Eden and The Temple Part II

As we work through the creation narrative with this in mind, we can see that as God brings everything into existence, He does so, through His word, that word is Jesus Christ. He not only creates the universe, but it is a universe that He both remains set apart from and fully present in. Though the fullness of His presence is found in the Garden of Eden. Knowing that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we can see the presence of the Holy Trinity in creation, Father, Son (Logos), and Spirit (moving over the water). This is made more fully manifest when God creates Adam. God says “let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness (Gn. 1:26).” The text speaks clearly of the communion of persons found in the Holy Trinity. God is a communion of persons fully responsible for and present in Creation. He makes communion with His Trinitarian life possible but only in the Garden of Eden. God does not simply create Adam, rather, He gives Him a partner for communion, Eve. Created in His image and likeness, God says that it is “very good (Gn. 1:31).” Creation has both a spiritual and material goodness as “the Lord God formed man for dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Gn. 2:7).” God conveys His mind which is immaterial or spiritual through His Word, to bring about material things which are ordered above all to Him. He gives as an elevating gift His Spirit to those who remain faithful. In doing so, He creates man in His image and likeness, giving Him the mind and the will to participate in God’s very life. Adam and Eve were “endowed with the grace of divine sonship.” Human beings are radically different from all of the other forms of life. By creating human beings in His image and likeness, God has given man a share in His very life. He gave Adam the power to willingly participate in His divine presence. It is in strict relation to and union with God that man is able to rise above His nature. He can choose to remain as an animal rejecting the gift of God’s love and presence or he can come to a profound understanding of the order of creation and his supernatural capabilities, but, only in union with God’s love and grace which is a product of remaining in the Garden of Eden. As the only holy place where God can be encountered, Eden can be considered a sanctuary. The place where God dwells. We see in Holy Scripture that Adam is then a priest endowed with the capacity to know the truth and choose the good, Adam is capable of mediating God’s gift of supernatural love. God commands Adam to “till the garden and keep it (Gn. 2:15).” The Hebrew word for “till” and “keep” are aboddah and shamar. These words are used again in the book of numbers to describe the priestly work of the levitical priests in their service of the sanctuary and tabernacle.” It was Adam’s job as the priest of the sanctuary of Eden to do the work of protecting the sanctuary from idolatry and sin. His job was to remain in the presence of God and to lead His wife into that same presence. Adam and Eve were given an abundant share of that grace in their creation. They shared in the presence of the Holy Trinity, through what has traditionally been called the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They lived in intimacy with each other and God, again, as long as they remained in the garden of eden. The Garden of Eden was the holy place in which Adam and Eve specifically encountered and worshipped God for who He is. Adam and Eve were created in marriage on the sixth day. God “blessed them and said to them be fruitful and multiply (Gn. 1:28)” and “a man leaves is father and mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh (Gn. 2: 24).” God “blessed” and “hallowed” the seventh day. God not only made the seventh day holy, but on the designated holy ground of eden, Adam and Eve spent their first day as a married couple, worshipping God. The seventh day, was the Sabbath day. The Sabbath is consummation of living in God’s presence. This was a privilege which Adam would continually have to merit, if he wished to maintain the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.Pray the Rosary Daily! Be Holy Not Worldly!