Joh 1:1-5 KJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (Joh 1:5 ESV The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.) 2Co 4:6 KJV For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
I especially like reading how the term "COMPREHENDED", in "the darkness comprehended it not," is translated "OVERCOME" in the ESV and the Literal versions of the bible.
All of the teachings in the Bible, Genesis not excepted, are insights regarding our salvation IN SOME FORM. The same pattern we find in Genesis in creation is the patter God saves us with. The first words God ever spoke actually expressed every Word that God would ever speak.
John said Jesus is the WORD.
And after we read of speaking forth of light in Genesis, we read where God winds up planting a Garden eastward in Eden and putting man in that Garden. Gen 2:7-8 KJV And 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 soul. (8) And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. Notice the Garden is EASTWARD in Eden. And a SINGLE RIVER flowed from Eden into the GARDEN. Gen 2:10 KJV And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. And it flowed into four different directions from there. Adam was instructed carefully, above everything else, to DRESS AND KEEP THE GARDEN. Gen 2:15-17 KJV And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. The first thing we read recorded about God's WORDS TO ADAM were to not eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.
We must notice that above everything else, Adam was to dress and PROTECT the Garden.
And then we read Adam's disobedience and sin and being cast out of the Garden. Gen 3:22-24 KJV And the LORD 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. The very thing God's word focused around was the TREE OF LIFE and the false tree.
AND THE WAY OF THE TREE OF LIFE was blocked, because man was disallowed to eat of the tree of life and live forever once he was sinful. So it is very important to notice that the two trees in the Garden were the most important issues of Adam's life in the Garden from first to last. And a scripture comes to light that has very close connections with all of this. Pro 4:23 KJV Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. WITH ALL DILIGENCE is noted in the margin to be translated as "above all keeping".
It was the greatest element we were ever told to KEEP or PROTECT.
THE GARDEN CORRESPONDS TO OUR HEARTS.
The seriousness of Adam's protection of the Garden is later realized after the serpent slips in and deceives Eve.
The serpent slipped into the garden when Adam should have PROTECTED THE GARDEN FROM IT. Likewise, YOUR HEART is the most important part of your entire being.
The reason is that from the heart are the ISSUES OF LIFE.
Let's compare this with the physical heart, as the heart in our text is actually the element in you that BELIEVES AND LOVES. Your heart is a very important part of yourself.
Lev 17:11 KJV For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Your LIMBS require LIFE in order for you to ACT and to DO. So when we read about protecting the heart, we read a very important point. Pro 4:23 KJV Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. BLOOD is PHYSICALLY the ISSUE OF LIFE.
People get very concerned over their hearts above most all other health problems.
But Jesus spoke of the HEART as the part of you that BELIEVES AND LOVES. Rom 10:9 KJV That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 1Pe 1:22 KJV Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: And so the idea of your heart comes into a whole new level of importance.
The serpent gave a WORD TO EVE that she believed when it was a LIE! And look what it did to the human race! IT DOES MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE! Watch what you love. 1Jo 2:15 KJV Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Just as much as if your heart becomes diseased or your blood is diseased, and it affects your arms and legs and every other part of your body, crippling you, so will your spiritual heart cause problems galore in your salvation so you cannot WALK BY FAITH.
The HEART IS IN THE LEFT SIDE OF YOUR CHEST.
We know the four rivers leave the Garden like blood leaving the heart to four limbs.
God BREATHED into Adam the BREATH OF LIFE.
Rev 22 speaks of the river and fruit of life. Rev 22:1-2 KJV And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. JESUS IS THE LIFE. FOOD AND DRINK are in HIS BLOOD. Joh 6:53 KJV Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Joh 6:63 KJV It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. HIS WORDS ARE LIFE. The Garden received RIVER OF LIFE.
This city that flowed forth with Jesus on the throne, was also said to be protected: Rev 21:27 KJV And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. What are you letting in YOUR HEART?
Mat 12:35 KJV A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Mat 15:18-20 KJV But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. (19) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (20) These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. Notice the words of Proverbs 4. Pro 4:1 KJV Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. KNOW UNDERSTANDING. Know TRUTH -- Like Genesis. "LET THERE BE LIGHT!" Pro 4:4 KJV He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. HIS WORDS ALONE. Pro 4:11 KJV I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. Gen 3:24 KJV 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. WAY OF WISDOM - WAY OF TREE OF LIFE! RIGHT PATHS. Pro 4:13 KJV Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. SHE IS THY LIFE! Pro 4:14-17 KJV Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. (15) Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. (16) For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. (17) For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. There is a counterfeit tree and also a counterfeit WAY.
Pro 4:18-19 KJV But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (19) The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. PATH OF JUST -- is the way of tree of life! Joh 20:21-22 KJV Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. (22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Jesus breathed and said it was HOLY GHOST.
Isa 55:1-3 KJV Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. (3) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Isa 35:1-10 KJV The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. (2) It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. (3) Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. (As in oxygen rushing purely into the body) (4) Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. (5) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. (6) Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. (7) And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. (8) And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. (9) No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: (10) And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Deserts are the opposite of a GARDEN and an EDEN.
RETURN TO THE GARDEN.
And NO LION or RAVENOUS BEAST can walk THIS HOLY WAY.
The serpent entered and LIED TO EVE.
|