Blog : God the Gardener

God the Gardener

11/2/2009 5:32 pm

Genesis 2:8-9

"And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 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." KJB

This is the very first account of our Bible as God being the Gardener which planted the Garden of Eden. Notice something, He did not create it, but He planted it. Notice also, "...every tree that is pleasant to the sight..." and that every tree was "...good for food..." and that there was a tree which is called the "...tree of life..." which was the very same tree in which Eve ate from when she and Adam sinned against their God and creator. There was also a great river in the midst of the Garden which was used "...to water the garden...". (vs. 10).

Notice the picture if you will of what John the Revelator said about the throne of God and the river which flowed from it. For we read; "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. 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." (Revelation 22:1-2) KJB. Because of the wording, one cannot help but think that when He kicked Adam and Eve from the Garden, He removed it and placed it in heaven, because what John is describing seems to be what God said about the Garden in Genesis.

All of the heavenly pictures of God in His garden with Adam and Eve was halted when man sinned, breaking the sweet fellowship that man once had with His creator. We read about this and the story picks up: "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." (Genesis 3:

KJB. They both knew that they had sinned against God and they both tried to hide from Him but I know that our God knew exactly where they were and He only wanted them to come forth and confess their sin but what did they do? They blamed someone else for their sin. Adam blamed Eve and said: "...the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." (vs 12) and then Eve said: "...The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." (vs. 13). Then the culmination of what they did came down to only recourse for the Father to do: He kicked them out of the Garden cursed the ground because of it. (vs. 23).

Now, many years later in yet another Garden, seems that Jesus the Creator loved gardens, we read this account. "He went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples" (John 18:1). This is none other than the Garden Gethsemane. While our Lord went to pray, Jesus told them to wait but they soon fell asleep, once again, as did Adam and Eve, leaving Him alone in a garden. He had "...withdrawn from them about a stone's cast..." (Luke 22:41) and it was there that He "...offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears..." (Hebrews 5

). It was there, alone, because the disciples fell asleep, that He was in such agony that we read this: "...and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke 22:44b) KJB.

But I want you to notice something about Luke's words here. There is a teaching that says Jesus shed blood in the garden because His stress was so great but is that what Luke saying? Most skim over the words he said, but notice the short phrase "...like as it were...". Now, does that phrase say He shed blood? NO, it doesn't, but what it does say, is that the sweat He shed was so thick that it looked like blood not blood itself. Just a side note to peak your thinking a tad.

It was in this garden He was brought face to face with what He was sent to do, to die for man so that man could once again, walk with Him in the garden or be in fellowship with the Father/Creator. He asked the Father three times to take away the cup but He also said, "...not my will, but thine be done...".

There was yet another garden which the Creator would be alone for we read: "Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand." (John 19:41-42) KJB. Our Creator had walked alone in the first garden (seeking Adam and Eve), He prayed alone in the second garden (before He was taken to die) and He was buried alone in the third garden (dying for His own). However, we have read earlier that there will be another Garden and it will be in the new "paradise of God" where the pure river flows and the same tree of life from the first Garden grows for all eternity, (which I feel He transplanted there, taking it from the first garden). It is there that "...His servants shall serve Him..." and even reign with Him "...for ever and ever..." (Revelation 2

; 22:1-3, 5). What a glorious day that will be as we "walk with Him in the Garden" which He planted originally for Adam and Eve. AMEN.

What about you, will you be there, and walk with Him? If not, why not?

By Dr. Terry Cleaveland, Pastor (retired), Preacher, Teacher of God's Holy Word, Grand Junction, Co.
Used with permission

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