Eden
Restored
                                                                                 By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                 July 14, 2018
     "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun," Ecclesiastes 1:9.  

     "I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him," Ecclesiastes 3:14.  
Introduction
     As a follow up to my recent study entitled, New Jerusalem, the Lord laid on my heart to point out some truths about the future "ages to come," which are rarely even mentioned.  Very seldom have I ever heard these truths preached or discussed, yet they are right here in God's Word, and the true "man of God" is to  preach "all the counsel of God," Acts 20:26-28.  
     My prayer is that our readers will be enlightened and blessed, and  encouraged, by this study.......
The Creation of Mankind
     I would urge our readers to carefully study the first three chapters of the Book of Genesis.  There are truths in it that I want to bring to the attention of our readers.  
The Sixth Day
     "The thing that hath been.......It was on the sixth day of the creation week set forth in Genesis 1, that God created mankind to live upon the earth, Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7.  
    If our readers want to fully understand this account of the creation of mankind [Adam and Eve] then they should also carefully study the first three chapters of Genesis.  Now I want to point out some truths about the creation of mankind which are commonly overlooked or ignored.....
     The account in Genesis 1:26-27 clearly establishes that mankind; male and female [Genesis 1:27], were created on the sixth day of the creation week. They were also bearing "the image" of God who had created them.  After Adam disobeyed God and introduced sin into the world, this "image" of God became marred.
     Our readers should notice that a second account of the creation of mankind is given, beginning in Genesis 2:4 and extending through the remainder of the chapter.  Some commentators, by ignoring the exact statements made in 1:27 and in 2:4,  attempt to place everything recorded in these two chapters in exact consecutive order.  They are not!   Such is not what the inspired Word points out.  Even the account of the creation of mankind in chapter 2, still occurred on the sixth day of the creation week as clearly stated in 1:26-27.   
      ".....is that which shall be;....." Yes, I am emphasizing this for a Scriptural and prophetic reason.  Solomon, one of the wisest men who has ever lived, clearly stated, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be..."  Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day in "the image" of their Creator.   
     "6" is the number in the Bible which signifies, "Man; mankind."  Now when the resurrection and rapture occurs, the inspired prophecies clearly predict that the Lord God will create a new  race of people, whose bodies will be "glorified" at the time of the resurrection and rapture.  These "new creations" will be those New Covenant true believers who  have received Christ as their Savior.
     Now the prophecies are clear that the resurrection and rapture will occur near the end of this present sixth day of God's Great Week, the sixth millennium of human history.   When the rapture occurs,  the presently lost "image" of God will be restored to the raptured saints.  Read it for yourself in 1 Corinthians 15:48-49, Philippians 3:20-21, James 1:18, and 1 John 3:1-2.   
     Folks, we believers today are living very near the end of the sixth millennium; the sixth day of God's Great Week, 2 Peter 3:8; Psalm 90:4.  Now is all of this just "coincidence," or is the Lord God fulfilling Ecclesiates 1:9 to the letter?
 The Garden of the Lord
     "The thing that hath been.......In 2:8 the Scripture states, "And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed."  So Adam and Eve, when created, were placed in a beautiful garden, located somewhere in the Middle East. This "garden" planted in "Eden," had to have also been planted on the sixth day of the creation week.
     ".....is that which shall be;.......Now, we who are living today, are living very close to the end of the sixth millennium; the sixth day of God's Great Week.  What do the prophetic Scriptures predict for these "last days?"  They predict that the whole earth, especially the holy land of Israel, shall become like "the garden of the Lord."   Read Isaiah 51:3, 58:11,  61:11, Jeremiah 31:12, and Ezekial 36:33-36.  Is this also just "coincidence," or is the Lord God again fulfilling Ecclesiastes 1:9, and revealing to us the end from the beginning?  Glory to God!  
The Tree of Life
      "The thing that hath been.......The Lord caused to grow, "the tree of life also in the midst of the garden," 2:9.  I am well aware that this tree typifies the Lord Jesus Christ, who, during this present Dispensation of Grace, is the repentant believer's source of salvation and spiritual life.  
    ".....is that which shall be.......However, there is plenty of Scriptral evidence to conclude that "the tree of life" was (and is) a literal species of tree.  The prophetic Scriptures make it clear that the Lord God will once again plant this tree upon  the earth.  Read it for yourself in Ezekiel 47.  It will be planted in order to cleanse the "sin nature" from the bloodstream of mankind.  See Joel 3:20-21. There will be people in their natural bodies, who will receive Christ when they see the Lord coming, just following the end of the tribulation, [Matthew 24:29-30; Revelation 1:7].  These people who eat the fruit from these trees, will never die, and will serve to repopulate the earth as mankind passes into the "Eternal Age."  
The Water of Life
    "The thing that hath been.......Our readers should also notice that there was a fountain [spring; river] of water in the garden. It flowed from the garden as one river, then became the headwaters of four rivers outside the boundaries of the garden.  An amazing river!  
     ".....is that which shall be.......In Zechariah 13:1, the prophetic Scriptures tell us that a "fountain" of water will be opened to, "the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness."  Now carefully study Ezekiel 47.  This fountain of water flows from beneath the wall around the Temple, and then becomes a great river.  Is this yet another "coincidence," or is God again fulfilling Ecclesiastes 1:9, while restoring Eden on a far grander scale than the original garden?  
Adam Appointed Guardian of the Garden
       "The thing that hath been.......The inspired Word tells us that after planting this garden, "the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it," Genesis 2:15.  The Lord God then gave Adam permission to eat of every tree in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.   The Lord  sternly warned Adam that if he ate the fruit from that one forbidden tree he would die, 2:17.  But Adam wasn't listening to God that well.  He did not "keep" [guard] the garden, and Satan, in the body of a serpent, slipped in, and deceived Eve.   Adam then disobeyed God, eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, and brought sin and death upon all of mankind, Romans 5:12.  
     ".....is that which shall be.......In order to correct this situation, the Lord Jesus Christ became man, "the last Adam" [1 Corinthians 15:45], and allowed Himself to be crucified as a blood sacrifice in order to redeem fallen mankind.  The prophetic Scriptures clearly reveal that redeemed believers in their "glorified" bodies will "rule and reign" with Christ  over the earth, and mankind upon it [Rev. 5:8-10], in order that mankind will never again fall into a state of sin and death.  Eden restored! It will be "glorified" true believers who will "dress and keep" the whole redeemed earth during "the ages to come." More "coincidence," or yet another fulfillment of Ecclesiastes 1:9?  
Dominion Given to Mankind
    "The thing that hath been.......Adam, when created, was given "dominion" over all other living creatures, 1:26-28. Adam then named every animal and bird, 2:19-20.  Obviously the living creatures were "tame," with no fear of mankind.  It is even possible that the animals and birds could also communicate with mankind.  The serpent certainly spoke to Eve in 3:1-5, and she didn't appear to  be frightened, or think it strange that he was speaking to her.  
     But after Adam disobeyed the Lord, his dominion over the birds and animals was lost.  Most birds and animals no longer obey mankind today.  Rather, the birds and animals have a "wild" nature,  with only a few "domesticated" animals obeying their "masters."  
    ".....is that which shall be.......But once more the prophetic Scriptures indicate that this barrier between mankind and the birds and animals is to be removed.  The  "wild" nature of the birds and animals will be taken away, Job 5:23;  Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25; Hosea 2:18.  
      I have seen many mounted heads of large "game" animals in homes and businesses.  But I personally would much rather be able  to speak to bears, lions, wolves, water buffalo, etc. and to pet them, and have fellowship with them, than to  kill them, or have to defend myself against them.  The prophecies clearly indicate that man's dominion over all living creatures will once again be restored.  Glory to God!   
The Food of All Living Creatures
     "The thing that hath been.......After God had created both man and the other living creatures, the inspired Word expressly states, "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat [food].  
     And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat [food]: and it was so," 1:29-30.  
     These Scriptures make it quite clear that both man and all other living creatures in Eden were "vegetarians" before the fall of Adam.  The Lord God placed in the green herbs everything needed to sustain life for both man and all other creatures.  There was no creature in the garden which was a "meat eater," devouring other creatures in order to survive.  None!  
     ".....is that which shall be.......The prophecies of God's Word once more clearly indicate that redeemed mankind, and all birds and animals will return to the green herbs and fruits as their source of food.  The prophetic Scriptures explicitly state that the cow and the bear shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox, the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and their young will lie down to sleep together,  Isaiah 11:6-7; 65:25.    
     There will be no more killing among the birds and animals, nor killing of them by mankind.  The entire redeemed world of mankind, birds, and animals will finally live together in peace and harmony. All "death" will cease for ever, Revelation 21:4.  
     The Garden of Eden will be restored, but on a world wide basis.  This is what every true believer has to look forward to;  paradise on earth.  
  Glory to God!  Praise the Lord!  
Conclusion
     I could mention several other things which are seen in the Garden of Eden, which are to be restored to redeemed mankind on a far greater scale.  But in those things which I have dealt with in this study, I have made my point.  Everything Adam lost in his disobedience and fall, is to be restored to redeemed mankind through the Grace of Christ.  Glory to God!  Praise the Lord!  Hallelujah!  
      But if any reader is not saved, and remains that way, they will miss it all.  What a great and majestic work the Lord God is doing.  Don't miss it for the world.  This lost, unbelieving, evil world is not worth losing your eternal soul over.  Seek the Lord Jesus as your own personal Savior, and hurry!  Time is running out!  Seek the Lord today!  Isaiah 55:6; Jeremiah 29:13.  The Lord's promises can be depended upon.  I want to meet every reader in Heaven.  Please don't disappoint me.  Read and by prayer act upon John 3:3-7; 3:16-18, 3:36, 5:24, 14:6, Acts 4:12, 16:30-31, Romans 10:8-13, Ephesians 2:8-10, and many other similar Scriptures in God's Word.  
<<<<<<<       O       >>>>>>>
Contact Information:
POSTAL.......Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO 65401
EMAIL..........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE........573-202-6493