Paradise Returned.
Genesis 1; Day 1; God made light. Day 4; God made the sun, moon and stars. Day 2; God separated the waters. Day 5; God filled the waters with sea creatures. Day 3; God created the land, adding plants. Day 6; God creates animals which eat the plants. Parallels right from the beginning; parallels all the way through. Parallels bring a deeper understanding of God’s word.
While this is not an exhaustive list, you can find parallels in the Law, in Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. Isaiah and Micah. Psalms, 2nd Samuel and Chronicles. Matthew, Mark and Luke. Ephesians and Colossians. 2nd Peter 2 and Jude. Revelation and Ezekiel. As seen from the afore mentioned, there are parallels from Genesis to Revelation.
There are also two accounts of God making man; more parallels, in Genesis 1 and 2. The first account speaks of man and his relationship to earth. The second account is more personal, as God breathed life into man, focussing on the relationship between Himself and His created being.
Coming back to the first paragraph in Genesis, Day 1; God said; Let there be light. God made light. God Himself is light. It’s noted that God caused light to be, for He hadn’t yet made the sun, moon or stars. He didn’t do that until day 4.
Another interesting note; the beginning of Genesis 3:24 it is written: “So He drove the out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” This talks about a flaming sword guarding the tree of life, so as to stop Adam and Eve returning after they’d eaten the forbidden fruit.
Revelation 2:7 speaks of the one who overcomes, He will give to eat from the tree of life. Parallels right to the end, circling back to the beginning. Revelation to Genesis. Adam sinned and was kicked out of the garden of Eden. We’re all sinners. Revelation brings us right back into the garden of Eden, as we follow Jesus in a right relationship, where we can once again access the tree of life.
Those who had fallen first (Adam and Eve) lost paradise, communion, fellowship and a loving relationship with God. Kicked out of paradise and given to work in hardship, leading to a death sentence. Genesis through to Revelation speaks of the hardships of not turning and listening to the One True God.
The gift of Christ brings back immortality, relationship, ease and peace. Through believing in Him and following His ways, we overcome all our issues and problems. We get to choose; a crown of life, or a crown of thorns.
The trivial and transient is a subsistence way of living; a substratum life, a life below par and one devoid of peace, love and joy. Fellowship with God is the essence of life and life abundant. No trivial matter. The fullness of the Devine is poured out on him who trusts in God, through Christ Jesus.
A life without Christ is a stunted life, like a tree devoid of nourishment in a harsh land. Transplanted, nourished and watered by the word, that tree becomes a thing of great beauty, pregnant with possibility and purpose.
Jesus Christ, restoring all lost blessings, takes you from the desert wasteland of Revelation, back to the Paradise Garden in Genesis. Life having gone full circle, the victor returns. The victor now richer, fuller, with conflict and wounds healed. Paradise awaits those who walk in His ways. The faithful fighter rewarded, vindicated and given eternal life once more.
Continual communication from the Fountain of Life brings a blessedness and a cessation of struggle and it’s only given to the victor, the one who continues unto the end; the one who doesn’t quit when the battle is fiercest. The elixir of life, poured only into vessels that can hold and not let go. Our struggle’s intention there enables us to enter that heavenly life.
A hardened heart is the precursor to a deaf ear. Spiritual truth need spiritual organs for a sudden awareness in spiritual matters; such as dreams and visions. Seeing via imagination and hearing through the word, bringing revelation and knowledge into our lives; spiritual organs of hearing (reading the word aloud), seeing (reading the word itself), use of the imagination (as the mind meditates and comes into alignment with what we see and hear).
Only as the soul seeks to hear, will they hear the word of the Lord.
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