Revisiting the Traditional Views of Mankind, Creation, and the Fall
Revisiting the Traditional Views of Mankind, Creation, and the Fall
The traditional view of the Fall is that mankind sinned against God, which resulted in physical death and the brokenness of creation. This includes predatory animal behavior and environmental/ecological instability. I'm going to provide several lines of support that will demonstrate that the traditional view is incorrect. What Adam and Eve truly experienced was covenantal death. In order to understand Genesis 1 correctly, we have to revisit several traditional premises that do not correspond the Biblical narrative.
Traditional Premise 1: Genesis 1 is about the Creation of the Universe.
According to Hebrew scholars, Genesis 1:1 should be translated as "When God began to create the Heavens and the Earth." See New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition and CEB. This is not the absolute beginning of the universe, galaxies, and other planets as many believe. The universe and the planet Earth existed prior to these events of Genesis 1. The text doesn't go into detail to explain what the chaos is. For me, I think chaos was the aftermath of the destruction of the dinosaurs. During the time of the dinosaurs, I believe God was preparing the Earth with minerals and other resources (limestone, coal and oil deposits) for the preparation of mankind.
Genesis 1 focuses on the establishment of the Levant/Mesopotamia region. God is not creating the world out of nothing as traditionally taught (ex nihilo). The Hebrew word Bara in Genesis can be also found in Psalm 51:10. In Psalm 51:10, God is not creating a new heart for David out of nothing. He already has a pre-existing heart. Another thing to note is that the waters and land were already established before Genesis 1. The land just appeared, it was NOT made in Genesis 1.
Conclusion 1: Genesis 1 is about the creation of humanity in the Levant/Mesopotamia region. It is not the birth of the universe.
Traditional Premise 2: Animals were not Predatory and didn't Die before the Fall.
God commanded humans to have dominion over creation. This included the animals and plant life. See Genesis 1:26-31. This was before the Fall. The Hebrew word for dominion is rada. It is used in the context of conquering. See Numbers 24:19, Judges 5:13, and Nehemiah 9:28. So in order to conquer the animals and use them, they had to die. Fish can be used for food, oil, and leather. Birds can be used for food, fertilizer, clothes, and medicinal purposes. Insects can be used for food, dyes, and medicinal purposes. Plants can be used for food, medicinal purposes, fuel, and building materials. There are three common plants mentioned in the Bible: fruit trees (olive, oil); grains (bread); shrubs (vines, wine).
Below, the Book of Job and the Psalms use poetic descriptions of predator and prey interactions. They are presented not in a negative light, but as natural. As a response, critics would use Romans 5:12, but it doesn't mention anything about animal death before the Fall.
Job 38:39-41 English Standard Version 39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 40 when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in their thicket? 41 Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food?
Job 39:29-30 English Standard Version 29 From there he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it from far away. 30 His young ones suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is he.”
Psalm 104:21 English Standard Version 21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.
In addition, Adam named the animals based on their natural functions. For example, the Hebrew word for Eagle is Neser. This comes from an unused root meaning to lacerate. Another example is the Hebrew word for owl, ostrich, or night hawk is taḥmās. It is translated as violence. Therefore, it is very unlikely that these animals were herbivores.
Lastly, consider a wide variety of other animals. Snakes/spiders/some frogs have venom/toxins, chameleons have camouflage behaviors, bears have razor sharp claws, and sharks with their teeth. Even some plants are designed to capture insects, such as the Venus Fly Trap, Sundew, and Pitcher Plant. To say God had to redesign his animals after the Fall is to acknowledge that God made a mistake. There is nowhere in the text that states that all animals were herbivores or changed anatomically due to the Fall. It is a huge assumption read into scripture.
Conclusion 2: There is no scriptural evidence of animals being only herbivores or changing anatomically into carnivorous animals.
Traditional Premise 3: All the Humans and Animals were Herbivores until Post-flood.
Just like Traditional Premise 2, to conquer something meant to use it; whether to eat it or use it. Notice in Genesis 8:20-22, Noah took SOME of the clean animals and used them for sacrificial purposes. Once he gave the best sacrifices to God, God declared all animals clean. This is because Noah and his family were leaving the ark. See Genesis 9:3.The declaration of animals being clean pertained to ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE ARK. There is no pre-Mosaic Law rituals for clean and unclean animals. In Noah's context, clean and unclean were used to set apart the animals for sacrificial purposes post-flood. Once completed, Noah and his family were able to eat all animals again. We see a similar parallel, when certain animals are restricted under the Law of Moses. This was temporary until Acts 10. Furthermore, in Genesis 9, God is reconfirming the Adamic Covenant with Noah. The only additions were not to drink blood and the authority to carry out judicial sentences.
Conclusion 3: God reconfirmed Adam's covenant with Noah. Therefore, man and beast were able to eat meat.
Traditional Premise 4: Adam and Eve were perfect and immortal before the Fall.
The Hebrew word for perfect is Tamim and the Hebrew word for forever is olam. These words or any similar words are no where associated with Adam and Eve. In fact, the first time perfect is introduced in Genesis 9 is with Noah. Therefore, the traditional view of Adam and Eve is incorrect. Saying something is good is not perfect.
In Genesis 2:16, God instructs Adam that he can eat from any tree instead of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Later in Genesis 3:22, it says that Adam and Eve lost access to the Tree of Life. If Adam and Eve were immortal, what was the point of losing access to the Tree of Life?
In addition, what about the laws of the universe? If Adam fell down a cliff before the Fall would he get injured and die? Or would he be protected? Also, if Eve was using an axe and the axe head flew off, would it hurt or kill Adam? This is problematic for the traditionalist. They would have to find supporting evidence that the laws of the universe were different or changed at some point before and after the Fall.
Lastly, 1 Timothy 6:16 states that only God is immortal. This what makes him stand out from humans, angels, demons, and other created beings.
Just like Traditional Premise 2, to conquer something meant to use it; whether to eat it or use it. Notice in Genesis 8:20-22, Noah took SOME of the clean animals and used them for sacrificial purposes. Once he gave the best sacrifices to God, God declared all animals clean. This is because Noah and his family were leaving the ark. See Genesis 9:3.The declaration of animals being clean pertained to ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE ARK. There is no pre-Mosaic Law rituals for clean and unclean animals. In Noah's context, clean and unclean were used to set apart the animals for sacrificial purposes post-flood. Once completed, Noah and his family were able to eat all animals again. We see a similar parallel, when certain animals are restricted under the Law of Moses. This was temporary until Acts 10. Furthermore, in Genesis 9, God is reconfirming the Adamic Covenant with Noah. The only additions were not to drink blood and the authority to carry out judicial sentences.
Conclusion 3: God reconfirmed Adam's covenant with Noah. Therefore, man and beast were able to eat meat.
Traditional Premise 4: Adam and Eve were perfect and immortal before the Fall.
The Hebrew word for perfect is Tamim and the Hebrew word for forever is olam. These words or any similar words are no where associated with Adam and Eve. In fact, the first time perfect is introduced in Genesis 9 is with Noah. Therefore, the traditional view of Adam and Eve is incorrect. Saying something is good is not perfect.
In Genesis 2:16, God instructs Adam that he can eat from any tree instead of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Later in Genesis 3:22, it says that Adam and Eve lost access to the Tree of Life. If Adam and Eve were immortal, what was the point of losing access to the Tree of Life?
In addition, what about the laws of the universe? If Adam fell down a cliff before the Fall would he get injured and die? Or would he be protected? Also, if Eve was using an axe and the axe head flew off, would it hurt or kill Adam? This is problematic for the traditionalist. They would have to find supporting evidence that the laws of the universe were different or changed at some point before and after the Fall.
Lastly, 1 Timothy 6:16 states that only God is immortal. This what makes him stand out from humans, angels, demons, and other created beings.
Conclusion 4: Adam and Eve were not perfect. They were able to get injured or even killed before the Fall. God is the only immortal. Satan and the angels are not.
Traditional Premise 5: Physical Death was brought forth by Adam and Eve's Sin
Traditionalists make the claim that the animal sacrifice in the garden extended Adam and Eve’s physical life by a hundred plus years. If that was the case, why doesn’t Christ’s redemption extended the believer's life by even a few years? Therefore, we must conclude that physical death is not the result of Adam and Eve's sin. Christ came to reverse and give back what Adam lost. Otherwise, he failed as the Messiah, which we know is not true. See examples of covenantal death below.
Also, consider the wages of sin, If they resulted in physical death and Christ redeemed all those who believe, then why do believers still physically die? Again, if the “wages of sin” is physical death, then technically every person ultimately pays his own wages through its obvious consequences.
Conclusion 5: What Adam and Eve really experienced was covenantal death. This includes the lost of glory, lost of access to the Tree of Life, and lost of access to God's presence (physical removal/exile from the Garden of Eden).
Traditional Premise 5: Physical Death was brought forth by Adam and Eve's Sin
Traditionalists make the claim that the animal sacrifice in the garden extended Adam and Eve’s physical life by a hundred plus years. If that was the case, why doesn’t Christ’s redemption extended the believer's life by even a few years? Therefore, we must conclude that physical death is not the result of Adam and Eve's sin. Christ came to reverse and give back what Adam lost. Otherwise, he failed as the Messiah, which we know is not true. See examples of covenantal death below.
Also, consider the wages of sin, If they resulted in physical death and Christ redeemed all those who believe, then why do believers still physically die? Again, if the “wages of sin” is physical death, then technically every person ultimately pays his own wages through its obvious consequences.
Conclusion 5: What Adam and Eve really experienced was covenantal death. This includes the lost of glory, lost of access to the Tree of Life, and lost of access to God's presence (physical removal/exile from the Garden of Eden).
First, losing the glory involved viewing Adam and Eve seeing each other's nakedness as well as God seeing their nakedness. When they sinned against God, the glory left them. This is similar to the Ark of the Covenant leaving Israel, the Shekinah glory leaving the Temple-Icahbod, King Saul losing the Holy Spirit, and Samson losing the Holy Spirt. See 1 Samuel 4:21, Ezekiel 8-10,1 Samuel 16:14, Judges 16:20-21, Jeremiah 52:1-3, Psalm 51:11.
Second, they lost access to the Tree of Life. This is why we see it in Revelation 22:2. Christ's death made eternal life/fellowship accessible again.
Third, the removal from the Garden parallels Israel's removal from the Promise Land. This is why the exiled nation of Israel was considered dry bones in Ezekiel 37. They were a dead nation. Likewise, Adam and Eve were covenantally dead. A similar concept to covenant death would be our modern idea of civil death.
Examples of Covenant Death
1 Timothy 5:6
English Standard Version
6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.
Romans 7:9 English Standard Version 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.
Luke 9:60 English Standard Version 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Luke 15:24 English Standard Version 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Second, they lost access to the Tree of Life. This is why we see it in Revelation 22:2. Christ's death made eternal life/fellowship accessible again.
Third, the removal from the Garden parallels Israel's removal from the Promise Land. This is why the exiled nation of Israel was considered dry bones in Ezekiel 37. They were a dead nation. Likewise, Adam and Eve were covenantally dead. A similar concept to covenant death would be our modern idea of civil death.
Examples of Covenant Death
1 Timothy 5:6
English Standard Version
6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.
Romans 7:9 English Standard Version 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.
Luke 9:60 English Standard Version 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Luke 15:24 English Standard Version 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Traditional Premise 6: The Curse on the Earth is Supported by Romans 8:19-25-The Creation Groaning
God presents the second curse on the Land of Eden, not on the entire of planet Earth. This is not the literal existence of thistles and thorns. This is figurative language for hardship outside of the garden. Because Adam wanted the forbidden fruit so much, he will have immense difficulty farming the Land of Eden. It will not be easy like in the garden. Adam will eat plants like an animal and bread like a homeless person. The Land of Eden will be a fruitless wilderness/desert. Covenant Man and his offspring will not be able to successfully plant their own garden-vineyard in the wilderness. They won't experience any satisfaction from their work. They would deal with several problems such as environmental conditions-weather, social conditions-thieves, and pest interference. Once the curse was removed through Noah, Deuteronomy 28:30, 39 applies a lesser version of the curse to the Promise Land.
In regards to Romans 8:19-25 (KJV), there is a translation inconsistency that affects how one reads this text. This is easily identifiable when reading the Geneva Bible of 1587, Bishops' Bible of 1568, Coverdale Bible of 1535, Tyndale Bible of 1526, Douay-Rheims Bible, Catholic Public Domain Version , and the Anderson New Testament translation. Notice, in these translations, the word CREATURE appears in Romans 8:19-22, but only in the Geneva Bible of 1587 it keeps the word CREATURE in verse 23. The Lamsa Bible uses man/mankind (instead of creature) from Romans 8:19-21, but falls prey to the same error in Romans 8:22. However, in Romans 8:23, THEY is a reference to mankind.
God presents the second curse on the Land of Eden, not on the entire of planet Earth. This is not the literal existence of thistles and thorns. This is figurative language for hardship outside of the garden. Because Adam wanted the forbidden fruit so much, he will have immense difficulty farming the Land of Eden. It will not be easy like in the garden. Adam will eat plants like an animal and bread like a homeless person. The Land of Eden will be a fruitless wilderness/desert. Covenant Man and his offspring will not be able to successfully plant their own garden-vineyard in the wilderness. They won't experience any satisfaction from their work. They would deal with several problems such as environmental conditions-weather, social conditions-thieves, and pest interference. Once the curse was removed through Noah, Deuteronomy 28:30, 39 applies a lesser version of the curse to the Promise Land.
In regards to Romans 8:19-25 (KJV), there is a translation inconsistency that affects how one reads this text. This is easily identifiable when reading the Geneva Bible of 1587, Bishops' Bible of 1568, Coverdale Bible of 1535, Tyndale Bible of 1526, Douay-Rheims Bible, Catholic Public Domain Version , and the Anderson New Testament translation. Notice, in these translations, the word CREATURE appears in Romans 8:19-22, but only in the Geneva Bible of 1587 it keeps the word CREATURE in verse 23. The Lamsa Bible uses man/mankind (instead of creature) from Romans 8:19-21, but falls prey to the same error in Romans 8:22. However, in Romans 8:23, THEY is a reference to mankind.
Conclusion 6: With this in mind, Romans 8:19-25 is about the unbelieving nations groaning for the glorification of God's people, not the land and sea longing for a utopian restoration.
Final Thoughts:
Physical death is needed due to resource distribution and over-crowding. It's not a curse given by God, but built into the creation. If Adam's sin truly brought physical death? What about other planets where microorganisms die? Did Adam's sin resulted in star death, blackholes, gravastars, the biocycle, the 2nd law of thermodynamics, and the winter season? What about cell death/repair? Natural disasters and viruses/ bacteria are essential for a healthy ecosystem. Without them, we would seize to exist.
Physical death is needed due to resource distribution and over-crowding. It's not a curse given by God, but built into the creation. If Adam's sin truly brought physical death? What about other planets where microorganisms die? Did Adam's sin resulted in star death, blackholes, gravastars, the biocycle, the 2nd law of thermodynamics, and the winter season? What about cell death/repair? Natural disasters and viruses/ bacteria are essential for a healthy ecosystem. Without them, we would seize to exist.
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