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It is notable in the Bible that there were some important events that took place, and some of the most important events took place in a garden. We’ll look at the connections between three gardens throughout the Bible and how they are part of God’s eternal plan.
The Garden of Eden
Genesis 2:7-9 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (8) And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. (9) And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
The reason we know that all the evil actions of people are no fault of God is because God created man and woman perfectly with a perfect environment.
Many ask, “Why didn’t God stop it?” He had already tried to, and because He was not willing to be a tyrannical and controlling God, He allowed people to make a choice and thus suffer the consequences.
Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Problems in the Garden of Eden
Genesis 3:1-3 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (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.
God didn’t say don’t touch it, He said, Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. No doubt satan picked up on the fact that Eve did not know the word of God. This is why it’s important to know what God said, and not what we think He said!
Genesis 3:4 – 5 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
“Ye shall not surely die…” This is the first lie recorded in the word of God. The first lie to be believed was the lie believed by Lucifer that he could overthrow God. Jesus tells us how that ended up. Luke 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Genesis 3:6 – 7 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
John later refers to this mindset in 1st John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Genesis 1st John
“The tree was good for food” = “the lust of the flesh”
“and that it was pleasant to the eyes” = “the lust of the eyes”
“and a tree to be desired to make one wise” = “the pride of life”
God’s Solution
Genesis 3:23-24 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. (24) So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
God did not want people to live forever under the penalty of sin so, in His mercy, He drove them away from the tree of life while simultaneously imposing the proper punishments upon the guilty parties.
The Garden of Gethsemane
Matthew 26:36-39 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. (37) And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. (38) Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. (39) And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
This is where Jesus made the final decision to go through with the will of God that He may provide a way of salvation from the penalty of sin to whosoever will!
Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Jesus went through all of this because of what happened in the Garden of Eden. Why did Jesus have to do this? It was to deliver us from the penalty of sin that the rest of the world will face.
Galatians 1:4-5 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (5) To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Jesus has a continuing work to do. Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
God’s Heavenly Garden
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Revelation 22:1-2 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
The tree of life hasn’t been partaken of by people since it was in the Garden of Eden, and now it will be partaken of for all eternity by those who place their faith, love, and obedience in the finished work of Jesus Christ!
This is why Paul says we are “…partakers of the heavenly calling…” and that we are to “…consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus”! (Hebrews 3:1)
We can be partakers of the tree of life in God’s heavenly garden because Jesus made up His mind in the Garden of Gethsemane to correct the problem that started in the Garden of Eden by dying on the cross for our sins and making a way for us to escape the penalty of sin!
Have you made up your mind to die to sin in your life and make Jesus your savior? Are you letting Him take away the spiritual spots and wrinkles of unholy behaviors and mindsets in your life? This is the only way to receive the reward that is set before us and to be an eternal partaker of the tree of life!
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Pastor Fulmer
Pastor Fulmer's Blog 