The Father's Garden, EDEN

In the eternal heart of God, a Garden flourishes—not merely a place, but His divine dwelling, HE CALLS EDEN.

We, His image-bearers, are but sojourners in this earthly realm, citizens of Heaven and ambassadors for Christ, tasked with reflecting His glory for His DELIGHT and PLEASURE. (Remember those two words)

Prepare to have your spirit stirred as I use the Word of God to unveil the unchanging plan of the Gardener, whose zeal will ultimately expand His Kingdom until the entire earth is covered with His radiant glory.

He’s just begun to build EDEN.

God’s Eternal Garden: From Delight Lost to Glory Restored

“Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, toward the east; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.” (Genesis 2:8)

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-2)

The Garden That Never Changed in God’s Heart

There is a garden.

Not was. Not will be. IS.

A garden that existed before the foundation of the world in the eternal mind of God. A garden that was planted in space and time in Genesis 2. A garden that was lost in Genesis 3. A garden that is being restored through Christ. A garden that will be fully manifested in Revelation 21-22.

The same garden. The same plan. The same purpose.

Because God does not change.

Malachi 3:6 - “For I, the LORD, do not change.”

Hebrews 13:8 - “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

James 1:17 - “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

God’s plan has never changed. His desire has never shifted. His purpose has never been thwarted.

From eternity past to eternity future, there is ONE PLAN:

EDEN—the Garden of Delight—where God fellowships with His image-bearers in perfect love, joy, peace, and glory forever.

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What “Garden of Eden” Actually Means

(Eden) = Delight, Pleasure, Abundant Bliss

Not merely “a nice place.”

EDEN = the location and experience of SUPREME PLEASURE in the PRESENCE OF GOD.

(Gan) = Garden—An Enclosed, Protected, Cultivated Place

Not wilderness. Not random nature. A GARDEN:

- Enclosed (protected, safe, defined)

- Cultivated (intentionally designed, purposefully planted)

- Abundant (fruit trees, rivers, beauty, provision)

- Relational (a place for God to WALK with His creation)

(Gan-Eden) = “Garden of Delight”

The place where:

- God dwells with humanity
- Perfect provision flows
- Beauty and glory manifest
- Fellowship is unbroken
- Joy is complete
- Life is eternal

This is not primarily a LOCATION—it’s a RELATIONSHIP.

Eden is wherever God is, fellowshipping with His people, in perfect delight and pleasure.

Can you imagine mocking Eden? To scoff at the very heart of God's delight, to scorn the blueprint of perfect fellowship and abundant life?

Such a thought is a stark reminder of the profound chasm between human folly and divine wisdom. For Eden is not merely a place, but the eternal expression of God's unchanging plan, a Kingdom destined to expand until His glory covers the earth.

To mock Eden is to mock the Gardener Himself, whose zeal will ensure His Garden's ultimate and glorious restoration.

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The Lens Change: From “This World” to “His Kingdom”

Most people read the Bible through the WRONG LENS.

They read it through the lens of “this world”:

- Fallen
- Broken
- Temporary
- Corrupted by sin
- Under Satan’s dominion
- Subject to death

From this lens, the story looks like:

God creates Eden (good)

Man sins, loses Eden (bad)

History = struggle to get back to Eden

Jesus saves us so we can go to “heaven” someday

Eventually God makes a “new earth” that’s kind of like Eden again

But this lens is WRONG.

The Correct Lens: God’s Eternal Kingdom

The Bible must be read through the lens of GOD’S KINGDOM—which never changed, never fell, and is being progressively REVEALED and RESTORED on earth as it eternally exists in heaven.

From this lens, the story looks like:

1. ETERNITY PAST: God’s Plan Established

Ephesians 1:4 - “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”

Before creation, God planned:

- His Garden (Eden)
- His Image-bearers (humanity)
- His Son as Redeemer (the Second Adam)
- His Bride (the Church)
- His Kingdom (eternal fellowship in delight)

2. GENESIS 1-2: God’s Plan Begins

God plants the Garden of Eden as a PROTOTYPE—a TEMPLATE—of what the entire earth was meant to become.

Genesis 1:28 - “God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it.’”

The command was clear:

- Start in the Garden
- Spread the Garden
- Fill the earth with Eden’s delight
- Extend God’s dwelling place to cover all creation

Eden was never meant to be a small, isolated garden. It was meant to EXPAND until the whole earth became the Garden of God.

3. GENESIS 3: The Plan Interrupted (But Not Defeated)

Sin enters. Adam fails. Humanity falls.

But God’s plan doesn’t CHANGE—it incorporates the Fall into a GREATER display of glory.

Romans 5:20 - “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”

The Garden is lost—temporarily.

But God’s plan to fill the earth with His Garden of Delight remains unchanged.

4. THE OLD TESTAMENT: Echoes of Eden

Throughout the Old Testament, God keeps revealing His Garden plan:

- Noah’s Ark = a floating Eden (salvation through water, animals preserved, God’s presence, new beginning)

- The Tabernacle = portable Eden (God dwelling with His people, cherubim guarding, river flowing from it in Ezekiel’s vision)

- The Temple = permanent Eden (God’s house, glory filling it, bronze sea representing rivers, palm trees and pomegranates carved everywhere)

- Israel as a nation = called to be a “Garden of the LORD” (Isaiah 51:3), a light to nations, displaying God’s glory

But all these were SHADOWS, TYPES, PREVIEWS of the TRUE EDEN coming in Christ.

5. JESUS CHRIST: The Tree of Life, The True Vine, The Second Adam

Jesus is not just the Redeemer. He IS the Garden.

John 15:1 - “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”

Jesus = the TREE OF LIFE (Genesis 2:9, Revelation 22:2)

Jesus = the VINE (Isaiah 5:1-7 fulfilled)

Jesus = the SECOND ADAM (1 Corinthians 15:45)

Jesus = the SOURCE of LIVING WATER (John 7:37-38)

Wherever Jesus is, EDEN IS.

John 7:37-38 - “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.”’”

Revelation 22:17 - “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”

In Christ, the Garden is RESTORED—not as a physical location (yet), but as a SPIRITUAL REALITY.

Colossians 1:13 - “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.”

We are ALREADY in the Garden—IN CHRIST.

6. THE CHURCH: The New Humanity, The Glorified Saints, The Bride

The Church is not Plan B. The Church is the fulfillment of God’s ORIGINAL PLAN.

Ephesians 2:10 - “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

The Church is:

- The Second Adam’s Bride (Genesis 2:18-24 fulfilled in Ephesians 5:25-32)

- The New Humanity (2 Corinthians 5:17 - “new creature”)

- God’s Image Restored (Colossians 3:10 - “renewed…after the image of Him”)

- One Mature Man in Christ (Ephesians 4:13 - “mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ”)

- The Unity of THE Faith (Ephesians 4:13 - “the unity of THE faith”—Jesus Himself)

- The Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27)

- The Bride Made Holy (Ephesians 5:27 - “holy and blameless”)

All by GRACE. All by HIS WORK. All for HIS GLORY.

7. THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM: Eden Restored on Earth

Revelation 20:1-6 - Christ will reign on earth for 1,000 years with His glorified Bride.

Isaiah 11:6-9 - “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb…for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

Isaiah 35:1-2 - “The wilderness and the desert will be glad, and the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it will blossom profusely and rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy.”

The whole earth becomes the Garden again.

8. THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH: Eden Perfected Forever

Revelation 21:1-4 - “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away…and I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.’”

Revelation 22:1-5 - The river of life, the tree of life, no more curse, His servants will serve Him, they will see His face, and they will reign forever and ever.

EDEN RESTORED. EDEN PERFECTED. EDEN ETERNAL.

Not a return to Genesis 2. An ADVANCEMENT to something GREATER—because now it includes:

- The glory of Christ’s redemption

- The display of God’s grace

- The testimony of the Bride’s transformation

- The eternal proof that GOD ACCOMPLISHES ALL THINGS

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God’s Plan Never Changed—Only Our Perspective Did

Here is the truth that will transform how you read Scripture:

God’s plan was ALWAYS:

Create image-bearers (humanity)

Plant them in Eden (Garden of Delight)

Fellowship with them (walk in the cool of the day)

Expand Eden to cover the earth (be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth)

Reign with them forever (co-regents in His Kingdom)

Sin interrupted this plan—but did not defeat it.

Christ REDEEMED the plan—and made it MORE GLORIOUS.

Now the plan includes:

- The demonstration of God’s justice (sin judged at the cross)

- The demonstration of God’s love (Jesus died for enemies)

- The demonstration of God’s grace (undeserved salvation)

- The demonstration of God’s power (resurrection, transformation)

- The demonstration of God’s wisdom (redemption through the cross)

- The demonstration of God’s glory (weak vessels transformed, displaying His strength)

The Garden of Eden you read about in Genesis 2 was never God’s FINAL PLAN.

It was His BEGINNING PLAN—the prototype of what the whole earth was meant to become.

And because God does not change, that plan WILL BE FULFILLED.

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The Significance of This Lens Change

When you read the Bible through the lens of “God’s unchanging Garden plan,” everything shifts:

From “This World” Lens:

- We’re trying to get BACK to Eden

- Heaven is somewhere FAR AWAY

- Earth is temporary and disposable

- The goal is to ESCAPE this world

- The Kingdom is FUTURE ONLY

- Our focus is SURVIVAL until Jesus returns

To “His Kingdom” Lens:

- We’re part of God EXPANDING Eden to cover the earth

- Heaven is God’s realm BREAKING INTO earth

- Earth is being REDEEMED and RESTORED

- The goal is to REIGN with Christ in His Kingdom

- The Kingdom is NOW (spiritually) and COMING (physically)

- Our focus is CO-LABORING with Christ as His Bride being prepared

This changes EVERYTHING:

- How you read Scripture
- How you understand salvation
- How you view the Church
- How you anticipate Christ’s return
- How you live today

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What This Series Will Explore

In the articles that follow, we will excavate layer by layer:

1. God’s Character and Nature

- He does not change (Malachi 3:6)
- His plan is eternal (Ephesians 1:4)
- His Word will be fulfilled (Isaiah 55:11)

2. Eden’s Original Design

- Delight and pleasure in God’s presence
- Fellowship between God and humanity
- Abundance and provision without cost
- The Tree of Life (Jesus)
- Rivers of living water (the Spirit)

3. The Second Adam (Jesus Christ)

- The New Humanity
- The True Vine
- The Tree of Life
- The Source of Living Water

4. The Bride of Christ

- Made holy, righteous, spotless, blameless by GRACE
- One Mature Man in Christ
- The Unity of THE Faith
- The Body of Christ
- Co-heirs and co-regents with Him

5. The Restoration and Expansion of Eden

- The Millennial Kingdom
- The New Heaven and New Earth
- Eden covering the entire earth
- God dwelling with humanity forever

6. Living as Citizens of the Garden NOW

- Already translated into His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13)
- Already seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6)
- Already partakers of divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)
- Already ambassadors of the King (2 Corinthians 5:20)

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GOD IS THE GARDENER

He planted Eden. He tends it. He protects it. He expands it. He will complete it.

Isaiah 9:7 - “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”

THE ZEAL OF THE LORD OF HOSTS WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS.

Not human effort. Not human wisdom. Not human strength.

GOD will accomplish His plan for His Garden.

We are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)—the plants in His Garden, the image-bearers being transformed into the image of Christ, the Bride being prepared for the Bridegroom, the living stones being built into His eternal temple.

Revelation 21:3 - “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.”

This is the Garden restored.

This is Eden expanded to cover the earth.

This is the fulfillment of God’s eternal, unchanging plan.

And the invitation is extended to ALL who are thirsty:

Revelation 22:17 - “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.’”

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The Journey Begins

In the articles that follow, we will walk through this Garden—exploring its beauty, understanding its purpose, marveling at the Gardener’s wisdom, and preparing as the Bride for the Bridegroom’s return.

We will see that everything—from Genesis to Revelation, from creation to new creation, from the first Adam to the Second Adam, from the Garden lost to the Garden restored—is ONE CONTINUOUS STORY of:

GOD’S UNCHANGING PLAN TO DWELL WITH HIS PEOPLE IN DELIGHT, PLEASURE, AND GLORY FOREVER.

The Garden never left God’s heart.

And soon—very soon—it will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 2:14 - “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

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“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria

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