TITLE: One Day in the Garden - 2019-07-26 By John Danials 07/26/19 |
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I know the introduction/disclaimer sucks, but I don't know what to do about it. It seems to make a difference in how someone understands the rest of the article.
I've been writing and proof-reading/rewriting the article for about 15-18 hours and every time I proof-read it I change several paragraphs, often completely rewriting them.
I just proofed it before submitting it,and after rewriting several paragraphs, I had to rewrite this note. So, I hope this final copy is good enough as I am scared to read it again.
After checking my submission, I find that I can't copy from the WP to the form without losing every format including line breaks. So I am copying into an HTML editor, and then copying the results back to past here. I lose indents, bold, headers, etc. But I have paragraphs. So, I added xxxxxxxxx to break up the body of the article from the intro/disclamer that sucks, and the invitation and supporting references at the bottom. In the original I also have the ESV copyright notice and an author's bio-box.
May God bless you this week with a beautiful surprise blessing that you know can only come from Him.
PS Article is 913 words. The body between xx is 654.
here is my article:
One Day in the Garden
This narrative is a very condensed picture of what I see in my mind when I read Genesis 3. It would take a book to include all the details from the supporting scriptures and how I see it in my mind. So, to keep it short, I am summarizing many of the details I see and nearly all the scriptures. For a more accurate picture, you will have to expand the summaries and fill the gaps with scriptures from Genesis, Ezekiel and Revelation.
This is only my “artist rendition†of the scene, and not a vision or revelation from God. I hope this narrative helps you envision the scene in your mind more clearly.
xxxxxxxxxx
I see myself standing beside a tree in the middle of the most beautiful place God made on this earth. It is the Tree of Life with its fruit is full of color and perfectly ripe for eating, waiting to be discovered by Earth's first family.
Not far away, a spectacular display of glittering light steals my attention. I comes from what might be God's most beautiful creature. He radiates shower of sparkling light as the sun reflects off its skin. He is covered in scales colorful patterns made up of every precious gem: rubies, topaz, and diamonds, beryl, onyx and jasper, sapphires, turquoise, and emeralds embedded in plates of pure gold.
He is perched in a tree conversing with Eve while her husband stands nearby. Like the Tree of Life, this is the only one of its kind. Its thick covering of broad leaves shade its colorful fruit, keeping it cool, even in the heat of the day.
Eve touches the fruit with her finger. Its skin is smooth, the meat is soft and it feels cool to the touch. She plucks it off and slowly lifts it to her face, smelling its aroma along the way until she finally takes a bite. The fruit is sweet like honey, soft as a peach, and its nectar is smoothing and cooling her body like a refreshing drink.
Seeing that it was good for food, Adam did not hesitate to accept if from Eve when she held it out to him. He slowly lifts it to his mouth to take his first bite, but the instant it touches his lips, everything changes. Its sweet aroma turns to a putrid stench, its nectar to bitter wormwood. Their stomachs cramp into knots, their bowels are released and they project vomit onto each other. What they cannot know is that all of creation suffers the same fate. Everything God said was good when he created it, is now corrupt and begins to decay.
They are sick and hurting, covered in filth and scared. They make their way to the nearest creak and wash themselves raw. But no matter how hard or long they wash, they can't wash away the filth that they feel. They stand there naked, ashamed and feeling cover themselves in leaves. When they hear the Lord coming, they hide behind a bush.
Every evening, the Lord comes to walk and talk with them, but this evening, he comes as judge. God said that the day they eat the forbidden fruit, they will surely die and now they are standing before the Lord. They are sick and sore, naked and soiled, scared and… guilty. The Lord draws his sword and they fear the worst. But, instead, he turns and slays two innocent lambs. They can't believe their eyes, and they are sure that they are next. Then, the Lord hands them the skins and says, “Cover yourself with these. The blood of these lambs is my covenant to you that I will pay for your sins. My blood, not yours, will be shed for your sins. Your souls have been spared, but your bodies will suffer the consequences.
The damage has been done. The Lord could have destroyed the heavens and earth and started all over again. Instead, in love He offer mercy and grace, salvation and eternal life to all who believe on him. Soon, he will destroy everything he created with fire.
But, maybe not all...
God preserved the Tree of Life from the center of the Garden. After everything else is destroyed, God will create a new heaven, a new earth, and a New Jerusalem. And in the middle of New Jerusalem he will plant a tree, the Tree of Life whose leaves will be used to heal the nations, whose fruit is available for all who love the Lord. I will be there and I hope I will meet you there, too.
xxxxxx
If you don't know Jesus as savior, he is offering you a free gift. It is eternal life to be together with him forever. His gift is easy, he paid the price, you just have to believe it to accept it and it is yours.
Believe that Jesus is the Lord God who came in the flesh, who died for your sins, and who raised himself up from the dead.
Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (ESV)
I really hope to see you there.
Supporting References: Gen chapters 1, 2 & 3; Ezekiel, 28:13; Rev 22:2
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