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The answer is simply, yes. Genesis 7:19-24 records for us the fact that the whole surface of the existing continent was covered by flood water. Even the highest hills that would have been familiar to Adam and to Noah before the Flood were covered. What Noah saw in Genesis 8:5 were the tops of new mountains, mountains formed from the sediments laid down during the year of the flood and raised up by tectonic forces during that time. Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain, has marine fossils in its strata, showing that it was once beneath the ocean. People who believe that Eden still exists must presumably also believe that the Noachan Flood was only local in extent. This contradicts what God told Noah - that he would destroy wicked humanity along with the whole earth (Gen 6:13). The fossils found in the rocks today are evidence of this sudden and cataclysmic destruction. The fact that C14 (Carbon 14 isotope) can be detected in coal, diamonds and dinosaur bones renders scientific proof that these rock strata are young - thousands, not millions, of years old.
Not only was The Garden of Eden destroyed, but the earth as we know it today is largely a result of the Genesis flood. The Grand Canyon was formed in just a few weeks or months by rapid erosion and depositing of huge amounts of sediment. People buy into the evolutionary idea of millions of years for it to form because of the very gradual changes that happen now. A truly fascinating series of articles by the Christian geologist, Dr. Andrew Snelling, entitled "Geologic Evidence for the Genesis Flood" can be read at answersingenesis.org.
The Bible does not tell us about what happened to the Garden of Eden after the first family were driven out of it and God placed his angels (Cherubs) to guard it (Gen 3:24). However we do know with the aid of Scripture that Noah's Ark was the only abode in which human and animal life survived. The entire earth was flooded and hence destroyed by the deluge of rain water for the 40 days and 40 nights (Gen 8:6). The Garden may have sprouted after the destruction but since we do not know its precise location, it is difficult to tell about the impact of the Noah rain and its aftermath. The divine purposes of this garden must have been fulfilled and it location or condition is no longer important to us. We see a replica of the Garden in Heaven where the fruit is accessible to the redeemed in Christ. This garden portrays unlimited grace and divine favor that Adam and Eve failed to appreciate. The final representation of the divine garden and the tree of life is given in Revelation 2:7, 22:14. John quotes Christ saying “to him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God" (Rev. 2:7). It appears that whereas there was a physical tree in Eden, there is a spiritual one in Heaven. The fruits of this eternal tree are accessible to the saints of God who shall overcome the tribulations of this world and remain true to the Lamb of God. This is a contrast to the earthly tree in Eden which may have perished and we have no further account of it. We can deduce that the heavenly tree avails all the possibilities of a complete and glorious life which is open to the those who overcome, and by overcoming will experience immortality in a vastly higher sense than was possible under Adam. In his picture of the Heaven, John shows that the river of the water of life has the tree of life on either side. Revelation 22:2 (KJV) states “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Its leaf never fades and its monthly fruitage never fails. Food and medicine these are to be to the world, supplied freely to all that all may enjoy the highest possibilities of activity and blessedness which can come to those who are in right relationships with God and Jesus Christ. In 22:14 John pronounces a blessing on those who wash their robes, who lead the clean and pure Christ life, for they thereby have the right and privilege of entering into the gates of the City and partaking of the tree of life. ISBE concludes that “this means not only immortal existence, but such relations with Jesus Christ and the church that each has unrestricted access to all that is good in the universe of God.” This tree represents the true eternity of our life in the paradise of God and demonstrates that God has all the sufficiency of things suited to the saints who will reign with Christ. The twelve types of fruits in the tree represent the completeness of God’s providence for all the saints from the new Israel which is the church of Jesus Christ. This is the eternal tree whose leaves will never fade nor its fruit fail. It will yield in twelve months what a normal tree would yield in 12 years and of course its quality and foliage is beyond human comprehension and of divine completeness. It is planted not by man but the Creator who also sustains it through the River of Life that proceeds from the throne of God (Rev.22:1). This is what awaits us in heaven and should pre-occupy the thoughts of the saints.
When geologists find crustacians on the top of mountains all over the world that proves that at one time water covered the entire earth and covered the mountains. So the garden of eden did not escape the flood. All souls - living beings that had the breath of life died in the flood, animals, human beings, etc.
I think that the Garden of Eden was on the earth from Adam to Noah and the flood. Gen. 3:24 So he drove outH1644 (H853) the man;H120 and he placedH7931 at the eastH4480 H6924 of the gardenH1588 of EdenH5731 (H853) Cherubim, H3742 and a flamingH3858 swordH2719 which turned every way,H2015 to keepH8104 (H853) the wayH1870 of the treeH6086 of life.H2416 First, if the garden was taken after Adam was sent out, why have it protected by a Cherubim and a flaming sword. "Keep" H853- means A primitive root; properly to hedge about (as with thorns), that is, guard; generally to protect, attend to, etc.: - beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man). "Way"H1870- means-From H1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively a course of life or mode of action, often adverbially: - along, away, because of, + by, conversation, custom, [east-] ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, [high-] [path-] way [-side], whither [-soever]. Again, why all this protection if the garden was taken before the flood? To me the garden was a witness of God as will as Enoch who walked with God. God always leave a witness of Himself to mankind - He works through man and nature.
Question 1: Why would God deploy cherubim with flaming swords at the entrance of the garden, if he planned to destroy the earth (with the garden)? Question 2: And how is it that the tree of life, standing in the garden of eden, was (allegedly) destroyed and yet, in revelation returns to earth? As I type this answer, something tells me that the tree of life was not destroyed in the flood but more likely replanted in heaven for safe keeping. I'm assuming that based on the verses that the new Yerusalem comes down from heaven, so why not also the tree of life at the restoration of the garden of Eden? (revelation 22) So my hypothesis is: The tree of life is a crucial part in God's plan, so He must protect it against wicked humanity (before the flood), He deploys cherubim with flaming swords. At some point the damage that the fallen ones dealt to humanity has reached to a point that only Noah and his family are the only ones with pure blood. While God says to Noah to make an ark, He takes the tree of life into heaven. Noah finished the ark, flood. After at least 5400 years (the millennial kingdom included); when time is at its end, the garden of Eden returns to earth. Every person ever lived will be revived and gets to eat from the tree of life (gives eternal life) and then everyone will be judged according to his works. The wheat will be separated from the tares, and the tares will be thrown in the lake of fire along with the rest of the fallen ones and Satan. And the righteous will live with the Father and the Son forever and ever.
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