Even a place as amazing as the Arboretum in Los Angeles, or Melbourne Botanical Gardens has nothing in comparison. A place of mountains, cliffs, beautiful waterfalls and vistas as far as the eye can see. And in the middle of it, some trees that were unique and eye-catching, and even tempting for people who were without sin.
People have hunted for Eden for a long time, but it no longer exists physically according to the Bible, destroyed by the Great Flood.
Jared and I however visited Turkey in 2025, and filmed 12 videos as part of our Genesis series. During our time there we considered where historically Eden might have been, and made both a short question video, and a longer commentary on Genesis 2. Both are available online.
But beyond the consideration of where Eden may have been historically, is the question of what Eden represents and what it means for us now. Eden represented perfection in creation, and closeness to God. The first humans walked in the garden with God daily, and they knew God without shame, without fault, fully loved and accepted for who they were.
Of course God still fully loves us, but we do not fully love an accept ourselves, or in some cases pride stops us from knowing God too. So Eden as an idea is not a reality to us, and yet it can be.
There is nothing stopping any believer from walking with God today. Because of Christ, we can come near, with clean hearts sprinkled by his blood. The way is open. Eden, then is in our hearts, and our access to the Father has been restored.
What are you waiting for? Get to know Him.
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