Throughout the years of my ministry work, I have been both encouraged and ridiculed. The latter is generally directed towards my pursuit, I would say, of the deeper things of God, of which my critics have made the proclamation and recommendation that I go to deep with my research and teachings, and that I should pursue a more generalized approach to ministry that appeases the masses.
Moreover, they also advise me to centralize solely upon that of scripture, all while leaving the sciences and philosophy far behind. And yet, how deep and profound is the God we worship? Is not this narrowed perception that which is playing a part in the departure of the younger generation?
What my critics are missing, I suppose, is that the body of Christ is diversed, not only among the backgrounds and ethnicity, but also in talents and their utilization thereof. In the words of the apostle Paul, we are not all called to be a hand or foot in the body, but rather all have unique areas of calling that is tailored to a particular ability that connects with a particular group of people; each part of the body contributing to the whole.
This concept of generalizing the call of God within the body that is proposed by my critics is both narrow in scope and unscriptural. The key to overcoming this certain perception is to first attain a better understanding of scripture, and then pray that God set within you a greater sense of empathy.
When we encounter a specific niche of ministry that is foreign to our current understanding, it is best to analyze the situation, and then pray for a better perception of what is transpiring. A rash conclusion based off your current knowledge structure is often times inaccurate, as well as a form of spiritual immaturity.
Only when we venture from our place of safety, that is the place of familiarity, and into the unknown, will we ascend and be transformed. In the book of Romans, Paul speaks about the idea of transformation through the “anakainosis”, or renewing, renovating of the mind. This process of renewal, of course, is not something of which transpires within the course of a day, but rather is a life long journey.
Embarking on this transformative journey is not accomplished merely through physical means, but is also psychological and spiritual in nature. A journey from the familiar into the unknown can be accomplished by simply engaging in a subject that is foreign to yourself, and that provides new information that can be embedded within your being.
This newly acquired information not only transforms your existing knowledge structure, but also transforms the way in which you perceive and act in the world. In the words of Christ, “Seek and you shall find”, so therefore venture where you least want to go, acquired the knowledge that lies within, and be transformed into something of greater utility and versatility.
The adversary often times manifest himself through various means, that of hatred, anger, aggression, etc. And yet, the most popular, and perhaps the most destructive, is that of deception. His primary goal is and has been to deceive humanity, one is the believe in the absence of God, but another is the believe that you are not valued by God if you happen to believe. He seeks to deceive you into perceiving yourself as worthless, and that the inspirations and dreams that God has instilled within your heart and mind are unattainable and unrealistic.
This particular form of deceit has hindered many from achieving what God has called them to achieve. And yet, the way in which we combat this deception is through continual connect with our Creator, and the rebuke and refusal to believe such deception. By setting your sights on the upper call of God for your life, along with refusal to acknowledge the adversary, the call, rather than the destructive force of the adversary, will manifest itself. Pay attention, aim high, and remain persistent.
On the first episode of The Truth Cast Show, Christian philosopher Michael Thacker examines the evidence for the narrative of the Garden of Eden, and that of the first two conscious human beings, Adam and Eve.
The common belief among both mainstream Christian theologians and pastors is that the universe was created in six literal days, and that the Garden of Eden was located in the Persian Gulf sometime around 4,000 BC. And yet, what evidence is there to support this idea? Evidence thus far accumulated through the various scientific practices have revealed that the universe is in fact not created in six days, but rather evolved over the course of billions of years. And the location of the Garden of Eden could not have been located in the Persian Gulf region as the last time that the Persian Gulf was dry was approximately 15,000 BP. Now, in this article I will only briefly address the issue of the age of the universe later in the article to help to instantiate the proper background of the ideas I will be presenting here. However, I will be addressing not only a new proposed date for the time of the Garden of Eden, but the location of its existence and the evidence of Adam and Eve’s existence as well.
Genealogical Gaps:
To begin our journey of discovering a possible answer to the Garden of Eden and man’s expulsion thereof, I would like to take a moment to address a much debated dilemma both within the educational and church domain, that is the genealogical record found within the book of Genesis. Many scholars and pastors alike whole heartedly believe that the genealogical record found within Genesis is accurate and with no legitimate gaps within. And what is it that convinces them of the conceptional interpretation? The infallibility of God’s word-gaps imply a sense of imperfection and unreliability. And yet, in reality the concept of gaps within the generational record does not imply imperfection, but rather suggests that the author of Genesis provided names and ages for a generalized record to provide readers with references. The names and ages are accurate and in order, but there were more names within that did not make the list due to the overly vast amount of space and time it would take, not only the author to list them out, but for the reader as well. What evidence is there to back up such a claim? The dating of both Adam and Noah with correlated archaeological and geological evidence that suggests a much older date for their residence here on earth.
The Location of The Garden of Eden:
For many scholars and pastors, the Garden of Eden resided somewhere in the location of today’s Persian Gulf. But is there any evidence to suggests this to be valid? According to these same Persian Gulf advocates and their interpretation of genealogical record found in Genesis, Adam and Eve existed sometime around 4,000 BC. But the issue with the concept is that according to geological records, the Persian Gulf has been submerged in water since approximately 15,000 BP, which of course contradicts any habitation by an early dating of Adam and Eve. So, is the location wrong? Or is the approximate dating of 4,000 BC wrong? Both.
The next issue that arises for a Persian Gulf residence for the Garden of Eden is found within scripture itself:
“Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads.”
Genesis 2:10 NKJV
Here we find a clear indication that a river proceeded forth out of Eden by the use of the Hebrew word “yatsa,” which means to go out, go forth, or exit. We then find that the river then parted into four different rivers, of which scenario we find at the Persian Gulf contradicts this description. The river Euphrates comes down from Turkey and through Iraq, and then pours into the Persian Gulf, of which does not fit the description of a river coming out of this region and parting into four distinct river heads. And rather, what we do find is that this description fits perfectly with region of modern day Turkey, this is where we find four distinct rivers, including that of the river Euphrates issuing forth from this region. The first map below reveals the flow pattern of this set of rivers while the second map shows the proposed location via a small white circle of the Garden of Eden.
This particular region of modern day Turkey is where the Munzur Valley National Park resides, and the location in which the Munzur River initiates. And from there the river runs down the valley into Lake Keban where, ironically, a four riverhead system is revealed, including the Euphrates and Tigris, as well as the Peri and Murat. And thus fitting the description of a river flowing out of the Garden of Eden into a four riverhead system. As far as the lands of Cush and Havilah mentioned in Genesis two for the location of the other two rivers, their precise location is still up for debate. And at this moment no other river mapping system fit the description for a branch of four rivers that include both the Euphrates and Tigris.
Not only do we find that this river system seems to be a rather unique fit with what is given to us in Genesis 2, but the region, or valley wherein the Munzur River proceeds forth from fits the description of the Garden of Eden rather well, too. This particular valley is filled with trees of various sorts, including, ironically, fruit trees such as wild pears and apples, as well as walnut and hazelnut trees. There is also an abundance of wildlife that includes wild goats, boar, hare, gray wolf, fox, bears and more. Within the river itself there is also an array of various fish life, as well as waterfalls, setting the scene for a Garden of Eden film like scene.
The Date Of The Garden Of Eden:
As mentioned earlier, not only is the traditional location of the Garden of Eden seemingly inaccurate, but the dating as well. Traditional Bible scholars and pastors alike believe the earth to be as young as 4,000 years old, and yet where do they derive their evidence of this particular dating from? The derivation comes from a literal interpretation of both the six days of Genesis 1, and the genealogical record found throughout the book of Genesis. But how accurate is this interpretation? According to orthodoxic Christian theology, the Bible is inerrant, which means that it should be interpret literally word for word, and yet we can see where this would lead someone into a heap of trouble when executing this idea when applied to certain pieces of scripture, like that of cutting off your hand if it causes you to sin. Not all scripture is to be interpreted literally with this idea being highly plausible with both the six days of Genesis and the genealogical record.
According to mainstream science (of which God created), the universe is approximately 13.7 billion years old, and the earth sits at 4.6 billion years old. If you find it difficult to try and understand how the earth would be so old within the confines of six days, think of the days mentioned in Genesis as transpiring outside our space-time universe in the realm of God. Remember, Peter stated that one day to the Lord was as a thousand years. If you would like to obtain a better understanding of this idea, I highly recommend The Science of God written by Dr. Gerald Schroeder. Likewise, the first appearance of homo-sapiens (modern humans) appeared around 200,000 years ago. But it wasn’t until about 12,000 BP that we see the first evidence for the human invention of agriculture and the domestication of animals. Why is this important for our topic? According to the account in Genesis, Adam and Eve, as well as their sons, were the very first farmers and shepherds.
“Before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground.”
“Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field.”
Genesis 2: 5,19-20 NKJV
Notice the word field being used in both passages mentioned, as well as “no man to till the ground”, implying a time prior to the invention of organized agriculture. But also, in the second and third verses mentioned above, God didn’t bring every creature to Adam to name, only those of the field and air. The Hebrew word used here for field is “sadeh’”, which means cultivated field, country, ground, land, or soil. This same word is often used in reference to a field that is of sustainable quality for the cultivation of crops and domestication of farm animals. Moreover, we see this concept of Adam and Eve and their children being the first farmers within the context of chapter 4 of Genesis, after the expulsion from the Garden. Here we find that Able was a ordained a shepherd while Cain was a tiller of the ground.
“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the Lord.’ Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.”
Genesis 4: 1-2 NKJV
As the text reads, we see the introduction of agriculture and animal domestication into the world, according to scripture that is. But is there any archaeological evidence for this that lines up with this narrative? Taking a step back to Genesis chapter 3, the time of the fall, we find that after the expulsion of both Adam and Eve, God puts a Cherubim to guard the tree of life eastward of the Garden of Eden.
“So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”
Genesis 3:24 NKJV
With the cherubim being placed at the eastern part of the Garden of Eden, which the Hebrew word being used is “qedem”, meaning east or relatively east. Used properly in its context, it seems rather plausible, as the text implies, that Adam and Eve were driven east of the Garden of Eden. Now, reflecting upon what we have discussed thus far with the new proposed location of the Garden being situated in the eastern part of Turkey, it would seem as though there should be signs of the first farmers and animal domesticators present somewhere nearby. Ironically enough, a few hundred miles east/southeast of this exact location is the Zagros mountain range, wherein lies the archaeological evidence for the world’s first farmers and animal domesticators, all of which date back 12,000 years ago. Both agriculture and animal domestication arose in this area with the cultivation of barley, peas, and lentils being discovered in sites dating back 12,000 years ago. And at the same time evidence for the domestication of both goats and sheep, of which the account in Genesis tells us that Abel took care of. If this is in fact evidence for the story of Adam and Eve, not only does this change the interpreted geography of the narrative, but it also pushes the initial perceived date of 4,000 BC back 8,000 years.
In conclusion, here I wanted to briefly summarize some of the evidence that I have acquired over the years, and at the same time correlate this accumulative evidence with that of the narrative found within the first few chapters of Genesis. My work is far from complete, and the desire and will to put all the acquired evidence within this article would have been exhausting for both myself and the reader. But, I am currently working on a book that will not only cover all of the accumulative evidence for the Garden of Eden and the first two fully conscious human beings, but for Noah, Abraham, Joseph, and the story of the Exodus. Not only will the new bits of evidence connect and shed light on these stories, but will also require a complete dating revamp of the chronology of both the stories and their characters. If you would like to help support my work and research, you can by donating either by clicking the Patreon link below, or by donating through the PayPal link below. Thank you and God bless.
-Michael Thacker
Want to know more? Watch Michael’s new show where he will be explaining many of his new found evidence and teachings on YouTube live every Sunday at 5 pm central time: The Truth Cast Show
Examination of the past not only provides you with a euphoric sense of both admiration, and sometimes, that of disgust. But it also manifest within it wisdom that, when utilized properly, can be of immense value and utility. This wisdom is not only discovered in past failure, but also in the most reverenced of times as well.
Generally speaking, you can discover the solution to problems within the failures, while at the same time rediscover joy, and that of a simpler pattern of being within the more memorable times. There is much wisdom to be discovered embedded within the past, and it is up to you to journey there to acquire it, both in the times of mourning and joy.
Stressors in life are often times beacons of information that speak volumes, containing within them the ancient wisdoms that are both enlightening and transformative. Do not allow stressors to nullify your mode of being in the world, but rather utilize them to ascend to a higher state of consciousness.
In on modern society that seeks glorifies the term love, and yet comprehends little to nothing of its true nature, with its glorification and misconception has come with it only deception and confusion, not only throughout secular culture, but within much of the church as well. What is love? Definitions abound throughout society with variations ranging from simply being nice to others, to a much more profound conception of accepting all people regardless of creeds or ideological differences, to an even more troubling meaning of not only accepting all people, but remaining completely silent among them so that offense may not be met. And yet with all this confusion abounding throughout modern day culture, what does the Bible have to proclaim when it comes to love? And how far have much of the modern day church missed the mark?
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
1 John 4:8 NKJV
To begin our journey of discovering the true nature of love we must first observe what love, especially that of the love of God, actually means in its original language and context. The word love being used within the verse referenced above is the Greek word “agape”, which is translated in the Strong’s concordance as affection, benevolence or charity. This Greek word “agape” is from the Greek root word “agapao”, this being translated as to welcome, to be fond of, or an even better translation is to regard the welfare of. Examining the last definition of the root word, to regard the welfare of, can be translated also as to care for one’s overall wellbeing. The question to ask yourself is when you care for someone’s wellbeing, that is their being itself, do you applaud them when they carry on in ignorance and partake in ignorant acts? Or do you seek to correct them in a kind and loving manner? The same of which you would, not only expect of them, but would desire them to do for you as well.
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:29 NKJV
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.”
Revelation 19:11 NKJV
Since God is love, much of our misconception of the nature of love is derived first from a misconception of the nature of God Himself. When the writers of scripture began jotting down what God had spoken, they had a concise understanding of the nature of God as their connection with Him was on point with little to no distractions to deter them from His presence. Today, we have an unlimited amount of entertaining distractions to keep us busy until the second coming of Christ, of which is too late to establish a genuine relationship with anyways. The necessity of stillness that is required of us in order to establish a proper relationship with God is perceived as an outdated, mystic-like nonsensical activity that should be replaced with technology in order to not be perceived as strange in our modern era. And yet call for stillness is echoed throughout scripture both throughout the Old and New Testament.
In the Bible, the nature of God is expressed throughout both testaments for us to properly observe and examine. We find the best expression of God’s nature within a physical means being represented in the character of Christ, of course. Christ is depicted as a gentle shepherd who leads His people to the new heaven and earth, that is to eternal peace with Him forever. And yet, He is also depicted as a divine warrior who comes to wipe away the wicked off the face of earth. This same divine warrior-like character is also expressed as the one who will wipe away every tear within the new heaven and earth. Again, this gentle divine lamb is seen as the ultimate judge who separates the wheat from the schaff at the end of days. So what is the point of this paragraphical explanation? Love, as well as God Himself, seem to exhibit a dual nature, that is not to say a contradicting nature, but rather a complete, balanced nature.
“I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:18 NKJV
To better understand this dual nature of God and love, one must again properly perceive the nature of God. Much of the church’s conceptualization of God today is not of a loving father in heaven, but rather a gentle grandfather that only provides candy to His grandchildren. And of course their is no depiction of God as such throughout scripture, and thus this conceptualization is incorrect. God is our Father in Heaven, and thus should be perceived as such. As far as I can tell according to the collected data over the course of the past half a century or so, much or the proper perception of God has become distorted due to the lack of fathers being present in children’s lives in our modern day culture. Fatherless homes have increased from only 11% on average in the 1960’s, to 27% today, with larger numbers being present in minority homes. This lack of fathers seems to be a part, not all by no means, of the problem of attaining a proper perception of the fatherly nature of God.
The ideal mode of being of a father should echo that of the nature of Christ in that fathers should be encouraging, loving, gentle, gracious, and helping. And yet we should also be disciplinary, set some boundaries, be able to protect our children, and teach them in the way of the Lord. The attributes listed are dual natured in that they present both a nurturing role and disciplinary role. Not only are the attributes listed within scripture for all Christians to exhibit, but is also found in parental psychological literature as the ideal way in which to raise children from various observational studies. Too much disciplinary action from the parent produced anxiety, depression, etc. in children later on in life. The same was found in parents that were too loose with no proper boundaries or disciplinary actions set in place. The ideal form of parenting style was found to exhibit a proper balance between relaxed rules and that of specific boundaries and disciplinary acts, essentially that of chaos and order. Again, exhibiting a dual nature, or proper balance as you will.
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NKJV
We must understand that love does not celebrate sin, that is the chaotic nature of being. Nor does it constrict an individual to an interpreted set of dogma. Love rejoices in the Truth, of which is deemed offensive to all who live contrary to it. Does this mean you should keep silent? Not if you love your neighbor. Speak the truth in gentleness with hopes that they will hear it, this is both faith and love in action.
There is a wonderful balance presented as one lives and walks in the spirit while being transformed into the ideal image of Christ. We have our being in the gracious presence of the spirit, while we seek to obey God’s commands to not only help stabilize and preserve our own life, but those around us as well. We exist between extremes as Christ did in His day when He existed and debated both the radical right and left (Pharisees and Saducees), living out life between the potentials of chaos and order. Too much emphases on grace can lead a people into the realm of chaos, while too much focus on works can lead a people into the realm of totalitarianism.
“For whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.”
Proverbs 3:12 NKJV
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV
God exhibits a dual nature as He both comforts us in times of trouble, and He corrects us in times of rebellion. He lifts us up when we are cast down, and yet He also transforms us by the pruning away of corruption in our lives. He blesses us with good times to bring about joy, and He brings about bad times to help teach and guide us in the way in which we should go. And since God is love, it would seem to logically follow that love also is dual in nature. Love is when a person comforts another person in times of need, and yet also confronts a person in love and gentleness when a they begin to sail off course. Love is not something of loose fabrication conjured up by new agers or hippies while tripping on psychedelics, but rather it is something of profound meaning. And to properly understand it, one must study the nature of God and His Son to discover the unique balanced, dual nature it manifests in our lives.
One of the key differentiating factors that separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom is the ability for abstract thought and the acquisition of a deeper understanding of being itself. According to the biblical text, we are called to becoming new creatures in Christ, to be transformed into a new image.
This transforming process is not only accomplished by the assistance of the Holy Spirit working in and through our lives, but also by our own willingness to examine, research, and expound on information from various sources to enable us to better understand God, His word, ourselves, and reality itself.
This searching out for understanding is often times daunting and excruciating, and yet it’s value is of insurmountable wealth. The common motif of mythological journeys, the most prized possession is often protected by a fierce dragon-that is the ancient dragon of chaos.
We all our on our own journeys, journeys that should not be of a dormant mode of being, constantly satiated, but rather a journey of persistent adventure into the unknown, gather information and being transformed in due process. This journey should be one that takes us to greater heights each passing day, a journey that transforms us into a new creation that produces value both for God and His creation. Are you utilizing and valuing your journey properly?
Michael Thacker 