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Show GARDEN STEWARDS , Genesis 2: 15 beginning to the end, gardens have played a very important From the role in the business of God among men on earth. They are beautiful places where serious work is done. He started with the Garden of Eden with all creation, He won the victory over temptation in the Garden of Gethsamene, and the Son died and garden. was buried in a The Garden has been the center activity on our behalf. After spoke all the creatures into being, of Divine God He took the time to make image man to and likeness. man Then, He in His placed own in the Garden of Eden and told him care for and tend to it. Man 1 was assigned and charged with taking care of the earth and the heaven, all the kinds of trees, the various waters and the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air, and everything else. "The Lord God took man to work it and take care 2: ofEden (Genesis and put him in the Garden 15) of it. Notice first of all that it Garden. It was not man's " was God's place. Man permission to dwell there and to eat from the garden. It has rules of conduct, some things you could do and some things you could not do. There were specific duties assigned to man as the has caretaker. God gave man a co-worker to share the responsibilities. Since God planted the garden, He knew it, where everything was, the possibilities and 2 potential, He came and where to find for a man when walk in the cool of the • evemng. Man was placed there to work and take care of it. Although luxurious, this was not just a place for relaxing and kicking back. This was not a chance to do man's own things. This was not an opportunity to abuse or misuse, to follow the instructions of some slithering stranger, to be lazy and careless God wanted man to do something with his skills, to labor, to perform some deed. .. With all the animals and creatures and plants, there was plenty to keep him busy. So, God assigned man the responsibility of making the garden continually productive. There was work to be done birds and fish and 3 and care to be given. From this Garden of Eden, God expected great things. He looked for harmony within. He expected great fellowship and company. He waited for the crops to be productive. He rested assured that the animals would get along with one could see another and with the food man. growing on He the trees beauty to behold. He could feel the cool breeze blowing in the evening. It was a heavenly place on earth. and the 4 |
