May 18 | Genesis 2:5-15

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DAILY READING

Genesis 2:5-15

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REFLECTION

In Alignment at the Beginning and the End

By Dave Mann

Yesterday’s Scripture reading was drawn from the last book of the Bible, Revelation, and today’s passage is from the beginning of the Bible, Genesis.  We have a nice set of bookends – the Garden of Eden before the fall into sin and the image of the new heavens and the new earth after the restoration of all things.

How many parallel passages are there in Genesis 2 and Revelation 21-22?

Genesis -- Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.

Revelation – God is preparing a place for his people to dwell with him.

Genesis -- The Lord God made all kinds of trees to grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. 

Revelation -- bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.

Genesis – In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Revelation -- On each side of the river stood the tree of life.

Genesis -- Streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.

Revelation -- Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

In Genesis, God created the heavens and the earth.

In Revelation, God declares, “ I am making everything new!” 

In Genesis, Adam and Eve walked with God.

In Revelation, God’s dwelling place is now among his people.

Have you noticed that, in Genesis, God commissioned Adam to take care of the garden? The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15).  Sometimes we get the idea that the perfect life would have no work to be done.  We might think that heaven will be a place where there is no work to be done.

However, the commission that God gives to Adam comes prior to the fall into sin.  Meaningful work for us was part of God’s plan before the Fall.  I can think of nothing more fulfilling than to be part of God’s eternal purpose.  I do not know the specifics of what we will do in heaven, but it will be fulfilling because we (and all believers) will be walking in perfect alignment with him.

PRAYER

Creator God, I look forward to the day when we will walk in perfect alignment with you.  Please lead me in that direction, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DAVE MANN

I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of seven. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.