Arguments about tilling versus no tilling have been making the rounds lately.
This brought to mind verses from Genesis regarding the tilling of the earth and I reread chapters 2 and 3, which both refer to what appears to be a permaculture system (pre-fall):
"And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground." Genesis 2:5
...and a tillage system (post-fall):
"Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken." Genesis 3:23
It appears that the garden of Eden was a sort of food forest "dressed" (Genesis 2:15) by Adam and Eve. Tilling did not begin until the couple was ejected from Eden. Tilling seems to be central to God's curse against Adam,
"...cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Genesis 3:17b-19
Amen--interesting post. Permaculture=eden. Tilling and agriculture are post-fall ideas. Also been thinking a lot lately of GMOs as a kind of black magic.
ReplyDeleteWhat made me think of this was the "nakedness" experienced by Adam and Eve. I wondered if it was their nakedness, or the nakedness of the earth - tilled, the soil laid bare, stripped of evil, sown with good - the loss of balance.
ReplyDeleteGMOs, I fear they will be our end.