GOD PLANTED A GARDEN

Genesis 2:4-25

Key verse: 2:8

“Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;

and there he put the man he had formed.”

* MAN AND THE GARDEN (4-14)

1. With which day of creation does chapter 2 seem to be primarily

concerned? How does verse 5 lead up to the creation of man?

2. How did God create man? What does the fact that we are created

from the dust of the ground suggest? What is man’s source of life

and value? What does it mean to be a living being?

3. Describe the garden which God planted for man. How did God

provide for man’s happiness? What does God’s provision in verses 8

and 9 suggest about man’s nature and needs?

4. What are the 4 rivers that flow from the garden? What does this

suggest about God’s plans for spreading his blessings throughout

the earth? Draw your own picture of the garden.

* ADAM’S BIBLE (15-17)

5. What work did God give man to do in the garden? How does this

relate to man’s mission in 1:28?

6. Why is it significant that God commanded man, “You are free to eat

from any tree in the garden…”? Why did God want man to be

thankful?

7. How does God’s command, “You must not eat from the tree of the

knowledge of good and evil”, establish spiritual order? How does

it make real freedom possible? Why are these things necessary for

man’s happiness? What were the consequences about which God

warned man?

* GOD ESTABLISHES THE FAMILY (18-25)

8. What was one thing in the garden that was not good in God’s eyes?

What does this show about God’s love for and understanding of

man? For what purpose was woman created?

9. How did man co-work with God? What is the significance of his

naming the animals?

10. How did God provide a co-worker for Adam? Why could no suitable

helper be found among the animals, and why is the woman suitable?

How did Adam receive her? What does this suggest about spiritual

order in the family? About the family and God’s mission?

11. How does God confirm and establish the family? What commitment

must man make to his wife? What does it mean that they become one

flesh? (See Mk 10:6-9) What does verse 25 suggest about their

relationship?

12. What does this chapter teach us about God? What do people really

need to be happy?

God made the Garden of Eden
Genesis 2:4 – 25 Key verse: 2:16, 17
Good morning,
Last week in Genesis 1 we learned about the creation and how we were made in God’s image. Today, in Genesis 2 we will go into more detail about God’s creation specifically the creation of man and woman, the garden of Eden, and marriage. This account will provide us a better understanding of why God created us and how we should live our lives.
4This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth[a] and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground
The passage begins by bringing us to a time there were no plants yet for the LORD God had not sent the rain or placed anybody to work the ground. The word “LORD” appeared first time in the Bible. LORD is in Hebrews “Yahweh”, meaning “I exist myself”. In other words, the creator God became personal to man. From these verses we see that it was God’s intention for somebody to work the ground and take care of the plants and animals that would become the Garden of Eden. It was a job that no other animals could do as it required many things and needed someone more qualified.
Even taking care of a small garden can be challenging. Our family used to live in the basement of Pastor Jacob’s house. I remember they had a small garden and in front of Pastor Jacob’s house, he has a persimmon tree. I don’t know if he still does this but, he used to set up squirrel traps so that the squirrels would not take the fruit. I remember one time he caught a squirrel in the trap and released it at our local park. If you don’t know his house is right next to the park so I am certain that the same squirrels might have kept on coming back.
But regardless he had to take good care of the tree to have fruit. The tree could not protect itself and to produce the most fruit it needed someone to look after it. So, who did God put in place to work the ground?
7 Then the LORD God formed a man[c] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Here we get a closer look at how we were created. It says we were formed from the dust of the ground. If you were to ask anyone what value dust had, they would be confused as it has no value. We often see dust in places like the corners of rooms or behind furniture and places we cannot reach. It technically is something but really it is not worth anything. So why did God use dust to form man? I would have picked something more stable and something that had more value.
The second part of verse 7 shows that despite us being formed from the dust of the ground God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being. Any living thing is incredibly complex. For us, just to eat food and survive we need to chew it with our teeth, have it digested in our stomach and have the nutrients absorbed and the waste excreted. It cannot be done by something created with just dust.
Being created with dust makes it clear to me that God’s breath and presence is what gives us life. There is no room for doubt or confusion where someone might think, maybe it’s a special type of dust or God used lots of it. God did this to clearly show that it was not what we were made of that gives man life or value but the breath of God and God alone.
A lot of people think that devoting their lives to God is a waste of time. I may not say it out loud with my mouth but, if I spend my day attending classes, working at my job, and then spending my free time how I like. There is little devotion to God. From a worldly perspective it makes sense to prioritize our careers, making money, and having fun. However, as we learn how we are created from dust, we are very fragile and weak creatures. It makes no sense to invest all our time and hope into this world that I will eventually return to as dust. In genesis 3:19 it says it says By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” We should instead give our lives to God who is eternal and who has given us our lives in the first place.
So if our physical body is made from dust, what then sets us apart? Even God created animals from the ground and gave them the breath of life. Animals also need to eat, grow, and reproduce. They also have emotions and some animals like dolphins are quite social and can provide support for one another. In the second part of verse 7 we learn that only to man does it say that God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
This small gesture may seem like an insignificant detail, but it is one of the first demonstrations of God’s desire to have a close and personal relationship with us. No matter how you imagine this, to breathe into someone’s nostrils you must be directly next to them and close to them. From the beginning God wanted to be close to us and set us apart to be different from the rest of creation. As we learned in last week’s message in Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image. Even though God is almighty and all powerful we have a special connection with him because God made us in his own image.
8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Here we get our first look at the garden of Eden. Some things to point out was that first it was a garden planted and planned by God himself. It was not a garden created by human design or hands. It had incredible variety as it says all kinds of trees grew from the ground. Not only was it pleasing to look at, but it also served an important function as the source of food. It was also a place where man could meet God and have fellowship as in Genesis 3:8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day,
Within the garden there were four rivers that flowed Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates that provided water and made the land very fertile. Everything that Adam would have needed was provided for by the Garden. And this was by God’s design as he made the garden specifically for Adam. So, What did God tell man to do with the garden?
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Here we learn that God is the first employer in history. He gave a job to Adam to maintain the garden, work it and take care of it. Usually when people give us work, we might complain or try to request an off day. God blessed man and entrusted Adam with the responsibility to take care of the beautiful garden of Eden. The word Eden means great joy or delight, God gave man work that was meaningful and that brought great joy. In reality, what would we do all day if we did not have work? Yes, it would be nice to get some rest but, after some time, it would eventually become very boring and meaningless. What purpose would we serve?
For me, finding a good job or work is one of my concerns after graduation as I am now halfway done with pharmacy school. Ideally, I want something that is high paying, stable, intellectually stimulating, and fulfilling. There are even many services now like career counseling that consider one’s interests, skills, vision, and education level to help them find the most perfect career. I am sure that these services do help but, I am encouraged form verse 15 where I learn how God from the beginning is already looking ahead for all our needs. As the creator he understands us better than we do ourselves. He knows what we need before we even ask. So, the true way to find our purpose and find meaningful work is to seek God and God alone. For who knows us better and for what purpose we were made for then God who created us from the beginning in his own image.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
God gave this specific command, “You must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die”. In my opinion, the instructions are as clear as they can get. Don’t eat from that tree! From verse 16, we see that God gave Adam complete freedom to eat from any tree in the garden with one exception. But why would God make such a tree in the first place? From my perspective if he really didn’t want man to eat from the tree the best solution would be to cut it down or better yet never create that tree in the first place.
However, the tree of knowledge of good and evil is solely for the benefit of Adam. First it serves as a reminder of God’s command. He will be reminded yes it was God who created me in his own image and God who has provided the garden of Eden for me. In the book of Deuteronomy, before Israel was about to enter the Promised land, Moses reminded them that for last 40 years, in the desert, they did not starve to death. The manna served as a reminder that “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) As a man whose life I have been entrusted by God I should listen and obey to his command.
Secondly, the tree gave Adam 100% freedom to make his own decisions. It gave him free will to decide whether to obey his command or not. God did not intend to force us to obey to like slaves or robots. For obedience through force is not out of love but is hollow and meaningless. It can have the opposite effect and cause feelings of resentment to arise. In Deuteronomy, Moses called all the Israelites when they were about to enter the promised land after 40 years of life in the desert. He repeated all the Law and said to them, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19) Likewise, it was not a test for Adam. God did not set up Adam to fail for God is good and everything that God made including the tree of knowledge of good and evil is good. In Genesis 1:31 after he had finished creation, it says God saw all that he made, and it was very good.
Rather this free will gives us a glimpse at how much God loves us. God values everything about us even our ideas, personalities, and our ability to think and act for ourselves, even if it meant that we might disobey. I find it remarkable that God is the creator of the universe yet, he holds the highest respect and love for Adam, a man he made from dust. Ultimately, God wants us to obey him from our own hearts. This way we can nurture a true relationship between us and allows us to grow in the likeness of God.
The tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil were in the exact center of the garden. Likewise, God’s command should be in the center of our hearts. Adam was given 100% freedom to make any decision he wanted. At the same time, God’s command is not a suggestion, it didn’t say “Hey Adam do you think you could not eat from this tree I would appreciate it”. No, God made it clear that it is a command that must be followed. Despite the challenges we may face let us do our best to give 100% obedience to God. Like the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve and the promised land for the Israelites, God has prepared the kingdom of heaven for those who love God with all their heart, all their soul, and all their strength.
18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
A constant theme I see throughout this passage is how active God is in our lives. He is not a God who stands on his throne from above and acts as a spectator. He sees what we need and fulfills our needs. He created the garden of Eden to give Adam a purpose and again we see that God is looking out for his loneliness and well-being. However, he doesn’t do it right away.
19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam[f] no suitable helper was found.
Adam first had to name all the animals 1 by 1. It must have been a lot of work and taken a long time. But, during this time Adam obeyed God and he gave them all their own names. He learned to have authority over the animals and was faithful and responsible in his own duties. Likewise, it is important for us to be faithful to our own responsibilities and duties before turning our focus onto others. So, what did God do?
21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[g] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib[h] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
God designed marriage to meet Adam’s need for companionship. He did this by performing the 1st surgery in history. He causes Adam to fall into a deep sleep like anesthesia. During that time, he takes one of his ribs and even has good sterile technique as he closes the place where he took the rib from with flesh. Unlike man who was created from the dust of the ground woman was made from the rib taken out of the man. She was made from the same material as Adam and therefore was also a bearer of God’s image and likeness. How did Adam react to the creation of Eve?
23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.
They say that first impressions are quite important. These are quite the words to speak and commitment to make to someone Adam had just met. I think it is safe to assume that Adam was quite pleased. Again, I can see how well God understood Adam, much better than himself. It is not like Adam requested Eve to be made, he himself didn’t even know what he was lacking. Yet God prepared for him the best suitable helper.
From this passage I am encouraged to see how God works for our benefit. Like Adam we may not even know what it is we are lacking. In terms of marriage, we may not know what we are looking for. However, one thing I do know is that God knows best and that putting our full trust in him is the best decision we can make.
24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
In America, it is usually expected that when a child gets a job and becomes financially stable then they move out. Why is it important that a man leave his father and mother? For one it shows maturity and independence as one needs to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually ready. It is also important to recognize that the new bond between husband and wife holds greater weight than child and parent.
From the bible we can learn that marriage is a blessing and gift given by God. God intended marriage to be a covenant for life as husband and wife are to become one flesh. As one flesh, man cannot just love and care only for himself and likewise woman cannot just look after themselves. God created marriage to bring unity between two people to serve him together with the same goal.
The account of creation gives us a closer look at how God created man, the garden of Eden, and women. While it is amazing to have this insight and close-up on one of the first moments in history, I learned that it is an account of God’s amazing love for us. Everything God created he intended for our benefit. The Garden of Eden was created to provide for man’s physical needs and give him great delight in working with purpose. God created marriage and Eve to provide for Adam’s loneliness and to work together in unity to take care of the garden.
God even created the tree of knowledge of good and evil and commanded Adam not to eat from it so, that Adam would fear and obey out of his freewill. I can see that from the beginning God created us so that he could love us and that we could love others. So, let us not doubt God’s commands or question the plans God has for our lives. Instead let us pray that we may have 100% obedience in God and trust that his ways are right. Everything God does and will do has been perfectly planned for us from the beginning.