Genesis 2 - Garden of Eden

Garden of Eden

Gen 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

This seems to be an account with a bit more detail about some of the creation story. The information was probably passed down from Adam and then Noah, from generation to generation; or perhaps given directly to Moses from God.

Num 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
Num 12:7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
Num 12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

We accept the account as God gave it. We need not seek to fit the Bible to the world's thinking, that changes year by year. We accept by faith.

Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Gen 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
Gen 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

God made every plant and herb in an environment where there was no rain, but the mist covered the earth. Man had not yet been created, though the vegetation was for his food and enjoyment.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Psa 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Now we hear more details of how man was made. Man's body was not made from anything special. Dust is not much, until God puts his hands on it and creates the wonderfully made body. A body similar to the animals but with unique features. A mind was given, greater than any animal. Most important was that God breathed His breath of life into man, making him a living soul.

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:...

He was created a spiritual being, after the spiritual likeness of God.

Eccl 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

1 Cor 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Gen 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

God placed the man in a garden paradise, an ideal place for him.

Isa 5:8 Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

The environmental movement; trying to preserve wilderness and trees, comes from a natural desire placed in man. Probably those living in crowded cities are the ones who are most active in preserving the forests. The problem is, they began to worship nature more than God. The garden was a dwelling place made by God for man. His fellowship was with God, who created him in His image for fellowship

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

God made trees for the garden, lovely trees like the redwood and the weeping willow, and trees good for food; pine nuts, pecans, peaches, oranges, apple, cherry, all the wonderful fruit trees. One different tree was planted as a test, for Adam was given a free will. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Obeying God is to walk in the Spirit and fellowship with him forever. To disobey God, creates sin, that which is evil. God did not create evil. A man's disobedience created evil. All that God created was good.

Gen 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
Gen 2:11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
Gen 2:12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
Gen 2:13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
Gen 2:14 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 location of Eden is not known. From this description of the rivers, it may have been in the region of Babylon, which now is a symbol of the corruption of the world. Remember, that our Paradise is with God, not on earth. The rivers then, were no doubt changed after the flood of Noah's time.

Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

God put man in the garden, not to lay around all day, but to dress it and to keep it. He was the vine dresser, the tree trimmer, the gardener. The fruit picker and the bean picker. Man was created to work.

Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Obeying God is to walk in the Spirit and fellowship with him forever. To disobey God, creates sin, that which is evil. God did not create evil. A man's disobedience created evil. All that God created was good. Was the fruit bad to eat, I don't know. It is best to see the tree as off limits. The only restriction given to man. The fruit of the tree was not poison, but the fruit of disobedience would bring a curse with it. He would not be able to eat of the tree of (eternal) life.

Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

The tree was a source of temptation, now God sees the loneliness of Adam and says it is not good. Was not God enough? Being flesh, he needed flesh to comfort. The dog was loyal, but not on the same level to fellowship with. God was going to make him a help meet, something he would be ideally suited for.

Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

What about dinosaurs? The word said that animals were created before man.

On the fifth day they were created and on the sixth day, man was created.

Gen 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. They were all vegetarians. I believe they were all peaceful including the dinosaurs and that killing and meat eating occurred after the fall of Adam.

Adam named every living creature. I see this as all, living creatures.

Gen 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

Animals were not suitable companions for Adam. Adam was not created dumb or as an ape. He was highly intelligent and creative, finding names for every animal. He was their master, for he was given dominion over them. I do not see angry beasts, but animals enjoying the bountiful earth, the provision of God.