Okay, you can turn in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 2. Genesis chapter 2, I'll read beginning in verse 4 to the end of the chapter, and then our focus tonight is the man placed in the garden in verses 4 to 14. So beginning in verse 4, this is the history of the heavens and the earth, when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground.

But a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. And

Man Formed from Dust: Image and Creature

the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 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.

Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. The name of the first is Pishon. It is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good.

The Delium and the Onyx Stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon. It is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Hittikal.

It is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates. Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him. Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, That was its name.

So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept. And he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place.

Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman, and he brought her to the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

And they were both naked, the man and his wife. And we're not ashamed. Amen. Well,

Introduction and Sermon Overview

as we continue through this particular chapter, as I said tonight, we're going to look at the man placed in the garden in verses 4 to 14. And then in verses 15 to 17, we'll see the man placed in a covenant of works. And then in verses 18 to the end of the chapter, the man is given a help meat. one comparable to Him to assist Him in the task that God had given in terms of exercising dominion and expanding the garden temple to encompass the entirety of the earth. We see that this was, in fact, short-lived.

As we get into chapter 3, they succumb to temptation, and they ultimately rebel against God. They do not operate by faith in the Word of God, but rather, they would rather be like God. And thus, they reject the Lord, they resist the Word, and they plunge posterity into sin. But let's look at this man Adam placed in the garden.

Creation of Man (verses 4–7)

First, we want to look at the creation of man in verses 4 to 7, and then secondly, the preparation of the garden in verses 8 to 14. Now, the garden obviously is the place of probation, that place where Adam would be placed in that covenant of works and given that prohibition. against eating the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You've probably heard me say in the past that the garden functions as well as the first temple. So I want to draw that out a bit tonight, but we'll first look at the creation of man in verses 4 to 7.

The Toledoth Formula and Divine Name

Now, if you look at verse 4, I introduced this last time. It says, this is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created. in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. This convention, this literary convention, this is the history of the heavens and the earth. This is the history of, or these are the generations of.

It's the Hebrew word, toledoth, and it will occur several times from here on out in the narrative. We see it in chapter 5, chapter 6, chapter 10, chapter 11, twice. chapter 25 twice, chapter 36 twice, and chapter 37. And typically it introduces what follows. Some have suggested that here it sort of brackets what we have in the previous verses because verse 4 of chapter 2 sounds very much like verse 1 of chapter 1.

But rather than seeing it that way, we ought to look at 1.1 to 2.3 as introduction to the book as a whole. It's sort of offset. And then in 2.4, we have this idea of these are the generations of, or this is the history, and specifically of the heavens and the earth when they were created. As well, I've mentioned that this isn't a separate creation account.

We've already been told that Adam was made. We've already been told that God created man, male and female, in Genesis chapter 1, verses 26 to 28. What we have there is a general statement, and now what we have in chapter 2 is sort of an exploration and development and an expansion of the creation of Adam on the sixth day. It gets into the nitty-gritty.

It gets into the specific details, and it shows us how God made him and what God did with him after He made him. And I want you to notice as well in verse 4, the name, the Lord God, Yahweh Elohim. This is the first time we see this in the narrative up to this point. Elohim means God.

It is what He is. Yahweh is who He is. It is the covenant Lord. It is the One who has revealed Himself to His people via His Word.

Specifically, as well, He reveals Himself through His Son in the New Covenant. So we have a reference here to Yahweh Elohim. Now, God will reveal that name in Exodus 3.14 to Moses specifically, and when we get to that, the Lord willing, we'll explore that that name in a bit more detail. But just suffice to say, that does sort of dominate the narrative from this point on, at least in this section.

The Lord God. Now note the creation of man in verses 5 to 7. The narrator, the author, Moses, focuses on the third day. Notice in verses 5 and 6.

Before any plant of the field was in the earth, and before any herb of the field had grown, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground. But a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground." That explains for us, verse 6, how everything managed to live. If there was no rain, how could God sustain the earth? Well, there was this mist that came up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.

Now when we get to Noah and the flood, obviously God opens the windows of heaven and He sends rain to destroy the earth. But this does explain how God sustained the earth prior to rain and prior to man and his cultivation of the earth. Now, why only the third day is indicated here, I think, is precisely this. The emphasis in this part of the narrative is on verse 7.

He doesn't deal with the sea. He doesn't deal with the sky. He doesn't deal with all those particular things. He simply deals with the land and then the ruler over that land, specifically man.

So verse 7 tells us, the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. So as I said, the sole emphasis on the land in verses 5 to 7 paves the way for the emphasis of verse 7, I'm sorry, 5 and 6, land, verse 7, the man, and then the man as he is in the garden, as he is in the covenant of works, and as he has been given this wife, and as he enters ultimately into sin. So man is the highlight. The account is not another but an expansion of what is given in chapter 1.

John Salehammer says, what the author had stated as a simple fact in chapter 1, man, male and female, was created in God's likeness, is explained and developed throughout the narrative of chapter 2. Now note here as well, chapter 1 we are told that God made man in His image. Here, we're told that God formed man of the dust of the ground. There's no contradiction.

There's no discrepancy. It is simply detailing more specifically how God fashioned man. But there in chapter 1, we see that man is like God. He is created in the image of God, but here in 2.7, we learn that he's also unlike God.

He is not creator, he is creature. He owes his existence to the sovereign God, the one God alone who is able to create, and he has more in connection or more in unity with the dirt of the ground, on the one hand, than he does with Almighty God. So, the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground. This also anticipates chapter 3, verse 19, when Adam is cursed.

In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you are taken, for dust you are, and to dust you shall return. So he is both like God in terms of being made in the image of God, but he's unlike God. We are creature. We are formed from the dust of the ground.

And we see how God then breathes into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. Gordon Wenham says, man is more than a God-shaped piece of earth. He has within him the gift of life that was given by God himself. Now the same breath that is in man is the same breath that animates animals, but man is highlighted because man bears the image of God.

Certainly animals have a physical being, animals have a heart, animals have a circulatory system, they breathe. But what is sort of on display here is the dignity of man, but as well the creatureliness of man, and he does have dignity under God. Now

Preparation of the Garden (verses 8–14)

note, secondly, the preparation of the garden in verses 8 to 14. Notice in verse 8, the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, Now it seems to me that Eden was a larger portion of land and that the garden was planted in it. Now God didn't plant the garden the way that you and I plant the garden. He didn't go down to Home Depot He didn't buy seeds, he didn't buy a little spade, he didn't buy a bucket, he didn't buy a bonnet, and then he didn't go home and he didn't turn the dirt and plant the seed.

It's an anthropomorphism. It's speaking to us in the manner of man to tell us or to lead us by the hand as to how God dealt with Adam. So the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. So he planted the garden in Eden.

And again, Sailhammer says, the word Eden appears to be a specific place. And since in the Hebrew Bible the word means delight, we may assume that the name was intended to evoke a picture of idyllic delight and rest. It was a paradise-type place. It was a wonderful garden place that God had created. and then notice that God puts the man there whom He had formed.

Now, if you'll follow as I lead us through the discussion of this garden being the first temple, I think we learn from this particular situation that God made man for fellowship with God. In other words, that is the purpose for which we were created. The Shorter Catechism asks the question, what is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

We were created for communion with God. Now certainly chapter 3 introduces a breach or a rupture in that intended plan. The glory of God is revealed throughout Scripture in that He remedies that through the second or rather last Adam. The Adam the first plunges us into sin.

Adam the last, the Lord Jesus Christ, brings many sons to glory. But the purpose for which God made us was so that we would fellowship with Him, so that we would commune with Him, so that we would be in His presence.

The Garden as Place of Communion

God formed this this man, he planted this garden, and then he brings the man to the garden so that God and the man can commune together. This is the fundamental reason why we exist. Not just us as believers, but unbelievers as well. There's evangelistic sort of rationale here.

When we go to sinners, we tell them, You are supposed to want God. You are supposed to commune with God. You are supposed to fellowship with God, but because of sin and depravity and wickedness and wretchedness, you rebel, you reject, and you resist Him. The way of return or the way to Him is through the Lord Jesus Christ, the power of the Christian gospel.

So God initiates contact with His creature, specifically Adam, by planting this garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.

Abundance in the Garden and the Two Trees

Notice as well the abundance in the garden. Verse 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." Now those two trees anticipate what follows in the rest of the narrative. So we'll visit those trees in more detail when we move to that particular section.

But here suffice to say, or it's sufficient to say, that what we have in verse 9 shows us there was no reason whatsoever for Adam and Eve to disobey God. In other words, they should not have reached out and taken the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There were plenty of trees. There was plenty of fruit.

There was an abundance of food. Man resisted and man rejected the Lord God. who had given Him everything. And so we see in this an exacerbation of the sinfulness of man. We are given all good things by our God, and nevertheless we go after that which He has prohibited us from having.

And then notice, with reference to the water for the garden in verses 10 to 14. Now, there's a whole lot of ink on where these rivers are And I will just, you know, send you to John Gill or some of the better commentators because I just did not have the time to look at a map and try to figure it all out. But Wenham, probably one of the best modern commentators on Genesis says that most likely Eden was in Mesopotamia and he says specifically Armenia. Now, for what that's worth, you know, you can maybe then take a trip to Armenia, I guess. try to visit Eden?

I don't know. I know the Mormons think it was in Missouri. That's pretty depressing, actually. But nobody knows for certain where Eden was.

But, you know, the best guess in terms of the rivers and in terms of the water systems is that it was in Mesopotamia.

Significance of the Garden of Eden

Now, all of that to bring us to the significance of the garden. And I want to spend most of our time here tonight, I think the sort of exposition of this section, verses 4 to 14, is pretty straightforward, but I would like to draw out the significance of the Garden of Eden.

Garden as Context for the Covenant of Works

In the first place, it is the context for the probation, the covenant of works, and I think you'll see sort of an interesting parallel. Adam is placed in a garden. Adam is placed in an idyllic situation. Adam is placed in paradise, and Adam is given an abundance.

When we get to the last Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, He's driven by the Spirit out into the wilderness, a place that is not lush, a place that is not idyllic, a place that is not full of abundance, but rather the tempter is there. But when we see Adam I in this glorious and wondrous Edenic paradise succumb to the tempter, we ought to appreciate the last Adam in the sort of desolate conditions he was in not succumbing to the tempter, rather resisting the tempter and ultimately achieving victory over him through his life and his death and his resurrection. So you need to understand that what we have here in Genesis chapters 2 and 3 concerning Adam find a parallel in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is Paul's point in Romans 5.

This is why we're reformed, because reformed people hold to what's called covenant theology. Covenant theology is also called federalism. The idea is that we have a federal or a covenant head or representative who stands for us. And Paul tells us in Romans 5 that in Adam all die.

Because of what Adam does here in Genesis chapter 3, he plunges his entire posterity into sin and into depravity. In Romans 5, Paul says, in Christ all are made alive. Federal, representation, a covenantal head. This is why Reformed theology is biblical and correct, because it holds to what is called federalism or covenant theology.

So we ought to appreciate what's happening. Paul tells us in Romans 5.14 that Adam was a type of him who was to come, even the Lord Jesus Christ. Federal theology is taught very clearly in Romans 5, and certainly the background is Genesis 2 and 3. Paul says, by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners.

By the one man's obedience the many are made righteous. So we can thank God. that while Adam the first in this idyllic situation did not resist the tempter but rather plunged into sin, we can thank him that Adam the second or Adam the last was victorious over the devil in his temptation.

Garden as the First Temple

Secondly, we ought to appreciate the garden as the first Temple. Now temple simply means a place where God and people dwell together. Tabernacle is the sort of temporary temple. Remember when Moses led the people out of Egypt by the power in the hand of God.

God commanded them in Exodus chapters 25 to probably around 35, let me just see, the specific directions on how to build the tabernacle. 25 to 31 are the instructions on building the tabernacle, and then 35 to 40 is the construction of the tabernacle. Tabernacle, dwelling place. So when God's people, before they get stabilized in their land, where God meets with his people is in this tabernacle. When they do get stable in the land, when David is king over Israel, and though he wants to build a temple, it's not until his son Solomon comes that he builds the temple.

Well, that's where God meets with his people on a regular basis in terms of their worship and sanctuary. And so when we look at this Garden of Eden, it shows us or it demonstrates many features that it was in fact the first temple. And

Unique Place of God's Presence

I would suggest in the first place, it is the unique place of God's presence. If temple and if tabernacle simply highlight where God and man meet together, then we'd have to suggest or have to say or agree that the garden is in fact a temple. Notice in chapter 3 at verse 8. And they heard the sound 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 among the trees of the garden." You see, this is the place, this garden, this Garden of Eden or in Eden is where God would come to meet with Adam and Eve.

And it is intriguing that the same Hebrew word used for God's walking back and forth in the garden also describes God's presence in the tabernacle in Leviticus 26, in Deuteronomy 23, and as well in 2 Samuel chapter 7. So the same sort of language that is employed later in terms of the tabernacle is used here in Genesis chapter 2 with reference to the garden. Now remember, Moses wrote this. Moses wrote the book of Genesis along with Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

And so vocabulary and grammar and words ought to alert us with reference to the author. In other words, the author who's writing this five-fold sort of work is using vocabulary to suggest to his readers that there is some continuity between the garden temple and the later tabernacle and ultimately temple in the land of Israel.

Eastern Entrance and Priestly Vocation

Secondly, the entrance to Eden and later sanctuaries is from the east. When Adam is driven out of the Garden of Eden, the cherubim is placed at the east of the garden to prohibit access back in to the garden. Well, that's how you got in to the tabernacle as well. The visionary temple that Ezekiel portrays in his prophecy tells us that access to the temple is through the east.

Thirdly, the identification of Adam's vocation as a priest. Not primarily as a gardener, but as a priest. Notice in verse 15 of chapter 2. to tend and keep it. Keep could also be guard.

It's the same word used in chapter 3 at verse 24. Notice he drove out the man and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden and a flaming sword which turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. That was to be Adam's function. as a priest in the sanctuary of God to not only to tend it and to cultivate it, but to guard it. And he fails in that miserably in chapter 3 when the devil, via the serpent, comes and attacks Eve.

He wasn't doing his job as a priest with reference to his calling. What we see is that both terms that are employed here in verse 15 are also later applied to the Levitical priests. In fact, G.K. Beal says, it is true that the Hebrew word usually translated cultivate can refer to an agricultural task when used by itself.

When, however, these two words occur together in the Old Testament, they refer either to Israelites serving God and guarding or keeping God's word, or to priests who keep the service or charge of the tabernacle. And there are several references to that. So in other words, when we get to the Levitical priesthood, they do what Adam was supposed to do. So we conclude that Adam was supposed to do what they do.

His primary function wasn't gardening. His primary function was priesthood. He was to mediate the blessings of God upon the creation. He was to expand that garden temple through the multiplication of image bearers and populate the earth so that it would indeed redound to the glory and praise of Almighty God.

Alexander says, Adam's role in the garden has Levitical connotations. He is to be a guardian of sacred space and not merely a gardener. Now that doesn't mean he shouldn't garden, and that doesn't mean he shouldn't work. And it is interesting that in paradise, man works.

We have this idea today that the weekend is the best part of the week, and we all just work to get to the weekend so that we can have time off. It is intriguing that prior to the fall of man into sin, work occupied it. Six days you shall labor and do all your work." The Sabbath is a Sabbath day as unto the Lord. Brethren, work is not bad.

We're bad. We need to have a proper adjustment or an adjustment to our attitude with reference to work. Vocation is a good thing. What would we do if we had a whole bunch of time on our hands? what we typically do now whenever we have time on our hands.

We sin against God. I've often thought the best help to prevent sinfulness is hard work, such that when you get home at night, you have your supper, you spend a little time with the family, you put your head on the pillow, and you fall asleep. There shouldn't be enough time in your day for you to go out and sin. You should be busy from morning until dark.

And that is something that we see is good and it's blessed by God. But it's not primarily gardening, it is primarily priesthood.

Gold, Onyx, and Temple Furnishings

As well, notice the reference to the rivers in verse 11. It says, the name of the first is Pishon. It is the one which skirts the whole land of Avalok, where there is gold, and the gold of that land is good, but Delium and the onyx stone are there. Now, those of us who gathered together for a lengthy study in the former prophets studied the time when Solomon built the temple.

And one of the things that Solomon used en masse to build the temple was gold. In fact, the hinges of the doors were made of gold. I've never seen that at Home Depot. I mean, just imagine gold hinges.

What does that say about your residence if you have gold hinges? It means you're pretty important. You've got a lot of money, and you have the best. Well, God is most important.

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and he had Solomon use his gold to furnish his house. This reference to gold, and as well, onyx stones. You will see throughout the rest of the Pentateuch, that's the rest of the five books of Moses, that both gold and onyx stones are used in the construction of the tabernacle and then later on in the temple. But also gold and onyx stones are used on the priestly garments.

The priest has these onyx stones on him. And again, I think it's a connection between Adam and the Levitical priesthood. But as well, we have a specific passage of scripture, the divine commentary that tells us that this was indeed a temple.

Ezekiel 28 and the Garden-Temple

You can turn to the prophet Ezekiel, Ezekiel chapter 28. And while there are some difficult things in Ezekiel chapter 28, what it says concerning the Garden of Eden is crystal clear and is indeed a proof positive that what we're dealing with in the garden is a temple sanctuary. What we have is a proclamation against the king of Tyre, chapter 28, verses 1 to 10. And then we have a lamentation for the king of Tyre in verses 11 to 19.

Now, there's a lot of interpretation about this passage. Some suggest it has to do with the devil. Others suggest it's, you know, I've heard some things that that are very strange to say the least. But I think what Ezekiel is doing as he turns his attention against the nations around Israel, remember Ezekiel prophesies concerning Judah and the captivity in Babylon, but Ezekiel doesn't stop there.

He condemns the pagan nations around Judah and here specifically the king of Tyre. He is using a parallel between the king of Tyre and the creation of Adam in the garden. Why he does that, I don't know, but that he does that, I am convinced. And note what he says in Ezekiel 28 verse 12.

Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre and say to him, thus says the Lord God, you were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 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. I believe this is a reference to Adam. And this description in verse 13 of the various precious stones is parallel to the sorts of things that the high priest wore when he ministered unto God. Again, Adam's vocation was priestly.

He was covered in this because he ministered unto God as a priest to God. Now here in verse 14, it seems as if Ezekiel shifts his attention to an angel. And this is why some suggest that this section deals with the devil. It says in verse 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. Now, I would suggest that what's called the Septuagint, if this is getting a little bit too high, just hang on.

Just hang on because this is very important. And we're going to bring it all to a conclusion after we conclude, or when we conclude. But it's very important, because I think that if you see what's happening in Genesis 2 and 3, and in a moment, Revelation 21 and 22, you will see that the Bible is consistent. It's a panoramic.

It's not some bits and pieces of randomly thrown together stuff. But there's a beginning, there's a middle, and an end. And the beginning is about the fall of man in the first Adam. The middle is about the coming of the last Adam.

And the end is when he is victorious and he brings his bride to church into the presence of God Most High. That which was forfeit by Adam is secured for us by the Lord Jesus Christ. You have got to get this. I mean, not got like you're going to fail the test if you don't.

But if you want to appreciate the scope of Scripture and the consent of the parts and the testimony of the whole to the glory of God and the goodness of His salvation, I would just encourage you to pay attention. Notice, you are the anointed cherub who covers. The Septuagint is a preferred reading here. It's not the case that he's introduced Adam in verse 13 and now Satan or the angel in verse 14.

The Septuagint translates, you were with the cherub. In other words, the same person is the focus. It's Adam, this one who was created upright, this one who was in Eden, the garden of God, this one who served as a priest. It's not you were the anointed cherub, but rather you were with the cherub.

I established you." Now note this phrase, you were on the holy mountain of God. You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. Again, keep it in your head that this is Adam in the garden. Keep it in your head that this is Adam as a priest in the garden.

Verse 15, you were perfect in your ways from the day you were created till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned. Therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God, and I destroyed you. Again, not, O covering cherub from the midst of the fiery stones, but rather, and the cherub has brought thee out of the midst of the stones of fire.

It's not like he's dealing with Adam and then the cherub, or the Adam as the cherub, or the cherub as Adam. It's Adam and there's angel in the garden. Verse 17, your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.

I cast you to the ground. I laid you before kings that they might gaze at you. You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities. Here I think it's Adam and the history of Israel.

He goes on to say, "'Therefore I brought fire from the midst, it devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you. You have become a horror and shall be no more forever.'" So again, the target of the prophecy is the King of Tyre. The parallel is with Adam in the garden.

And now what we see is that the garden is called the Garden of God. We see in verse 14 it is called the Holy Mountain of God, and we see in verse 18 it is a sanctuary. It's the first sanctuary upon which the tabernacle and temple, I would argue, were modeled. In fact, the tabernacle and the temple look back to what the garden was all about, its pristine glory, and that time represented where God and man did commune together without sin.

And so we have a testimony by the prophet concerning the temple, sanctuary, nature of the Garden of Eden. Then as well, notice, he describes it as the mountain of God. Now, for these rivers to flow from Eden, I'm not a physicist or geologist, but I would suggest that Eden was high. In other words, for rivers to flow down from Eden, that would indicate that Eden itself was a mountain.

And we see that by the prophet Ezekiel telling us that this was, in fact, the mountain of God.

Mountain of God Through Scripture

Now, if you trace that theme throughout scripture, you will see a lot of data and how God, in His temple, is said to be enthroned upon a mountain. We see that at Sinai, to be sure. We see it all throughout the Psalter. Psalm 15, Psalm 24.

Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord? We see this reference to Mount Zion, Jerusalem, the city of David, the city of God. We see that Solomon sits on the throne of the Lord when he's enthroned, or when he takes the throne after David is dead. So we have this idea that God is enthroned upon his holy mount.

And then we see, with reference to not only the end of the Bible in the book of Revelation, but we see a prophetic statement concerning that latter-day temple in the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel portrays Eden as being on a mountain. Israel's temple was on a mountain. And the end time temple was to be located on a mountain.

Revelation 21.10. The seer is brought up to a mountain to see the city of God. So this mountain of God begins in the Garden of Eden, it is then in the midst of Israel, the body politic, with a Davidic king. They defect from God, they resist God, they reject God, and now the mountain of God, the Zion of God, is obviously Jesus, but it's the church in union with Jesus.

In fact, turn to Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12, the mountain of God is the church of God. And in Hebrews 12, that is altogether clear. Verse 18, for you have not come to the mountain that may be touched, and that burned with fire, and to blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.

For they could not endure what was commanded. And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow. And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and trembling. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Mount Zion is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was locally present in Jerusalem with the Davidic king until Judah apostatized and was ultimately cast out of the land. Well, now Mount Zion is equipped with a Davidic king, even our Lord Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of God on David's throne, where he rules over his empire, the church of the Lord Christ. So we come to that mount.

We come to a Davidic king. We come to the one whose blood speaks better things than that of Abel. There is a theology of temple that runs from Genesis all the way to Revelation. And it's not just the structure, it's not just the detail, it's not just the gold, but it's the concept of God, I will be your God and you will be my people.

That's the emphasis in Temple, in Tabernacle, that's the emphasis in the book of Genesis with reference to the garden, and that's the emphasis that we find in the last book of the Bible, Revelation 21 and 22.

Genesis 2–3 and Revelation 21–22

Consider the connections between Genesis 2 and 3 and Revelation 21 and 22. The devil of Genesis 3 is cast into the lake of fire in Revelation chapter 20. Remember the serpent, more cunning, leads or deceives Adam. She eats the fruit, she gives to Adam, rather to Eve, and then she gives it to Adam, and they reject and rebel against God.

Well, that devil is ultimately cut off and ultimately sent into the lake of fire. The first heavens and earth of Genesis 1-1 become the new heavens and new earth of Revelation 21-1. John says, I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.

Also, there was no more sea. Thirdly, the tree of life revealed in Genesis 2 is highlighted in the new earth in Revelation 22-2 and Revelation 22-14. You see a theme? Things that were mentioned, referenced, highlighted, stipulated, set forth in Genesis 2 and 3 are all remedied, corrected, and displayed in their rightful use in Revelation 21 and 22.

There's movement. How many times do people view the Bible the way we view the Koran? The Koran is just rambled musings of, you know, a wingnut prophet. The Bible is not that.

God is the author. God raised up Moses. God raised up the prophets. God raised up the apostles.

God is the editor-in-chief over this program. And it's a literary masterpiece. And things introduced in Genesis 2 and 3 that were tensions to be resolved are resolved when we get to Revelation 21 and 22. Alexander comments on the tree of life.

After Adam and Eve betray God and are expelled from Eden, God deliberately prevents them from accessing this life-giving tree, Genesis 3, 22 to 24. Revelation presents a very different situation, for the leaves of the tree of life are freely available for the healing of the nations. This life-changing tree is mentioned nowhere else in Scripture, strongly suggesting that the two locations are closely linked. And remember, in Revelation 21 and 22, the idea is that John sees this New Jerusalem, this city descending.

And then we also see that the presence of God in 3.8 of Genesis is highlighted in Revelation 21.3. Notice in Revelation 21.3, and I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God. This is the underlying current of all biblical covenant.

This is what God's about. I will be your God and you will be my people. It comes to realization in Revelation 21, with the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, adorned like a bride for her husband. As well, the death brought on in Genesis chapter 3 is done away with in Revelation 21.

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things that passed away. You see this?

Genesis 2 and 3, Revelation 21 and 22. What happens in between? It's the story of our Lord Jesus Christ. First anticipated and promised, and then realized and executed by the coming of the Son of Man.

The curse brought on in Genesis chapter 3. is removed in Revelation 22.3. Revelation 22.3, "...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. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads." It's only in Eden and here that we see God face to face. And then finally, note the description of this city in Revelation 21 verses 10 to 22.

It's a temple. Again, not a physical structure, but it's a temple. It's a dwelling place of God with men. And note specifically the way the city is laid out in verse 16.

The city is laid out as a square. Its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, 12,000 furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.

What does that mean? That means it's a cube. You know, the only other structure ever described as a cube is in 1 Kings 6, and it's the Holy of Holies. The only two cubes in the Bible refer to the very same thing, God dwelling with his people.

Garden was the first temple. We see a theology of temple move throughout scripture. We see it ultimately come to fruition in the Lord Jesus. The Word became flesh and He what?

He tabernacled among us. Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. We see all the wrongs introduced in Genesis chapter 3, righted by our Lord Jesus Christ, and we see in this new heavens and new earth, everything put aright by the doing and the dying and the rising of the last Adam, the Lord Jesus. I believe that if you understand this, it brings together all of Scripture.

I believe that if you see this, it's not esoteric, it's not a code, it's not something that just a few enlightened will see, but hopefully you see how crystal clear, just from this brief presentation, that the Garden of Eden was a tabernacle, a temple, a sanctuary that God told Adam to multiply and fill the earth with. Image bearers that God could commune with, that would glorify God, and that this would indeed be a glorious thing. But because of sin, God then moves to the sending of His Son, not then moves as if He's reacting. This was always His purpose and His plan, to bring about this victory through the Lord Jesus.

But all those things introduced in Genesis 2 and 3 are corrected and remedied by our Lord and brought to fruition in the new Jerusalem.

Application: Living as Priest-Servants

So I hope that you'll appreciate the consistency of Holy Scripture. I hope as well you'll appreciate the goal of our redemption, the goal of our creation is to be with God. And if that's the case, if that's what God made us for, and if that's what God has redeemed us for, how then ought we to live? We ought to live as faithful servants to this God.

We ought to live in light of this communion and fellowship we have with God. We ought not to dishonor Him. We ought not to bring reproach upon His name. We ought to seek to faithfully glorify Him in this world we find ourselves in.

As well, if the church is the Mount Zion of God, ruled over by a Davidic king, even our Lord Jesus Christ, then we should come. Corporate worship ought to be our delight. This is why David said, I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord. Those psalms, I think 120 to 134, they are called songs of ascents.

Why? Because the faithful were ascending to the mountain of God, vis-à-vis the temple in Jerusalem. These were the songs of Zion. These are what they sang when they went to worship our God in his holy temple.

We need to come to Mount Zion. We need to be fervent and earnest about this communion and this fellowship that we have with God. Not only in terms of His intended purpose for us in creation, but the redemptive purpose in terms of the blood shedding of His own dearly beloved Son. He brings us out of darkness into marvelous light, not so that we can be lazy or indifferent or apathetic, but so that we can seek Him and serve Him and glorify His most holy name.

This was an emphasis by Martin Luther in the Protestant Reformation. the priesthood of all believers. The Roman Catholic priesthood is a farce. The Roman Catholic priesthood is a fake. Luther said every believer is a priest.

Every believer serves God. Every believer worships God. Every believer is one of those living stones that makes up the temple of God, to quote or cite 1 Peter 2. Brethren, we have been given a great privilege to have communion with God.

So both corporately, coming to church, and privately, reading our Bibles and praying, we ought to utilize and enjoy the communion and the fellowship that our God has purposed for us. What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. And I hope that finally we'll appreciate the work of the last Adam.

I sometimes say second. I think Israel was an Adam too. You have Adam, the first, you have Israel, who were given a particular task as well, go into the land, subdue the land, mediate the blessings of God to the heathen around the land, but they failed in that, so Christ is the last Adam. Christ comes and accomplishes what both Adam and Israel failed to do.

I believe that Luke highlights that Jesus is an Adam-like figure, and I think Matthew highlights that Jesus is an Israel-like figure. Israel went through the waters into the wilderness. Jesus went through the waters of baptism into the wilderness. Jesus withstood the tempter and was victorious.

Israel fails in the wilderness. So we have in Christ success, we have in Christ victory, we have in Christ all and all. So brethren, let us praise God for consistency of Scripture, the presence of God, and the glory of the last Adam. We'll all close in a word of prayer.

Closing Prayer

Father, we thank you for your word and we thank you for the consistent testimony of Holy Scripture concerning your dwelling with your people. We thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ and we thank you for his finished work, for his life and his death and his resurrection. We thank you for sovereign grace that taught our heart to fear. We know, Father, we would have never come to Christ apart from your grace, apart from the gifts given to us to believe and to repent.

We give praise to you, Most High, that we have in the Church of Jesus Christ that place where our God, in a special way, dwells with his people. And as the psalmist says, we know it's true today, you love the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Help us to value and to prize the local church. Help us to value and prize the head of the church, that Davidic king that sits enthroned at the right hand of the majesty on high.

We thank you for our Lord Jesus and we praise you for including us in this great redemptive plan. We ask that you would go with us now, help us to glorify you in the remainder of this week. We pray for brothers and sisters who were not mentioned that have various needs. We know it's not just physical things, we all have various spiritual trials and difficulties and temptations.

May you, by the Spirit, see us through. And may you, by the Spirit, cause us to walk wholly before you in this world and to exercise responsibly that priestly function we have as living stones in the temple of God Almighty. We ask these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture References

• Genesis 1:26-28; 2:4-14; 2:15; 3:8; 3:19; 3:22-24
• Exodus 3:14; 25-31; 35-40
• Leviticus 26
• Deuteronomy 23
• 2 Samuel 7
• 1 Kings 6
• Psalms 15; 24; 120-134
• Ezekiel 28:1-10; 28:11-19; 28:12; 28:13; 28:14; 28:15; 28:17; 28:18
• Romans 5; 5:14
• Hebrews 12; 12:18
• 1 Peter 2
• Revelation 20; 21:1; 21:3; 21:10; 21:10-22; 21:16; 21-22; 22:2; 22:3; 22:14