Is the Story of Adam and Eve a Parable?
The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:8-25 and Genesis 3:2-24 is most likely a parable. I believe it represents in symbolism our fall from grace from our Lord God's heavenly Kingdom to Earth.
The story of Genesis begins with Adam and Eve living in a garden called Eden, where all their needs are met. They wear no clothing which is a symbol of their innocence. They do not need to work to build a house for shelter or hunt for their food since the garden provides all of their needs. There are no predator animals and our Lord God walks in the very same Garden of Eden. Also, there are no venomous spiders and other insects that can do them harm. They are living in a perfect environment and would perhaps, live for all eternity as long as they avoid eating from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. However, danger does lurk in Paradise. That danger is the serpent, the red dragon, that is known as Satan, and he convinces Eve to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil so she can be like our Lord God and know the difference between good and evil. A secret our Lord God forbids Adam and Eve from knowing. Our Lord God said to Adam and Eve to never eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, or they will surely die. Did Adam and Eve know what death meant? How could you understand what death is if you have never seen it? Still, they did not die straight away after eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. What this passage really states is from now on death would be a part of their lives.
Supposedly, this one act by Adam and Eve condemned all of humanity from that day forward to toil and struggle to survive in a hostile world. All of humanity was now born into sin and had to seek redemption from our Lord God. Why would our Lord God require that everyone born forthwith from Adam and Eve and their descendants be sinners automatically? Does it not seem there is something missing from this story?
It is challenging to accept that we are all guilty of an act done by Adam and Eve. Where is the justice in that? Why did our Lord God not punish them alone? On the other hand, if the story of Adam and Eve is a parable, then what does it represent?
The book of Revelation 12:7-12 in the New Testament tells of Satan and his followers being cast out of Heaven after a battle with the Archangel Michael and his angels. Thereafter, Satan and all of his angels were cast down to Earth. Here below is how that Scripture reads.
"Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon - the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world - was thrown down to the earth with all his angels" (NLT).
I believe the story of Adam and Eve is a parable of the event just spoken of in Revelation 12:7-12, a story told in symbolism to reveal a much greater story. Our Lord Christ Jesus was famous for telling parables as he taught those who came to hear Him speak. Now, let us explore the possibility the story of Adam and Eve is a parable.
To begin with, what was Satan doing in the Garden of Eden in the first place? Why would our Lord God place Adam and Eve in Paradise and then allow Satan into Paradise to tempt Adam and Eve? Well, perhaps Paradise was not on Earth at all. Perhaps instead, Paradise was Heaven. This would explain why Satan was present in Paradise. Why would it be called Paradise on Earth if Satan was there to ruin it for everyone?
So, let us suppose the Garden of Eden was Heaven and we were all living in Heaven with our Lord God in a Paradise of love, devotion, exuberance, pleasure without bounds, and wonders without cease. Then one day along comes an angel by the name of Lucifer. Lucifer was not then like the Satan we know of on Earth. Lucifer was an angel of our Lord God who was loved and cherished along with all the other angels in Heaven. Still, Lucifer knew something no other angel in Heaven knew, and that was the difference between good and evil. Lucifer was actually Satan's name before he was cast down to Earth. Now, Lucifer was the most beautiful angel in Heaven. You see, when our Lord God created all the angels in Heaven, He made them all different from one another, just as we are all unique people here on Earth. So, it was bound to happen that one of our Lord God's created angels would develop special knowledge and power all the other angels in Heaven did not have. With that unique knowledge, Lucifer began to convince other angels, one by one, he could teach them what evil was. Of course, almost every angel in Heaven wanted to know what evil was. You see, our Lord God created every angel with free will and immense curiosity since our Lord God did not want to make slaves of His children.
Our Lord God had already spoken to His angels and said to them they must never seek to know what evil was. However, that only made many of the angels even more curious. You see, the angels in Heaven were unaware of such things as lies and deception or fear and anger. All the negative emotions we feel on Earth are unknown to the angels in Heaven. The word 'No' is not even in their vocabulary. The angels were like naive children who can speak and move about freely without worrying someone or something might hurt them.
Since Lucifer was the most beautiful angel in Heaven, all the angels wanted to see his splendid radiance. As time passed and as Lucifer's popularity grew and his ego as well, it dawned on him that with enough followers he could establish his own kingdom. Many of the angels began to worship Lucifer and this only emboldened Lucifer even more. After many centuries on Earth would have passed, Lucifer decided it was time to challenge our Lord God and to tell our Lord God's angels what evil was. Our Lord God would have none of that and asked the archangel Michael to give His children in Heaven an ultimatum. Either they turn away from Lucifer and follow our Lord God once again, or there would be consequences for their defiance. However, those angels who were now worshiping Lucifer resisted. If they had known what was to come, then they might have decided to turn back to their Father. Our Lord God knew He could never allow Lucifer to have his own kingdom in Heaven and also knew Lucifer was leading more and more of His children away from Him. Our Lord God then decided to call on the archangel Michael and his angels to battle Lucifer and his angels, those who were his followers. Michael and his angels fought again Lucifer and his angels and Michael and his angels won the battle. Once the rebelling forces surrendered, our Lord God then told Lucifer and his followers there was no longer any room for them in Heaven and they will have to leave. Many of the angels begged for forgiveness, and our Lord God did forgive them. However, many of His children stayed with Lucifer wanting to know what evil was, and they were all cast out of Heaven to Earth since no place in Heaven could be found for them. Earth was specially prepared for just such a situation. Our Lord God knew from the beginning that if He gave His children, all of the angels in Heaven, free will, they would eventually choose a path different than the one He hoped they would pursue. This is why we are here on Earth today with Satan and how an evil world was born. And, we have all learned what evil is. Now you know why we live as we do since our Lord God gave this world to Lucifer and his angels. This also explains why our Lord God found it necessary to send His only begotten Son to rescue us from Satan.
So, that is the story of how we all came to be on Earth. Adam and Eve represent the angels in Heaven and Paradise represents Heaven itself. In time, Lucifer came to be known as Satan since Satan means the 'great' deceiver. Actually, the angels in Heaven due to their trust and love for one another and their ignorance of lies and deceit, words which were not even in their vocabulary, came to believe that Lucifer was telling them the truth when in fact, Lucifer was deceiving them. Our Lord God tried to convince them evil was something they did not want to know; still, the fallen angels were sure they wanted to know what evil was and Lucifer promised to show them.
Some of our religious teachers believe that Satan turned the fallen angels into demons. Although they are hard-pressed to explain how Satan could take an angel, created by our Lord God and turn them into evil, hating, vengeful, and horrific torturers. Our Lord God is Good and would never create anything evil and there is no evil in Him. Therefore, it is my belief, as spoken to me by our Lord Christ Jesus, that all the people of Earth are the angels who were cast to Earth with Lucifer.
Satan is alive to this day, and we see his works in our world. Our Lord God is given a bad reputation by those who tell us our Lord God is in charge on Earth and all that happens is His will. If our Lord God were in charge on Earth, we would see a much more peaceful and loving world than we do today. For example, when a child dies in a fiery car accident or is crushed by a wall falling on their bodies after a bomb blast, is it God's will? No, it is Satan's will.
In Matthew 4:2-11, Satan tempted our Lord Christ by offering Him the glory of all the kingdoms on Earth if Christ Jesus would fall down and worship him. How could Satan make that offer to our Lord Christ Jesus if Satan did not already rule over Earth? Would not our Lord Christ Jesus already know this? Of course, our Lord Christ refused Satan's offer. Also in John 12:31, our Lord Christ Jesus said the following to his disciples.
"The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out" (NLT).
And Paul writing in 2nd Corinthians 4:4 states the following.
"Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who do not believe."
Our Lord God loves us far too much to create such horrific conditions for us to live in. When we come to realize we are the fallen angels, then we can stop blaming our Lord God for all the bad that happens in our lives. We did a terrible thing to our Lord God, and yet He is still willing to forgive us. This is why He sent His son, our Lord Christ Jesus, to Earth. To rescue us from Satan and teach us about the true Lord God, and bring us home once again. However, our Father in Heaven wants us to love Him with all of our heart, with all of our strength, and with all of our mind. When we can accept our Lord Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then we can return to Heaven.
John 3:16 reads, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believed in him, would have everlasting life."
Our Lord God loves everyone, Christian or not, and will forgive us of our sins against Him if we will only accept our Lord Christ Jesus and follow him. Our Lord Christ Jesus was willing to humble himself below the lowest human to prove our Lord God's love for us. Now, that is true love!
Inspired by our Lord Christ Jesus, who loves us very much!
Typed by Wayne Hill.