Garden of Eden Location

[HammerStone]

I find this to be a fascinating topic to discuss, especially amongst Christians. I happen to love history, so I guess that's why I enjoy the topic so much.Where do you think the Garden of Eden was located? I'm going to hold my answer for now just to see what others think about the topic. This is one of those things you can discuss and we probably won't know the true answer until we return to God. Speculation will probably run in this topic, but it's usually an interesting one to say the least.

 

[Christina]

Im going with Jerusalem only because its Gods favorite place on earth and If I were going to start civilization I would pick my favorite place to do it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------my second choice would be Pluto only cause it seems to be the underdog of planets these days and I always have a soft spot for the underdog ( LOL)

 

[HammerStone]

That's what the general reasoning is and that's what half of me thinks.However, I've been doing some research and I think there's another plausible location for it.We know what the Bible says on the Garden itself that hints at its location:Genesis 210 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.The problem here is that the current Euphrates and Tigris rivers merge together into one river and the four heads scenario as described by the Bible really doesn't seem to materialize there. So that begs the question that I cannot answer. Did God perhaps divert the flow of the river(s) when he sealed off the Garden of Eden?However, there is a location where the Biblical scenario of the Garden of Eden is fulfilled. It's much farther east on the Pamir Plateau in Central Asia. It's bordered by the Tian Shan on the North and the Hindu Cush on the south. Note that Cush is the original word for Ethiopia and is very old.First we have the Amu Daria which is still called the Dgihun or Gihon by the locals to this day. The you have the Syr Daria which was most probably the original Euphrates; keep in mind that it's not uncommon for names to be moved from one place to another. The you have the Indus River which answers the description of the Pison. Finally the Tarim is probably the Hiddekel. It is important to note that although this rivers all are near each other, they flow four different ways. They all come out from the Pamir Plateau.Another key factor is that Hindu and Chinese traditions place the location of the dawn of their civilizations at this location. Keep in mind the similarities that these culture's stories bare to the Biblical account with explanations of floods and such. This is no coincidence; these are all corruptions of the Truth!The area of the Pamir Plateau is called "the roof of the world" for good reason. It's 15,000 ft. in the air and many peaks extend another 10,000 ft. higher.I'm sad to say a good map of the area is very hard to come by given its location. I've found a tourism website that I think contains the best illustrations and some breathtaking pictures. Keep in mind that as God states, things have clearly changed but we still have some clues IMHO. Geography and research has shown us there was once a see in southern Siberia and that Asia on the whole was much lower than it is today; Siberia may have even had a semi-tropical environment at one point long ago.Panoramic Views: http://www.pamirs.org/panoramas.htmMap: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwealt...asia_pol_00.jpg(No Tarim, but you can see the 3 other rivers.)More Maps: http://www.pamirs.org/maps.htmAnyways, it's just food for thought.I'll leave you with a few quotes from some of the Indian Vedas which are again, IMHO, corruptions of the truth of creation."Indra hath helped his Aryan worshippers In frays that win the Light of Heaven. He gave to his Aryan men the godless, dusky race: Righteously blazing he burns the malicious away."--Rig Veda, 1, 130, 8. "Indra alone hath tamed the dusky races And subdued them for the Aryans." --R.V., 6, 183. "Yet, Indra, thou art for evermore The common Lord of all alike."--Rig Veda, 8, 547. "And to him who worships truly Indra gives Many and matchless gifts--He who slew the Dragon. He is to be found straightway by all Who struggle prayerfully for the Light."--Rig Veda, 2, 19, 4.And please, don't make the mistake of hitler and other hateful people when you hear the term "Aryan":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryan

 

[HammerStone]

I hate to double post, but I came across this link while doing research:http://www.chinanews.cn/news/2004/2005-06-10/5839.shtml

 

[Christina]

youve given me some interesting things to ponder,its so hard to tell how the climates have changed,and there is so many dried up ancient rivers.I guess as you say we will not know for sure till we are with the lord.Are you completely ruling out the Pluto thing?

 

[Dad of 3]

Everybody knows that the Garden of Eden existed where Independence, Missouri stands today.

 

[Christina]

Great answer Dad of 3,wrong, but great it was obviously along the pacific coast of Calif. most likely amongst the giant redwoods (lol)

 

[Dad of 3]

Actually, I was kidding, putting a Mormon reference into the conversation to see if anyone would catch it.

 

[Christina]

I knew you were kidding so was I love a good chuckle now and then in case you dont know all computer talk of the young ones today (lol) after a line means lots of laughs

 

[Dad of 3]

Okay, good. The silence (as it were) was deafening, as if no one wanted to point out that I might've made a faux pas of the largest sort. I recently went to a Mormon jamboree at the local church, which, of course, was nothing more than a membership drive disguised as a carnival. I only went for the free food, though.

 

[Christina]

I'm just happy you got something out of it (lol) Don't take the silence around here to much to heart we seem to have the quietest and best behaved 160+ membership on the web, however if you posted something they had a real problem with I'm sure someone would let you know.As for me I am thrilled at the fact you post I get really tired of seeing my name on posts probably everyone else does too, (lol)

 

[HammerStone]

Thanks for the chuckle Dad of 3, I actually laughed when I read it but didn't put our reply. As Kriss said, this is a very well behaved group and some of us read and laugh behind the scenes sometimes.

 

[Dad of 3]

(SwampFox;2953)
Thanks for the chuckle Dad of 3, I actually laughed when I read it but didn't put our reply. As Kriss said, this is a very well behaved group and some of us read and laugh behind the scenes sometimes.

I've noticed that. Some of the automotive forums I frequent get downright vicious (no, not Sid Vicious) over the most stupid things. Even in regards to the tattoo thread, I have no reason to get mad because I don't feel like I'm being personally attacked, which is a nice change of pace.

 

[Helen]

I am still reading through some old threads.
I was enjoying this one...then it came to an abrupt end!
I too love History.....I always thought that all of Israel may have been the Garden...we have never been told how large it was.
I also read once that Eden is now buried under the sea...( or maybe they just muddled that up with Atlantis. LOL ;) )

 

[Dcopymope]

I find this to be a fascinating topic to discuss, especially amongst Christians. I happen to love history, so I guess that's why I enjoy the topic so much.Where do you think the Garden of Eden was located? I'm going to hold my answer for now just to see what others think about the topic. This is one of those things you can discuss and we probably won't know the true answer until we return to God. Speculation will probably run in this topic, but it's usually an interesting one to say the least.

All you'll get is a lot of useless speculation as to its location. The reason why no one can ever pin point its exact location as I see it is simple, its because the very geography of the planet drastically changed because of the flood. What was once one continent was cracked open like an egg shell. Much of the vast oceans we see now was likely all land mass before it sunk when God broke the "fountains of the great deep", so good luck trying to find the exact location of any place from the pre-flood era.

 

[Jun2u]

I too believe the location of the Garden of Eden is lost because of the catastrophe of the world wide flood of Noah’s day which changed the face of the earth.

However, I think scripture says there was only one big continent during the days of Peleg and during the Tower of Babel. There God confused the language of the people and scattered them throughout the face of all the earth (Gen 11:9).

Today there are 7 continents and 5 oceans.

To God Be The Glory

 

[FHII]

I enjoyed Dcopymope and Jun2u's comments. Yes the earth would've been drastically changed due to the flood. I look at the geographical clues given in Genesis 2 and by today's maps, it doesn't make much sense. But what about before the flood? I don't think we can answer that.

Another thing is that God didn't want it to be found or at least entered again. He set charibums and a flaming sword to guard it. I just noticed this but they were placed at the east. Thus, any threat would come from the east so the garden was west of whatever God wanted to keep out.

Some questions come up. I believe if God doesn't want something to be found, it won't be found. So why does he have guards? I also am pretty certain it hasn't been found. So how is whoever finds it going to deal with the cheribums and the flaming sword?

Someone also proposed that God may have moved it after kicking Adam and Eve out. I think that is a reasonble consideration.

There are other things I want to bring up, but I will save them. Too many ingredients don't always make a great dish.

 

[Helen]

Good posts. :)

As I was reading FHII I did wonder if Eden was like we think it was. I mean was it totally as we picture it.
If so..surely the Tree Of The Knowledge of Good and Evil , and the Tree of Life would still "be around".
I can't imagine them buried under the sea somewhere with cherubs guarding them!!! I guess I am really asking if they were actually "spiritual types". We know Even didn't eat an 'apple'. She took and received into herself knowledge that she foolishly thought that she was lacking! She was deceived in this by The Liar.
Yep, interesting thread.

 

[Dcopymope]

I enjoyed Dcopymope and Jun2u's comments. Yes the earth would've been drastically changed due to the flood. I look at the geographical clues given in Genesis 2 and by today's maps, it doesn't make much sense. But what about before the flood? I don't think we can answer that.

Another thing is that God didn't want it to be found or at least entered again. He set charibums and a flaming sword to guard it. I just noticed this but they were placed at the east. Thus, any threat would come from the east so the garden was west of whatever God wanted to keep out.

Some questions come up. I believe if God doesn't want something to be found, it won't be found. So why does he have guards? I also am pretty certain it hasn't been found. So how is whoever finds it going to deal with the cheribums and the flaming sword?

Someone also proposed that God may have moved it after kicking Adam and Eve out. I think that is a reasonble consideration.

There are other things I want to bring up, but I will save them. Too many ingredients don't always make a great dish.

I see no reason why God would have to move it at all. If the Cherubs only had to guard the east entrance, then the garden being surrounded by mountainous terrain at all other directions could be one good reason, making it next to impossible to reach except from the east. This brings to mind the possibility that Eden was possibly located on a mountain. That's about as much speculation on its location that I'll do.

Good posts. :)

As I was reading FHII I did wonder if Eden was like we think it was. I mean was it totally as we picture it.
If so..surely the Tree Of The Knowledge of Good and Evil , and the Tree of Life would still "be around".
I can't imagine them buried under the sea somewhere with cherubs guarding them!!! I guess I am really asking if they were actually "spiritual types". We know Even didn't eat an 'apple'. She took and received into herself knowledge that she foolishly thought that she was lacking! She was deceived in this by The Liar.
Yep, interesting thread.

The tree of life is also described as a literal tree that will be present in new Jerusalem in Revelation for those found in the book of life to consume, so there is no reason to believe that the tree's in Eden were anything but literal tree's.

(Revelation 22:1-2) "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. {2} In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."

Notice that in new Jerusalem, its not really the fruit being eaten but its apparently the leaves. I'm sure Adam and Eve were munching on the leaves in Eden as well.

 

[skyangel]

Good posts. :)

As I was reading FHII I did wonder if Eden was like we think it was. I mean was it totally as we picture it.
If so..surely the Tree Of The Knowledge of Good and Evil , and the Tree of Life would still "be around".
I can't imagine them buried under the sea somewhere with cherubs guarding them!!! I guess I am really asking if they were actually "spiritual types". We know Even didn't eat an 'apple'. She took and received into herself knowledge that she foolishly thought that she was lacking! She was deceived in this by The Liar.
Yep, interesting thread.

Hi Helen,
I believe the Eden story is filled with spiritual types and is not about physical locations or physical thing of any kind.
I see "Eden" as a spiritual place not as a physical place that was ever on Earth.
Eden in Hebrew means "Pleasure". The Hebrew meanings of words are very significant in a spiritual interpretation of scripture.
"Adam" is plural and simply means man in a plural sense or mankind which includes all males and females of the past present and future not just two people of the past.
Gen 5:2. Notice THEIR NAME was ADAM.
I see "the tree of knowledge" and "tree of life" as being a parallelism of the very same tree because it mentions only ONE TREE in the middle of the garden in Gen 3:3. Notice..." the tree which is in the midst of the garden" Implies only one tree not two trees in the midst of the garden. Also notice in Rev 2:7. It is the tree of LIFE in the midst of the "paradise of God" which is referred to as the "garden" in Genesis 2:8.
Take notice also in Gen 3:22 that after mankind "Adam" became "as God" (one of us). He was denied access to the "Tree of LIFE" which represents WISDOM according to Proverbs 3.
It is interesting to note in Gen 3:6 that Eve saw the tree as something to be desired to make one WISE.
"The tree of Life" could also be symbolic of Life itself in both a spiritual and mortal sense.
Now why do you think mankind would be be denied access to wisdom ( Tree of Life) or Life ( Tree of Life) after having partaken of the knowledge of God?
Does gaining the knowledge of God or WISDOM cause death and if so in what way does it cause death or what aspect of Mankind would die immediately on the same day by partaking of WISDOM?
Adam and Eve did not die physically on "the same day they ate"( Gen 2:17) of the tree so physical death was not the consequence of partaking of the tree.
Something spiritual in them died and it was not wisdom because they gained wisdom and knowledge of God and became like God (Gen 3:22).
I see the serpent as also representing wisdom simply because of Matt 10:16 ....be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
In a way "the serpent in the tree" also represents the Son of man....John 3:14
Notice in John 11:25-26 that Jesus also says although you be dead, yet shall you live and you will never die if you believe in him.

I will leave it at that for now and let you chew on that meat before I continue.
I suspect you will find that hard enough to swallow for a start and you won't see it at all because you have been taught that it was a bad thing to eat of the tree and the serpent lied to them but the serpent did not lie at all any more than Jesus lied when he said you will NEVER die.( John 11:26)
All believers in Jesus still physically die so in a literal sense if referring to physical death Jesus could also be seen as a liar.