The first temple in the Bible was a garden and it was planted by God himself. That’s part of what we learned last Sunday night as we covered Genesis 2:8-14. Eden was the region into which God planted this garden and placed the first man. A river flowed out of it which watered the whole earth. The Greek word for Eden is the word from which we get our word “paradise” and that is why John Milton called his epic poem about the garden of Eden Paradise Lost.
Of all the images that come to mind when we think of Eden, temple is probably not one of them, but let me assure you that temple language is used throughout the description of Eden in Genesis 2. The garden of God in Eden was the place where God met and communed with his people. Adam was the first priest and he was given charge of the temple to guard it and to work it. A covenant was made with him and special revelation was given him for which he was responsible. This makes Adam the first prophet as well. Made in the image of God and given a mandate to subdue the earth, Adam was also the world’s first king. Prophet, priest, and king—these are the three offices that Adam held. Not coincidentally they are the three offices held by the Anointed One whom God sent into the world—Jesus Christ.
Learning about Adam is relevant because Jesus is the counter to Adam, called by Paul the second Adam and the last Adam. As ultimate prophet, priest, and king he came to restore all that was lost in Adam, including paradise. Especially paradise. That’s because there is no real paradise without God.
Where is Eden now? The geographical information given in Genesis 2 is obscure enough as to make it impossible to determine that, and for good reason. Fallen humans would only do something profane with it if they knew the spot. And since Adam fell we lost our rights to enter anyway. But those rights were restored in Christ. You see, the tabernacle and the temple were designed purposefully to replicate the garden of God. Only by bloody sacrifice and through priesthood could the people enter, and that was to teach them something, teach us something. We are not worthy to enter the holy place with God. We are not worthy to re-enter Eden.
That’s where Christ comes in. With boldness he entered into the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us, and in so doing he became a new and living way by which we might boldly approach the throne of grace, the place of God’s presence, without fear. When we as the people of God gather to worship on the Lord’s day there is a sense in which we are entering the garden once again, for we are entering the place of God’s special presence, the place where he has communion with his people, the new covenant temple. Physical Eden may have been lost temporarily, but spiritual Eden is accessible right now. When we gather, that gathering is an act of faith through which we look forward to a physical gathering of all God’s people one day in perfect communion with God in a future Eden yet to be realized. One day Eden will encompass the entire earth.
Yes, Eden has a future, and future Eden will be far grander than original Eden. You can read about future Eden in Revelation 21 and 22. You will find there all the elements of original Eden plus much more. What is described in those chapters is Eden all grown up—Eden as it was destined to become. There is the life-giving river which waters the earth. There is the tree of life for the healing of the nations. There is the presence of God, but with a significant change. This time instead of God coming down to walk with his people and then return, this time God has come to dwell with his people permanently. This is the culmination of all the covenant promises of God.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:3-4
It is Christ who has earned for us once again the right to enter Eden and it is through faith in Christ that we are given that right. We demonstrate that faith when we gather for worship on the Lord’s day, Sunday, the first day of the week, a day looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth, the new Eden which has been promised the people of God. I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we anticipate the better world to come. See you in Eden.