Where is Heaven and Where is Eden?

[Abbadon]

I’m sure this question would have been asked before, so if someone could point me in the direction of the thread i would be happy to read.

I always thought Eden was just a story and Heaven was not of our universe. But thats just an assumption. To me though the authors of hte bible and the depictions of artowrk seem to indicate that heaven is above us in the clouds. Which we now know is not true. And that Eden is an actual location on earth since it was created on Earth wasn’t it? Which i don’t know can it be somewhere on earth simply hidden away by a glamour…

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

I’m sure this question would have been asked before, so if someone could point me in the direction of the thread i would be happy to read.

I always thought Eden was just a story and Heaven was not of our universe. But thats just an assumption. To me though the authors of hte bible and the depictions of artowrk seem to indicate that heaven is above us in the clouds. Which we now know is not true. And that Eden is an actual location on earth since it was created on Earth wasn’t it? Which i don’t know can it be somewhere on earth simply hidden away by a glamour…

Those depictions are attempts to express what is inexpressible. A powerful way of doing so, is to tell a story - that is often what myths - in or out of the Bible - do. Eden is a myth in that sense. Allusions to & descriptions of it are literary fictions which convey truths more real than the ingredients of the stories. To stop with the story, is to miss the meaning of it.​

“The pure in heart…shall see God” - scientific instruments can’t. God is the Place of Heaven - He is not “in” any place; that would mean He is limited.

 

[rwoehmke]

Do not some teach today that Heaven and Hell are not places but “states of being?” If that were so could not Eden also be a “state of being”; a way or manner of existence and not a place at all?

 

[St_Aloysius]

Both of the above are correct.

Eden is a word which means “oasis”, and the Vulgate saw it fit to translate it as Paradise because it conveyed the meaning. Paradise, or Eden, contrasts our imperfect, fallen world with the perfection God would have for us. It is an Oasis, so to speak, in a desert of sin. God himself is that oasis. In fact, the word “paradise” comes from the Latin “paradeus,” “para” meaning near or close to, and “deus” meaning God.

True Paradise is being near to God. What we call heaven is simply unity with Christ, it is being one with him. Hell is being (by our own choice) separated from him. The Kingdom of Heaven is more than a place or a state, though, it truly is a person: Jesus Christ himself. He is Heaven. He is Paradeus–our Oasis both here and now and later, as well.

Hope this helps!

 

[Abbadon]

I had assumed it was just a metaphor. But now i have to ask, sometimes i assume like Noahs ark, because of its impossibility was just a story. But then others tell me that it was real.

Okay so the second part of the question is, What is metaphor and simply a story to explain something and what is something that actually happened. Or is it all just something in between?

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Both of the above are correct.

Eden is a word which means “oasis”, and the Vulgate saw it fit to translate it as Paradise because it conveyed the meaning. Paradise, or Eden, contrasts our imperfect, fallen world with the perfection God would have for us. It is an Oasis, so to speak, in a desert of sin. God himself is that oasis. In fact, the word “paradise” comes from the Latin “paradeus,” “para” meaning near or close to, and “deus” meaning God.

True Paradise is being near to God. What we call heaven is simply unity with Christ, it is being one with him. Hell is being (by our own choice) separated from him. The Kingdom of Heaven is more than a place or a state, though, it truly is a person: Jesus Christ himself. He is Heaven. He is Paradeus–our Oasis both here and now and later, as well.

Hope this helps!

Conclusion: ​

Etymology:

To clarify:

• “paradise” is from Greek paradeisos which is from Persian pardesh, “walled garden”
• Eden = Hebrew for “pleasure”
  But the theology -

 

[averheyen]

Those depictions are attempts to express what is inexpressible. A powerful way of doing so, is to tell a story - that is often what myths - in or out of the Bible - do. Eden is a myth in that sense. Allusions to & descriptions of it are literary fictions which convey truths more real than the ingredients of the stories. To stop with the story, is to miss the meaning of it.​

“The pure in heart…shall see God” - scientific instruments can’t. God is the Place of Heaven - He is not “in” any place; that would mean He is limited.

Eden isn’t, and wasn’t a myth. Genesis gives very clear discriptions for where exactly eden is/was.