THERE IS A RIVER

(The Four Rivers of Eden)

M. F. Blume / Dec. 1995


INTRODUCTION // THE FOUR RIVERS NAMED // THE SANCTITY OF THE GARDEN // TEXT // HISTORY // APPLICATION // THE KINGDOM OF GOD // EASTWARD // WESTWARD // HELP IS NEEDED EASTWARD // DRY PLACES // THE END OF WANDERING IN DRY PLACES - JORDAN // THE INCORRECT MANNER IN WHICH TO DEAL WITH FLESH // THE RIVER OF THE SPIRIT // JUNCTION POINT OF THE SPIRIT // WORK AT THE JUNCTION POINT // DENY SELF // THE END AND A RETURN TO THE GARDEN // THE TREE OF LIFE // THE CHURCH TODAY

INTRODUCTION

The following is a study illustrating by way of Scriptural pictures how God's Spirit moves through His people today, and for what reason His Spirit is given to us.


The SINGLE River of Life entered the Garden and became FOUR RIVERS. The text at the beginning of our study notes a single river from which STREAMS (plural) go forth and make glad the CITY of God. What a wonderful parallel!! The four rivers are the streams that leave the Garden, or the counterpart to the NEW CITY, and reach all the world.

When the church of God, His people, are doing their part in labouring for His cause by watching and praying, keeping and dressing, the flow of the Spirit outward is maintained. The River represents the flow of the Spirit of God through His church. And when we fulfill our part for Him, oh!, how we, the CITY of God, are glad!!

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Psalm 46:4

Notice that the passage above also speaks of the TABERNACLES of the Most High. The Tabernacle, Garden and NEW CITY are all speaking forth the same thought of God's junction place in this world - The Church! We will speak of this later in more detail.

Nothing can make a believer as glad as having the opportunity to work for God's Kingdom!

Jesus worked, as the Last Adam dressed and kept the Garden, in another Garden. Gethsemane. That is why HE SWEAT BLOOD. Sweat indicates work. And the type of work He did was INTERCESSORY work, for the behalf of lost humanity, and self-denial.

The workers in a HYDRO PLANT must maintain their efforts of efficiency so that the "CURRENT" of electricity continues to FLOW to the world and ENLIGHTEN the darkness.

We, too, must maintain our dressing and keeping of this Garden, that the POWER of the Spirit continues to work in us that we might WITNESS of Jesus Christ, the LIGHT OF THE WORLD, the power of God, to lost humanity.

These four rivers of Eden are given names and are specified from first to last in a particular manner in the Bible. The rivers are given names for a special reason. We can glean a wonderful truth from these names. These rivers are given a specific priority in relation to one another by being referred to as the FIRST RIVER, SECOND RIVER, THIRD RIVER and FOURTH RIVER. This lets us know that there is a message for us to receive. (The Lord simply does not provide information so as to merely satisfy man's curiosity. The Bible concerns salvation and God's plan for mankind.) God has a message about the ministry of His Spirit and certain priorities we must keep in mind in this list of names. We must look at these rivers, the details of their descriptions and pray for illumination as to the message the Lord is trying to convey to us. The thoughts we will be discussing have resulted from prayerful research into the message of the Four Rivers of Eden, and, we believe, subsequent revelation regarding them. May the Lord further increase your study regarding these Rivers, and bless your reading of this study.

THE FOUR RIVERS NAMED

The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
Genesis 2:11-14

1) PISON - Pison is translated as the following:

Piyshown {pee-shone'}
AV - Pison 1; 1
Pison = "increase"

Above, PISON is seen to be derived from the following:

puwsh {poosh}
a primitive root; TWOT - verb
AV - spread 1, grow up 1, grown fat 1, scattered 1; 4
1) to spring about
1a) (Qal) to frisk, act proudly (fig.)
2) (Niphal) to be scattered, be spread

Pison implies the idea of spreading and increasing. DISPERSIVE is the word. Since DISPERSIVE is the thought behind the meaning of the name of the First River, we can see a wonderful thought. God's first and foremost priority in the thought of having His Spirit flow through us to the world is the idea that it MUST BE DISPERSED. As much of the dry world as possible must be saturated with the Spirit of God! This must be our first priority after receiving God's Spirit. Jesus said it was given to us as Power TO WITNESS!

2) GIHON
Giychown {ghee-khone'} or (shortened) Gichown {ghee-khone'}
AV - Gihon
Gihon = "bursting forth"
1) one of the four rivers of the Garden of Eden
2) a spring near Jerusalem where the anointing and proclaiming of Solomon as king took place

BURSTING FORTH! Hallelujah! Can you see the second priority of the Spirit?

It is derived from the following word:

giyach {ghee'-akh} or (shortened) goach {go'-akh} a verb
AV - come forth, take, bring forth, draw up; 6
1) to burst forth
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to burst forth
1a2) to draw forth
1a3) to bring forth
1b) (Hiphil) to break forth

Our second priority in understanding our part in maintaining the flow of the Spirit is that it must ALWAYS FLOW BOUNTIFULLY, BURSTING FORTH from us. We are not meant to merely trickle forth the Spirit of God. We must be FILLED with the Spirit so that it OVERFLOWS forth everywhere!

3) HIDDEKEL
Chiddeqel {khid-deh'-kel}
AV - Hiddekel 2; 2
Hiddekel = "rapid"
1) one of the rivers of Eden which coursed east toward Assyria;
better known as the Tigris (the LXX equivalent)

RAPID!! (And another source informs us that the thought of "Sharp Voice" in meant to be taken from the name.) Our third priority in working with the Spirit is the thought of a QUICK WORK that God desires to accomplish through us. We must clearly sound the truth as we let the Spirit flow through us.

4) Euphrates
P@rath {per-awth'}
from an unused root meaning to break forth;; n pr m
AV - Euphrates;
Euphrates = "fruitfulness"
1) the largest and longest river of western Asia; rises from two chief sources in the Armenian mountains and flows into the Persian Gulf

Fruitfulness! Is not this the end result of the flowing of God's Spirit in proper ministry as it is meant to flow through us? The land will be fruitful, if maintain the above three priorities.


THE SANCTITY OF THE GARDEN

The Junction point for the River must be protected from corruption of fleshliness and worldliness. That is why Adam was to KEEP the Garden. If Satan manages to invade the Garden, he will be able to stop the flow of the pure Spirit of Life to all the lost world. The Garden had to remain HOLY! And from our text, we find that the streams from the river make glad the City, the holy place of God.

Immediately after reading of the four rivers, we read that God put man in that junction point. This place was a very special place. It must have been most special, since man was put specifically into this place by God. God had a particular interest in mind when he put man in that Garden. We have discovered somewhat of what He did have in mind, which we will share with you in this study. It is noteworthy that God would go into great detail describing the region and the river, and then tell us that He put man in that very location where the river divided.

And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. Genesis 2:14-15

TEXT:

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Psalm 46:4

One River (singular) - many Streams (plural).


HISTORY:

Eastward in Eden, God put a Garden. He caused a River to flow from Eden on into this Garden that it may water the paradise prepared for man. From that point, the river would in turn separate into four other rivers.

As Psalm 46:4 relates, Eden had one river that branched out into Four others - streams, as it were.

And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
And 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.
And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

Genesis 2:8-10

APPLICATION:

The name "Eden" means "Paradise". We can liken Eden, then, to the Paradise of God of which we read in the New Testament.

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Luke 23:43

Jesus referred to what we call "Heaven" after the repentant thief asked the Lord to remember him in His Kingdom. This is mentioned again later in Paul's writings as follows.

How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 2 Cor 12:4

It is evident that Paul referred to himself in this passage. He experienced a catching up into the PARADISE of God. Again, we understand this to be Heaven.

Not only is Eden referred to, but a Garden is also noted as being "eastward in Eden". It is commonly mistaken today that the Garden WAS Eden, but the Bible specifically tells us that it was "eastward IN Eden," as though Eden was a large district. Eastward in that region of Eden did God place the Garden. This, too, is notable, as we shall see later.

And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Genesis 2:8

What would this Garden represent as a message to us in our Christian walks?

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

From the above verse we can notice that God made Adam from the dust of the ground and afterwards placed man in that Garden. Man was not made from the dust of the Garden. He was made outside of the Garden, and afterwards placed within it.

Looking at our present relationship with Christ, we can discern the truth that as Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden, we were placed within the Kingdom of God at new birth. Jesus told Nicodemas that one must be born of water and spirit to enter the Kingdom. A kingdom is ruled by a King. And since Adam was to reign the world from that position in the Garden, we can tie these thoughts together. What we come out with as a result is that the Garden represents the Kingdom of God from which the believer rules.

Jesus said the Kingdom is within you.

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Luke 17:21

Paul spoke of the world of the Holy Ghost when he said:

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 14:17

The Church comprises God's Kingdom. Later, this Kingdom will manifest in all the world, but for now we are already in the Kingdom! Praise God!

So Adam represents those who are put within the Kingdom of God. Luke tells us that Adam was a "son of God" since he had no earthly father. And Sons of God rule, or are intended to rule. Notice the following verse in respect of this thought:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Colossians 1:13

We were put into the Kingdom of God where Jesus rules, as Adam was put into his kingdom in the Garden.

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.
Genesis 2:7

As Adam was filled with God's breath of life, we were filled with God's Spirit when God readied us for entrance into the Kingdom of God. God took us out from the dust and dirt of this world and filled us with His Spirit, and then placed us in His Kingdom.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:2 -4

God breathed His breath into those in the upper Room on the day of Pentecost as they were filled with the Holy Ghost.

EASTWARD

The Garden was eastward in Eden.

In order to see the thought of this eastward position we must consider the events involving compass points later in the Eden story. After man was cast out of the Garden, Cain and Abel were born. Cain murdered his brother, Abel, and was sent by God into the land of Nod. Notice where Nod was located:

And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
Genesis 4:16

Get the picture. The Garden was in Eden, but in the eastward part of that region of Eden. Nod was further east, outside of Eden altogether.

The direction of the East is mentioned several times in this Garden account.

And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Genesis 2:8

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.
Genesis 3:24

And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
Genesis 4:16

Many times in Scripture we see the compass points of east and west in relation to God's people and error. When Lot departed from Abraham, into his backslidden condition toward Sodom and Gomorrah, he went eastward, as did Cain.

Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
Genesis 13:11

After the Exodus, the Reubenites requested to be positioned in the wilderness side of Jordan and not in the land itself.

With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, [even] as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them;
Josh 13:8

But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD [is] their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.
Josh 18:7

and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the *EAST* side of the Jordan, [were given them], out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with its suburbs, and Jahzah with its suburbs,
1Chr 6:78

Reuben's heritage was foretold by his father, and it was a bad one.

Reuben, thou [art] my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou [it]: he went up to my couch.
Genesis 49:3-4

Thus it is no wonder that the Reubenites chose to stay in the wilderness, eastward of the Land, rather than possess the land which God promised them, in type of their failing position with God. It seems the heritage of Reuben in the light of his erring ways was fulfilled in the tribe after his name. Reuben did not desire the things which God planned for Israel. History tells us that the land outside of Israel which Reuben chose to dwell in was overtaken by others and Nomads dwelt there after time. Reuben lost his region - he did not excel.

We also find that the evil city Babylon was built in an eastward location:

And it came to pass, as they journeyed *EAST*, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Come, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top [may reach] unto heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Genesis 11:2-4

All evil things were seemingly located eastward of God's territory and evil people journeyed away from God, as it were, to the east.

WESTWARD

Since Eden, the territory of God's people, represents Heaven and the Garden of God's territory was "Eastward in Eden" we see which direction, spiritually, Cain went in relation to that which represents Heaven. Cain dwelt in the land of Nod east of Eden. Spiritually speaking, man is born outside of Eden in the land of wandering, for NOD means, "wandering; unrest." As Israel traveled over Jordan WESTWARD in order to get into Canaan, we see that westward direction represents progress towards God's will. And if we are all born in the EAST, the CHURCH is the closest thing to Heaven, and we must travel, as it were, westward, into the Kingdom within the Church.

As the settlers in the days of early America used to say, we must "Go west, young man!"

Scripture tells us that Jesus will travel Westward:

For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Matt 24:27

The Tabernacle and Temple had only one entrance in the EAST. In order to enter into it one had to travel westward, and in that manner approach the presence of God in the Holiest of Holies. This is IDENTICAL to the lay-out of the Garden of Eden.

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.
Genesis 3:24

The only reason God would bar the east end of the Garden was due to the fact that the one and only entrance was located there. Otherwise He would have placed flaming swords and cherubims around the full circumference of the Garden. And if you look closely, you find there are many, many likenesses between the Temple and the Garden. We will discuss this later, also.

With the Garden situated eastward in Eden, we find that the closest thing to heaven, for those on earth (eastward in sin), is the Church, the Kingdom of God.

HELP IS NEEDED EASTWARD

If the world in sin is represented as being eastward, we can readily see how that help is to be granted to those who are in the east that they might be saved.

It is interesting to notice that on the day of Atonement, one day a year, all Israel gathered to Jerusalem. This was the day their sins would be atoned for by a sacrifice. This was the only day of each year the High Priest could actually enter the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle.

After the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place with the atoning blood of the Lamb, he did something very enlightening as to our pertinent study of the Rivers of Eden.

The High Priest walked into the Tabernacle, towards the West. He passed the veil with the blood in his possession:

And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle [it] with his finger upon the mercy seat *EASTWARD*; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Levi 16:14

In order for the above to occur, the High Priest would have to walk Westward into the Holiest of Holiest, where he then confronted the Ark of the Covenant, and then walk around and behind the Ark and turn Eastward and face the entrance from which he entered into the Most Holy Place. In other words, he faced the people who were Eastward, outside the Tabernacle, patiently waiting for the High Priest to conclude the all-important sprinkling of the blood in the Holiest Place, and accomplished the sprinkling ceremony.

Blood is the life of the flesh. LIFE. And LIFE was sprinkled EASTWARD. A RIVER IF LIFE, as it were!

Man is in sin, eastward, in the wandering state of NOD. Man wanders aimlessly in no direction without Christ. Only the sprinkling of His blood on the Mercy Seat of Heaven, eastward, or, typically speaking, for the *sake* of lost humanity, can redeem them back to God.

Israel WANDERED through the WILDERNESS on their way to Canaan, representing the return to the GARDEN.

They *WANDERED* in the *WILDERNESS* in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
Psalm 107:4

Recall that Abraham was also in that land, and his descendants, Jacob and the eleven patriarchs left Canaan and traveled into Egypt, where Joseph dwelt in rulership during the famine. They LEFT THE LAND. And Israel had to return, just as man left the Garden of fellowship with God due to sin, and must return in salvation today!

DRY PLACES

Humanity is eastward. Eastward direction in the Bible often indicates the idea of being lost and of wandering. In the wandering *desert* we find that Israel dwelt in a *dry place*. The enemy is said to lurk in the dry places. Even Jesus had to go through the dry wilderness for forty days and then be tempted of the devil in that dry wilderness.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Matt 12:43

Moses struck the rock, and waters of life flowed in the desert dry places!

He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places [like] a river.
Psalm 105:41

And we know that CHRIST is that ROCK.

And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
1Cor 10:4

Jesus said we would receive eternal life if we would eat His flesh and drink His blood.

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. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
John 6:53-55

He explained that He did not speak literally, but referred to His WORDS. Recall that the Word of God is "quick" (He. 4:12), or alive. Jesus said His words and Spirit "quickeneth" - or makes alive. This is not any ordinary life, though. It is ETERNAL life. His blood is LIFE that flows from Himself, the Rock, into the dry places like a river (Psalm 105:41). The RIVER OF LIFE. And we drink of it.

When Jesus explained what He actually meant regarding eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He said:

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.
John 6:63

After hearing about the WORDS of Jesus being life-giving, Jesus asked the disciples if they would leave as did the multitude who only came to see miracles and cared less for His teaching. Notice their response:

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
John 6:68

Thank God for the RIVER of LIFE in His blood. His blood contained the New Testament. Or, in other words, HIS WORD. Can you see the link between the blood of Jesus, the Word of God and the RIVER OF LIFE?

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup [is] the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Luke 22:20

His literal flesh was not what He was talking about. It was His words! His Spirit quickeneth or makes alive! His words are Spirit and life.

(More about Jesus' blood later in this study.)

THE END OF WANDERING IN DRY PLACES - JORDAN

Jordan marks the end of wandering and the beginning of life in the Garden. The day Jesus was baptised was the day He entered that wilderness to be tempted. The Devil roamed in the realm of the dry place of the Wilderness, which typically speaks of the dry places where the living water of the Spirit is absent. (Literally, the devil is not restricted to dry places, of course.)

And notice that Jesus was baptized IN JORDAN. As Israel had to cross Westward over Jordan to enter the Land, Jesus, as it were, left the land of Heaven after His baptism, typically, and entered lost humanity's domain. Jesus typically left the Garden to where we were, in the wilderness and dry places. There He experienced all the temptations we face and overcame them all as He began His ministry!

Please understand that Adam was thrust eastward out of the Garden. All man is born in sin, as it were, Eastward of the Garden. God came down from Heaven as a man and walked Eastward over Jordan to where we were. Since Adam failed, and thrust us all Eastward into sin, Jesus, the Last Adam, walked Eastward to retrieve us and overcame that which bound us. (No man can lead anybody through a victory over which He has not already proven Himself victorious. Therefore, Jesus had to walk into that dry place, Himself, and overcome.)

When Jesus crossed Jordan into the wilderness, we see a picture of God coming to rescue us from wandering.

Note that Israel followed a pillar of fire and cloud towards Canaan. From this we learn that we will not wander in Nod if we only FOLLOW CHRIST.

They WANDERED in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] HE DELIVERED THEM out of their distresses. And he *HE LED THEM* forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
Psalm 107:4-7

Moses tried fighting Egypt to free Israel, after killing an Egyptian who beat a Hebrew slave. He discovered that fighting is not God's plan. God's plan is DELIVERANCE. When Moses met God at the burning bush, God corrected the prophet and showed him that it was not that Moses would fight Egypt, but that GOD WOULD DELIVER ISRAEL FROM EGYPT.

THE INCORRECT MANNER IN WHICH TO DEAL WITH FLESH

Today, too many believers FIGHT their flesh and try to coerce it to do good. Like Moses, they are mistaken, though sincere they may be.

Paul tried fighting flesh with human efforts as follows:

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Romans 7:21-23

He explained that a believer will fail and be made captive to a worse degree than was already experienced if that believer tries to fight the tendencies of the flesh in his/her own power! It is not that WE should FIGHT, but that GOD must DELIVER. Paul discovered the very thing Moses learned at the burning bush:

And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I AM COME DOWN TO DELIVER THEM OUT OF the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Exod 3:7-8
O wretched man that I am! *WHO SHALL DELIVER ME* from the body of this death? I thank *GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST* our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 7:24-25

Who will deliver? God will. And Paul thanked God that He would do it. And the manner in which God would deliver him was THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

"THROUGH JESUS CHRIST" means BY THE BLOOD - by the river of Life! It means, Not by human might, nor human power, as Paul taught, but BY GOD'S SPIRIT!

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6

Jesus DELIVERS us as did the pillar of fire deliver Israel from Egypt by leading them.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:27

Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee? follow thou me.
John 21:22

With this idea of following the Shepherd, Jesus, in mind, notice:

The LORD [is] *MY SHEPHERD*; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: *HE LEADETH ME* beside the still waters. He *RESTORETH* my soul: he *LEADETH ME* in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psalm 23:1-3

He is the Light! He is clothed with a cloud! He is the pillar of cloud and fire that led Israel through the dry wilderness! He leads us out of the wilderness into the Garden!

The picture, then, of the High Priest sprinkling blood Eastward gives us the beautiful truth that Christ, who is the great HIGH PRIEST, died *for lost humanity*, who is Eastward in the dry places of wandering. He shed His blood for those in the dry places. His river of Life flowed eastward!

Notice in Revelation that the RIVER flows from the throne. The true fountain of eternal youth - Jesus' blood flows for our eternal life!

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.
Rev 22:1

"...the throne of God and the Lamb!" Why? Because God delivered us THROUGH CHRIST. Praise God!

Ministry must be accomplished Eastward. All of lost Humanity is Eastward. It seems the RIVER that flowed eastward from Eden into the Garden, and, in turn, branched out into four rivers that left the East entrance of the Garden to all the world, speaks of the Spirit of God reaching outward in ministry to lost humanity.

We read of four rivers leaving the EAST region of Eden, and THEN, from there, to all the world. This tells us that the WHOLE world is typically EASTWARD, compared to Heaven, and wandering in sin.

THE RIVER OF THE SPIRIT

As the River of Eden came forth into the Garden FROM Eden/Paradise, The Spirit of God descended from heaven, or from paradise. This is a wonderful parallel!

And the Holy Ghost *descended* in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came *from heaven*, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
Luke 3:22

The Spirit descended from Heaven (EDEN) above.

Another point to notice is that Jesus likened the Spirit of God to LIVING WATER. The River of Eden was the RIVER OF LIFE.

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
John 4:10

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet [given]; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 7:38 -39

One day, in a vision, God pointed Ezekiel to the River of God's Spirit which flowed eastward, exactly as the River of Eden flowed into the Garden! Praise God!

Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way *that looketh eastward*; and, behold, there ran out *waters* on the right side. And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth *eastward*, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters [were] to the ankles. Afterward he measured a thousand; [and it was] a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, *a river* that could not be passed over.
Ezek 47:2-5

Then said he unto me, These waters issue out *toward the east country*, and go down into the *desert*, and go into the sea: [which being] brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, [that] every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall *live*: and there shall be a very great *multitude of fish*, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. And it shall come to pass, [that] the *fishers shall stand upon it* from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a [place] to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
Ezek 47:8-10

Though regarding certain prophetic truths, we still can glean a beautiful picture of God's Spirit from this passage. His Spirit travels eastward into the dry places of the world, where God's Spirit is not known. Multitudes of fish, souls of men, are found and freed from the wandering in the seas of life, wherever the Spirit flows. Jesus told us to be fishers of men. We DEPEND UPON THE SPIRIT in our efforts to win souls, as the fishermen STOOD UPON THE RIVER. Without the strengthening and anointing of the Spirit of God upon us, we cannot minister to lost humanity.

Ezekiel saw another vision depicting dryness and spiritual saturation of LIFE:

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] *VERY DRY*.
Ezek 37:1-2

The dry bones came together by the word of God:

So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but [there was] no breath in them.
Ezek 37:7-8

It took something more than WORD. SPIRIT was required also, just as Adam was made from the dust of the earth and required the BREATH OF the LIFE OF GOD'S SPIRIT to then enter him. It is not enough to have merely heard the preaching of God's Word. God has more for the believer! The Holy Ghost baptism!

Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
Ezek 37:9

FOUR WINDS! Like the FOUR RIVERS of EDEN! Recall the day of Pentecost when a mighty rushing wind filled the house as the 120 were filled with the Holy Ghost!!

Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
Ezek 37:12

The Jews were to return to their land as mankind must return to the GARDEN OF EDEN!! The HOLY GHOST BRINGS US INTO THE GARDEN! INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. We must be born of the water and of the Spirit to enter the KINGDOM or into the GARDEN, and rule!

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:5

Since BLOOD is the LIFE of the flesh (Lev. 17:11), we can also see this picture of the RIVER OF LIFE in the blood which the High Priest sprinkled Eastward in the Tabernacle.

It is noteworthy that the evil spirits, that are cast out of people, go into dry places.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
Luke 11:24

Spirits of Satan hate God's Spirit and Presence. The Spirit of God is like a River. And if anything typically represents the abode of evil spirits it would be a desert and dry place, void of the wetness of the Spirit.

Creatures of darkness and desert life are used to describe evil spirits in the words which God gave concerning Idumea, typically the enemies of the Church.

And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, [and] a court for owls. The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest. There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate.
Isai 34:13-15

We need to saturate this world with God's LIVING WATER OF SPIRIT and drive out all evil spirits everywhere!

The woman at the well who met Jesus thirsted in a spiritual manner, for she lived in sin and in a dry place spiritually for many years.

JUNCTION POINT OF THE SPIRIT

If the Spirit is pictured as flowing from Eden as a River towards and into the Garden of the Church, and branching into four more rivers at this Garden, we see that the Garden is like a JUNCTION POINT. The four rivers leave the Garden and go into four more regions.

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first [is] Pison: that [is] it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where [there is] gold; And the gold of that land [is] good: there [is] bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river [is] Gihon: the same [is] it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river [is] Hiddekel: that [is] it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river [is] Euphrates.
Genesis 2:10-14

The number 4 biblically indicates something about THE WORLD. Four Gospels are written, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, for the world to hear and be saved. Often we read of the "four corners" of the earth. The inhabitants of the world are described in four consecutive terms:

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every *kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation*;
Reve 5:9

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Reve 14:6

Judgments against man are pictured as four:

If, [when] evil cometh upon us, [as] the *sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine*, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name [is] in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.
2Chr 20:9

For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
Ezek 14:21

So we can see that the four rivers leaving the Garden speak of the Spirit of God reaching out to all the four corners of the world from the Church in ministry! Praise God! We must understand why the Spirit is within us.

The Upper Room was a sort of GARDEN depicting Heaven from which God's Spirit descended as a mighty river of wind. From that point in the world, in the Garden of the Upper Room in Jerusalem, Jesus directed the believers to wait. From there, they would MINISTER TO FOUR POINTS. And the same passage tells us why the RIVER of Spirit is given to us:

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in...
1) Jerusalem,
2) and in all Judaea,
3) and in Samaria,
4) and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8

The Sprit IS POWER TO WITNESS. This speaks of ministry to the world. We must WITNESS of Christ's resurrection and salvation to the world in sin. From the Upper Room, where the saints first received the SPIRIT OF POWER, they were to go out into all the world (indicated by the four regions mentioned).

Jesus Christ, before the day of His crucifixion, PRAYED IN A GARDEN (Gethsemane), and HIS BLOOD, HIS VERY LIFE, sweat out through His flesh. He prayed in this manner for lost humanity and the death He must experience on the cross for mankind. A RIVER OF LIFE FLOWED IN A GARDEN FOR ALL THE WORLD OF LOST HUMANITY!!

And he SWEAT forth His blood! Sweat depicts WORK. Jesus had a job to do! Adam's JOB was to dress and keep the Garden. Jesus had to watch and pray!

Praise His name!

WORK AT THE JUNCTION POINT

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Genesis 2:15

Since the River junction point between God and the world was situated in the Garden, these two efforts of *dressing* and *keeping*, reserved for Adam's work, were most important! The River flowed purely into the Garden and it must remain pure that it may reach its destination in its purity. Wherever the River would flow, fruitfulness and life would flourish. I believe God desired the Garden to spread, as it were, across the face of the world. It would increase its boundaries due to the fruitfulness that the Rivers would provide to the outside regions. That is why God placed man in the Garden.

Should the River be cut off, the fruitfulness would cease spreading outward to the world, and dryness of sin and evil would remain.

The Kingdom of God must be preached to all the world. It is spreading at this very moment. And when all nations have heard, and a believer stands in every one of those nations, the work has been accomplished, and Christ will reign one thousand years! But we cannot allow ourselves to be contaminated with fleshliness and thus corrupt the unadulterated ministry of the Spirit through us to the world! We must maintain our purity in Christ, that we, in turn, may dress and keep the Garden that the River remain pure that it may reach the world in purity.

Satan had to find a way into the Garden to stop this work of God. He subtly entered the serpent, a beast of the field (not "of the Garden") in order to gain entrance. If Satan could stop man from dressing the Garden (building it up and outward) and Keeping the Garden (protecting its sanctity for the River's sake), the devil could rule earth instead of this "son of God" (Luke 3:38). And the earth would be a huge desert rather than a fruitful garden!

So, the picture of four rivers leaving the Garden tell us of the Spirit of God transformed into ACTIVE MINISTRY in the Garden/Church from which it will leave and minister to the whole world.

Ministry of the Spirit, whether it be in preaching, healing, a word of encouragement at the right time, is that which was formerly incorporeal and intangible and "unrelatable" to the world, being "translated" into activity that humanity CAN relate to. The world cannot see nor hear God. But WE CAN! Therefore, we as the Church are a JUNCTION POINT.

Praise God! The Church is a vital place in the plan of God. It is strategically located between heaven and the world of lost souls as a transformation centre where the Spirit of God flows into the Church to be transformed into ministry in the physical. The Church is the temple of the Holy Ghost where man meets God. The Church is the Body of Christ. With our regenerated spirits, we are a contact point between lost humanity and God. We can hear God, whereas the world is deaf to His voice. And unless God can use us to minister in this world, the message for them will never reach them.

We are like a HYDRO PLANT where water flow is transformed into POWER to lighten the dark world!

Jonah was told to go to Ninevah and preach judgment of God to the people there. Why did not God speak directly to Ninevah, Himself? It was due to the fact that Ninevah could not have heard God's voice. No wonder God took Jonah through such awful lessons in order for him to obey God and go to Ninevah!

Without us, Church, the world will be lost without hope.

God placed Adam in a very important location in the world! The most important place in the world!

Since the River of Life was to flow into all the world, the junction point determined its purity being preserved. You see, evil was in the world. A corruptive element was already at work when God placed Adam in the world. Satan was out there. If this were not so, why did God put Adam in the Garden to dress and to KEEP it? KEEPING the Garden means "PROTECTING" it. Protecting it from what? Obviously something outside the Garden was the element which God wanted to remain OUTSIDE the Garden. And Adam's job was to do just that. Keep it outside.

By dressing and Keeping the Garden, Adam would maintain his position of rulership under God.

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.
Genesis 1:26

The work of dressing and keeping is a work in which we as believers must all labour. Jesus likewise told the disciples in the GARDEN of Gethsemene to do TWO THINGS that night in the Garden. WATCH AND PRAY. Watching is KEEPING or PROTECTING. Praying is DRESSING.

We must dress this Garden and maintain its beauty and build it up and increase its borders. Prayer maintains our relationship with God and enhances our spirituality so that our effectiveness in ministering to this lost world may be at maximum potential.

Watching is keeping a look-out while we work for God that we do not become invaded by lies from the Devil. We must keep the world out of our lives and our Garden. If the corruption from the world enters our lives, and we are adulterated from purity of union with God alone, the work of the Spirit in us will be tainted with fleshliness and worldliness. This will cause us to exude an impure work of God to the world. Flesh will be mingled with our ministries, and a distortion of God's will will then be manifest to humanity.

When Nehemiah restored the walls of Jerusalem, his men watched and prayed in type. They worked to build up the walls with one hand and held a weapon in the other - watching.

And it came to pass from that time forth, [that] the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers [were] behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, [every one] with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other [hand] held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and [so] builded. And he that sounded the trumpet [was] by me. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work [is] great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place [therefore] ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
Nehe 4:16-21

DENY SELF

Since the blood represents the LIFE of the flesh (Lev. 17:10-11) we can see that Jesus taught us a lesson in shedding His blood by sweat as He prayed in the Garden. By SWEATING BLOOD, Jesus showed how we must DENY OURSELVES. Self-denial is the WORK we must accomplish that the Spirit might ever flow like a river from the church! OUR LIVES must be lost in exchange for HIS LIFE. It is NOT OUR WILLS but HIS WILL that we must do.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Matt 16:24-25

We must LABOUR in the Garden, as did Adam, and deny ourselves to let the Spirit flow outward.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
John 12:24-25

The above verses in John speak first about a corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying. Look at the corn of wheat as life encased in a shell. Unless that shell is broken by falling into the ground and thereby deteriorating, the life cannot come forth and multiply itself. So must we deny our lives, or the shell of the natural and the carnal, in order for God's Spirit within to flow out of us and out to the dry world as a River of LIFE! Hallelujah!

Perhaps the River was cut off when Adam fell from the Garden. At any rate, God will cut off the flow of the Spirit into our lives if we do not remain pure. He does not want His Spirit corrupted by fleshliness in His desires to minister that Spirit outward to lost humanity through us.

Since He has chosen to flow through us by way of His Spirit, we must accept our responsibility of remaining sensitive to His voice through prayer, and pure for His use through watching.

But Satan entered the Garden and LIED to Eve.

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 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.
Genesis 2:16-17

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Genesis 3:4

A LIE felled Eve, and she succumbed to the temptation and sinned. In turn, she urged Adam to sin, and he, too, fell. Both were cast outward to the east away from the Garden.

The junction point was corrupted.

In the Garden of Gethsemene the devil possessed JUDAS as he formerly possessed the serpent, and in that manner entered the Garden to attempt to fall the Son of God, the LAST ADAM, as he did the first Adam.

When Jesus spoke of the LIFE in His BLOOD, He immediately thought about JUDAS. Perhaps Jesus had the River of life in mind, and how the serpent corrupted the purity of the Garden.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
John 6:63-64

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup [is] the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me [is] with me on the table.
Luke 22:20-21

The very Devil that possessed the serpent in Eden entered also into Judas!

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
Luke 22:3

Satan recognized Jesus as the LAST ADAM, and tried to repeat his efforts which succeeded in Eden so long ago.

As the serpent used its mouth to SPEAK FORTH A LIE to Eve, JUDAS BETRAYED JESUS WITH A KISS of his mouth (perhaps intended to deceive the SECOND EVE, the disciples who stood nearby and were the then-future church). Praise the Lord that He did not fall as Adam did, but went all the way to the cross despite the shame and agony.

THE END AND A RETURN TO THE GARDEN

The picture of the Tree of Life and the RIVER OF EDEN is seen again in the end of the Bible in Revelation. The Tree and the RIVER are there IN THE NEW CITY, JERUSALEM, as they were in the Garden of Eden.

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. 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.
Reve 22:1-2

The River is clear as crystal. Pure.

Note the preceding verse to this passage as follows:

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.
Reve 21:27

Speaking of the New City, we are told that nothing unclean can enter the City should they defile the City. And it specifically points to the very thing that caused the River of Eden to be contaminated in Genesis, as it lists all that which is barred from the City. "Whatsoever...maketh a LIE." A LIE felled mankind and corrupted the River, in a sense, and a LIE is specifically noted as being one of the elements which are barred from ever entering that New City. All will be restored as it was in Genesis, only, the Garden will be replaced by the progressive phase of a CITY. This hints that God's original intent was for Adam to dress the Garden and build it up into a City with all his descendants living in that great paradise of the Garden. How else would Adam and his children dwell in the Garden together? This, of course, though, was thwarted by Adam's sin.

Recall that Abraham LOOKED FOR A CITY as he journeyed into the land of Canaan, which land typifies the Garden. In fact, the spies called the Land a land flowing with milk and honey. A Garden, as it were!

THE TREE OF LIFE

The River in the New City is clear as crystal. It is pure! This water FEEDS the tree of Life, since it WATERS the Garden, according to Genesis:

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
Genesis 2:10

As the River watered the Garden, it watered the tree of Life. The eternal Life from the Tree's fruit was meant to be partaken of by man, but without the River of Life watering that tree, we see that the fruit would not manifest for man's benefit.

Jesus is the fruit of Life on the Tree. Although the Cross was a tree of death for Him, it became a TREE OF LIFE for you and me! Thank God!

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. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:53-54

Since He is the Word made flesh, we can readily apply John 6:53-54 to believing HIS WORDS. Its not the literal Body of Jesus He is referring to, but the WORDS He spoke.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the *words* that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. John 6:63

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
John 6:68

Leaves are for shelter and comfort. We read of the leaves of the tree of life as being for the purpose of healing the nations. With the troubles of sin and iniquity having been around since Adam's fall, there is much healing required for all the nations.

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.
Reve 22:2

Jesus is like the fruit on the Tree of Life and also the LEAVES. The Tree of life was anointed by the River of Life, the Spirit, for the distinct purpose, among others, of healing:

The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me *to heal* the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:18

Jesus is the SUN of righteousness, for healing:

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Mala 4:2

(Wings, like leaves, are used to indicate the thought of protection and shelter - Luke 13:34).

The Spirit of God anointed Jesus to heal, as the River of Life watered the tree of life that it's leaves might heal the nations.

No more curse exists in the City, as opposed to the curse that was first introduced in the Garden.

And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Reve 22:3

THE CHURCH TODAY

Had Adam not fallen, what would have occurred with mankind in relation to the Garden? Keep in mind that it was a holy place, where God's very presence walked with Adam. Perhaps Adam would have remained as High Priest, in a sense, while He ruled the world under God. We do know that Jesus, the Last Adam, was High Priest. Of course, Adam would not have offered a blood sacrifice, for blood was only for the remission of sins, and there would have been no sin had Adam not fallen. Nevertheless, it seems that all Adam's descendants would have gathered to the Garden and regularly partook of the fruit of the Tree of Life as Adam led the people in worship. Or perhaps the Garden would have expanded across the earth. At any rate, the fruit of the tree of Life would have been man's food.

Well, this did not occur, but in a sense it yet is occurring through another means. The Church. The Church is the Garden. It is a paradise with God to be born again and in the Church! What a life! The preaching of the cross, which is the Tree of Life, offers, in the form of words, fruit of life. Jesus' words are fruit of eternal life to those who come to the Body of the Church to hear and believe them.

Could the River of the Spirit, branching out and reaching all the world, be attracting people to the source of that River - the Garden?

We have been given Jesus' holiness. All that we can do in the form of works, is to keep it. We cannot attain it, nor work to get it. But we can work to keep it. Adam could not create the Garden, but simply KEEP it, or protect it.

And in the New Jerusalem, we see the story continuing from where it was interrupted in Genesis.

Let us not fail as did Adam.


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