The
Garden Closed In Genesis And Fully Restored In Christ
Introduction † From the
very beginning, access to God was tied to a place, a presence, and a
promise, and that place was the garden (Genesis 2:8-9). † In Eden, man
walked with God, had access to the Tree of Life, and lived in His
presence without separation (Genesis 2:15-17). † But sin
brought separation, and that separation wasn't just spiritual
language, it was a real removal from access to God's presence
(Genesis 3:23-24). † What was
lost in Genesis wasn't partially restored over thousands of years, it
was fully restored in Christ within that generation just as He said
(Matthew 24:34). † We're going
to follow the pattern from Eden, to the veil, to the cross, to the
destruction of Jerusalem, and finally to the full reopening seen in
Revelation (Luke 24:44). Genesis 3 The Garden
Closed Genesis 3:22-24
Then the Lord God said,
"Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and
evil; and now, he might reach out with his hand, and take fruit also
from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"- therefore the
Lord God sent him out
of the Garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was
taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden
He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every
direction to guard the way to the tree of life. † Access to
the Tree of Life was cut off, not symbolic only, but actual covenant
access to life in God's presence was removed (Genesis 2:9). † The cherubim
guarding the way shows that access to God was now restricted, and
this same imagery appears later over the ark and in the temple veil
(Exodus 26:31). † From this
point forward, man couldn't approach God freely, there was
separation, distance, and eventually a system built around that
separation (Isaiah 59:2). Exodus 26 The Veil
Continues The Separation Exodus 26:31-33
"You shall also make a veil of violet, purple, and scarlet
material, and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the
work of a skilled embroiderer. Then you shall hang it on four pillars
of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also of gold, on four bases
of silver. You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and bring in
the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall
serve as a partition for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy
Place. † The veil
wasn't random, it was a continuation of Eden, the cherubim are still
guarding access (Hebrews 9:8). † The Most
Holy Place represented God's presence, just like Eden, but now access
was restricted to one man, once a year (Leviticus 16:2). † This proves
that the garden was still closed, the way to life was still being
guarded under the Old Covenant system (Hebrews 10:1). † The temple
itself was designed as a symbolic garden, with lampstands shaped like
trees, carved flowers, and cherubim, showing that it represented Eden
under restriction (1 Kings 6:18, 29; 7:49). † This proves
the entire Old Covenant system was a controlled, limited access
version of the original garden, not the final restoration (Hebrews
9:9-10). Matthew 27 The Veil Torn Matthew 27:50-51
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit.
And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to
bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. † The tearing
of the veil wasn't just dramatic, it was the removal of the barrier
that began in Genesis (Hebrews 10:19-20). † God tore it
from top to bottom, showing that access was being restored by Him,
not by man (Mark 15:38). † But this
wasn't the final stage, the system was still standing, the temple was
still operating, the old covenant hadn't fully passed yet (Hebrews
8:13). Hebrews 9 The Way Not Yet
Fully Open Hebrews 9:8
The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place
has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still
standing, † Even after
the cross, the writer says the way wasn't fully open yet, because the
temple system was still standing (Hebrews 9:8). † This proves
restoration was in progress, but not complete until the old system
was removed (Hebrews 10:1-4). † As long as
that temple stood, it testified that the garden was not fully
reopened yet (Luke 21:6). Hebrews 10 The Opened
Access Through Christ Hebrews 10:19-22
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter
the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which
He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh,
and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let's
approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having
our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies
washed with pure water. † This shows
access was opened through Christ, but Hebrews still speaks during the
time when the old system was fading, meaning full removal was still
approaching (Hebrews 10:19-22). † The veil is
identified with His flesh, proving the barrier was removed through
His death, not through the temple system (Hebrews 10:20). † Believers
were already entering in by faith, while the physical system was
about to be removed completely (Hebrews 4:16). Matthew 24 The Timing Of
Fulfillment Matthew 24:34
Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all
these things take place. † Jesus placed
the fulfillment of all these things within that generation, not
thousands of years later (Matthew 24:34). † That
includes judgment, the end of the age, and the full transition out of
the old covenant system (Luke 21:22). † The
reopening of access was tied directly to that same time frame
(Hebrews 12:28). † The end of
the sacrificial system was foretold in Daniel 9:27, and its complete
removal in AD 70 marked the full end of the system that stood between
man and God (Daniel 9:27). Revelation 22 The Garden
Reopened Revelation 22:1-2
And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal,
coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its
street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing
twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves
of the tree were for the healing of the nations. † The Tree of
Life appears again, not in a future world, but in the fulfilled
kingdom reality (Revelation 22:2). † What was
blocked in Genesis is now fully accessible, the nations now have
access to life (Genesis 3:24). † This is
covenant fulfillment, not a reset of creation, but restoration of
access (Ezekiel 47:12). Revelation 22:3
There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the
Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; † The curse
introduced in Genesis 3 is now removed, proving this is the
restoration of what was lost, not something entirely new (Genesis
3:17). † This
confirms the full reversal of the fall, not in a future world, but in
the fulfilled kingdom (Romans 8:1). Revelation 22:14
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the
right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates. † Access is
now open, no cherubim guarding the way, no veil blocking entry
(Ephesians 2:18). † The city
represents the fulfilled people of God, the New Jerusalem, not a
future location (Hebrews 12:22). † The garden
is no longer closed, it's fully reopened in Christ (John 10:9). Revelation 21 The
Dwelling Of God Restored Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the
tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them,
and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, † This is the
full reversal of Genesis 3, where man was driven out, now God dwells
with man again without separation (Genesis 3:23). † The presence
of God is no longer restricted to a place, but fully among His people
(John 1:14). † From Genesis
to Revelation, the story is not about escaping earth, it's about
restored access to God, and that access was fully reopened when the
old covenant system was removed within that generation (2 Corinthians
5:18). Historical References † Josephus
records the complete destruction of the temple in AD 70, ending the
sacrificial system and confirming the removal of the old covenant
structure. † Eusebius
writes that the fall of Jerusalem fulfilled the words of Christ
concerning that generation and marked the end of the old system. † Tacitus also
confirms the devastation of Jerusalem, showing that the temple and
its system were completely removed. How It Applies To Us
Today † We're not
waiting for access to God, it's already been fully opened (Hebrews
10:19). † There's no
veil, no system, no priesthood standing between us and God anymore
(Ephesians 2:14). † We live in
the reality of the reopened garden, with full access to life in
Christ right now (Colossians 1:13). † The Tree of
Life isn't future, it's present in the kingdom, and we partake of it
through Christ (John 15:5). † We don't
look for a future restoration, we're living in the fulfilled
restoration already (2 Corinthians 5:17). Q & A Appendix Q:
When was access to the Tree of Life restored? Q:
Why was the veil torn if the temple was still standing? Q:
What do the cherubim represent? Q:
Is the Tree of Life future? Q:
What ended the Old Covenant system? Q:
If access was fully restored, why do we still see sin and death? Q:
Does Revelation 22 describe a future physical world? Q:
Why was the Tree of Life guarded in Genesis but accessible in
Revelation? Q:
What proves the temple had to be removed for full access? Q:
Is the New Jerusalem a physical city we are waiting for? † This is the fulfilled
perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies † Source Index † Genesis
3:22-24, Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17, 23-24, Exodus 26:31-33, Leviticus
16:2, 1 Kings 6:18, 29; 7:49, Matthew 27:50-51, Mark 15:38, Hebrews
9:8, Hebrews 10:1-4, 19-22, Hebrews 8:13, Hebrews 4:16, Matthew
24:34, Luke 21:22, Luke 21:6, Luke 24:44, Daniel 9:27, Revelation
22:1-3, 14, Revelation 21:3, Hebrews 12:22, Hebrews 12:28, John 10:9,
John 1:14, John 15:5, Colossians 1:13, 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, Isaiah
59:2, Ezekiel 47:12, Romans 8:1, Ephesians 2:14, 18 † Josephus,
Wars of the Jews; Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History; Tacitus,
Histories
By Dan Maines
A:
It was fully restored when the old covenant system ended, within that
generation, as seen in Matthew 24:34 and Revelation 22:2.
A:
It showed the beginning of restored access, but Hebrews 9:8 shows it
wasn't fully complete until the temple was removed.
A:
They represent restricted access to God's presence, first in Eden and
later in the temple, seen in Genesis 3:24 and Exodus 26:31.
A:
No, it's part of the fulfilled kingdom reality described in
Revelation 22:2 and Hebrews 12:22.
A:
The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, fulfilling Matthew 24:34 and
removing the final barrier.
A:
Because the restoration in Christ is about access to God and covenant
life, not the removal of physical death. Spiritual death was the
separation introduced in Genesis 3, and that's what was removed
through Christ (Ephesians 2:1, 13; John 5:24).
A:
No, it describes the fulfilled New Covenant reality, where God dwells
with His people and access to the Tree of Life is restored, just as
Hebrews 12:22 says we have already come to the heavenly Jerusalem.
A:
Because sin brought separation and blocked access in Genesis 3:24,
but Christ removed that barrier and restored access through His work,
fully realized when the Old Covenant system ended (Revelation 22:14;
Hebrews 10:19-22).
A:
Hebrews 9:8 clearly states the way into the holy place was not fully
open while the tabernacle was still standing, so its destruction in
AD 70 marked the full removal of the barrier (Luke 21:6).
A:
No, Scripture identifies it as the people of God, the bride, the
church, where God dwells with His people (Revelation 21:2, 9-10;
Ephesians 2:19-22).
©
Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.
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