A new day has come and I journey on watching and learning as new things unfold. There was the First Sabbath, a time to “cease.” God rested, not because He was tired; God doesn’t become weary [Ps.121:4], but the creative task was finished. He blessed His creatures [Gen.1:22] and He blessed man [Gen.1:28] and set a special day aside that I might rest too and consider, “There is a rest for the people of God”, [Heb.4:9]. For a chosen earthly people, He made this a sign of a special covenant He had with them [Ex.31:12-17].
In my journey, I visualize the First Garden, an orderly beautiful place God planted Himself to put man into. Surrounding the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were all these plants God made for the benefit and food for the man and woman He created. This is the first of four special gardens that summarized all of Bible history. This established the fact of the divine authority of God over everyone.
There was also given by God, the First Law, “Thou shalt not eat of it” [Gen.2:17] – not complicated, a simple statement I could easily understand. But in my mind’s journey, I thought, “Would I have obeyed that law, or would I have reached out to take that which was forbidden?” How strange is the concept of free will, a choice to obey or not. There was no compulsion or reward – just a fair test of my will to respond to One who is so great. And yet there that one tree that stands: beautiful, full of fruit but not to be touched.
I have been to weddings, but there never was a marriage like the one there. The First Marriage took place when God took the woman He created from the man and brought them together in the bonds of marriage. There was established the covenant of companionship in that beautiful place. God’s plan was that in this way the human race would be continued and bring out the best in the human race. I could see the first beautiful picture of the Christ who would come and the church that would be His bride.
I see in all of this God has a plan – for me!
What a remarkable thing to consider, God is resting at “ease”
And looking on His creation, with it all He is pleased.
The display of its beauty is there able to be seen now with other eyes
That look upon God’s creative glory and with Him personally prize
What God has chosen to share with them, all the things He deliberately planted
And they were able to live in the First Garden, Adam and Eve were granted
That they might tend it and keep it, and enjoy God’s presence each evening
Finding great delight in all they were doing and seeing.
Beside the First Sabbath and First Garden, there were other “firsts” too.
The First Law was given so that man’s free-will would show.
It wasn’t some complicated form that was difficult for them to learn.
It was simply that you are free to eat what you want, except from that middle one.
A commentary on the human will is that when one is free to choose –
He wants to take a chance on what is forbidden just to see if he will really loose
What he was warned about when he got his instructions from God,
Alas, to his own condemnation he found God is always true to His word.
Another important “first” was the First Marriage of woman and man.
These were brought together by God to share together in God’s unfolding plan.
What a blessing it was for each other to participate as one –
And fulfill the divine purpose for humans by doing what needed to be done.
The First Marriage is a type of the future when Christ and His bride are together.
It will be experienced at the Rapture when in the air unto Him we will all gather.
The covenant of companionship will last, we will live with Him and with Him reign.
Back in Eden there was a little foretaste of the new kingdom when it will begin.
“Lord God, the lessons of Genesis need to be learned over again. It seems to me people are forgetting what Thou hast planned in the beginning is really going to happen. May a sense of Thy reality and Thy purposes and Thy presence be produced in people who today will hear Thy Word. May our worship, service and testimony bring much glory to Thee. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”