The Eden story includes a detailed report of a river complex, then it never mentions it again. Yet, this “out of context” passage hints at our natural origins. By removing the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, humanity’s lineage started outside the garden.
The river passage separates two versions of man’s arrival in the garden. The river ran through Eden and the garden. Outside, it divided into four rivers that flowed through distant lands where commodities existed.
Believers speculate on the meaning and placement of this passage. Many scholars have used it to locate Eden. Each time they failed because the Tigris and Euphrates do not share headwaters with two other significant rivers or even with each other. They conclude the Great Flood destroyed this source, or the worldview of the ancients contained an underground river where the four great rivers originated. They then pick two large rivers that they hypothesize match the descriptions. Their reasoning often shows philosophical prejudices for those areas chosen.
Others say this passage is symbolic of the “river of life.” Other theologians find a spiritual description of the human body. All these tend to get very mystical and impart unbiblical philosophies.
A few scholars insist the river section is a late insertion, which interrupts the flow of the Eden story. They tend to downplay or ignore the text.
These popular interpretations do not answer my questions. Why did distant rivers and lands have names while the one that flowed through the garden did not? Why place the passage in context with the creation of man if later people named them? If the rivers are purely metaphysical, then why is an interpretation not included; why must we guess? If the Great Flood altered the landscape, then why would we consider any of those rivers still in existence?
Then I asked a more pointed question. Why remember the rivers and lands at all? If God inspired the Bible, what was the reason he wanted this passage included at this point in the story?
I believe that God inspired the biblical creation texts and their placement. The river passage does not provide evidence that the writer meant it as a metaphor. Its wording lacks mystical phrases that develop supernatural implications. However, it does describe a natural landscape. We must set aside our preconceived ideas and let nature interpret the river section.
The rivers do not match any river system today. Does that matter? Not really. Inspiration requires truth, not perfection. Some scholars have speculated that the named rivers do not need to be huge or even entire river systems. They might describe one river with many channels. Later, people transferred the names to larger rivers. Within this literal description, a metaphor can be dawn. All the people who would fill these lands came from one source. No matter where we live, humanity is one family.
The natural evidence gives us another reason for the insertion of lands at the creation of man. Outside the garden lay places where their lineage originated.
Instead of an unbiblical instantaneous creation, God used evolution to produce all the lineages of animal-kinds, including that of human-kind (Genesis 1). The river complex depicts several areas the almost-humans lived.
From the description of Adam, those people knew how to obey, speak, and sew, but they did not know shame or evil. The river passage tells us about the interesting objects they collected.
Out of those people, God chose one male to receive his Breath, a spirit, which gives life beyond the normal life of animals. In doing this, God joined with nature to create something different (Genesis 1). He then transferred that same spirit into a female almost-human. This gift set the stage for them to choose desire over obedience. That act gave them lasting shame, but it also provided the possibility of becoming something greater, an actual image of God.
Outside the garden, Adam and Eve transferred the Breath and Knowledge to their children. Their children found mates from the almost-humans, and the legacy of the Breath and knowledge continued. Those almost-humans knew the fear of strangers since Cain said they killed vagabonds. Fear comes from our birthright through the animal kingdom. Our birthright from God lets us grow past fears.
The almost-humans also knew symbolism, so they did not kill Cain, who bore God’s mark. Instead, they respected him enough to help build a fortified city. After many, many, generations went by, only the people who possessed the Breath and had knowledge of good and evil remained. Humanity is one as our Creator is one.
In the safety of a garden, God changed two almost-humans into humans. For our good, God let innocence end and sin exist so that human-kind could become the image of God.
To be continued:
