Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Q4H: Does the Tree of Life still exist?

I'm going to try to read the Bible through this year, following the reading schedule published by a local radio station (New Life 91.9 WRCM). If the whole year goes like my first day did, I'm going to have a whooooole bunch of outstanding "questions for heaven" (Q4H). Some of them I'll toss up here for armchair Bible scholars to weigh in on. What follows is my first question.

In Genesis 1:8-9, God builds Himself a garden in Eden, and plants two trees in it: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (which bore one of the most famous fruits of all time), and the tree of life. Implied in Genesis 3:22-24, after the fall of man, is the fact that had Adam and Eve been able to outrun God to the tree of life and partake of its fruit, they would have gained immortality (though, presumably it would have been a life of eternal shame). Well, I suppose the reading also supports the alternative idea that perhaps the tree of life's fruit gave life for some period of time, renewable by further consumption — that's not really a key piece of my question, though.

My question is simple — does the tree of life still grow somewhere in the Middle East today? Do angels still guard the entrance to this garden?

51 comments:

  1. Mike -
    That is a very interesting question indeed. I've wondered about this as well. In fact, my question is whether the Garden of Eden still exists. Of course, it seems obvious that we would have located it by now, with satellite imagery and all.

    As you continue your journey through the Old Testament, you discover that God has a piece of land that He has chosen to give to His promised people. That land today is Israel. Is it possible that Israel is the actual geographical location of the original Garden of Eden? There is no real evidence, but it seems plausible to me.

    Another thought that hits me is that there is an unseen world all around us. Is it possible that the Garden, along with the tree of Life are in existence, only we can't see them because we are blinded by the curse of sin, unable to see all that really exists?

    Hmmm. Great question!

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    1. Well put...and it is only recently that people are actually thinking the garden of eden might have been a real place, and are starting to look for it. The Jehova witnesses believe the garden and those trees were destroyed in the flood of Noah's time. It is perfectly logical to assume both trees were destroyed in the flood. However;

      Forty days worth of flooding is most likely not enough to destroy certain trees. I'm quite sure there are a lot of different trees out there that would survive after being under water for forty days.

      But it is a safe guess to say they were destroyed in the flood...the tree of life is mentioned in the new testament a few times, and I think once in the book of Daniel, where a willfull king does something with it, or the "paradise of God". But in the book of Daniel God's paradise is between two seas.

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  2. Mike I have also wondered about the current location of the Tree of Life and the Garden that was in a place called Eden. Remember that after a while the earth became really corrupt and God sent the flood to wipe out every living thing. More specifically everything with the breath of life in it. The flood would have wiped out the Garden, but the tree may have survived - given that it IS the tree of LIFE. The angel guarding it might not have had trouble with the water. I don't know if angels need to breath air.
    Consider though that the angel may have only been needed to guard against Adam and Eve, not others.
    I say it still exists, but finding it is unlikely. It might look like some small insignificant fruitless shrub for all we know - and we could pass by it everyday and not notice it.

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  3. Nope I was wrong - I went back and re-read the passage ... and v23 says its gone.

    17 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. 18 The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. 21 Every living thing that moved on the earth perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.

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  4. @Ron: Great thoughts. Thanks for sharing. I'm not sure that plants fall into the Bible's definition of "living things", at least in this context. The verses you quote refer to living creatures several times, but always tied to examples of organisms that move, swarm, breathe, etc. Recall also that the dove Noah sent out on recon missions returned with a "freshly plucked olive leaf" (Gen. 8:11) -- not an olive seedling or some other immature version of the plant. It seems to me that any plants not uprooted by the currents of the flood waters would have survived the flood, just as oceanic plants today thrive in their underwater environments.

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  5. the garden of eden still exist, its in IRAQ but it doesnt matter cuz its just a place of history now .. what you really need to study now is the fruit of life which created the garden and that all come from the seed of life ..

    cheers,
    MAZ

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  6. Mrmr,

    I do believe the garden does still exist. Like Geoffrey explains it could be Israel. It is a promised land for God's chosen people. After complete study of the first 3 chapters of Gen. I have found that Adam was the first chosen of God. Before debate read Gen. 1:26, 2:15, 2:24, 3:23 (KJV). Pay particular attention to the singular and plural uses of the words. So Adam was the beginning of the Jew and we know that God himself only dwelt in Eden by Gen 4:16 When Cain was expelled from Eden and out of the presence of God. So If The garden of Eden was God's dwelling place then we can see why He put such great emphasis on returning His chosen people to the land flowing with milk and honey. So Isreal is or could be the historical Eden. Another thought to ponder is Rev 21:9-27.

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  7. Hey Mike,
    Catholics think that the Tree of Life exists as the cross of Jesus, and the fruit of the Tree of Life exists today as the Holy Eucharist (communion). A lot of the work of the current Pope (and the stuff he wrote before he was Pope) alludes to this. :-)
    ~Di

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  8. the tree of life is in bahrain

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  9. What if the tree of life and the garden of eden actually existed in space and not on earth! it could be among the stars. check this site out http://www.oneism.org/

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  10. My brother is in the US Navy and just left Bahrain where he had his picture taken with the Tree of Life - it is a vibrant tree in the middle of the desert with no known water source. Many believe that it is the location of the Garden of Eden

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    1. It is possible that the tree in bahrain is the tree of life, but there just might like a hidden waterway or a cave below the tree that human don't know about yet. It is possible. Has anybody really studied it?

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  11. Well, I've read what everyone had to say about this whole thing, and I think I've came up with a possible answer maybe. I agree with what Ron said about the flood, and also what C. Michael Pilato said as well about the dove and the olive leaf. But what if , just what if because of all of the destruction that was going on in the world and even considering the situation with Adam and Eve as well. I mean after all just like the tree of knowledge of good and evil gave sight to them and some knowledge fo things they were not suppose to know or even question, wasn't the tree of life suppose to grant you life for eternity? Why wouldn't it seem logical for God to have the tree destroyed in the flood as well, I mean considering it does say in the bible that man is now limited to live only 120 years now, and no more! So, in saying that I don't believe that the tree of life exist any more, the olive leaf or branch, was just a way of letting them know the flood was over. If you will a sign that land was available, and let's not forget the rainbow as a covenant. Well, there , that's just my opinion guys! I am not totally computer literate,so if you would like to reach me I can be reached at danxious1@yahoo.com, and by the way my name is Angelia. Thanks guys for reading my opinion!

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  12. I believe like everything else in the bible, That the tree of life on earth was distroyed only so the tree of life spiritually could exist. Until Jesus came man was subject to the law. However, after the ultimate sacrifice the law is written in the believers heart that we would not be judged by other sinners. So in the same respect the tree of life does exist but only for believers ( the comforter, or Holy Spirit). Had God left the tree of life on earth any man (Adam- (Hebrew) mankind) could partake and live ( Jew and Gentile, believer and unbeliever). That's my take on the matter.

    Thanks,
    Baxton Abney

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  13. but wat if god is just not lettingus find it until he wants us to find it and when he lets us find it he is saying something important

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  14. so i think its important to let god let us find i when he wants us to find it or know about it and god should be the only one to know about this stuff on whether or not its alive or not

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  15. Well , it takes REVELATION to understand
    the true meening of Gods work in the garden.
    By sin not only the age of man latter was affected but also a lot of his capability to be what God created initial.(ex read the part were eva speaks whit the snake) haw could she understand a snake speking to her??. They are many tings like this in the first 3 chapters of genesis , which sows that God create man whit a LOT more abilities that we have today. By chosing sin we mist an oporuniti that is not longer available here on earth. Can u imagine if we did not fall into sin and we have eaten from the tree of life that we wold have a eterniti whit GOD ... Sounds like haven was then on earth , in the garden..the perfect picture. isant it??

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  16. I forgot to mention the most important ting..
    Jesus is the tree of life now , true him we can get that eterniti and back into the kingdom of heaven. Getting saved , hase the same efect as if we were eaten from the tree of life .. it give us eteniti whit him .. a second chance to make the right choise. If it is a garden still here on earth our eyes for sure were close to it . Another insight , in the flood the gates of heaven open and those under the ground too , If God keeps relics probably is somwere deep underground were we never find it...:))) sorry to dessapoint...

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  17. What if the Garden of Eden is the middle of the Bermuda.. The bible does say that God put an angel to guard so Adam wouldn't be able to go back.

    Why is it that anything that passes by or fly over the Bermuda disappears? Maybe its the angel protecting that Garden.

    I don't think that God made the Garden of Eden like he did everything else and above that i do not think that the Tree of Life and of Knowledge of good and evil can be measured to be like any other tree that was destroyed.

    I believe it exists. The Bermuda is just a theory of mine, and many of you can provably prove it wrong. But that it exists now, it does.

    I agree with Ionut..."Well , it takes REVELATION to understand the true meaning of Gods work in the garden. By sin not only the age of man latter was affected but also a lot of his capability to be what God created initial.(ex read the part were Eve speaks whit the snake) haw could she understand a snake speaking to her??. They are many tings like this in the first 3 chapters of genesis , which sows that God create man whit a LOT more abilities that we have today"

    I think to find the tree or the garden we would need to find God in an out of the norm level, to a point where he may trust us with that responsibility. If thats even possible since we're so ambitious.

    -E

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  18. question:If God created the trees of knowledge and of life for himself why did not he guard it better first of all with angels since he knew our nature was sinful to begin with(We are are made out of dirt to begin with).
    2.Since God warrned Adam not to eat out of the tree why didn't he warrren Eve as well as he warrned Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge?We know from scriputre that Adam gave Eve the wrong information about the tree of knowledge and exagerated as well,he lied to her.The first lie in the bible was made by Adam when he lied to Eve about the tree which gave an opening fo the snake and an excuse to talk about the eating the fruit of the tree.
    3.Whe did he warren Adam not to eat for the tree of knowledge but never warrned him not to eat from the tree of life?
    4.If you notice king Solomon had the power to talk to animals.

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    1. If God had not given the tree and the warning, He would have withheld the gift of free choice and free will to choose righteousness instead of death. We would have been robots, not free human being made in iIs image.

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  19. Hi guys, I have read most of your comments and this is quite a good topic. i actually googled the same question that's how I landed on this site. My contribution is as follows: the tree of life still exist todate! Sounds crazy though. the question is, where is it then?
    Gen3:23 ~24 man was banished, and driven out of the garden of eden, meaning mankind was never to be seen in the garden of eden where the tree of life is. To see the tree is like asking yourself whether God trully drove mankind out of Eden. he surely did for that is the reason no one todate can actually tell where it is. In fact no where else in the Bible (at least according to me) is the tree of life indicated as having been seen or its fruits eaten by anybody else after Adam and Eve. therefore to round it up the tree of life is in existanse todate BUT there is an Angel with a flaming sword guarding the road to it, so if you have the guts to find the path know that a sword, and for that matter a flamming sword is guarding the path to it. Meaning the direction to it is PROTECTED you cannot 'hack'your way in. Comments posted by Moses

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    1. But guys why did Adm and Eve die after testing the tree of life? yet anyone who eats this fruit is supposed to live forever!!! what happened? they should have been alive up to today?????

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    2. I have been reading all the comments on here and the point are valid. however bear in mind that the freedom to choose was well needed as everthing on earth needed a balance there must be a good if we intent to have evil. I believe in my opinion God already knew what was going to happen even though the gave adam and eve instructions. I believe he made an example out of them to allow the world to know that there are consequences for every action.

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  20. ..........I have just seen this "Rev. 22:14 ...the right to the tree of life.."

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  21. I think that the tree of life is "JESUS", coz if u read genesis one more time, u will see that the tree of life gives 12 kind of fruits, wich means the 12 students, i think that the reason of the existence of both trees, i don't know how to say this in english, but the reason for it's existence, is because Adam didn't know the value of life; so all what God wants is for adam to love him by his own will, and not by the will of God, i wish i could explain the relation now between this Idea and the existence of the trees, but it will take me forever, of translating from arabic to english, because i wrote everything in Arabic, it's a very deep idea, and by the way the tree of knowledge exists, physically, but now we all know where God hid the tree of life (and what kind of life will it be, not the life of our bodies, but of our souls), I'm a lebanese director and i'm writing a script where someone is searching for the tree of life, so if u have any suggestions, u can mail me on "sarsourlebneneh@hotmail.com" thx for ur time

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  22. I've often wondered about this topic as well, and in my opinion The Tree of Life infact, does still exist. But in my opinion, although most people think the Garden to be in the middle east, Near the Tigris and/or Euphrates. I think that this would be impossible, because it was only BEFORE the flood, that any plausible information was taken from the Bible concerning the location of the Garden. Which means all of the information on the location that we have, pertain to only life before the flood. After the flood, oceans shifted, lands changed, rivers went in different directions, and even lakes changed locations and sizes. So this means that the Garden could be anywhere on Earth, or even below water. In addition to that, as everyone knows now man uses roughly 7% of their brain? Since Adam and Eve were perfect, they were not only perfect in body and spirit, but they were also perfect in mind. They had talents and abilities that we could never dream to achieve in our wildest imaginations. So even if we knew the location of the Garden, we probally wouldn't be able to see it, it could be in the middle of New York City for all we know!

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  23. I was wondering if you all have heard of the term metaphor. I also believe in Jesus Christ and he is my savior but does the tree of life still exist? is there a Garden of Eden. I think not. How could God have explained the idea of Evolution, cell structure, or any of this to the people over two thousand years ago. It would have been impossible because they had no grasp on science but that doesn't mean that Christians cannot accept scientific advancements today. Just something to think about...

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  24. I think it is both metaphor and reality, my opinion, it still exists in a subterrainian cave. I belive that the angel would be of a spiritual nature and therefor invisable. I think locations could definatly be Israel, Iraq and possibly even the mediteranian sea (what we refer to a atlantis). Atlantis was supposed to house creatures of superior intellect and life span as well as a utopian existance. THe story comes out of Greek and Roman Myths however with all the shipwrecks that occured during ancent times, a traveler was caught in a current that fed a cave that lead to Eden/Atlantis...the Traveler may have gotten a glimpse of a Utopian life before being exhiled by the guardian angel..and perhaps he brought his story back and having no knowledge of the bible called it ATlantis?? something to think about

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  25. I just love this topic and all this input from around the world, read all the comments, just great, all of them, none are wrong. Nobody will ever know, and we just have to live with that, but i love how being human, you just always want to find out more and more, and thats the beauty of it, exciting. One day, revolution will come, or we will die before that date, and we will find out all the answers to our dreams.
    ps. just seems like the whole bibles one big long metophorical/truth poem. These scriptures where written back in the begining i suppose, and we have kids today who cant even read nor write. I think they were very much smarter back in the day than we are now in a sense.its all too big to answer too much too plentiful for humans,

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  26. Here is my take on the Tree of Life: it still exists. It is in the Middle East but in a cave and is protected by cherubs and flaming sword that continues to guard the tree. It is all in the Bible.

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  27. I also believe it to likely to still be located near the landmarks described in the Bible. However, since the flood and other geological shifts it is likely under water.

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  28. Here is my take on the tree of life: it really exists till date. Yes it is the "Bermuda". Considering what happens to anything that nears the Bermuda, u must come to a conclusion that it is the location of the Garden on Eden. According to the Bible, the garden is highly protected. The Bermuda is also highly protected by forces beyound human imagination. If not, why haven't world best archeologists, scientists found a way of penetrating or using robot-cameras to view what is in d Bermuda's triangle? An idea to think about. I rest my case...please contact me via sirjoelistic@gmail.com if the need arises...i love this topic.

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  29. Hahahaha, you guys are killing me with laughters, this thing is like asking who is the father of God? if He does not have one, how did He create Himself? from what? Between an egg and a hen which one came first? We have no cognitive ability to answer such questions, so whether Eden exits or not lets just thank Him for what we are and awaits for his decision on our lives..His ways and mind is completely mysterious.

    Happy easter to you all

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  30. The Tree of Life in the New Testement is cetainly Jesus!!!! Oh and Patrick, the Bible tells us that the hen came first, read Genesis 1:21. He created every winged bird, not eggs !!!
    God Created us in His image and this is why we have so many questions. It's good to have a curious mind but it's vital to hold onto the faith that regardless of were the tree is now, it did exist. It is through faith in Jesus Christ alone that we can be saved.

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  31. Joe oparaku, I agree and disagree with you, I agree that the tree of life might be in the burmuda. Maybe the people who disappeared over there disappeared because GOD thought they were worthy enough to live forever. But I disagree with the human part. I may be human but I think all the human species are dumb idiots (no affence ment)compared to what GOD does and knows.
    Anything to comment go to my page.

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    1. http://www.protopage.com/purplelover223

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  32. Well presumably it does exist still but it seems rather irrational to go back considering that the world will end, whether or not that means anything to you I do not know Mike.

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  33. Here is where the tree will be found......"Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." So meaning ....
    If you find Jesus Christ and plant Him in your heart then you will find and eat of the tree of life as mentioned above!

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  34. I think that the tree of life still exists - and that it is being guarded by the same angels as it was in Genesis 3. Revelation 9:14 mentions the angels that are bound by the Euphrates. I think these may be the same angels.

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  35. I think it can't die because of its very nature. I think it is still alive but perhaps buried beneath the mud and dirt from the great flood. The Book of Enoch described it before the flood and named the angel who guarded it.

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  36. It was destroyed by an Abrams tank in the fist Gulf War.

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  37. It's in Iraq next to the tigress rivers meat together I have a picture of me next to it with locals in 2003 and it's not looking great.

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  38. If you type in adams tree Iraq on Google maps you will find it.

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  39. The tree of life still exists, but since it is guarded by an angel with a flaming sword, no one has probably ever lived to tell about their discovery, just thin about it. It's the only logical solution

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    1. Youve probably hold that logical solution in your hand.

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  40. I am sure it exists somewhere. But right now, our main focus has to be Jesus. He is our LIFE GIVER.

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  41. The Bible is the tree of life. We all know that trees produce oxygen and without oxygen we cannot have life. The bible was literally made from a tree. Trees form into wood and wood forms into paper. The bible is a powerful paper. (The word) Its the first book of its kind having the power to never die. Everyone on earth should know about it. The bible also is the only peice of tree to know our history and predict whats to come,and to inform us right from wrong. So yes God has his angel Guarding it making sure that no man on Earth changes a single word of it because every single word is inspired by God and will indeed lead you to ever lasting life. The Bible States multiple times that the word the Bible will lead you to everlasting life. Reading it, believing in it,getting to know GOD and Jesus from it and the big one, APPLYING IT is what gives you everlasting life. SO YOU CAN STOP LOOKING FOR IT FOR THE WORD THE BIBLE IS THE PATH TO REACH IT.NOW GO!

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  42. Not a literal tree. When they ate of its fruit, they gained knowledge of the true nature of the universe that previously had belonged only to Gods. I say "Gods" because the ancient Hebrews would have been polytheistic at the time Genesis was written, it was only later that the cult of YAHWEH became dominant and references to other Gods were erased or they were demoted to being angels or demons. The Sumerians have near identical versions of many of the stories in Genesis, and the original Hebrew versions were likely closer to those.

    That knowledge still exists, therefore so does the tree.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life_(Kabbalah)

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  43. If you have read the book of Revelations in regards to all this then you know that a new heaven, new earth and the restoration of Eden--Rev 22 coming. In chapter 22 it talks about a river where on both sides of the river will be TREES of life bearing 12 crops of fruit each month and how the leaves will healing of the nations. This healing is during the 1000 years that Jesus will rule and we have peace. Now all this is after the judgement of the dead, judgement of Satan and his placement in the lake of burning sulfur to be tormented day and night forever. For those of you who believe that Eden still exists on earth I ask this.... was not all things destroyed during the flood as God was grieved (Gen 6:6, 11-12) he created man? If you want to search out something, search out what it means to have a relationship (covenant) with God and its benefits for you hear on earth (while it still exists) and what the benefits are for reaching heaven.

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