Seven Mountains.1

Embrace Eden’s Intent - Paradise = God’s Presence

Bible Passage: Genesis 2–3, Ezekiel 28:13–14, Exodus 15:17, Exodus 25:8, Revelation 21:22

Summary: This sermon series explores the significance of seven biblical mountains—Eden, Ararat, Moriah, Horeb/Sinai, Carmel, Calvary, and Olives—as pivotal locations where encounters with God transformed lives and shaped the course of biblical history.

Application: Understanding the significance of these mountains encourages Christians to recognize the spiritual highs and lows in their own lives, urging them to seek God in both triumph and trial. It serves as a reminder that each peak and valley serves a purpose in God’s plan for personal and communal growth.

How this passage could point us to Christ: The connection of these mountains culminates in Christ, who fulfilled the Law at Sinai, was transfigured on Mount Hermon, and ultimately conquered sin and death at Calvary, and Mt Olives with both the ascension and second coming. Each mountain serves as a metaphor for Jesus' mission, showing that every pivotal moment in Scripture points to Him.

1. Eden: God's Perfect Design

Genesis 2:8–15 “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 the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”

What would you consider paradise? God defines paradise as His Sacred Space, His very presence. Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”” wherever Jesus is is paradise.

We start out exploring the Garden of Eden as the first mountain where humanity encountered God in perfect communion. Despite the fall, Eden represents God’s original intent for humanity—a relationship marked by intimacy and obedience, dominion, and loyalty.

Eden was the ideal dwelling place, designed for unity with God. Jesus, for the Christian, is Eden in the sense that in Him we dwell in life Acts 17:28a “28 for in Him we live and move and have our being” Colossians 3:3 “3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

2. Eden was an Elevated Place

Genesis 2:10–14 “10 Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.”

The pre-flood geography included rivers and areas with modern names. The Tigris (Hiddekel) and Euphrates remain (at least in name) the others disappeared in the flood. In order for rivers to flow out of Eden it would have to have been a raised place.

The river that went out of Eden watered the garden that was east of Eden. It provided life and brought growth.

Satan entered that perfect environment Genesis 3:1 “1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”” He was cunning - Satan didn’t tempt Adam and Eve to murder, steal or lie… He tempted them to question the word of God; his tactics haven’t changed. He was a serpent and God cursed him to crawl on the ground - a snake has no arms, a snake has no feet; Satan’s been disarmed and defeated.

3. Eden: The Holy Mountain

Ezekiel 28:13–14 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created. 14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.”

Eden was more than just a raised location - it was the holy mountain of God.

In Eden Adam had a job, to tend and to keep. Genesis 2:15 “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” He was to tend - to serve, work, accomplish the tasks; and to keep, to guard, watch over. He was to serve on the holy mountain and maintain its sanctity.

Exodus 3:12 “So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.””

Psalm 100:2 “Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.”

Much like the description of a priest, he would be serving the living God in His temple, Eden.

4. Eden to Tabernacle: God Among Us

Exodus 15:17 “17 You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O Lord, which You have made For Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.” - Moses’ song of the triumph of God over Egypt and the future placement of Israel in the land.

Exodus 25:8 “8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” - the pattern of the earthly tabernacle was a sacred space for God to dwell among His people.

Even though Eden was now closed, God still desired to dwell with men. He made a temple with features like the garden of Eden:

God’s presence moved among his people in both spaces—walking about in Eden and among Israel before and in the tabernacle.

Both the garden and the tabernacle were entered from the east.

After humanity’s expulsion from Eden, cherubim guarded the garden to prevent reentry; cherubim also appeared prominently in the tabernacle, where they were closely associated with guarding God’s presence.

In Eden, the fruit of the tree of life and the rivers flowing through the garden bestowed life, while in the tabernacle, life came through sacrificial offerings.

The menorah in the tabernacle appears to have functioned as a stylized tree of life.

Later biblical passages connected the temple with life-giving water (Eze 47:8), a symbolism reaching its culmination in Revelation 22:1–2, which describes the river of life flowing from God’s throne with the tree of life planted on both sides.

The precious materials used in constructing the tabernacle—gold, onyx, and bdellium—also appear in the Eden narrative.

The garden was where God could tabernacle with man. The earthly tabernacle was a replica and was on God’s terms.

- Priests to serve Him there (tend and keep). The verbs describing Adam’s work in Eden appear elsewhere in the Pentateuch only when describing Levitical duties in the tabernacle, depicting Adam as the original high priest abiding in Eden, the original holy of holies.

Eze 40-43 describes the Millennial Temple. A paradise restored

Ezekiel’s Temple Vision

a vision of Eden restored

God’s presence dwells

Faces East

Guarded by Cherubim

On a Mountain

From which a River Flows

Trees bear fruit / leaves bring healing

5. Eden Restored: New Creation Hope

Revelation 21:22 “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”

Revelation 22:1–5 “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.”

The temple mount is the place on earth where we encounter the presence of God. He tabernacles with His people. It is the place where life flows from.