EDWARD O’HARA, THE GARDEN Pt2

As we saw in pt1 of this message the mortality that Adam was not yet aware of would only be realized by him after he could no longer eat from the tree of life. We see this from reading in Gen.3:22 where God said, “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

This truth is not being taught in churches because they do not accept the Biblical narrative. But, instead base what they teach and believe on what they are told. Even when it contradicts the Biblical narrative.

This is one reason it is so important that we stick closely with the Biblical narrative when trying to understand the events in the garden. Because if we don’t we can end up with any number of erroneous, and many times heretical, notions. And the affect these kind of heretical theories have on man’s need for Jesus is most often catastrophic.

Some have created for themselves an opposite theory from what the Bible plainly says. While others have come to conclude that the effect these events had on man’s nature were the result of his nature began as a sort of “middle nature”. Defined by an innocence that made him neither bad or good. Which is actually closer to the reality that we do see in the Biblical narrative.

But, innocence falls on the side of being a good thing. Not neutral. Even though it is true that Adam and Eve had no knowledge of good and evil when God made them. So the word neutral regarding Adam’s nature when God made him is not a correct definition. But, natural is.

Because this is how we see Paul describe them in 1Cor.2:14 and 15:45,46. Saying in ch.2 that the natural man can not perceive the things of the Spirit. And in ch.15 that Adam was not spiritual, but natural, when God made him a living soul.

So the word natural carries the meaning of a body formed from the elements(dust of the ground) with air that was breathed into his nostrils that made him a living soul. Operating on 5 senses and the brain they are connected to. Having no spiritual part in him.

This means that natural is to be contrasted, not with innocence, but with spiritual. So that we understand that a natural man is one that is not spiritual. He may or may not be innocent. And he may or may not have they knowledge of good and evil. But, these have nothing to do with whether he is natural or spiritual.

Concerning most popular theories about Adam’s mortality I am reminded of the movie with Harrison Ford called Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Going from memory there was a secret place where many cups were stored. And to get to this place the seeker would have to work his way through many obstacles. And once reaching the place he would then have to choose from many cups to find the cup from which Jesus drank.

In the movie if one could find and drink from the right cup they would have immortality. But, only while they remained in the place where the cup had been stored. Now, where do you think they got an idea like that? From teaching from pulpits in very church, that’s where.

Because what they teach about Adam’s immortality leaves the impression at least, if they don’t say it outright, that Adam was isolated from the rest of the earth. And had to remain in the garden all the time after God placed him there. And that only while he remained in the garden would he remain immortal. Not believing what the scripture says. That it was his eating from the tree of life that kept his mortality at bay.

We see this was the case in Gen.2:16 where after God has placed Adam in the garden, where in vs.9 we are told, “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, God says, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat”. Showing that it was not simply being in the garden that kept him from realizing his mortality. Rather, it was the fact that he was eating from the tree of life.

And on top of this we need to see that neither was it eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that caused him to realize his mortality. Because he did not say I was afraid because I realized I was no longer immortal. Adam said he was afraid because he knew he was naked. And not naked in some kind of spiritual sense as some have erred in believing. Because remember, Paul says Adam was natural when God made him a living soul. Not spiritual.

And after attempting to hide their nakedness from God with leaves. And realizing this was not going to keep God from seeing they were naked. They hid from Him. And answered when He “found” them and asked why they were hiding, “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

So all we do know from the narrative is that his new knowledge caused his eyes to be opened so he now knew he was naked. Which means he saw his body in a whole new way. Not in a bad or good way. Just new. Different. As it really was. Naked and without shame.

We can see this because they did not hide from each other when they saw they were naked. They hid from God. And because it was only after being sent from the garden that they came to realize their mortality.

Because for 1 God told them by informing them of their new circumstances now that they could no longer eat from the tree of life. He told Eve her pain in childbirth would be increased. And that she would need the protection of her husband. Gen.3:16

It’s also interesting to note here what God says about childbirth. He told Eve, “I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children”. If her sorrow was to increase, the question must be asked, increased from what? It seems that for he sorrow to increase she must have been having children already. Because it had to increase from something, right?

And if so, this would also fulfill God’s instructions to them to “be fruitful and multiply and replenish, that is to fill, the earth.”

This would answer questions like who was in the land of Nod when God sent Cain there. And where Cain got his wife, right?

So after God sent Adam from the garden Adam was also given some information about living without access to the tree of life in the garden. God said his toiling of the ground would be more difficult than it was when he was in the garden. So that now it would be by the sweat of his brow that he would be able to get the ground to produce food for him. Gen.3:17-19

And God also gave him clothing to wear for protection from the “thorns and thistles” that grew in the land outside the garden. But, we must be careful that we do not think of this clothing as a sacrifice for their sin. Because in Rom.5:12,13 Paul says their sin was not imputed to them.

Paul says this to show that being sent from the garden, increased sorrow in childbirth, the ground being cursed, and getting food by the sweat of his brow, was not a punishment for sin. But, only the reality of how life would be for them outside of the garden.

When the ground was cursed it became more difficult for Adam to reap from it. The work of dressing and keeping that he did while in the garden would now be more difficult outside of it.

All of this was done in preparation for the time spoken of by Peter in 1Peter1:20 that was planned by God from before He made the world. A time that was sure to come because God orchestrated events and circumstances so that it would.

First by making the garden from which Adam would derive his sustenance. Also so that with the task God gave him about the garden’s care there would be a greater likelihood for him and Eve to cross paths, and even have a conversation, with the serpent.

And being unequipped to discern between good and evil they would have no reason to reject what the serpent told them. So that when she saw that the fruit was pleasant to look at and good for food, and hearing from the serpent that it was good to make one wise, we find that after eating the fruit what the serpent, and later God, said would come to pass. That their eyes would be opened presenting to them a new opportunity to come to know more about the God who made them.

I9n this we see that once again as we see all through the scriptures, what Satan meant for evil, God worked out for good. Using the subtlety of the serpent against him. God allowed man by his own free will to choose a path that would bring him ultimately into a personal and loving relationship with his Creator.

A relationship that for them had they chosen not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would still only be natural. Because their eyes would still not be opened and they would never have become more like God knowing good and evil.

But, now with the knowledge of good and evil, and continued instructions, both then and throughout time, about what is and why it is good or evil. They would be able to discern between good and evil. And as more instructions would continue to come from God through the prophets, and ultimately through His apostles, mankind would eventually come to know Him spiritually. By the spiritual birth that Jesus’ death and resurrection made possible.

This spiritual relationship for those who would trust in Him, came with the death and resurrection of Jesus. A death that Heb.9:15 tells us gave power to a New Covenant wherein is the offer of eternal life and true immortality.

An offer that God has made to every man that has ever lived. As Peter explains in 2Peter3:9 saying, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

So all that we see in the events regarding Adam and Eve were fashioned by God before He made the world. Just as all that we see God did with Abraham and Israel were. To preserve His name in the earth through His working in time in events and circumstances that would culminate with Jesus.

A time when God Himself would take on human form. To join with men in their mortality. So that through death and resurrection He would conquer mortality for all men who will choose of their own free will to trust in Him.

It had to be this way. Why? Because without free will there can be no loving relationship between God and men. It’s really that simple.

So the question is will you choose to love God in return for His love He showed when He joined with us in our mortality by Jesus’ death on the cross? Or will you choose to deny God the loving response His sacrifice deserves?

He has proven to us time and time again throughout all time that He is trustworthy. If you will acknowledge this by trusting in Him and confess the Lord Jesus. And believe in your heart that He raised from the dead to conquer your mortality for you. You will be saved from death to life. From not knowing Jesus to knowing Him. And from the no side of God’s love which is wrath to His yes side which is peace.

Do this and you will have eternal life now. Do this and you will receive an immortal body in the resurrection. Do this and you will be made a child of God by spiritual birth. Do this and you will inherit the kingdom of your Father. Do this… and I will see you there or in the air!

This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v40ietr-the-garden-pt2.html