Have you ever desired to go to paradise and live there forever?
“The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat'” (Genesis 2:15-16 JPS).
Scripture tells us that God places the parents of humankind into a heavenly existence on earth called the Garden of Eden. Things are very good, in fact perfect! The only thing missing is rest, God ceasing from His work of creating all things. Why wouldn’t our parents enjoy a Sabbath rest with God? Resting perfects the first week of Creation.
Instead, we eat fruit, discover our nakedness, cover ourselves with fig leaves, then hide in shame when we hear the sound of God walking in the Garden. God had warned us we would die if we devoured the fruits of knowledge. So God personally clothes us and exiles us from this paradise of living with Him forever.
“And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:19 LSB).
But later, God gives His Instruction to a new father. In faith we obey, wandering wherever God leads, coming to dwell in Jerusalem, later in New Jerusalem. Gaining access to this holy city enables God’s family—animated by His very own breath/wind/Spirit—to live with Him now and in the world-to-come …
Our very breath desires to live with God. And thanks be to God’s grace, there is a Way. We can re-enter God’s Presence and live with Him forever.
What do you think? Can a glorious story have a glorious ending? God once raised up the dust to glorify Him, and so now we return to the dust to be raised up again!
© Jeffrey Enoch Feinberg. JEF figures God can make dust glitter.
