Eden - Research

Introduction: Eden as the Holy of Holies

Genesis 2–3 continues the theological trajectory set in Genesis 1, portraying the first human as a priest placed within a sacred garden rich with tabernacle symbolism.1 This garden is not merely paradise; it is the sanctuary atop the cosmic mountain, the place where heaven and earth meet. Ezekiel 28:13–14 makes this explicit, describing Eden as “the holy mount of God.”

Within this elevated sanctuary, Genesis 2 presents Eden as a kind of Holy of Holies, the innermost dwelling of God’s presence, with humanity serving as its priesthood.2 The tragedy of Genesis 3 is not only the loss of innocence but the expulsion from this sacred space; it is removal from the divine Presence itself. This rupture explains the later necessity of the tabernacle and priesthood, which together provided a mediated way for God’s people to re‑enter His presence.

From that point forward, the biblical story unfolds as God’s plan to bring humanity back to Himself. When we ascend the cosmic mountain in Christ, the second Adam and our great High Priest, He reverses the fall from the garden sanctuary. Through His priestly work, the way back into the Presence is opened (Romans 12:12–21; Hebrews 1:1–4). While this is true for the Christian life, assembled worship becomes a concentrated ascent, gathering us to share in His nearness.

Yahweh Elohim

Genesis 2:4–9 marks a deliberate shift in the creation account. The narrative moves from the grand scope of the cosmic mountain temple in Genesis 1 to the more intimate setting of the garden of Eden, the Holy of Holies at creation’s center. This transition is signaled in the text by a change in the divine name from Elohim to Yahweh Elohim. The use of Yahweh presents God in His personal character, in direct relationship to human beings and to nature, whereas Elohim depicts Him as the transcendent One who is above and outside creation.3 The shift in name mirrors the movement from the grandeur of the cosmic temple to the immediacy of God’s dwelling with His people.

This pattern corresponds to the later Holy of Holies in Israel’s tabernacle, the connection point of heaven and earth where God met with Moses above the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:22). In Eden, as on Mount Sinai and in the sanctuary, God’s presence is not distant but immediate. In assembled worship, we spiritually ascend the mountain to that immediate presence.

The Waters of Life

The top of the cosmic mountain is also the source of life giving waters, in contrast to the chaotic waters below. Genesis describes an ‘edh rising to water the ground. This term can be understood as referring to the waters of the deep and the springs issuing from them, providing constant irrigation rather than relying on the uncertain timing of rain.4 Ancient translations such as the Septuagint render ‘edh as “spring,” aligning with its Sumerian or Akkadian root meaning “cosmic river”.5 This imagery reinforces Eden’s role as the wellspring of creation’s flourishing.

At this point in the narrative, before the river flowing from Eden is described, the text turns to the formation of the first human. The Hebrew verb yāṣar, translated “formed,” appears in Genesis only three times, all within chapter 2. Its highest concentration in the Hebrew Bible is in the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 44, the word is used to draw a sharp contrast: Yahweh “forms” (yāṣar) His people, while humans “form” (yāṣar) their idols. The contrast is striking. The true Creator shapes living beings, while idol makers shape lifeless images.

From the garden that God plants in Eden, a river flows to water it before dividing into four streams that extend to the world (Genesis 2:10–14). This is the archetype of God’s dwelling as the fountainhead of life, provision, and blessing. Later Scripture develops this motif in temple terms, presenting the sanctuary as the new cosmic center from which life flows to the nations (Psalm 46:4; Ezekiel 47:1–12). From the top of the cosmic mountain, God’s life flows into His people, renewing them and making them a source of blessing for the world.

Echoes of Eden

The biblical vision of future sacred space draws deeply from the imagery of the garden in Genesis 2. The fullness of life found in God’s dwelling is symbolized by the tree of life planted in Eden. Trees were often associated with worship in the ancient world, appearing in the altars and shrines of the patriarchs, and the tabernacle’s golden lampstand was likely crafted as a stylized tree of life.6 The garden’s geography also anticipates later sanctuary design. Its river recalls the life giving waters described in Psalm 46:4 and Ezekiel 47. The “good gold” of Havilah parallels the gold used to overlay the ark and its furnishings (Exodus 25:11, 17, 24, 29, 36). Even the tree of the knowledge of good and evil has been compared to the law of the Lord, kept inside the ark in the Holy of Holies, with a similar warning of death for those who approached wrongly (Psalm 19:8–9; Exodus 25:16; Deuteronomy 31:26; 2 Samuel 6:7; Numbers 4:20).

Other parallels reinforce the garden as sanctuary theme. The tree of life stands “in the midst” of the garden (Genesis 2:9), just as God’s presence dwelt “in the midst” of His people in the sanctuary (Exodus 25:8; Deuteronomy 23:14). The entrance to Eden faced east (Genesis 2:8), matching the eastward orientation of the tabernacle and temple (Exodus 36:20–30; 1 Kings 7:21; Ezekiel 47:1). God “planted” the garden (Genesis 2:8) just as He “planted” Israel on His holy mountain sanctuary (Exodus 15:17; 1 Chronicles 17:9). The river flowing from Eden (Genesis 2:10) finds its prophetic counterpart in the river flowing from the temple in Ezekiel 47:1–12. Even the mention of precious stones in Eden (Genesis 2:12) is echoed in the materials used for priestly garments and sanctuary adornment (Exodus 25:7; 28:9, 20; 35:9, 27; 39:6, 13).7

These interwoven details show that the garden was more than a paradise of beauty and abundance. It was the first earthly sanctuary, the original meeting place of God and humanity. Later sanctuaries, from the tabernacle to the temple, were patterned after this archetype. For the worshiping community, this means that gathered worship is both a forward looking hope and a return to Eden’s pattern. In Christ, the true temple, we ascend the mountain of the Lord to the place where life flows from God’s presence, where His light shines as the tree of life, and where His people are renewed to bear His glory into the world.

Work and Keep

In Genesis 2:15, the Lord “rests” the man in the garden to “work” (ʿābad) it and “keep” (shāmar) it. While on the surface these terms might seem to relate to gardening tasks, they are drawn from the vocabulary of tabernacle and temple service, evoking the priestly calling to serve in God’s presence and to guard the holiness of sacred space. The same pairing of verbs appears elsewhere in the Pentateuch only for the duties of the Levites, who were charged with ministering in the sanctuary and preventing the unauthorized from entering.8

The imagery of God “resting” the man in Eden recalls other moments when God’s presence comes to rest in His dwelling place. After the flood, the ark, itself a microcosm of creation and a vessel of salvation, comes to rest on the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:4). Psalm 132, one of the psalms of ascent that celebrates the people’s approach to Zion, petitions God to enter His resting place with the ark of the covenant, the symbol of His throne in the Holy of Holies. The temple, when completed, was understood as God’s resting place, reflecting the rest He took on the seventh day.9

Work

The “work” of the priests in Israel’s worship life was multifaceted. It included offering daily sacrifices (Exodus 29:38–42), leading the community in offerings (Leviticus 1–7), overseeing festival worship (Numbers 28–29; recalling Genesis 1:14), performing the annual atonement rites (Leviticus 16), caring for and transporting the elements of sacred space (Exodus 27:20–21; 30:7–8; Leviticus 24:5–9; 6:12–13), instructing the people in God’s law (Leviticus 10:11), administering holiness regulations (Leviticus 13–15), participating in legal judgments (Deuteronomy 17:8–13), and leading assemblies (Numbers 10:1–10). In the temple era, this service also included thanksgiving and praise (2 Chronicles 14:4; 31:2; Psalm 100). Israel was called to this posture of service: to fear the Lord, walk in His ways, love Him, serve Him wholeheartedly, and obey His commands.10 All of life was to be an expression of service to the Lord, whether in the sanctuary or in daily obedience.

Keep

The charge to “keep” the garden likewise resonates with priestly responsibilities. In Israel’s worship, keeping involved observing the appointed festivals (Exodus 12:17–25; 13:10), guarding the tabernacle for the protection of the people (Numbers 1:53; 18:3–7), and obeying God’s commands (Deuteronomy 11:1). The psalms often use the term for keeping God’s word, covenant, and law. In Ezekiel 44, unfaithful Levites are barred from the Lord’s presence and assigned lesser duties, while the faithful sons of Zadok are entrusted to draw near, instruct the people, and keep God’s commands, festivals, and Sabbaths. By the close of the Old Testament, the ideal priest is one who serves the Lord with gladness and keeps His covenant with loyalty, a restoration of Adam’s original vocation, though still awaiting its perfect fulfillment. Since shāmar is used alongside ʿābad for Levitical service, and since the garden is portrayed as sacred space, Adam’s commission is best understood as priestly service that preserves order and holds chaos at bay.11

New Covenant Working and Keeping

In the New Testament, this priestly calling is taken up by the church. Jesus Christ, our great high priest, has offered the once for all sacrifice that sanctifies His people12 (Hebrews 10:10–12) and now ministers in the true heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 8:1–2). Those united to Him are called a royal priesthood (1 Peter 1:2–12), offering themselves as living sacrifices in reasonable service to God.13 This service is not limited to liturgical acts but encompasses all of life, transformed and renewed in obedience to the Lord. The call to keep remains as well: to follow Jesus’ commands (John 14:15, 21; 1 John 2:3), remain loyal to Him (1 John 5:21), guard the gospel’s truth (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14), live in holiness (1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1; James 1:27; Jude 21), and persevere under trial (Revelation 3:8, 10; 14:12).

In assembled worship, the church enacts this identity as the new temple and a kingdom of priests. Praise and prayer are acts of holy service. Confession and discernment guard the holiness of God’s dwelling. Receiving the Word and the Lord’s Supper renew covenant faithfulness. The Christian gathering moves God’s people into His presence and then sends them out to extend His blessing into the world. Worship is therefore both expressive and formative. It shapes a people who serve and keep in the presence of God.

Not Alone

The creation of the woman in Genesis 2:18–24 reveals that worship on the cosmic mountain is not meant to be a solitary act but a shared, united experience. God declares that it is “not good” for the man to be alone. This is not a statement about loneliness in the modern sense, nor an implication that the man lacked God’s fellowship. Rather, the text describes his “aloneness” (lebaddô) as the absence of another like himself (kenegdô) to join him in the work and joy of life in the garden, including worship in God’s presence. No other creature bore the divine image as he did, and so there was no one with whom he could share that image-bearing fellowship alongside God.14

In forming the woman, God “closed up” (sagar) Adam’s side (Gen 2:21), an act that anticipates His pattern of sealing and protecting life for the sake of worship. Just as He shut Noah into the ark to preserve a remnant and shut Lot’s household against destruction, so here He encloses Adam in wholeness, preparing him to receive his bride. In Christ, the Second Adam, this mystery reaches its fulfillment: from His pierced side flows the life of the Church, and in His resurrection the Father “shuts” the wound, raising Him whole and presenting Him with His Bride. Thus, every gathering of the Church is a living echo of Eden and Calvary alike—God’s people enclosed by His presence, healed in Christ’s body, and sealed together on the cosmic mountain for worship.

When the woman is brought to the man, his exclamation “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” affirms their shared humanity. This formula places man and woman on equal footing as image-bearers of God, while also distinguishing them from the animals.15 The unity expressed here is not merely biological but vocational: together they are called to serve and keep the sacred space of Eden as a priestly pair.

The statement “she shall be called woman” is not an act of authoritative naming but a recognition of category. The Hebrew verb here is in the passive form (yiqqare), indicating that she will be recognized as belonging to the same kind as the man (ishah from ish). This differs from the active naming (yiqra) used when Adam named the animals in Genesis 2:19–20, an act that exercised his God-given authority. That same authoritative form appears later when he names his wife “Eve” in Genesis 3:20, after the relationship has been disordered by sin. In Genesis 2:23, however, he simply identifies her as sharing his nature and vocation.16

This original equality and unity will be fractured in Genesis 3, when sin drives the man and woman from the garden, away from the summit of the cosmic mountain. The rupture in their relationship is echoed in the conflict between Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Yet throughout the biblical story, scenes on the cosmic mountain often highlight the restoration of right relationship as a sign of God’s redemptive work. Moments of reconciliation, such as between Abram and Lot (Genesis 13:8), Abraham and Abimelech (Genesis 21:22–34), Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 27:27–31), Jacob and Esau (Genesis 33:11), and Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 50:15–21), anticipate the healing of human fellowship in the presence of God.

In assembled worship, this vision is fulfilled in Christ. The church ascends the mountain together, not as isolated individuals in conflict but as a reconciled people. In the presence of the great High Priest, divisions are healed, unity is renewed, and the people of God share in the joy of worship as one body.

Occupied Territory

Sacred space can be occupied territory. Even on the summit of the cosmic mountain, where God’s presence is most immediate, there can be an enemy voice. Entry into such a place is not the end of testing but often the beginning of it. Adam and Eve were charged to “keep” the garden, which included guarding it from anything that would defile it. Instead, they listened to the serpent’s words rather than the voice of the Lord, failing in their priestly duty to protect the sanctuary.

The narrative’s portrayal of the serpent also carries a broader biblical pattern. Just as the serpent was already present when Adam was placed in Eden, so the Canaanites were present when Israel entered the Promised Land. The land was a place of beauty and promise, yet it was also a place of danger. The Torah/Pentateuch repeatedly warns Israel about the corrupting influence of the nations they would encounter. If those nations remained, Israel would be drawn into their practices and would fall as Adam and Eve did. The psalmist later laments that Israel “did not destroy the peoples as the Lord said to them,” but instead “had fellowship with the nations and learned their deeds,” leading them into idolatry and even child sacrifice. As a result, “He gave them into the hand of the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them”.17

For the worshiping community, this account is a call to loyalty. Ascending the mountain of the Lord is not only about drawing near to His presence but also about resisting voices that would lead us away from Him. In assembled worship, the church gathers in the presence of God, a sacred space in time. Here we are reminded that loyalty to the Lord must be guarded, that His Word must be heeded above all others, and that the joy of His presence is preserved through faithfulness.

Exile From the Summit

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve choose to heed the voice of the serpent rather than the voice of the Lord. Their disobedience results in exile from the garden, with cherubim and a flaming sword stationed to guard the way back. The imagery is steeped in sanctuary symbolism. The verb used for God “walking to and fro” in the garden (hithallek) is the same verb later used to describe His presence moving within the tabernacle and temple (Leviticus 26:12; Deuteronomy 23:15; 2 Samuel 7:6–7). The Lord’s approach in the “wind of the day” may evoke the descent of His glory, combining the themes of divine visitation and judgment that appear in later “day of the Lord” scenes.

The placement of the cherubim at the eastward entrance to Eden further identifies the garden as a sanctuary. In the ancient Near East, such figures were traditional guardians of holy places. Israel’s sanctuaries also faced east, and in Solomon’s temple two massive cherubim stood in the inner sanctuary, overshadowing the ark, while woven and carved cherubim adorned the curtains and walls (Exodus 25:18–22; 26:31; 1 Kings 6:23–29).18 These details align with the broader biblical pattern that presents Eden as the first earthly sanctuary. God’s unique presence “walking back and forth” in the garden parallels His presence in the later temple.

From this perspective, Adam originally stood as the righteous one who could ascend the mountain of the Lord and worship in the beauty of holiness. His disobedience brought a descent from the summit, a loss of priestly access to the archetypal Holy of Holies. The expulsion functions as a “gate liturgy in reverse,” where the question of Psalm 24 becomes painfully relevant: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?” The answer, in the immediate narrative, is no one. Access is barred, and humanity’s approach to the Creator is cut off. Yet the story also lays the groundwork for hope. The tabernacle and temple would later provide a temporary and mediated way back into God’s presence, prefiguring the ultimate restoration to come.19

East of Eden

Once Adam and Eve were driven from the Holy of Holies in Eden, their relationship with God was no longer one of direct access but was mediated through sacrifice. Genesis hints that worship continued at the eastern entrance to the garden, the place where the cherubim stood guard.20 This location anticipates the later tabernacle and temple entrances, where worshipers would draw near to God through the appointed means.

The account of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 reflects this new reality. The focus on the acceptability of their offerings shows that, even after the fall, worship remained central to life before God. This is consistent with the rest of the Pentateuch, where the proper approach to God is of the highest importance.21 The terms used for their offerings are drawn from the sacrificial system: minḥāh for a tribute or grain offering, and ḥaṭṭāt for a sin offering. In God’s warning to Cain, the text can be read as, “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted? If you do not do well, at the door a sin offering is lying down. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it”.22 This reading places the scene at the “door” of sacred space, with Cain facing the choice to fulfill his ritual duty or to turn away.

The sin offering in Israel’s later worship required not only the presentation of blood but also the confession of sin over the animal (Leviticus 5:5–6; Numbers 5:7). This verbal acknowledgment was integral, for sacrifice without confession left the worshiper unchanged. Strikingly, when Adam and Eve are confronted after their transgression, what is missing is precisely this element: instead of confessing, they shift blame—the man to the woman, the woman to the serpent (Genesis 3:12–13). Their silence before God’s holiness stands in contrast to the liturgical pattern later commanded, where confession opened the way for forgiveness and restored fellowship. The apostle John underscores the same truth: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8–9). This absence of confession at the dawn of sin underscores why the sacrificial system would later insist upon it, and why true worship must always be marked by honest acknowledgment of guilt before the Lord.

Some interpreters suggest that Cain’s failure was not merely in attitude but in neglecting the required act of worship at the appointed place. By not performing the ritual at the door of paradise, he forfeited the privilege of the firstborn.23 His subsequent murder of Abel deepened the rupture, and he was driven further east, away from the presence of the Lord.

In the biblical story, the ascent up the cosmic mountain becomes the reversal of this exile. To draw near to God is to move back toward His presence, to the place where life flows from Him. In assembled worship, the church enacts this return. We come, not to the guarded gate of Eden, but to the open way made by Christ, our great High Priest. Here, in the gathered presence of God, the exile is answered with welcome, and the worshiper is restored to fellowship on the mountain of the Lord.

Bibliography

Block, Daniel I. For the Glory of God: Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2014. Kindle edition.

Cassuto, Umberto. A Commentary on the Book of Genesis. Part 1: From Adam to Noah (Genesis I–VI 8). Translated by Israel Abrahams. Jerusalem: Magnes Press, Hebrew University, 1961.

Davidson, Richard M. “Cosmic Metanarrative for the Coming Millennium.” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 11, no. 1-2 (2000): 102–19.

Morales, L. Michael. “Crouching Demon, Hidden Lamb: Resurrecting an Exegetical Fossil in Genesis 4:7.” The Bible Translator 63, no. 4 (October 2012): 185–191.

———. “The Tabernacle Pre-Figured: Cosmic Mountain Ideology in Genesis and Exodus.” PhD diss., University of Bristol / Trinity College, 2011.

Postell, Seth D. Adam as Israel: Genesis 1–3 as the Introduction to the Torah and Tanakh. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2011.

Ross, Allen P. Recalling the Hope of Glory: Biblical Worship from the Garden to the New Creation. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2006. Kindle edition.

Sailhamer, John H. “Genesis.” Vol. 2 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Revised Edition. Edited by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008. Kindle edition.

Walton, John H. Genesis. NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001. Kindle edition.

Wenham, Gordon J. Genesis 1–15. Vol. 1 of Word Biblical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014. Kindle edition.

  1. Morales, “Tabernacle Pre‑Figured,” 125. ↩

  2. Morales, “Tabernacle Pre‑Figured,” 94–95. ↩

  3. Casuto, Genesis: From Adam to Noah, 87. ↩

  4. Casuto, Genesis: From Adam to Noah, 104. ↩

  5. Wenham, Genesis 1–15, 57. ↩

  6. Morales, “Tabernacle Pre-Figured,” 111–112. ↩

  7. Morales, “Tabernacle Pre-Figured,” 110–111. ↩

  8. Morales, “Tabernacle Pre-Figured,” 111–112. ↩

  9. Ross, Recalling the Hope of Glory, ch. 3. ↩

  10. Block, For the Glory of God, 16. ↩

  11. Walton, Genesis, 172. ↩

  12. Block, For the Glory of God, 21. ↩

  13. Block, For the Glory of God, 21; Romans 12:1. ↩

  14. Sailhamer, Genesis, 148. ↩

  15. Wenham, Genesis 1–15, 70. ↩

  16. Walton, Genesis, 176. ↩

  17. Postell, Adam as Israel, 121–122. ↩

  18. Morales, “Tabernacle Pre-Figured,” 111–112. ↩

  19. Morales, “Tabernacle Pre-Figured,” 128–129. ↩

  20. Morales, “Tabernacle Pre-Figured,” 110–111. ↩

  21. Morales, “Tabernacle Pre-Figured,” 111–112. ↩

  22. Morales, “Crouching Demon, Hidden Lamb,” 186. ↩

  23. Morales, “Crouching Demon, Hidden Lamb,” 189. ↩

Updated: