Were the Fallen Angels Also in the Garden of Eden During Satan’s Seduction of Adam and Eve?

Question: Steve, were the fallen angels in the garden of Eden with Satan when he was tempting Eve and Adam?

Thanks,
Linda

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Steve’s Answer:

Hi Linda,

Thanks for your question.  It’s not written whether the fallen angels – or any other type of angel – were in the garden with Adam and Eve.  It’s only written that Satan was there, symbolized as “the tree in the midst of the garden” which, we are told is also “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

As you know, “trees” are used throughout the Bible to symbolize people.  In Hosea 14:8, God even symbolizes Himself a “green fir tree.”  And some folks have interpreted the verses having to do with trees, in Genesis chapters two through three, as meaning other angels were present in the garden.

For example, in Genesis 3:2, Eve mentions other trees being in the garden.  And some Bible students interpret this, symbolically, to mean there were other angels in the garden.

Genesis 3:2  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

 

Genesis 3:3  But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

However, if there indeed were indeed other angels in the garden at that time, they would not have been fallen angels. I say this because Eve specifically stated that she and Adam were allowed to eat the “fruit” from any “tree” in the garden, except for the one tree “in the midst of the garden” (which, of course, was Satan).

So, if the trees of the garden symbolized other angels being in the garden, in addition to Satan, they would have been God’s good angels, and not fallen angels, because Adam and Eve were allowed to “eat” (i.e., take teaching) from them.

Likewise, in Genesis 3:11, where God confronts Adam, Eve and Satan over their sin, God asks Adam “Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” Let’s take a quick look:

Genesis 3:11  And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

Did you catch that?  God asked if they had eaten from “the tree,” singular.  Not “the trees,” plural. So, we can now surmise there was only one “tree” Adam and Eve were not supposed to “eat” from (i.e., take teaching), and that was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, representing Satan himself, that old serpent, the devil. And to me, that means the fallen angels were not there in the garden.  There was only one bad “tree” in the entire garden, i.e., Satan.

I hope that helps.  The bottom line is that I personally do not believe there were other angels present in the garden during the temptation of Adam and Eve – neither good ones, nor bad ones.  There was just Adam and Eve, and God (symbolized as the Tree of Life), and Satan (symbolized as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil).  And the rest of the trees of the garden were regular, physical trees for Adam and Eve to eat from, i.e., fig trees, fruit trees, etc.

We know from Scripture that angels are messengers of God.  And of course, God could have sent any of His messengers, at any time, into the garden to watch over, or to otherwise help, Adam and Eve.  But it’s just not written that He ever needed to do this.

Let’s take a quick look at Genesis 3:8, where trees are mentioned again:

Genesis 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

To me, Genesis 3:8 implies that God regularly took long daily walks with Adam and Eve “in the cool of the day” and “amongst the trees of the garden.”  And when He showed up that particular day to take His daily walk in the garden with them, He came upon them hiding “amongst the trees of the garden.”

Were those “trees” angels?

Well, I doubt Adam and Eve would have hidden among angels – good or bad.  The good ones would have admonished them (“Boy, are you going to be in trouble when Dad gets here!”), and told on them. The bad ones would have wanted the sex party to continue, so they could join in. It makes more sense to me these were regular, physical trees Adam and Eve were hiding among.

So, the bottom line is that I personally do not believe there were other angels in the garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve, with the exception of Satan, who was symbolized as the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” and God Himself, symbolized, of course, as the Tree of Life.

Regards in Christ,

Steve Barwick

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