Men have been searching 1,000s of years for the Garden of Eden and it has never been found. Perhaps it is “still somewhere on earth and is hidden from man” but if that’s the case men are searching in vain. There are 3 prevailing views as to the Garden of Eden:

1) The Garden of Eden is somewhere in the Middle East, most likely in Iraq or Iran. This is based on where it was located at the dawn of creation for we read in Genesis 2:10-14, “Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became FOUR RIVERHEADS. The name of the first is Pishon…The name of the second river is Gihon…The name of the third river is Tigris…The fourth river is Euphrates.” We know the “Tigris and Euphrates rivers” are still on earth and are located in the Middle East (primarily in Iraq).

2) The Garden of Eden was destroyed in the universal flood in Noah’s day.

3) The Garden of Eden is a mythical or symbolic place.

Regarding #1, if the Garden of Eden still existed along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, it would have been found. Regarding #2, Scripture is silent as to its destruction during the Flood in Noah’s day and when Scripture is silent, it’s best for us to REMAIN SILENT. Regarding #3, we should always take Scripture LITERALLY unless we’re forced to take it SYMBOLICALLY, and we saw in Genesis 2:10-14 a very real account of the Garden of Eden and its location. Add to that we read of the “trees of the Garden” which should be taken literally. Verses 15-17 reads, “Then the LORD GOD took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die.’” This was a literal tree with fruit on it yet God tested Adam and Eve to see if they would obey him. We know from Genesis 3:1-5 that Satan tempted the woman to eat of it and after seeing it was “good for FOOD, that it was PLEASANT to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one WISE, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (verse 6). Because of this act of disobedience by Adam “sin entered the world, and death by sin” (Romans 5:12).

Then we read on in verses 22-24, “Then the LORD God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever’—therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 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.” God would not give them the opportunity to eat of this tree for if he had, he and Eve would have lived for ever in a state where the body would be subject to sickness and pain. Besides that, God has told them they would DIE, so He had to keep them from gaining immortal bodies by eating of that tree. This is God’s LAST WORD about the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life on earth, and we know if God wanted us to know more, He would have told us.

Having said that, we do read the following in Revelation 22:1-3a, “And he showed me a pure river of WATER OF LIFE, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the TREE OF LIFE. Which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And there shall be no more curse.” Commentators all agree the apostle John was seeing a city, river, and trees in HEAVEN, but they are divided on the meaning of the “tree of life”.  Is it a literal tree or is it to be taken symbolically? Is this passage referring to the Millennial Kingdom (see Revelation 20:1-6) or is this the Eternal State? What we do know is that this tree of life is not being guarded by Cherubim to keep men from eating of its fruit. Men will have access to it and men will live forever, with no sin and no curse to ruin this Heavenly Paradise.  (DO)  (689.5)