Nostalgia
The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Genesis 2:8 NASB
Garden in Eden – “The good ol’ days.” That’s what we really want, isn’t it? Those days that didn’t seem so stressful, so chaotic, so confusing. What we really want is a return to the mythological, idyllic peace of the Garden. Eliade notes that this religious nostalgia is implicit in all original religions. “Man desires to recover the active presence of the gods; he also desires to live in the world as it came from the Creator’s hands, fresh, pure and strong. It is the nostalgia for the perfection of beginnings that chiefly explains the periodical return in illo tempore. In Christian terms, it could be called a nostalgia for paradise, . . .”[1] Things were better then. We could walk with God. The earth didn’t resist us. Relationships were pure and transparent. Life was wonderful.
Really? What about the serpent? The Tree (yes, that Tree)? The mistaken understanding of the commandment? The Genesis account doesn’t paint Paradise without problems. In fact, Genesis reveals utopia for what it really is—nowhere![2] In some real sense, Man was not made to live in the Garden. Man was made to live on earth where the sparks fly upward and the dirt grows weeds. To become human is to wrestle with the dust and as Ya’akob discovered at Yabboq, this world is the only place where character can be formed through struggle. Innocence is not a permanent human condition. Joni Mitchell was wrong. We aren’t going back to the Garden.[3] There’s work to do.
Eliade notes that this myth of eternal return “paralyzes” man because it refuses the responsibility of “genuine historical existence.” Genesis does not endorse such a myth. In fact, the entire point of the Genesis story is to push us out of the Garden. We are destined to be collaborators with God in the redemption of the earth. Redemption does not occur in the Garden. It happens outside the idyllic environment. “It is a responsibility on the cosmic plane, in contradiction ot the moral, social, or historical responsibilities that are alone regarded as valid in modern civilizations. From the point of view of profane existence, man feels no responsibility except to himself and to society.”[4] But this is not the Genesis view. Man in Genesis is accountable for the cosmic order. He is a partner with God, responsible for his part in the restoration of the creation. He is called to something beyond himself—and it begins by being expelled from Paradise.
Have you longed for return to the Garden? Perhaps your longing isn’t really part of the plan at all. Perhaps it is a deep desire not to be responsible?
Topical Index: garden, gan eden, paradise, responsibility, Genesis 2:8
[1] Mircea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane, p. 92.
[2] Our word, utopia, is derived from the Greek topos and the negative ou. It literally means, “no where.”
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrWNTqbLFFE
[4] Micea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane, p. 93.
And then, enters the second Adam..
And His words were [are], – “behold, I make all things new.”
First, just to get it straight, I do not think good has to have the duality of evil to be itself, which is the teaching of paganism, and the flag of earth does not have to look like the flag of Korea, with yin and yang forever intertwined. I don’t think that is what I hear you saying, either, Skip; correct me if I am wrong, please. The Garden pair did not have to eat the fruit, contrary to what paganism tries to teach us, for paganism, because it suffers from forever following one step behind reality, is doomed to forever having to index its view of reality on what already is the case – unlike faith, which is focused on what should become the case. Just wanted to keep things clear, here, and correct me, anybody, if you see it differently, please. Thank you.
That having been said, the faith of Revelation also teaches that there will be a return to the Garden, but this time around, it will be enlarged to encompass the entire earth. The Garden did not go anywhere, in fact, and it will be returned to us when we will have proven ourselves capable of obeying the charge to “dress it and keep it”. That charge, which was the first covenant commandment, has not changed any more than the other covenants have. We were designed to be stewards, and stewards we must learn to be. The original pair were designed to conquer the whole planet with their multiplied fruitfulness and make the whole thing a garden, were they not? There has just been a slight detour.
Paradise, like goodness and mercy, now FOLLOWS us. Cosmic order is what we are supposed to reestablish, you are right, Skip. Forward – not back – we must go, but now that we have chosen to wade through the chaos to get to it still does not change the original directive, which was to establish that order. No doubt we are now in the middle of our creek of chaos, and are committed like the pig to wade across: there is no going BACK, that’s for sure, because back has now been swallowed up in that chaos, but I think we must never forget that chaos was a free choice; it was not forced upon us. Chaos may not have been our idea, but it was our choice of paths, and now we are stuck with it, no doubt. The goal, however, has never changed, nor has our original design as the stewards of that goal, which was to order the cosmos. It could have been the peaceful way of the Garden, within the confines of the freedom of obedience to the original covenant, which was a way we chose NOT to know. Just sayin’.
No, I’m not longing for the Garden, I’m longing for the Kingdom – and there’s still work to do there!
We live in the real world where the only real God
loves us and is with us as we participate in the struggles
His wisdom deems necessary to graduate to the “newness”
of life, whereby we can become useful to Him and His Kingdom.
Then, the best place in all the world to be,
is right where we are.
SKIP
“We are destined to be collaborators with God in the redemption of the earth.”
The bible shows evidence of at least three major interventions when the complete control or redemption could have occurred, yet it is still a mysterious event which has resulted in very confusing claims as to what is intended to happen and why. Think of Noag and the flood, Moses with the tenth plague, Then the day the earth (sun) stood still (all should have disappeared from the earth if gravity really keeps us fixed to it and gravity is the result of the earth’s movement…) and last and most important the impregnation of Mary so could it be possible with every new birth if needed.
“Perhaps it is a deep desire not to be responsible?”
Perhaps way too many perhaps’ concerning humankind that have been left unanswered, or those that had the answer failed to reveal the truth – That which will ultimately set us free = Yeshua (salvation)
Luarita as I understand…
For God’s plan to work TWO spirits were sent light and darkness / right and wrong / Good and Evil as you wish to phrase it. SO for me the question is not if they exist but WHY?
“Paradise, like goodness and mercy, now FOLLOWS us.”
Hold on would it not rather be we are closing ourselves for the manifestation of paradise as we do not understand its reality; could paradise, kingdom, church (Not denominational gatherings the one mentioned in the new testament) being manifested be the placing in the paradise. Did not Yeshua claim “Now you are with me in Paradise…” Ever wondered why such a statement?
Rich
“Then, the best place in all the world to be, is right where we are.”
Our choice HEAVEN / PARADISE / HELL / STRUGGLE,
The outreach: If only they reached out and also ate of the tree of life and lived forever…
So what are we missing???
Seeker, if light and darkness were equal, and always present, then when Lucifer rebelled, and sin entered, it could not have been a true choice. The way I see it, evil is a potential that the Creator built in, but that is not the same as a reality. Evil is not some abstract ideal, or some Pandora’s Box sitting on a shelf. Evil is a rip in reality. YHVH does not rip His own reality; He just made it possible for us to, if we choose to. I don’t think evil itself can either be created or exist on its own, because it is not a real thing, although the effects of it surely are. The way I see it, evil is the simple negation of reality. Yes, YHVH exists in the darkness, but that is because He is just as much Lord there as in the light, for He has conquered that darkness. It does not mean darkness is a part of Him. He is not double-minded, nor is He unstable in any of His ways. He is good, only.
And the statement by Yeshua to the thief on the cross, I think Skip has dealt with, but the comma that was inserted in the English sentence does not occur in the original Greek. If you like, the sentence could just as easily read “I say to you, today, (I am saying to you right now, today) you are going to be with Me in paradise”. Was Yeshua in paradise that day? He was in the grave, and had not even gone Sunday morning when the women found Him. The sentence makes no sense if you put the comma before the word “today”. That’s how I read it, anyway.
And the Tree of Life makes no sense if we enjoy ‘natural’ immortality (which nowhere in the whole Bible can I find a statement that we do), but it makes a lot of sense that it was denied to fallen MORTALS after their fall, for if they had eaten of it after they sinned, they would have continued to live. Forever. We are still going to need that Tree in the earth made new, too, which still makes no sense if we are already immortal even then in essence (to which I think I can hear Skip saying “what a Greek idea”).
Gravity is not the result of the Earth’s movement…
Thanks for clarifying that.
Nobody REALLY knows how gravity works, it’s just a theory. Perhaps it is simply density as some have suggested. Paradigms are powerful.
This post reminds me of the themes N.T. Wright is so passionate about!
Nostalgia
Y plantó el SEÑOR Dios un huerto hacia el oriente, en Edén; y puso allí al hombre que había formado. Génesis 2:8 LBLA
Huerto en Edén – “Los buenos días de antaño”. Eso es lo que realmente queremos, ¿verdad? Esos días que no parecían tan estresantes, tan caóticos, tan confusos. Lo que realmente queremos es un retorno a la paz mitológica e idílica del jardín. Eliade apunta a que esta nostalgia religiosa está implícita en todas las religiones originales. “El hombre desea recuperar la presencia activa de los dioses; También desea vivir en el mundo tal y como salió de las manos del Creador, fresco, puro y fuerte. Es la nostalgia por la perfección de los comienzos que explica principalmente el retorno periódico in illo tempore. En términos cristianos, podríamos llamarla una nostalgia por el paraíso,…” [1] Las cosas estaban mejor entonces. Podíamos caminar con Dios. La tierra no nos rechazaba. Las relaciones eran puras y transparentes. La vida era maravillosa.
¿En serio? ¿Qué hay de la serpiente? ¿El Árbol (ah, si ese Árbol)? ¿El entendimiento incorrecto del mandamiento? El relato de Génesis no pinta un Paraíso sin problemas. De hecho, Génesis revela la utopía como realmente es – ¡Ninguna parte! [2] En un sentido verdadero, el hombre no fue hecho para vivir en el jardín. El hombre fue hecho para vivir en la tierra, donde las chispas vuelan hacia arriba y en la tierra crece la maleza. Para llegar a ser humano se debe luchar con el polvo y como descubrió Ya’akob en Yabboq, este mundo es el único lugar donde el carácter puede ser formado mediante la lucha. La inocencia no es una condición humana permanente. Joni Mitchell estaba equivocado. Nosotros no vamos a volver al Huerto. [3] Hay trabajo que hacer.
Eliade señala que este mito del eterno retorno “paraliza” al hombre porque se niega la responsabilidad de “la verdadera existencia histórica”. Génesis no respalda tal mito. De hecho, el propósito de la historia del Génesis es echarnos fuera del huerto. Estamos destinados a ser colaboradores con Dios en la redención de la tierra. La redención no se produce en el jardín. Sucede fuera del entorno idílico. “Es una responsabilidad en el plano cósmico, en contradicción de las responsabilidades morales, sociales o históricas que solo se consideran válidas en las civilizaciones modernas. Desde el punto de vista de la existencia profana, el hombre no siente ningún tipo de responsabilidad, excepto para sí mismo y para la sociedad.”[4] Pero, esta no es la opinión de Génesis. El hombre en el Génesis es responsable del orden cósmico. Es socio con Dios, responsable por su parte en la restauración de la creación. Está llamado a algo más allá de sí mismo y empieza por ser expulsado del paraíso.
¿Haz anhelado regresar al huerto? ¿Quizás es un profundo deseo de no ser responsable?
Topical Index: garden, gan eden, paradise, responsibility, Genesis 2:8
[1] Mircea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane, p. 92.
[2] Nuestra palabra, utopía, viene del Griego topos y la negación ou. Literalmente significa, “ningún lugar.”
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrWNTqbLFFE
[4] Micea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane, p. 93.
Thank you for comments on gravity, I agree that 100% certainty is not there but 80% probability is that the earth’s rotation causes it… I can live with the density theory as a contributing or support factor… I am no scientest but am still amazed how little we know about this earth and yet religions proclaim the need to have a focus and desire to move on to the next life… We have not yet messuared up to subduing the earth… This may be the reason for the change in the relationship ad covenant from the earth bound inheritace to the supportive relationship and this is where i appreciate Skip’s explanation of the concept slavation – ACT NOW is the bottom line to the call of YHVH.
YHVH exists in the darkness
5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
EIther this translation is wrong or we may need to relook at the image of YHVH another scripture from the old testament refers to something that YHVH desires to live in the darkness not as being it but I believe to overcome it and that is where John 1 : 1-14 explain the process, all Skip’s teaching need to take on flesh so that YHVH can make an abode in us…
Tree of Life makes no sense
22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand,
and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
I may misunderstand this verse in Genesis 3 but I think that this is what slvation is all about eating of the Tree of Life now and not waiting to eat of it one day afterlife.
Or am I missing the Bible’s message competely.