Sermon Tone Analysis

LESSONS FROM THE GARDEN

INTRODUCTION:

Here is the scene: man had just been created.

The LORD God Himself had just formed man from the dust of the ground, and had breathed the very breath of God into the nostrils of man ().

Man stood there on earth for the very first time in human history, stood there in the midst of all the lush green of the forest and the radiant reds, oranges, yellows, blues, purples, whites and all the other colors of the flowers and bushes that displayed their wild beauty.

God now had...

• the universe which He had planned and purposed.

• the man whom He had planned and purposed.

• the perfection—the perfect man and the perfect universe—which He had planned and purposed.

But something else was needed.

Man needed a residence, a home, a place to live.

And this passage which we just read describes the place where man had his beginnings on the earth.

It covers the features which God designed for man's residence or home.

The place is called The Garden of Eden, the most beautiful and bountiful paradise man could ever imagine.

Eden was man's paradise, his utopia.

So tonight, I want to share with you some lessons that we can learn from the Garden of Eden & Adam’s time spent in the garden.

1) The Location of Eden

The first thing that I want to say is that the Garden of Eden was a real place...a real Garden planted by God Himself.

Gen. 2:10-14

Those who don’t believe the bible or take the bible seriously…consider the Garden of Eden to be a fictitious story or just a fairy tale or fable.

They think the Garden is just the Biblical author's imagination of how man first began his life upon earth.

Secular man says that the Biblical author simply pictures man beginning his life in a perfect environment and later failing and beginning to corrupt the earth.

But that’s not what the passage says - the passage clearly teaches that the Garden of Eden was a real, historical place.

Notice the specific direction of the Garden is given: the Garden was planted in the East, in the land of Eden.

But note: this is not what this passage says, nowhere close to what it says.

This passage clearly teaches that the Garden of Eden was a real, historical place—a real, historical Garden created by God Himself.

How can we say this so confidently, so positively?

Because of three clear facts.

1.

The specific direction of the Garden is given: the Garden was planted in the East, in the land of Eden.

When Moses wrote this, he was leading Israel in the wilderness wanderings throughout the great Arabian desert.

East of the Arabian desert would point toward the Arab nations of the Middle East, specifically toward the great fertile plains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

When Moses wrote this, he was leading Israel in the wilderness wanderings throughout the great Arabian desert.

East of the Arabian desert would point toward the Arab nations of the Middle East, specifically toward the great fertile plains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

NOTE: The direction being pointed to is not a fictitious or symbolic land...It is a specific direction and a well known land.

We also see that the general location of the Garden is given ().

Real lands are mentioned: Havilah, Cush (Ethiopia), and Asshur (Assyria).

Real rivers are also given: Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel (KJV) or the Tigris, and the Euphrates.

Apparently, the Garden was somehere close to where the Tigris and Euphrates join.

This would place the Garden in what is known today as southern Iraq.

Here’s the point: the Garden of Eden—man's paradise—lay toward the East and was located around four rivers that flowed through lands or countries well known to the people of that day.

There is nothing fictitious or imaginary about the direction or location of the Garden of Eden.

It was a real, historical place.

Lesson

Why is it important to stress that the Garden of Eden was a real, historical place?

Thought 1 .

Why is it important to stress that the Garden of Eden was a real, historical place?

Why is it important to stress that the Garden of Eden was a real, historical place?

1) If the Garden was a fictitious place, then it means that the fall of man is a myth.

Think about that for a moment

If we believe that the fall of man took place in the Garden of Eden....and if the Garden is unreal...then it means there is no such thing as sin...as man being lost in sin and separated from God.

If the Garden of Eden never existed — then man falling into sin never took place.

2) If the Garden didn’t exist & man didn’t fall into sin — then redemption through Christ isn’t necessary.

Man doesn’t need God or JC to save him…b/c there is nothing that we need saving from.

Think about this - w/o the fall, we don’t need a Savior…and Jesus didn’t need to die.

But I believe the garden of Eden was an actual place that was prepared by God.

Now as I already said…two of the rivers mentioned are familiar to us - the Tigris & Euphrates (, )

2 of the rivers are familiar to us - the Tigris & Euphrates, which flowed ancient Mesopotamia, or modern Iraq (, )

So you may be thinking, does that mean we can find the garden of Eden today?

Probably not.

There is no certainty as to the exact location of the garden of Eden.

We know from scripture that after Adam & Eve’s disobedience…they were removed from the garden & God placed a mighty cherubim to the east of the garden and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life.

()

If it could be found…I don’t believe God would allow anyone to have access to it.

So, if it could be found…I don’t believe God would allow anyone to have access to it.

Also, we must remember the earth of Adam’s day was destroyed by the flood of Noah.

Eden = delight, pleasantness

It could be located geographically...We’re not dealing with fairy tales, but with actual history.

Eden = delight

It describes the ideal circumstances Adam & Eve enjoyed in the garden.

Iow’s, it was paradise…it was the perfect place to live.

Lesson

All of their needs were met…they didn’t have to worry about anything.

Notice that the trees were pleasant to look at…but they were also productive (good for food).

V. 16 tells us Adam was “free to eat from any tree in the garden...”

NOTE: God took care of Adam & Eve.

He provided for all of their physical needs.

Everything they needed was taken care of.

NOTE: God takes care of His people…There will never be a need that God will not meet.

NOTE: We don’t have to worry about God meeting our needs…but if we would be honest, we often worry about the necessities of life.

We don’t have to worry about anything…but if we would be honest, we worry about the necessities of life.

(Food, clothing, shelter)

(Food, clothing, shelter)

We worry if we’re going to have enough.

In , Jesus warns us not to worry…He tells us that worrying is useless & demonstrates a lack of trust in our heavenly Father.

But He tells us in that if we seek God first…He will provide all that we need.

But Jesus tells us that if we seek God first…or above all else…He will provide all that we need.

NOTE: Adam & Eve didn’t have to worry about provision…and it wasn’t until they doubted God’s goodness & believed that God was holding on out them…that they felt like they didn’t have enough.

()

It wasn’t until they doubted God’s goodness & believed that God was holding on out them…that they felt like they didn’t have enough.

It wasn’t until they believed the lie of the enemy & doubted God’s Word that they became discontent.

2) God Gave Man Responsibilities

The first thing that God did with Adam was give him a job.

The first thing that God did with Adam was give him a job.

Adam wasn’t laying around the garden doing nothing.

Adam had the responsibility to cultivate & take care of the garden.

He was also given the task of naming each of the animals ()

Iow’s, he had a physical job as well as a mental job.

NOTE: Work is God’s idea.

It’s not something that man came up with...God instituted work.

Now many people feel that work is a curse, but it’s not.

When we look at , we see that the sweat upon the brow is part of the curse…but work itself is not a curse.

In fact, work began in the context of innocence.