As we enter into the Fall of the year, most gardens are past the producing stage. However, before the chill sets in, consider three gardens worth the attention of God’s people found in Scripture.
The Garden of Eden (Garden of temptation)
This is described as a place of incredible beauty (Genesis 2:8-17). This garden had every tree in it, the bible says, that is pleasant to the eye- very beautiful colors and scenery. It also supplied every need of the man for food and was located in a place called the Fertile Crescent, surrounded by rivers. This water supply would have made it very plush and green- a beautiful sight! It was the place that God designed to put man, His most valuable creation. This was also a place where man faced the serpent (Genesis 3:1-7) Satan will always try to take the beautiful places of God, and make them ugly with his presence. In this beautiful place, it was Satan and his influence that persuaded Adam and Eve to go against the will of God and to sin. We can see that as God met the needs of man in that Garden; He still continues to meet our needs on this earth today.
The Garden of Gethsemane. (Garden of sorrow)
On one night, it was a place of sorrow. This Garden, no doubt, was also a beautiful place to behold. Many times, Jesus and His disciples found solace there, it was a place that they could go and could get some alone time. In John 18:2- the Bible tells us that on the night Jesus was betrayed, Judas knew where to find Him because He often met there with the disciples. That was a night filled with sorrow (Luke 22:39-46). While He was going through some of the hardest hours on this earth, He still was not focused on Himself, but on His disciples- His friends. In Luke 22:40, 46- He tells them to watch and pray- looking out for their souls in what was going to be a very trying time for them. Jesus asked for help from the Father in prayer. He prayed the same words three times, while knowing this was the only way for the price of sin to be paid. The victory over Satan and death was won right here! He left this garden knowing what He was about to face, and knowing that He would do it without wavering. We need to know that from time to time we all are going to have our Gethsemane’s, in a dramatically smaller scale. We need to handle ourselves in these times of sorrow in the same manner.
The Garden of God. (Garden of eternal joy)
This is where the tree of life is found (Revelation 2:7). This is the garden where eternal hope is realized (1 Peter 1:3-4). This is the garden that will allow those who are the Lord’s faithful to be with Him. In this garden the devil is not welcome. As in Eden and Gethsemane, the places we are tried and the places full of sorrow; there is no suffering, there is no sin (Revelation 21:8,27). There will be nothing to lessen the attraction, ti twill be nothing but eternal bliss. Isn’t this where you desire to go?
Praise God that in Jesus we don’t have to suffer eternally the consequences of Eden! Praise God that Jesus was willing to endure Gethsemane so that we don’t need to know eternal suffering! Praise God that Jesus has prepared a way for us to enjoy the Paradise of God!
-Adam Orr
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