“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 knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat it you shall surely die.” -Gen 2:15-17

The GARDEN OF EDEN was created by God in the beginning when He created man. It was a park-like setting with no sin or curse of any kind. It is like a protected game reserved that is fenced, hedged, and guarded place. It was where Adam and Eve enjoyed being in His presence. When they disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the midst of the garden, Adam and Eve experienced spiritual death. this death was for them and all mankind.

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. -Rom 5:12

God then drove Adam and Eve out of the GARDEN OF EDEN, to live in their fallen state for whatever time God had determined. If they were non-elect sinners, they would then go disembodied to the “torments” or “death” side of Sheol/Hades when they died. They would wait to be redeemed from their sin through forward looking faith in Jesus Christ, who would atone for the sins of all of His elect people (past and future) in 30ad.

“But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace of on Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many (the elect).”- Rom 5:15

All mankind is spiritually dead because of Adam’s sin. They all must also experience physical death, so no one is able to live in this human life forever. However, Jesus Christ, (God in the flesh in the form of a son), has come and paid the penalty of death for His elect people. All of those, who are in Christ by faith, have died with Christ. They are brought back to life in heaven when they die physically due to His atoning death and resurrection for them.

“For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” – 1 Cor 15:21-22

-Michael Alan Nichols

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My thoughts: The Garden represents our hearts completely reliant and fully trusting in God. It is a place that conventual people are in a healthy relationship with God by choice. God intervenes by invitation only. God does not force Himself on us. He freely offers us the choice of choosing Him or not choosing Him.

The ‘forbidden fruit’ was that of partaking in deception which hung on the tree of choice separate from God and His guidance. It represented a distrusting of God and becoming so independent and self-reliant that we chose to seek outside of God and found the knowledge of good and evil. There was only good until we chose (and choose) not to trust God completely. The tree of life is simply CHRIST who gives us life abundantly! -John 10:10

Until the time of Christ crucified on the cross, covenantal people were held in the good side of Sheol/Hades upon their physical death. After the crucifixion of Christ, the covenantal people (those that seek eternal life In Christ) go to heaven for eternity. Heaven isn’t so much a place, but a position in a REAL relationship with Christ. In HIM, with HIM and through HIM by choice not force. Healthy reciprocation is key in any good and loving relationship! ❤

Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS [crucified] ON A TREE (cross)”—Gal 3:13

See the death and resurrection are key components to the fulfilled prophecy of the dead sea scrolls and the Bible. There is no other reason for the Bible to ever had even existed except for to reveal (REVELATION) the testimony of Jesus Christ! It’s so very crucial that we stop adding to this and taking away from this revelation of Revelation!!

When we can call out HIS name, Jesus Christ as ABBA, then we understand the prophecy of the scriptures. And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!”-Gal 4:6

The reason there is so many names in OT and other religions is the actual anti-christ teachings attempt to “BLOT OUT HIS NAME” so to bring us back under the powers of law, sin and eternal death Making His atonement to no avail. We live in a world with evil governing entities that only exist due to man’s seeking of the dead tree of knowledge of good and evil. When we seek to know all things outside of the guidance of Christ, we fail to realize that the tree of life (The Christ) was risen for the purpose of setting us free from the evil government of the world and from all temptations of poor choices that lead to sin and the consequences of them simply by allowing Christ to be the center of our garden (heart) by renewing our minds in Christ.

AMONG THE [SPIRITUALLY] MATURE, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Rather, as it is written:

“No eye has seen,

no ear has heard,

no heart has imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

THE NATURAL MAN DOES NOT ACCEPT THE THINGS THAT COME FROM THE SPIRIT OF GOD. FOR THE ARE FOOLISHNESS TO HIM, AND HE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. – Eph 1:15-23

All my mind of the LORD, ❤ Diana 🙂 xo