1 Corinthians 15:21-22 KJV
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:45-47 KJV
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
In our lesson “God’s Love-From the Garden to the Cross” we discussed how God granting free will to His creation, was an act of His love for us.
We discussed how sin entered the world and that humankind would have to choose between good and evil, light and darkness, and right and wrong from that day forward.
We discussed how the granting of free will led in due time (in the fullness of time) to the cross of Calvary, which would usher in the New Covenant with mankind and redemption through the blood of Jesus.
In this lesson, which is longer than normal, we want to explore the thoughts of our title, “God’s Love--From the Garden to the Garden.”
From Eden to Gethsemane.
From the initial perfect utopia to the “human” struggle our Lord faced in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before His crucifixion.
The Garden of Eden
To reiterate, God wanted human beings to make our own choices, which of course would include bad choices. And because of free will, WE are therefore accountable for our said choices and the ramifications and results they bring to us.
Adam and Eve, with inherent free will, were held accountable for their choice of disobedience.
Genesis 3:6-7 KJV
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
We see in Adam and Eve a definite remorse and shame for their decision to disobey God. They immediately realized that they were naked and sewed fig leaves together to make aprons.
They then tried to do the impossible. They tried to flee and hide from God.
They were obviously profoundly aware of their transgression and wrongdoing.
I can only imagine the guilt and shame that they felt as they had just defied and disobeyed their God and creator, with whom they communed daily.
Genesis 3:8-12 KJV
8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
We see where Adam and Eve realized their transgression and the realization of sin came to them. Again, they wanted to cover their nakedness with aprons made from fig leaves.
But God had another plan. We see the initial act of redemption by blood, where God created garments from sacrificial animals, which would cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve.
Genesis 3:21 KJV
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
God made coats from the skin of "sacrificed" animals in order to clothe and cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve.
Because God allowed for and provided this symbolic “covering of sin”, or redemption for Adam and Eve, it indicates to me remorse, shame and repentance.
Their sin was therefore covered.
Then we see the promise of God, that from the “seed of Eve” our Lord Jesus would come who would crush the head of Satan.
In other words, the promise of redemption would extend from Adam and Eve to ALL who would make the decision to accept the full pardon that God offers.
Genesis 3:14-15 KJV
14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
It will be a while, but in the fullness of time, God would usher in the New Covenant with mankind, through His Son, Jesus Christ.
All of what happened in the Garden of Eden would lead many years later to the Garden of Gethsemane.
God always had a master plan.
The Garden of Gethsemane
We now come to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus would be arrested by the Temple Guard and be crucified by the Romans the very next day on Mt. Calvary.
We want to deal here with the emotions of Jesus, knowing that his arrest and crucifixion were upon Him.
We want to think about the turmoil and sorrow that He would face as He prayed in this Garden and awaited the Temple Guard and multitude who would be coming to arrest Him.
We see in Gethsemane where Jesus was very sorrowful.
So much so that he fell on His face and prayed to the Father “if there is ANY other way, let this cup pass from Me.”
He didn’t just pray about His upcoming crucifixion once. No, He prayed again saying “if this cup would not pass away and He would drink from it, then Thy will be done.”
And one final time, Jesus would pray again about His upcoming crucifixion and the price He had to pay, by repeating the second prayer again.
Matthew 26:38-44 KJV
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
We know Jesus is “God in the flesh” but we don’t always think about the “flesh” part of our Lord. He experienced human emotions.
As He faced what awaited Him the next day, His human emotions took hold, and He was very sorrowful. Even to the point of asking the Father if there was any other way.
We need to think and meditate about the fact that even though Jesus was “part God” he was also “part human” having been born of Mary.
And thus, He would have these human emotions that He had to deal with.
All that happened in the Garden of Eden, led in due time to what Christ had to undergo in the Garden of Gethsemane.
And then of course, on the cross of Calvary, but that is another lesson.
Because of mankind’s sin, that originated in Eden, God would provide in the fullness of time, the only true sacrificial “lamb” that could redeem mankind, cover their sins, and wash them away as far as the east is from the west. All that is required is our acceptance of Christ and belief in Him.
Jesus is Arrested
Later in the evening, Judas who betrayed Jesus, led a great multitude from the chief priest (Temple Guard) and elders of the people to Gethsemane. They were armed with swords and staves.
Here in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus with a kiss.
Matthew 26:51-57 KJV
51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.
52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
It is presumed that Peter was the one who cut off the ear of a servant to the high priest. But Jesus told him to put up his sword, for if He had wanted, He could have commanded 12 legions of angels to protect Him.
The Temple Guards led Jesus away to Caiaphas the high priest and then all the disciples forsook Him and fled. They still did not fully understand.
Garden to Garden
What started in the Garden of Eden, led Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane where He fought His human emotions, fully committed to the will of God, and finally found Himself all alone.
He was ready for the cross of Calvary, upon which He would die the next day for the sins of all people.
And that first example of sacrificial death and blood (of animals) to cover sin in Eden, would be perfected on the day after Gethsemane, on Calvary's cross.
Christ in His sacrificial death, would provide us with redemption of sin and the covering of His righteousness, which would cover our spiritual nakedness and “filthy rags.” The perfect solution for mankind's sin.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for this great gift of grace that was always in your master plan as creator of all things.
And our prayer is that those still live in sin, unreconciled with you, will accept this gift of grace which is Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 5:17-19 KJV
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
RVH