Adam and the Trees (Genesis 2:8-9)
Adam saw His Heavenly Father take His hand and point to the ground. At this very moment, something amazing came out of the ground. Adam would later call these trees. When Adam saw this miracle, he learned a valuable lesson for every farmer: Good things come out of the ground. He also rejoiced when the first harvest came in. This miracle of the trees was important because Adam had to eat. But that is not the only thing that trees would be good for.
Do me a favor. Look around your house and think about how many items made from wood are in your house. If your house is like mine, it has walls, floors, tables, and chairs. There may be a lot more, but you get my point. There are a lot of items that come from trees in our houses.
Next, go out into your backyard. Look around. If it’s fall, the leaves are so pretty. I could spend hours watching the birds and squirrels. And on a hot day, the shade of trees is such a relief. Trees are the first blessing in the Garden, and they are still helping to make our lives better.
Adam and An Important River (Genesis 2:10-14)
God had already planted the Garden, and there was nothing to do but wait. So I believe they went on an adventure to learn about the rivers that surrounded the Garden of Eden. The description of the land of Havaliah having gold and other precious gemstones remind me of the beauty of Heaven and the day we will walk on streets of gold.
The Euphrates is a significant river even today and forms part of the modern-day fertile crescent. Somewhere around the Euphrates and these other rivers in the area of the fertile crescent are the remains of the Garden of Eden. But, because of the worldwide flood, scholars cannot pinpoint its exact location.
An article in a national geographic encyclopedia states, “While the current state of the Fertile Crescent is awash with uncertainty, its status as the cradle of civilization remains intact.” [1] *
Water was such an important resource for Adam, and the world today. When Adam had to leave the Garden of Eden, it was very crucial to his survival that he knew where to find water. Most of us do not live in a desert. But we have learned to tap into our God-given resources found in the water, such as fish and other delicacies. I am also very fond of some of the water-based drinks we have today, such as lemonade, sweet tea, and coffee. Some people can’t start their day without coffee. Yet with all the good things to drink, sometimes there is nothing like a good cup of water on a hot day.
I also think about boats, jet skis, swimming, and other amazing recreational things we love to do today. All this makes me pause and wonder what Adam would have thought if he saw some of the blessings we have today.
The First Conversation Between God and Man (Gen. 2:16-25)
Right before Adam started working in the Garden or had a family, God and Adam needed to talk. The Lord warned Adam about the evil tree in the middle of the Garden. This tree would not only teach him about good and evil, but would kill Adam if he ate from it. (Genesis 2:16).
Adam was also introduced to some new animal friends. The Lord wanted Adam to give them a name. Adam did not find anyone he could identify with so the Lord put him to sleep and made a woman helper from his rib. She would work side by side with him and the two would become one.
Life in the Garden was starting to get good.
Concluding thoughts
We as a society have come so far from those ancient caveman days. The new technological advances of today continue to amaze me. But it was God who started it all. Let’s give credit where credit is due. He blessed Adam, and He blessed ME and YOU. He even sent His Son to Calvary, so we could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
It is sad that Adam chose to disobey. If He had it all to do over, he definitely would not have made that choice to eat from the forbidden tree. It may seem like a small mistake, but there is more to think about than we realize.
Next time, I will discuss this as well as things that God did after Adam’s disobedience and fall.
Endnotes:[1] See https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/fertile-crescent/
Click Here To Read More by Jonathon Wright
Try Audible Premium Plus and Get Up to Two Free Audiobooks