Garden of Eden Restored

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7.
The Garden of Eden remained upon the earth long after man had become an outcast from its pleasant paths. The fallen race were long permitted to gaze upon the home of innocence, their entrance barred only by the watching angels. At the cherubim-guarded gate of Paradise the divine glory was revealed. Hither came Adam and his sons to worship God. Here they renewed their vows of obedience to that law the transgression of which had banished them from Eden. When the tide of iniquity overspread the world, and the wickedness of men determined their destruction by a flood of waters, the hand that had planted Eden withdrew it from the earth. But in the final restitution, when there shall be “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1), it is to be restored more gloriously adorned than at the beginning.
Then they that have kept God’s commandments shall breathe in immortal vigor beneath the tree of life; and through unending ages the inhabitants of sinless worlds shall behold, in that garden of delight, a sample of the perfect work of God’s creation, untouched by the curse of sin—a sample of what the whole earth would have become, had man but fulfilled the Creator’s glorious plan.
Adam is reinstated in his first dominion. Transported with joy, he beholds the trees that were once his delight—the very trees whose fruit he himself had gathered in the days of his innocence and joy. He sees the vines that his own hands have trained, the very flowers that he once loved to care for. His mind grasps the reality of the scene; he comprehends that this is indeed Eden restored.
Restored to the tree of life in the long-lost Eden, the redeemed will “grow up” (Malachi 4:2) to the full stature of the race in its primeval glory. The last lingering traces of the curse of sin will be removed, and Christ’s faithful ones will appear in “the beauty of the Lord our God,” in mind and soul and body reflecting the perfect image of their Lord. Oh, wonderful redemption! long talked of, long hoped for, contemplated with eager anticipation, but never fully understood.
Maranatha p. 354
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—–Please pray that God will lead in my children’s lives. L
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
As we watch the news on TV, the computer, or hear it on radio, we can see the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation rapidly fulfilling. Moreover, crimes of every sort happen in every city of our land. Man’s inhumanity to man is rampant. Why not, when they are taught that they evolved from some bit of slime electrically charged by some passing thunderbolt? Throughout their schooling, they are taught that they are just an animal and that there is no God to Whom they must give account.
How precious is God’s Holy Word! It is our anchor on the troubled sea of life. In it, we find the true origin of the universe. “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. . . .For he spake, and it was done, he commanded, and it stood fast.” He is the All-Powerful God! The Creator Who “setteth fast the mountains, being girded with power: Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered over with corn, they shout for joy, they also sing.” Ps 33:6-9, 65:6-13
In Scriptures, we learn that we were especially created that our Loving Creator might have close fellowship with us. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.” Gen 1:26, 27 He did not create them and then walk off and leave them. No! He came down to this planet every evening to walk and talk with them. Think of it! Talking face to face with the Majesty of the Universe!
During these times of “distress of nations,” personal distresses, distress of friends and family, our Loving Saviour wants to walk and talk with us. He Who tells us, “see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass.” Matt 24:6 also assures us, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” Isa 43:1-3 “I will be with [thee] in trouble, I will deliver [thee].” Ps 91:15
Paul asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?. . .For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom 8:35-39
May we cling tightly to our Only Protector during both good times and bad. May we, like Enoch, closely fellowship with Him each moment of the day just as He yearns for us to do. And as we do, we have the assurance that someday soon, we will see Jesus coming to rescue us and declare with joy “Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa 25:9
Rose