Friday, March 7, 2014

#10 "Rivers" Genesis 2





Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four river heads. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of the land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is Euphrates. 


Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the  knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
Genesis 2: 10-17 NKJV

Eden would appear to be the location of a source spring for 4 river heads at this time before the flood. The geography would be much different today, though we do recognize the Euphrates in modern times, it is unlikely that it would follow the same path post flood.

Bdellium is also mentioned in this passage and is described in Wikipedia as a gum exuded from a tree,  which would be similar to Myrrh. These were used as fragrance and as offerings; they were very popular items on the trade routes and very costly.

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down  and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasurers, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2: 11 NKJV

Adam was warned not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and that disobedience would result in death. I don't think the tree can be viewed as a source of wisdom. It is an actual tree but it would appear to be more in the act of disobedience, eating from the tree, that knowledge is gained. This knowledge being a direct, intimate acquaintance with evil, the practice of disobedience to God and not bestowed by the properties of the fruit. 

The death is that of a Spiritual nature where man is no longer good, and he his now separated from God. Physical death is not immediate, but imminent and often takes precedence in the mind of sinful man. We relate more to the material and loss of physical being, aging and all else temporal. Man will tend towards today, the finite and trade eternal treasure for temporary riches.

"If I have made gold my hope, or say to fine gold, 'You are my confidence'; if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gained much; if I have observed the sun when it shines, or the moon moving in brightness, so that my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand; this also would be an iniquity deserving judgment, for I would have denied God who is above." Job 31:24 - 28.

I tremble when I read the book of Job… but in a good way. 






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