YOUR JOURNEY INTO EDEN, THE GARDEN OF GOD

 

MAN’S LONG JOURNEY INTO EDEN, THE GARDEN OF GOD

 

The Journey Of Man Through The Eons

Welcome to the journey of man into the Garden of Eden! In this blog post, we’ll be exploring the journey of man as he progressed through his lower forms to become the homo sapiens, the specie of man that God put in charge of his paradise in Eden.

Join us as we discover the beauty and wonder of God's transformation of man, from his first steps into the Garden of Eden to the final moments of enlightenment and re-entry into Eden, to dress it and to keep it as recorded in the Book of Revelation.

Let’s begin our journey into the Garden of Eden by first presenting the scientific viewpoint before matching it with Biblical records!

The march of progress

God's creation of man in the Bible

Man’s progressive journey from the Lower Hominins into the Garden of Eden is captivating. The clearest example of God’s creation of different species of man in the past is the different order of creation in Genesis 1 and 2 plus the additional benefits he included in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2.

The March Of Progress

The March of Progress, originally titled The Road to Homo Sapiens, is an illustration that presents 25 million years of human evolution. It was created for the Early Man volume of the Life Nature Library, published in 1965, and drawn by the artist Rudolph Zallinger.

Sequence of species

The 15 primate figures in Zallinger's image, from left to right, are listed below. The datings follow the original graphic and may no longer reflect current scientific opinion.

• Pliopithecus, 22–12-million-year-old "ancestor of the gibbon line"
• Proconsul, 21–9-million-year-old primate which may or may not have qualified as an ape
• Dryopithecus, 15–8 million-year-old fossil ape, the first such found (1856) and probable ancestor of modern apes
• Oreopithecus, 15–8 million years old
• Ramapithecus, 13–8 million-year-old ape and possible ancestor of modern orangutans (now considered a female Sivapithecus)
• Australopithecus, 2–3 million years old; then considered the earliest "certain hominid".
• Paranthropus, 1.8–0.8 million years old
• Advanced Australopithecus, 1.8–0.7-million-year-old
• Homo erectus, 700,000–400,000 years old, then the earliest known member of the genus Homo
• Early Homo sapiens, 300,000–200,000 years old; from Swanscombe, Steinheim, and Montmaurin, then considered probably the earliest Homo sapiens.
• Solo Man, 100,000–50,000 years old; described as an extinct Asian "race" of Homo sapiens (now considered a sub-species of Homo erectus)
• Rhodesian Man, 50,000–30,000 years old; described as an extinct African "race" of Homo sapiens (now considered either Homo rhodesiensis or Homo heidelbergensis and dated much earlier)
• Neanderthal Man, 100,000–40,000 years old
• Cro-Magnon Man, 40,000–5,000 years old
• Modern Man, 40,000 years to the present

Aligning The Timelines Of God's Creation  And The Scientific Term Human Evolution

In Genesis 1, God created the species of animals before creating that species of man. That man was in the likeness and image of God. Until then, God had not created the hominins in the image and likeness of God.
In Genesis 2, God created the present specie of man, the homo sapiens. They were also in the image and likeness of God. He then created the recent species of animals which he gave man to domesticate. He also planted a garden for man’s future blessings.

Until this moment, the angels have worked with God assisting him in his evolutionary development of humans until this very last stage, the homo sapiens. This is the stage of the image and likeness of God to be made equal to the angels. 

So, God planted his garden awaiting man’s readiness for his everlasting blessings, which would have taken thousands of years of maturity, but then the angels rebelled against God’s plan, causing man’s downfall! 

The epilogue of the Bible has pre-recorded the moment of man's triumph over the deceit of one-third of the angels led by Lucifer.

In this blog post, you will learn about the challenges he faced, the lessons he learned on this journey, and the rewards he received. Some are yet to get theirs as pre-recorded in the Book of Revelation.

You will also discover how you can apply this insights to your life and achieve your happiness. This is a story that will inspire you, motivate you, and transform you. Read on to find out more.

Before we talk about the rebellion in heaven when some angels led by Lucifer revolted against God on his account of making homo sapiens equal to them as angels:

Matthew 20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 

5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

let us look at man’s progressive journey after the rebellion above through the creation timeline. 

God created man on Day 6 during the Cenozoic Era. Let us go through it together.

For a more in-depth look, get the book:

THE ORIGIN OF ADAM AND EVE: The History Of Y chromosome Adam And Mitochondrial Eve (THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE AND MANKIND Book 1) - Kindle edition by Ettah, James. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Man's Progressive Journey Through Creation

God had recreated man several times as different species of hominins.

This passive record of God’s work from a scientific viewpoint like the one above is taken from Wikipedia.

2 Ma First members of the genus Homo, Homo Habilis, appear in the fossil record. 

The eventual ancestor of cattle, aurochs (Bos primigenus), evolves in India.

1.7 Ma Extinction of australopithecines

1.2 Ma Evolution of Homo antecessor. The last members of Paranthropus die out.

600 ka Evolution of Homo heidelbergensis

 

Matching Biblical Creation In Day 6 Phase 3 With The Timeline

God Creates Homo Neanderthals To Replace Homo Erectus.

Creation for evolution

Among the newly created forms were homo Neanderthals whom he charged to replenish the earth, multiply and be fruitful. 

This [replenish the earth, Gen1:28] indicates that God had used him to replace and replenish earlier forms of man such as:

• 2 Ma First members of the genus Homo, Homo Habilis,
• 600 ka Evolution of Homo heidelbergensis
• 600 ka Evolution of Homo heidelbergensis

Gen1:26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

Compare this with God's charge to Noah after wiping out the generation of Adam after the flood.: Genesis 9: 1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

350 ka Evolution of Neanderthals

300 ka Gigantopithecus, a giant relative of the orangutan from Asia dies out.

God Creates Y Chromosome Adam, And Mitochondrial Eve, In Day 6 [Cenozoic Era] Phase 4

Adam and Eve in the Garden of God in Eden

 

DAY 6, PHASE 4, CENOZOIC ERA

Day six ended when God created the modern DNA of man, and new species of animals thereafter. 

God created Adam and Eve, the Homo sapiens 300,000 years ago or thereabout, and after that new species of animals that Adam named. Each time God created new species, he presented them to Adam to name. Herein lies the domestication of animals act.

Matching Biblical Creation In Day 6, Phase 4, With The Timeline.

Timeline of creation

Genesis 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. 8. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 15. And the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

250 ka Anatomically modern humans appear in Africa. Around 50,000 years before the present. They started colonizing the other continents, replacing the Neanderthals in Europe and other hominins in Asia.

30 ka Extinction of Neanderthals, first domestic dogs 

10 ka The Holocene epoch started 10,000 years ago after the Late Glacial Maximum. 

GOD'S SEQUENCING OF THE NEW CURRICULUM OF MAN WITH DAY 6 CYCLES OF CREATION.

Let us align the different phases of our creation with the added educational curriculum when God created us the homo sapiens.

Some people erroneously say that God did only one creation of man, that is homo sapiens but the Bible states otherwise. 

REFUTING THE ONE-TIME CREATION EVENT

Record of Multi-creation Events

God's creation of man, on the sixth day, indicates at least four phases of creation before giving us his Garden in Eden.
PHASE 1: The first creation cycle on the 6^th Day. God creates cattle, beasts of the earth and creeping things 17 Ma ----2.5Ma
Genesis 1:25. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
PHASE 2: The second creation cycle in the 6^th Day. God creates forms of Homo Erectus 2.5Ma----350Ka.

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Hint: we can deduce from the charge God gave to the Neanderthals to replenish the earth, that there was a pre-Neanderthal species of man. Genesis1: 27. “So God created man (Homo Neanderthals) in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish, refill the vacuum created by the exit of (Homo Erectus the previous species) from the earth”.

This was the same charge God gave Noah to refill the earth when he wiped out the generation of Adam and truly, Noah refilled the earth and formed the Table of Nations. Genesis 9: 1. And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

PHASE 3: The third creation cycle in the 6^th Day [Cenozoic Era]. God creates Homo Neanderthals.

350Ka-300Ka. God continues to bless his creations here: Gen1:28. And hands over the dominion of the new species he has created to the species before Adam: Gen1:27--28--31. 

Note that God had not planted his garden for this species of man in Genesis 1, the man he did not plant his Garden for because he was not yet ripe. God had not taught him the domestication of animals nor given him the marriage act.

SUMMARY 

• No ordinance of marriage
• No domestication of animals
• No agriculture
• No spirituality
• No complex reasoning
• No rod of God as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
• No immortality as the tree of life

PHASE 4: The fourth cycle of creation on the 6^th Day. God punished the new man he has created, Adam and his wife Eve, the Homo sapiens, for disobedience. Genesis3:14-24. 

But God maintained some basic ordinances or curriculum he had programmed for them like:

The crossroads of homo sapiens

• The ordinance of marriage
• The domestication of animals
• Agriculture
• Spirituality
• Thinking or more complex reasoning
• Increased brain size to cope with the new curriculum.
• The rod of God as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
• Immortality as the tree of life in view.

But the most talked about ordinances were the two trees he meant to empower man when he had reached the stages of development. These were.

• 1 The tree of the gods which is the rod of God, but more popularly known as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

• 2 The Tree of Immortality, more popularly known as the Tree of Life.

THE ORDINANCE OF MARRIAGE

GOD ASSIGNS MARRIAGE AND BI-PARENTAL CARE TO THE HUMAN CURRICULUM.

God Ordains Marriage And Bi-Parental Care

Genesis 2:21. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22. And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

GOD ASSIGNS ANIMAL HUSBANDRY TO MAN

DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS

Genesis 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.

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. 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.

AGRICULTURE

Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

 Before now there was no need for agriculture, the abundance of nature acting on God's command provided all of man's needs.

SPIRITUALITY

Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

God here commanded the spiritual reasoning of homo sapiens to be above that of the rebellious angels. They can only bruise his lower nature, but man shall bruise the highest intellect of these angels whom he had cursed to seek after dust, Biblical term for worthless endeavors, vanity upon vanity.

  

THINKING OR MORE COMPLEX REASONING

Genesis 3:22 And 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: 23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

GOD INCREASED MAN'S BRAIN SIZE WITH THE NEW CURRICULUM

God increased the brain size of each next generation of man he created in a bid to improve it. This was to align him with the increasing complexities of the goals he assigned to them.

Encephalization

THE ROD OF GOD AS THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL

Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:  

This topic will be handled in the next post.

IMMORTALITY AS THE TREE OF LIFE IN VIEW.

Revelation 22:1 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. 

3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 

4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 

5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. 

In Conclusion

As we traverse the landscapes of myth, symbolism, and contemporary relevance, the Garden of Eden stands not only as a foundational narrative but also as a mirror reflecting our deepest desires and dilemmas. 

Just as Adam and Eve embarked on a transformative journey, so do we, embracing the complexities of life and seeking our own versions of paradise. 

HUMAN GROWTH ON THE DEVELOPMENT SCALE OF GOD: A Practical Guide On Human Growth On The Human Development Scale Of God (HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ON THE SCALE OF GOD): Ettah, James: 9798371898227: Amazon.com: Books

This article is meant to cement the reality of man's long journey through the ages to immortality as shown in the Book of Revelation. The whole idea of our creation is to join the angels in the Universal Church of God.

 Unlocking the Insights of Adam and Eve's Temptation: A Profound Exploration of Sin and Redemption

The narrative of Adam and Eve's temptation within the serene confines of the Garden of Eden serves as an illuminating account that unveils the intricate facets of human transgression and its aftermath. 

Adam's yielding to his wife's command highlights what we face daily as bad influences from Lucifer through our spouses or others. While our future triumphant re-entry into Eden sheds light on the boundless compassion and clemency of the creator, we should not abuse this privilege. 

This timeless tale, laden with emblematic significance, imparts to us a multitude of invaluable lessons, each akin to a gem waiting to be unearthed. Let us embark on a journey through the profound wisdom embedded within this saga.

Questioning the Divine Word: The Perilous Precursor of Temptation

Undeniably, the inception of temptation often finds its genesis in the audacious act of questioning or distorting the very utterances of God. Herein, the malevolent force of darkness sought to insidiously warp God's commands, artfully sowing seeds of doubt within the heart of Eve regarding the benevolence and supremacy of the Creator. 

We need to safeguard ourselves against such cunning snares in all manner of forms. This necessitates an unwavering commitment to preserving the sanctity of God's word by refraining from both augmentation and diminution – and a resolute refusal to lend an ear to the mendacious voices that seek to undermine its unassailable veracity.

The Lure of Desires and Emotions: Navigating the Tempting Abyss

Temptation, akin to an alluring mirage, often beckons by pandering to our deepest desires and emotions. Eve, in her vulnerable state, was enticed by the visually appealing attributes of the forbidden tree – its fruit promising not just gustatory delight but also enlightenment. 

The allure lay in the prospect of attaining that which lay beyond the purview of God's rewards, but it was only a cunning scheme by the adversary for his kingdom, the pit. A crucial lesson unveils itself here: an acute awareness of our individual frailties is indispensable against dubious promises too good to be true. 

Equipped with this self-awareness, we can navigate away from circumstances that might kindle the flames of our sinful inclinations, thwarting temptation's seductive advances.

Taking Shelter in Trust and Obedience: Triumphing over Temptation's Clutches

The annals of history offer us a remarkable juncture where we witness that temptation's iron grip can indeed be wrenched free through unwavering faith and unwavering obedience to the Divine will. 

Adam and Eve, despite their grievous misstep, possessed the agency to reject the forbidden fruit, had they only clung to the memory of God's edicts and character. The underpinning truth here is profound: leaning on the bedrock of God's grace and potency empowers us to surmount even the most insidious of temptations. Furthermore, the cultivation of an ecosystem of support, through embracing the cloak of accountability and camaraderie within the fold of fellow believers, fortifies our resistance against temptation's wily machinations.

Repercussions of Sin: An Unraveling Tapestry of Consequences

In the aftermath of their transgression, Adam and Eve found themselves confronted with the profound ramifications of their actions. Innocence yielded to guilt, the intimacy shared with the God was fractured, and harmony with the encompassing creation was marred. A grim truth is writ large here: Sin's impact radiates far beyond our individual realms, casting a shadow that stretches across time and generations. We have all suffered from the missteps of our first ancestors.

The gravity of sin's potential to wreak havoc should never be underestimated, prompting us to readily embrace repentance when we stumble in our pursuit of God's lofty standards.

God's Benevolence Amidst Human Frailty: The Mantle of Redemption

Even within the bleak canvas of human fallibility, God's benevolence unfolds its wings with magnificent grace. When Adam and Eve stood drenched in the aftermath of their transgression, God did not forsake them. Instead, He sought them out, steadfast in His pursuit of reconciliation. 

Through the veils of time, God's unwavering compassion manifests – a promise of salvation through Christ, a Savior destined to obliterate the serpent's dominion.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

Gratitude becomes our watchword as we embrace the mantle of forgiveness and unreservedly accept the precious gift of redemption, epitomized through the embodiment of Jesus Christ.

In the next post, we shall uncover the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the prophets that have eaten of this tree legally among humans using Biblical records. 
We shall also link this tree with the human development index of God. 
Let us heed these lessons as beacons illuminating our path, forging ahead with a reverence for God's word, an unwavering commitment to obedience, and a heart brimming with gratitude for the redemptive embrace of divine love.

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