A Good Beginning

Genesis 2:5–17 NIV

5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Introduction

A prequel

God’s Perfect Creation

Genesis 2:4–15 NIV

4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. 5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

A Place of Providence

God’s supremacy and control are demonstrated

God is active in the miracle of creation, but he is also active in the ordinary process of growth

v. 5 “for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth”

Surrounding cultures would call the river and the rains gods. God’s creation account shows that he is the only true God. The waters respond to his authority.

A Place of Beauty

A mountain forest with flowing streams

A Place of Fellowship – The Garden Temple

On a mountain

In Jerusalem

In eternity

In the garden

Structure

Temple/Tabernacle

Camp

Outer court

Holy place

Cherubic veil

Holy of Holies

Garden

Earth

Eden

Garden

Tree of Life

God’s Planned Priest

Glorious Dirt

Genesis 2:7 NIV

7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Royal Priests

Exercise Dominion

Keep and care

Gen 2:15 “15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

Num 3:7-8 “7 They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. 8 They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle.”

Obedient Subjects

Genesis 2:16–17 NIV

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Two Trees

Gen 2:9 “9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

Simple Command

Don’t eat of the tree

The tree is not inherently bad (“it was good”)

Adam and Eve are called to take pleasure in God himself. The tree of knowledge provided an opportunity for mankind to either accept that all that is good is found in God or declare that they might know better.

The tree ultimately is supposed to lead to worship.

“You have given everything to me that is good and I will not seek good through my own knowledge and wisdom.”

In front of Adam and Eve is eternal pleasure in fellowship with God. To experience this everlasting pleasure, all they must do is look for it only in him and what he has given to them.

God’s Purpose Today

What happened?

Come back in two weeks!

Recognize that True Joy is found in the presence of God

Psalm 16:11 (NIV)

You make known to me the path of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence,

with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Where is God’s presence?

Do you long for Eden?

Is this communion with God something for the past and the future but not for today?

Is it found by going to a garden and communing with God in nature?

It is not the natural beauty of the garden that makes it special; it is the presence of God.

Fellowship with God as he makes his presence known in his church

Matthew 18:19–20 NIV

19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Ephesians 2:19–22 NIV

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

When the AH tells us not give up on meeting together; he is calling us to experience a taste of Eden and a taste of eternity

Hebrews 10:23–25 NIV

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.