Both Syria and Iraq claim to have the Garden of Eden in their territory. The Syrians say it was a few miles outside of Damascus and the Iraqis say it was at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Surely both claims are wrong. Eden is not only lost as a paradise, but its geographic location is lost as well.
The sin that drove man out from the Garden of Eden has increased to mass slaughter in the killing fields only a few miles from the Iraqis' Eden. The Syrians, too, are engaged in warfare and terrorism not far from Damascus.
For six years the bloody Iran-Iraq conflict in which thousands upon thousands have died, has raged on and still continues. It began in a quarrel over control of the Shatt-al-Arab waterway which is formed by the meeting of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
The prophet Ezekiel writes of a land that "is become like the garden of Eden." Ezek. 36:35. Certainly no one will dispute the undeniable fact that this prophecy has not been fulfilled yet. Instead, the whole world has seen the results of sin in sorrow, pain, hatred, envy, slavery, drudgery and death. Another result of sin is that it takes hard work to produce food, clothing and shelter in order to live on this earth. When shall the prophecy of Ezek. 36 be fulfilled? The chapter begins with:
“Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord: thus saith the Lord God; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession: therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people.... Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I have lifted up Mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame. But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to My people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: and I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it... I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the Lord." Ezek. 36:1-111Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord: 2Thus saith the Lord God; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession: 3Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people: 4Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about; 5Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey. 6Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen: 7Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame. 8But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. 9For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: 10And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded: 11And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 36:1‑11).
The Lord's statement in the same chapter, verse 22, is, "I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for Mine holy name's sake." Then the Lord promises:
“I will sanctify My great name.”
“I will take you from among the heathen.”
“I will sprinkle clean water upon you."
"I will cleanse you.”
“A new heart also will I give you."
"A new spirit will I put within you."
"I will put My Spirit within you.”
“I will be your God.”
In verse 33 we learn when these prophecies will be fulfilled. It is when the Lord has cleansed them and brought Israel again into the land. Then it says in verse 35, "This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden.”
The current warfare, in the area where Eden is claimed to have been, clearly manifests the wretched results of sin. Only the Lord can and will cleanse and restore a garden of "Delights" or Eden. Concerning Israel He says, "I will do better unto you than at your beginnings." Ed.