“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
(Prov. 4:23, NKJV)
From the previous teaching there have been two important implications that came forth:
- Firstly: the implications this revelation has for our new understanding of the soul and spirit; and
- Secondly: a further thinking of Heb. 11:3b: “Now we understand that everything visible has its origin in the invisible.” This will for instance also lead to a better understanding of our existence after death and the fulfilment of God’s agenda with the earth.
In the teaching of Day 1407-1409 we looked at a summary of the unfolding revelation of the garden of Eden and what exactly happened with the fall. We wanted to understand what the symbolic importance of the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is. We also wanted to specifically link it to the concepts of the soul and spirit. Now that all of this larger context is in place, we are finally able to do this.
Adam and Eve were historical figures, and not just literary symbols. If Adam was not a historical figure physically living on earth, the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3:23-38 would not have begun with the man Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5), and ended with “the first man, Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45). BUT, and it is here where many people misread the origin story – 1 Cor. 10:11 spells it out in reference to the Old Testament’s histories: “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition.” Lamsa NT presents it as follows: “For whatever things were written of old were written for our learning …” (Rom. 15:4). So the snake is a clear role player too, but it is not a physical snake as we are familiar with it – he is identified in Rev. 12:9 as “the great dragon … that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan”. Take note – the dragon is a mythical, imagined animal – such an animal doesn’t actually exist. And then we start thinking about the trees, and our conclusion was that they weren’t actually physical trees, but rather represented something in symbolic terms.
The story of Adam and Eve is thus presented as something that really happened, but it is presented in a more universal manner in the form of symbolic language. This is not an allegory, although the story has typological value.
The tree of life is in the CENTER of the garden. The centre points to the heart, the most important position. The other tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, is presented in relation to this tree, and it too could be in the centre. We come to the realisation that there is actually only one tree, but in the fallen man the tree of knowledge is in the centre. In Easton’s Bible Dictionary his lemma on ‘Heart’ begins with the following sentence: “According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life.” Prov. 4:23 then presents the key to the symbolism of the paradise story: “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” The CEV translates it as “the source of true life”.
We continue our argument in the next teaching.
- Selah: Ponder the symbolism of the garden of Eden.
- Read: 109-114.
- Memorise: 114:8 (What would the symbolic meaning of this be?).
