conclusion, then, the garden is comparable to the antechamber of the holy of holies (Eden) in the cosmic temple complex. It is presented as a real place, but its significance is found in what it represents theologically and literarily. With this understanding, one can appreciate that in the aftermath of the fall, the greatest loss was not paradise but God’s presence. The temple provided for a partial return of that presence, and the antechamber of the temple was reminiscent of the proximity to God’s presence that had once been enjoyed.
