The Beginning, Part Three
Genesis 2:9 (NKJV)
Revelation 22:2 (NKJV)
I know this is a very silly thing, but I’ve never been a fan of frogs...or toads. My grandsons who live by the ocean think that is a crazy fear because they think frogs are awesome.
My phobia about touching frogs goes so deep that in high school and college I refused to take biology. That’s because I could see myself projectile vomiting on my workspace and classmates in the midst of trying to dissect a frog. I just couldn’t get past it. So, in college I petitioned the department to allow me to bypass biology and take botany. At first they tried to talk me out of it, telling me botany was much more difficult than biology. I obtained a copy of my grades and my GPA and they agreed I would probably be fine. I was more than fine. That’s because I love trees. Plants are good, too, but trees are a source of life.
Even before taking botany, I knew about photosynthesis and the importance of it to the environment, but until I took botany, I wasn’t aware of the complex chemical reaction plants and trees have to humans and the earth.
I came to realize that God truly is a magnificent wonder!
I mean, seriously, it IS a miracle!!!
In Genesis 2:9, we learn “And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
What’s remarkable in Genesis 2:9 is the use of the Hebrew word ‘kole’ in this passage. It’s actually a pretty common word in Hebrew and because of that it’s one of the first Hebrew words I recognized without having to look it up. It’s translated as, all, the whole of, everything and anything.
Visualize it with me if you will.
God is creating the Garden of Eden and in the garden God begins molding something our of the clay. It has a long piece that contained elements that would make wood. It has small extensions at the top and God attaches flat green flexible pieces to the branches. Those green pieces act as organisms for the earth. Those pieces are given multiple characteristics and uses for the earth.
The Lord God created all manner of these...some even had fruit and various kinds of nuts.
Now...back to the Hebrew word Kole and it’s use in Genesis 2:9. “The Lord God made EVERY tree grow.” I visualize God lifting His hands and suddenly trees rise up out of the dust all over the earth. Millions upon millions of trees spring up so the earth can survive and thrive.
God gave us trees and plants for a purpose.
Then, after all the trees sprouted and shot up, God made two very special trees that He planted in Eden. The tree of knowledge of good and evil which would give us the ability to know and to choose. The other tree was the Tree of Life.
We learn from Revelation 22:2 that “In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
This IS a tree like no other tree. This one tree bears twelve different kinds of fruit and it begins the cycle of bearing fruit EVERY month all over the earth. This tree...this one tree has leaves “for the healing of the nations.”
So, here’s the deal. I believe the Garden of Eden is still on earth. It’s well protected and hidden by angels. It’s guarded day and night. The garden will never be discovered until God chooses to make it visible. The Tree of Life still bears twelve fruit generating the monthly cycle. The leaves of the tree still heal the nations. Some might say the nations are far worse than they’ve been before, but my response would be to read world history. Today we are more aware of what’s going on around the world, but there has been strife and pockets of chaos since the beginning. The leaves on the Tree of Life continuously heal the nations.
What a plan! Just thinking about God’s plans brings me to my knees in worship and adoration of the Lord God. I am humbled and reminded of the character of God that Paul wrote about in Galatians. God really IS love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. God is merciful and full of compassion and grace, He shines His light on us so we can see the consuming fire IN us. God is IN us. From the first millisecond when we turned to Him through eternity, God is part of us. AND because God is patient, when we are not attentive to God, He is still attentive to us.*
God waits for us to turn to Him.
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Turn to God.
Close your eyes and relax. Turn to God. Let The Spirit of God come and give you a gift. Stay in that moment for as long as it lasts.
In God, Deborah
acrazyjourney.com
*one of my ‘self study’ items in scripture includes our security in Christ. My unanswered question about what happens if we choose to curse God continues to be a research item on my agenda.
Comments