Valid Cases for Death before the Fall
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God’s command in Gen. 2:15-17 implies that Adam
must have known what death is. Also Gen. 3:2-3 implies Eve also knew what death
is. Some commentaries say that since there was no death prior, they had to take
the commandment through faith. However, without the idea of certain thing, how is
keeping faith even possible? Even superstitious belief follows after certain
events or effects.[i]
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Next, Gen. 2:19 describes Adam naming the
animals. The Hebrew names for carnivores clearly depict the terrific meanings of
terror and violence.[ii]
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If carnivores and predators are after effect of
sin, then evolution must have happened to these animals.[iii] Therefore, we never know
how tigers, lions, cheetah, vulture, etc. looked before the fall. And if
animals were affected then Adam and Eve would have been affected more
seriously! The point to ponder is then Adam and Eve weren’t like us in anatomy
before fall.[iv]
Is this what we need to conclude? I have often seen posts of Recent
Creationists that they debunk evolution bringing evidences that there has been
nothing anatomical and morphological changes to them over years of time period.
Where is then evolution? However, this defense has been challenged by their own
arguments. It’s a suicide goal!
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If sin affected entire universe, Romans 1:20
that accounts for general revelation is severely challenged. It clearly says
God has placed his fingerprints in his created things from which we can know
about a Mighty Creator of Intelligence. His cursor is everywhere in this
universe so that human heart may realize his eternal attributes and
intelligence.
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The scripture mentions nothing about death
concerning animals and plant kingdoms. The creation was under curse for sure
and that would be redeemed by awaiting regeneration of sons of God as Romans
8:19 depicts. Curse doesn’t necessarily always relate death.
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If animal death is cruelty, what we have to say
on Jesus’ consuming fish himself and feeding thousands of people?[v]
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Reason for billions of years of life before the
creation of mankind was to prepare the earth for human civilization. The lives
and deaths of plants, animals, and bacteria, buried through the actions of
plate tectonics, and converted through high temperatures and pressure, has left
the earth with an immense supply of biodeposits.
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Bacteria are responsible for indirectly forming
many of the concentrated metal ores found in the earth. Without all these
biodeposits, modern civilization would not be possible. Most Christians believe
that modern communication methods (which are dependent upon these biodeposits)
will allow us to fulfill the Great Commission within this century. This alone
is a great reason why God spent so much time (our time, not His) preparing the
earth for human arrival.[vi]
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If God created dinosaurs as contemporaries of
modern humans, this means that humans would have been confronted with dozens of
species of carnivorous dinosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus rex and packs of
velociraptors. This theology implies that carnivorous dinosaurs would have been
eating humans for at least 1,400 years from the fall of Adam and Eve until the
flood. Is this then God's love?[vii]
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All animals and plants have life in them. Even
if we take in account that there was no death prior to fall. What about
herbivorous animals eating up the vegetation and plants? Doesn’t this make them
die?[viii] However, recent
creationists propagate the view that plants aren’t alive and they don’t even
die according to Biblical basis. The word translated "living" is the
Hebrew word chay, which has a primary meaning of "living" or
"alive." However, the word is also used in association with water
(e.g., "living water"), in which it refers to water that is not
stagnant, but moving. It has been assumed that since the term is not applied to
plants in Genesis 1 that they must not be living. However, the term chay can
apply to vegetation, in which it is usually translated as "green,"
referring to living plants, as opposed to brown or dead plants. So, the term
chay can refer to living plants.[ix] And plants also die.
Bible also compares death of humans with that of plants.[x]
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Prof. John Lennox, in his book Seven Days that
Divides World, says animals aren’t moral beings. There is no sin associated to
them. There was first fall before Adam’s fall i.e. fall of Lucifer. Hence, the
terrifying long history of such suffering and death can also be the effect of
the fall of Satan. Remember the sin didn’t begin from Adam but from the Satan
itself.
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Sorrows, suffering and death cannot be always
called evil.
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Regarding Genesis 1:29-30, it can be also
understood as all living creatures’ dependency upon vegetation which we also
study in eco-system! Without any trees, all carnivores will also sway away within
few years! If the verse really means everyone was to feed on vegetation, that
might also be local case. Remember, nothing description has been given about
the environment outside the garden! Indeed, God has a beautiful plan to
establish and spread his kingdom that couldn’t be done from Garden of Eden.
Hence, his paradise like world couldn’t be established.
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Romans 5:12 and 1 Cor. 15:21 are not associated
with animals and plants at all.
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Ben Stanhope brings something weird case that
the words ‘Subdue’ and ‘rule’ used in Genesis 1:28 in Hebrew actually has harsh
meaning.[xi]
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Isaiah 11:1-9 is another passage used to neglect
death before fall. However, it is about prophetic blessing about the covenant
God will make with the human domain and its livestock.[xii]
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My own point is that, since certain life gets
sacrificed for sake of sustaining other forms of life, this depicts foreshadow
of Christ’s sacrifice.
Let the readers be clear that I am not trying to prove a
specific position but just bringing a suggestion that ‘death before fall’ can
be a valid position without effecting the Biblical foundation. Hence, even if
dinosaurs died away from any reasons 65 million years ago, this has nothing to
do with our faith. Leave this matter to scientists, archaeologists, paleontologists
and geologists.
[ii] https://youtu.be/YlyHIr7AZdk, video
time allocation: 5:44
[iii] https://youtu.be/zsK1gcCI618,
7/20/2021, 8:08 pm
[iv]
Adam and Eve might have been distinct from us in anatomy since they were direct
special creation of God: https://youtu.be/iIz_xN6v8gw
However, what I was making the point that, usually Adam
and Eve is believed to be same as we are except for belly button as Ideal
time/Age of Appearance positioned creationist insist. So, if all predators were
after effect of sin then we do not know how they looked prior to fall. Hence,
what can be said of Adam and Eve? This was my point.
[v] https://youtu.be/YlyHIr7AZdk,
7/20/2021, 7:12 pm
[vii] https://www.godandscience.org/youngearth/millions_years.html,
7/20/2021, 7:11 pm
[ix] https://www.godandscience.org/youngearth/plants_do_not_die.html,
7/20/2021, 7:29 pm
[xii]
For detail: https://youtu.be/zsK1gcCI618
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