Did Plants and Insects Die in the Garden of Eden? The Apostle Paul said, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam) and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all men Romans 5:12 This means that there was no death in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve sinned. But did this apply to all living organisms, like plants, bacteria and insects? Plant "death" is different than animal or human death. Plants eat, drink, grow and respond to stimuli, but they do not have a central nervous system. Nor do they have blood. According to scripture, only organisms with blood in them are considered "alive. The same concept hold true for microscopic organisms and probably even insects. Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood
Plants do not die in the Biblical sense of the word, because they are not "alive" in the Biblical sense. Hebrew Word Nephesh Nephesh is a Biblical Hebrew word which occurs in the Hebrew Bible. The word refers to the aspects of life, and human beings and higher animals are both described as having a nephesh. The Hebrew term is literally "living being," although it is commonly rendered as soul in English translations. Plants, as an example of living organisms, are not referred in the Bible as having nephesh. The term נפש is literally 'soul', although it is commonly rendered as "life" in English translations. In Genesis 2:7 the text is that Adam was not given a nephesh but "became a living nephesh. The word nephesh occurs 754 times in the Hebrew Bible. The first four times nephesh is used in the Bible, it is used exclusively to describe animals: Gen 1:20 (sea life), Gen 1:21 (great sea life), Gen 1:24 (land creatures), Gen 1:30 (birds and land creatures). In Gen 2:7 nephesh is used as description of man. Job 12:7-10 offers a distinct similarity between (nephesh): In His hand is the נפ ש (ruah) and רוח life (nephesh) of every living thing and the spirit (ruah) of every human being. This passage may indicate that only humans have a spirit, while animals are only possess the nephesh life. Man and animals also possess a state of consciousness that plants cannot. The Hebrew word "nephesh" is the word used in the Bible for consciousness or soul. Nephesh is only used in application to man and animals. Nephesh does not apply to plants, insects or microorganisms. Sin brought death to man and animals only. Plants do not truly die in the sense that humans and animals do. Though they are alive in a biological sense, they do not have a spirit, consciousness or soul. So yes, organisms like plants, insects and all microorganisms did die in the Garden of Eden before the sinful fall (and therefor death) of man.
No Death in Any Living Creatures Before the Fall Adam and Eve Were Vegetarians! Genesis 1:29 Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground everything that has the breath of life in it I give every green plant for food. And it was so. Life in Heaven Will Be Like What Life Was Like in the Garden of Eden Before the Fall Isaiah 11:6-9 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the cobra s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 65:17-25 See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. 20 Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach[a] a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. 24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. www.charleswaswrong.com