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"In the following times of history, we have seen how the river of mankind from the
mountains of Armenia poured itself into the plains of the Tigris and the Euphrates. The
tribes of men went forth unto the regions of the stream of Paradise, acquired power and
gathered riches. But of gold they made gods, decked them with jewels and brought
incense to the things which have noses and smell not" (Dr. M. Baumgarten Theological
Com. on O.T.).
Whether this be so or not may perhaps remain a moot point, but it seems reasonable to
suppose that in a book which covers 2000 years of history in eleven chapters (Gen. 1:-11:)
not one verse, certainly not seven (Gen. 2: 8-14), would be devoted to matter transient in
its application, and the original meaning of which is now beyond the power of man to
ascertain. The geography of the book that brings before us the glorious prophecy of
Paradise restored, is centred around the same land that is brought before us in Gen. 2:
The references to Asia Minor on the West (Rev. 1:-3:); beyond the Euphrates on the East
(Rev. 16: 12); with Jerusalem and Babylon as rival cities and systems, enable us to see
that not only does Revelation corresponds with Genesis as to the entry and removal of the
Serpent, sin, death and curse, but that the very geographical site of Eden, may yet form
the earthly basis of the heavenly city when at last it descends from God out of heaven. Its
gold will indeed be good, its stones most precious, and its gates pearls (see the earlier
reference to the Rabbinical interpretation of bdellium).
#6.
The land of Nod, the city of Enoch (Gen. 4: 16, 17).
pp. 178, 179
The first geographical reference of Holy Scripture deals with the site of the garden
planted by the Lord, "eastward in Eden". The second speaks of a city built by rebellious
man, "on the east of Eden".
"And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod on
the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived and bare Enoch: and he
builded a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch"
(Gen. 4: 16, 17).
The curse pronounced upon Cain included the words: "A fugitive and a vagabond
shalt thou be in the earth." "Vagabond" is the translation of the Hebrew word Nod,
which gives its name to the land whither Cain went. The same word that is translated
"Nod" in Gen. 4: 16 is translated "wanderings" in Psalms 56: 8, where David, though
taken by the Philistines to Gath--a spiritual "land of Nod"--rejoices in the fact that
"God is for me", a contrast indeed with the condition of Cain.
We have a similar instance of the meaning of a place from an experience of a visitor
related in Gen. 28: 19.
"And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz
at the first."