Genesis 2:8
8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Genesis 3:8
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
I find something interesting here… Though I’ve read the account of creation many times, as I am sure you have, I never gave thought to the fact that God specifically “planted a garden”. Nor had I given thought as to “why” God had to plant a garden specifically. I think perhaps I just thought this was “the way God wanted to do it”.
Come with me, think with me, marvel with me! I think most of the time we believe God planted the Garden of Eden for a place for Adam and Eve to live… in which they did. However, I would like to propose to you that God specifically “planted a garden eastward in Eden”, for a place for Himself. A place where He could not only walk in, but where He could commune with His highest creation. God has always been the initiator of His relationship with man. He has always created the invitation for man to come walk with Him. However, God created the Garden of Eden as the first “sanctuary” where man could come into the very presence of God and “walk with Him.” God had to put Adam and Eve out of His “sanctuary” because Adam (who’d been commanded to “keep” or guard the garden had allowed Satan in and subsequently they fell into sin.).
Now fast forward with me a few years, though God’s creation had sinned and could not dwell with God has they had been created to, God had not changed. He still wanted to walk with His creation. So, He tells Moses in Exodus 25:8-9 to have the people make a sanctuary for Him to dwell in according to the pattern He would show Moses. Please read Leviticus 26:11-12. There God tells His people that He would set His tabernacle among them and that He would walk among them and be their God. God has always desired to have a relationship with His creation. He has always desired to make a way for them to commune with Him. God gave them the pattern of first the Tabernacle dwelling of the wilderness and then the Temple that would be built after they had entered the Promised Land.
Now, fast forward with me a few more years later. The physical Temple of Israel had been destroyed. There was no place for God’s people to come to commune with Him. Yet God still desired to walk with His people. His Son had been sent to make the ultimate sacrifice for our sin so that we might … come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 God still desired a place for His people to commune with Him. So, after Jesus physically left this earth, He sent the Comforter or the Holy Spirit to reside in us. We became, the temple of God… His residing place through Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross for our sins, according to 1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? God wants to reside with us. He wants to walk with us. So, ever the pursuant in our relationship with Him, He made a way for us to “walk with Him.” 2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. By, the way, this is a quote from the Leviticus passage I referenced earlier. God wants us to walk with Him. He wants to dwell with us! It has been His purpose from the beginning of creation to walk with us!
Beloved, if we are a blood-washed, born-again temple, should we not strive to keep our bodies, our mind, and spirit holy, so that a holy God can commune with us? If there’s sin in our temple, God cannot commune with us. He cannot walk and talk with us. God made the way for us to talk with Him, but we must do it His way… it’s always had to be His way. He is a HOLY God and as a HOLY God, He cannot share the same space as sin. If there’s sin in your life, confess it and put it under the blood… then come… walk with God.
So, how are you doing? Are you walking with God. In Ephesians 5:2 Paul tells us to, “… walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. The only way we can walk in love is to commune with the Holy Spirit who resides in us if we are a blood washed born-again believer.
Perhaps you’re not a blood-washed, born-again believer. There’s no way that you can have that “walk with God.” You must come to Him through His precious Son, Jesus Christ who not only made the way for God to walk with us but also is the way. God wants to walk with you, beloved. He’s pursuing you… won’t you stop and come alongside Him and walk with Him? If you don't know how to do that, please contact me... I would love to show you how you too can "walk with God."
Marvel with me, dear friend....though we, God's creation, have changed, He has not... He still wants to commune with you and me! Awesome!
Molly Winter
Col. 1:9-10
My Comments: This really ties in with the Seeking Him Bible study I have been doing, particularly the week on holiness. I find there are so many areas of my life where I must be pursuing holiness.
8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Genesis 3:8
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
I find something interesting here… Though I’ve read the account of creation many times, as I am sure you have, I never gave thought to the fact that God specifically “planted a garden”. Nor had I given thought as to “why” God had to plant a garden specifically. I think perhaps I just thought this was “the way God wanted to do it”.
Come with me, think with me, marvel with me! I think most of the time we believe God planted the Garden of Eden for a place for Adam and Eve to live… in which they did. However, I would like to propose to you that God specifically “planted a garden eastward in Eden”, for a place for Himself. A place where He could not only walk in, but where He could commune with His highest creation. God has always been the initiator of His relationship with man. He has always created the invitation for man to come walk with Him. However, God created the Garden of Eden as the first “sanctuary” where man could come into the very presence of God and “walk with Him.” God had to put Adam and Eve out of His “sanctuary” because Adam (who’d been commanded to “keep” or guard the garden had allowed Satan in and subsequently they fell into sin.).
Now fast forward with me a few years, though God’s creation had sinned and could not dwell with God has they had been created to, God had not changed. He still wanted to walk with His creation. So, He tells Moses in Exodus 25:8-9 to have the people make a sanctuary for Him to dwell in according to the pattern He would show Moses. Please read Leviticus 26:11-12. There God tells His people that He would set His tabernacle among them and that He would walk among them and be their God. God has always desired to have a relationship with His creation. He has always desired to make a way for them to commune with Him. God gave them the pattern of first the Tabernacle dwelling of the wilderness and then the Temple that would be built after they had entered the Promised Land.
Now, fast forward with me a few more years later. The physical Temple of Israel had been destroyed. There was no place for God’s people to come to commune with Him. Yet God still desired to walk with His people. His Son had been sent to make the ultimate sacrifice for our sin so that we might … come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 God still desired a place for His people to commune with Him. So, after Jesus physically left this earth, He sent the Comforter or the Holy Spirit to reside in us. We became, the temple of God… His residing place through Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross for our sins, according to 1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? God wants to reside with us. He wants to walk with us. So, ever the pursuant in our relationship with Him, He made a way for us to “walk with Him.” 2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. By, the way, this is a quote from the Leviticus passage I referenced earlier. God wants us to walk with Him. He wants to dwell with us! It has been His purpose from the beginning of creation to walk with us!
Beloved, if we are a blood-washed, born-again temple, should we not strive to keep our bodies, our mind, and spirit holy, so that a holy God can commune with us? If there’s sin in our temple, God cannot commune with us. He cannot walk and talk with us. God made the way for us to talk with Him, but we must do it His way… it’s always had to be His way. He is a HOLY God and as a HOLY God, He cannot share the same space as sin. If there’s sin in your life, confess it and put it under the blood… then come… walk with God.
So, how are you doing? Are you walking with God. In Ephesians 5:2 Paul tells us to, “… walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. The only way we can walk in love is to commune with the Holy Spirit who resides in us if we are a blood washed born-again believer.
Perhaps you’re not a blood-washed, born-again believer. There’s no way that you can have that “walk with God.” You must come to Him through His precious Son, Jesus Christ who not only made the way for God to walk with us but also is the way. God wants to walk with you, beloved. He’s pursuing you… won’t you stop and come alongside Him and walk with Him? If you don't know how to do that, please contact me... I would love to show you how you too can "walk with God."
Marvel with me, dear friend....though we, God's creation, have changed, He has not... He still wants to commune with you and me! Awesome!
Molly Winter
Col. 1:9-10
My Comments: This really ties in with the Seeking Him Bible study I have been doing, particularly the week on holiness. I find there are so many areas of my life where I must be pursuing holiness.
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