PARADISE

(05,24,2024) Paradise is defined, in the Random House Webster’s Dictionary, as a place or state of supreme happiness! Therefore, while many interpret Paradise as a literal location, it can also be referred to as a state of mind. Now, most people have heard of the Garden of Eden. Its actual location is disclosed in the Book of Genesis, of the Old Testament, in the Holy Bible. And, I would venture to say that everyone knows the story of Adam and Eve, and how, or why, they were banished from the Garden of Eden. But, the story that most people have heard, is more like a fairy tale version of what had occurred then. This kind of ‘Reader’s Digest’ interpretation is watered down for the benefit of Sunday school children, in order for them to grasp the significance of the situation, but, it does not represent full clarification of the issues or the implication of how everything, going forward, is affected by that one choice which was made by Adam and Eve. Now, I am aware that the latter statement is not clear and only serves to confuse the reader, so, I will attempt to explain my view with a step by step analysis of events that took place on that most fateful of days, which set the mode for all that transpired from that time to present day. To begin with, it is accepted, globally, that Paradise is a beautiful park or a parklike garden, the first of which was Eden. Before he died, Jesus Christ had indicated to all that the earth would become a paradise. That said, there were also references to a heavenly paradise. So, the Garden of Eden set the stage for any future Paradise. After God created the Garden of Eden, he created a man, Adam, in his image, to cultivate the garden. Then, God told Adam that, while all creatures in the garden were to be in subjection to him, Adam, he would have to take care of the garden. But, God also gave Adam another command. God said to Adam, “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die”. Incidentally, I must point out, that there was never any mention of an apple. The tree could just as easily have been a fig tree. Notably, what kind of fruit it bore really has no significance! However, that inaccuracy would later go on to have the apple replace the all important term, ‘the knowledge of good and bad’, and diminishes the latter term while placing more emphasis on eating the apple. Shortly after that, God created a companion for Adam, a woman named Eve. So, fast forward to modern day, when you have children listening to the story, they would become more concerned with why God would get so upset and vengeful at Adam and Eve for simply eating some of the apples. Of course, we all know how the serpent convinced Eve that they would not die, but instead, have their eyes opened and become like God. In the moment that they ate the fruit, Adam and Eve lost their innocence. They had become embarrassed by their nakedness and covered themselves with fig leaves (hence the suggestion for the type of tree). An important fact to point out, here, is that, while they did not die immediately, Adam and Eve did eventually die, or began to die from that moment forward, even though Adam lived for 930 years. You see, God had created the perfect bodies for them. They were meant to regenerate, continue living, and never die! The one choice which they had made altered everything. Today, doctors and scientists all agree that the human body was designed to regenerate and thereby live forever. They would attest to the fact although they cannot explain why the body would suddenly become defective and begin to break down. The simple fact of the matter is that God had given Adam and Eve the gift of free will. They were to use that free will in making the most important choice of their lives, literally, and that of all of us to follow! Their choice, or desire, to be more like God (which did not happen), sealed our fate! If not for that one mistake, none of us who followed would have had to die! In fact, we would have been living in Paradise, today! For there was another tree, the tree of life, in Eden, which was banned from Adam and Eve when they were expelled. All of the suffering in the world, from then on, was and is due to that moment, that choice! Hard labour, in the field as well as at birth, would become common place. And the human body, no longer perfect, would eventually break down and die. A life of hard turmoil and stress would reap its reward! God knew this and tried to warn Adam and Eve. They had a perfect life in Paradise, innocent of thought. The knowledge, which they had craved, taught them a lesson in ‘good and bad’! They learned about fear and shame! Their own offspring would soon submit to lying and even murder because of jealousy. How quickly Paradise subverted to the world in which we now live! When Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, they were left to fend for themselves. Before then, they had no issues to worry about. Afterward, all of mankind was left to govern themselves. Soon, many rulers arose claiming to be anointed by God, some even claiming to be Gods! From Cain, evil was let loose and Paradise was lost! The issue, from that moment forward, has been about mankind’s ability, or, should I say inability, to govern themselves. After all, look where we’ve gotten from the time of the banishment. Thousands of years of war and the most unspeakable horrors, has become our (mankind’s) legacy! God had blessed mankind with free will. And, instead of blissful happiness in Paradise, which should have been the obvious choice of a free will, mankind now suffers at the hands of those individuals who would rule in God’s place! It is not God who is responsible for all of the suffering in the world. That blame lies on the serpent and those who choose to listen to him! Mankind requires saving and so, with mankind, God will make a new covenant!