God’s purpose for his creation has been to fill the earth with his glory. Adam and Eve were to multiply and populate the earth with God’s glory.

The Biblical story is connected with the mission of the Church.

1. In Genesis 2:8-17, we see Eden as a Cosmic Temple where God’s presence dwelt with man.

2. In Genesis 3:22-24, man was banished from the Garden of Eden, which was his original habitation. The cosmic temple was no longer accessible, and the way was guarded by Cherub with a flashing sword. 

3. God does not give up on man and we see fellowship taking place through sacrifices and altars.

–In Genesis 3:21 – God killed an animal and made garments of skin for Adam and Eve.

–In Genesis 4:3-5 – Cain and Abel appear before God with sacrifices.

–In Genesis 8:20 – Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. ²¹ The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma…….

4. Abraham was a man of altars: Genesis 12:7-9 – He makes an altar after his call.

Genesis 13:18 – He makes an altar after separating with Lot

Genesis 22:9 – Abraham builds an altar to sacrifice Isaac.

5. In  Exodus 25:40 and Hebrews 8:5 we see God instructing Moses to make a tabernacle patterned from the original Garden of Eden. It was a a copy and a shadow of the true tabernacle in heaven. In Exodus 40, God’s glory filled the tabernacle and guided the Israelites their journey (v34-38).

6. In 2 Chronicles 6-7, the temple again is filled with God’s presence.

7. In the New Testament we see Christ establishing a Spiritual Temple:

–In John 1:14  – We see Christ tabernacling with men.

–In John 2:19,22 – Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will raise it up”……..He was speaking about the temple of his body.

NB: The physical temple in Jerusalem was eventually destroyed in AD 70 by the Romans.

By spiritual union to the body of Christ, we too enter into and become God’s temple where his glory dwells.

—1 Corinthians 6:19 – “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you”

–God’s spirit in us gives us life. Through Christ it becomes possible for us to be connected to the source of life.

John 3:16 (Eternal Life), John 15 (The vine gives life), John 14:6 (Jesus is the way, the truth and the life).

–Through Christ we have a foretaste of the coming New Eden.

—Through Christ we have again the access to the tree of life, and cherub’s who guard God’s Throne/Holiness cannot block us, because through Jesus we have a right standing with God.

Hebrews 10:19 Shows us that we now have the confidence to enter the MOST HOLY PLACE by the blood of Jesus, by a NEW and LIVING WAY opened for us.

—Revelation 2:7 Shows that again we have the right to eat from the tree of life in God’s paradise.

–In Revelation 22:1-5 we see Eden Restored.