As we begin our study of some of the events in the Old Testament which were symbolic of the church, we must start with the first dwelling place God created for man on this earth - the beautiful Garden of Eden. The garden must have been a place of such magnificent beauty that it would be difficult for us to even imagine. If we could think of the most beautiful place we have ever seen on this earth and realize that this would represent only part of the beauty of Eden, we might have some idea of what Eden looked like. It was paradise on earth. Everything man could possibly need in order to sustain his physical life was readily available in this garden. God supplied all his needs.
This beautiful garden was God's first hint of the spiritual paradise he would make in order to supply all the spiritual needs of mankind. It may be difficult for us to realize that the church is a spiritual Garden of Eden, but this is exactly what God calls it in Isaiah 51:3. Speaking of the dwelling place God would make for his people after the first coming of Christ, the passage says, "For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody."
Isaiah prophesied that at the first coming of Christ, God would make Zion (Israel) a place of beauty just like the Garden of Eden. The fact is he did exactly that. He gave us a spiritual Eden that is priceless with beauty beyond compare. It is the place where we dwell spiritually with God today. As was mentioned before in the section "Prophecies in Revelation," it is extremely important to understand that the last two chapters of Revelation describe the church. They give us a picture of our spiritual Eden in physical terms that we can understand. Once we understand the subject of Revelation is the church, we can then understand and appreciate many passages in Revelation that describe the church. For example in Rev. 2:7, the church is called the "paradise of God." 
This is a direct comparison between the Garden of Eden, which was a physical paradise, and the church, which is a spiritual paradise. The church bears many of the same characteristics as the Garden of Eden, but our Eden is for our spiritual souls, rather than our physical bodies. The church is the beautiful, magnificent, spiritual dwelling place of God's people. It is the place God has prepared which will meet all the spiritual needs of man today.
By closely examining the characteristics of the Garden of Eden and applying that symbolism to the church, we can learn much about how God views the church in which Christians spiritually dwell today. First let us examine the relationship between God and man in the garden. It was an extremely close relationship. God walked and talked with Adam and Eve. Gen. 3:8 says, "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden."
This verse indicates that Adam and Eve were not surprised to hear the voice of God. Instead they knew exactly who he was, and they were afraid because they had done wrong. They expected God to be walking with them in the garden. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, they could have remained in this close relationship with God forever. But, when they chose to disobey God and eat of the forbidden fruit, they were expelled from the garden. The close relationship between God and man was broken. From this point on, man proved over and over that he was not capable of keeping himself from sin and walking with God in this close relationship. Man needed a Savior to take away his sins so the close relationship with God could be reestablished. Jesus was the answer, and the church would be the spiritual paradise he would prepare in which Christians would live and walk with God while on this earth.
As Christians dwelling in the spiritual paradise of God, the church, we are in that close relationship with God. 2 Cor. 6:16 states, "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
Just as Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in the Garden of Eden, Christians now walk and talk with God in spiritual Eden, the church of the living God. Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Jesus dwells in the midst of his people today. We walk and talk with God in spiritual Eden today. We are in a close spiritual relationship with God. We walk with God today as we follow his teachings. 1 John 1:7 reads, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
Because of the blood of Christ, we walk with God today. As we walk in the light of his word, we have fellowship with one another in spiritual Eden.
 Tree of Life |
 Tree of Knowledge of Good/Evil |
Adam and Eve had a choice in Eden of whether to follow God or listen to the serpent. In the church today man still has a choice of whether to continue to follow God or turn from him and follow the devil. There were two trees in the midst of the first garden. One was the tree of life that would have given Adam and Eve eternal physical life; the other was the tree of knowledge of good and evil that was forbidden. Adam and Eve had a choice of obeying God and not eating of the forbidden fruit or following the devil and eating it. This tree of knowledge of good and evil was a temptation to Adam and Eve. It looked desirable to eat (Gen. 3:6). The same is true in the church today. There are many activities in this world which Christians should avoid. We too have a choice. Do we eat of the tree of life and live forever, or do we eat of the forbidden fruit and lose our spiritual life? If we choose to eat of the forbidden fruit, we can be expelled from our spiritual Eden just as Adam and Eve were expelled from their Garden of Eden.
The Garden of Eden also contained items of great value. Gen. 2:11-12 explains that gold and precious stones could be found in Eden. These stones are used symbolically in Rev. 21:18-29 to describe the tremendous value of the church. The wall of the church, as pictured in Revelation, is made of jasper; the city is made of pure gold; the foundations are garnished with precious stones; and the gates are made of pearl. These valuable physical materials are used to illustrate the great value of the church. There is no place or organization on this earth more valuable than the Lord's church. Throughout the ages, Christians have suffered many persecutions and hardships, but we have something far more valuable than all the kingdoms of this world combined. We have a spiritual dwelling place that is described in physical terms as being made of pure gold and precious stones. We must begin to recognize the value of the church. It is our Garden of Eden.
We may sometimes wonder why Adam and Eve disobeyed God with all the beauty of Eden around them, but many do the same thing today. As Christians we live in a spiritual paradise made by God that is far greater than the original Eden; yet, many cast it all aside for the pleasures of this world.
God has given us a spiritual paradise in which to live today. Its beauty is even greater than the physical beauty of the original Garden of Eden. It is the place where we live in a close relationship with God as we walk and talk with him. If we remain faithful to God and do his commands, we can live in this beautiful spiritual paradise forever. But, God has given us a choice. We can follow him and live forever in the paradise of God, or we can follow the devil and be lost. Let us not be like Adam and Eve and give it all up for one bite of the forbidden fruit.
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