Is/Was the Garden of Eden the Kingdom of God?

StMarkEofE · #1 Sep 12, '06, 6:02 am

The reason for this question is: If Adam and Eve had not sinned they would have lived forever. And if they would have lived forever would that not be akin to the Kingdom of God? Was Heaven the reward for not sinning pre-The Fall? Or, would it make sense just to live out eternity in God's Garden of Eden?

Genesis315 · #2 Sep 12, '06, 6:30 am

I have always viewed Eden as a figure of the Kingdom of God and of Heaven. When Adam sinned, not only did physical death come into the world, but both he and his descendents were not allowed back into the paradise. To me, this aligns with the idea of the original sin which not only leads to physical death, but also makes man born without the divine life that we now receive from Christ. Man, barring a couple special graces from God, could not enter Heaven until Jesus conquered sin and death.

Fidelis · #3 Sep 12, '06, 9:00 am

The constant teaching of the Church is that it was always God's plan that man should not dwell forever on Earth (even Paradise), but should be with him in Heaven. To this end, he gave Adam and Eve all the graces they needed to obey him and show themselves fit for heaven. God provided them a test (as he did the Angels before them) which they failed.

As a result of this, they lost the special graces they received (this is what original sin consists of) and were not able to gain heaven. The very reason Christ came was to heal this breach between God and man and restore those preternatural graces so that, beleiving in him, they could live the obedience of faith (Romans 1 and 16), and thus gain heaven through grace and faith.

For a very good treatment of this see the attached link.
http://www.rosary-center.org/ll47n5.htm

**NotWorthy** · #4 Sep 12, '06, 2:01 pm

I've often read where Eden was God's heavenly temple on earth, and Adam was it's High Priest. If I recall correctly, the terms God uses in commanding Adam to guard and protect the Garden is the same term used telling the Levite Priest to guard and protect the Tent of the Ark of the Covenant.

StMarkEofE · #5 Sep 12, '06, 3:01 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotWorthy

I've often read where Eden was God's heavenly temple on earth, and Adam was it's High Priest. If I recall correctly, the terms God uses in commanding Adam to guard and protect the Garden is the same term used telling the Levite Priest to guard and protect the Tent of the Ark of the Covenant.

These are all great answers to a not so easy question. My gist is that Adam and Eve once they obtained theosis would have been received into heaven is this correct? And that the Garden of Eden was sort of a testing platform? Adam and Eve although created as sinless humans still had to work their way to a point of perfection. Am I understanding the crux of this conversation? And after attaining Heaven what would have happened to the Garden of Eden?

Fidelis · #6 Sep 12, '06, 3:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by StMarkEofE

These are all great answers to a not so easy question. My gist is that Adam and Eve once they obtained theosis would have been received into heaven is this correct? And that the Garden of Eden was sort of a testing platform?

In a manner of speaking, yes, if you mean by theosis they had fulfilled God's plan for their lives.

Quote:

Adam and Eve although created as sinless humans still had to work their way to a point of perfection. Am I understanding the crux of this conversation?

Not this part. Adam and Eve were not only created naturally (in their natures) perfect, they were given preternatural gifts by God that enabled them to have full control of their intellects, appetites, and wills. They didn't need to grow in sanctification as they had no sin (at first) to overcome; they only needed to rightly exercise the gifts given them by God. They need never have succumbed to temptation, but they misused their free will.

Quote:

And after attaining Heaven what would have happened to the Garden of Eden?

It is my understanding that Adam and Eve need never have been subjected to death if they had never sinned. They would have had children and lived happily until, in God's time, they would have been taken to heaven. Presumably their children (including us) would have followed a similar pattern.

Again, please read the resource I linked to. It answers many of these questions.

Like · #7 Sep 12, '06, 4:27 pm

Fidelis, Thank you very much for that link!
God Bless you!

Gottle of Geer · #8 Sep 13, '06, 2:52 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by StMarkEofE

The reason for this question is: If Adam and Eve had not sinned they would have lived forever. And if they would have lived forever would that not be akin to the Kingdom of God? Was Heaven the reward for not sinning pre-The Fall? Or, would it make sense just to live out eternity in God's Garden of Eden?

## Not really

A closer comparison would be between life in Eden and life as depicted in Isaiah 65.

The notion of the Kingdom of God has a fairly precise content - immortality in God's favour does not by itself have much to do with the KoG. The idea of the KoG has a long history in both Testaments; it expresses how God reigns over men, among men, and - at least for Israel - seems to presuppose ideas of creation and election. After all, God had to create & choose Israel, in order to be Israel's King. The notion of creation goes with the paradisal conditions of Isa. 65 & Genesis 1-3; but kingship less so.

That God does reign over & among His people, was the stable core of the idea - others, such as the covenant with David and his heirs, and Messianism, grew out of it: until in the Gospel we have Jesus preaching the Kingship of God: but not a crassly political kingdom; instead, the Kingdom He preaches is established in the hearts of men, rather than being the kind of Kingdom in which Israel would be Top Nation: which was an older form of the idea. ##

tdandh26 · #9 Sep 13, '06, 4:12 pm

I really dislike the word "test" as many people use it to describe our lives or those of Adam and Eve. I am more inclined to think of it as God giving us a choice to obey Him or not. It is this choice which gives the decendents of Adam the chance for reconciliation and for Adam himself.
For if it were merely a test we would have all failed. But since it is a choice that allows for individual choice and reconsideration.

StMarkEofE · #10 Sep 13, '06, 9:06 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gottle of Geer

## Not really

A closer comparison would be between life in Eden and life as depicted in Isaiah 65.

The notion of the Kingdom of God has a fairly precise content - immortality in God's favour does not by itself have much to do with the KoG. The idea of the KoG has a long history in both Testaments; it expresses how God reigns over men, among men, and - at least for Israel - seems to presuppose ideas of creation and election. After all, God had to create & choose Israel, in order to be Israel's King. The notion of creation goes with the paradisal conditions of Isa. 65 & Genesis 1-3; but kingship less so.

That God does reign over & among His people, was the stable core of the idea - others, such as the covenant with David and his heirs, and Messianism, grew out of it: until in the Gospel we have Jesus preaching the Kingship of God: but not a crassly political kingdom; instead, the Kingdom He preaches is established in the hearts of men, rather than being the kind of Kingdom in which Israel would be Top Nation: which was an older form of the idea. ##

Some say the Kingdom of God is not the same as Heaven. That is, the new Earth that we will inherit after the last Judgement will be the Kingdom of God or the new Eden.

What say you?