ow the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. (Gen. 2:8) He planted a garden in the natural and he planted humanity as a natural and spiritual offspring from his own heart through his creative work. The man would fail and God would allow him to die spiritually and also loose immortality. He would be plucked up by the roots and cast out of the garden.

Because of God's love, he would bring forth a Righteous Branch out of the tree of humanity and we could be grafted back into the Tree of Life, through His obedience to God. Even though man was cast out of the garden, God's love and care would reach out to him. He was not in the garden but he was still God's plant. There would always be a branch that would look to God. Through Abraham, God would have a garden (vineyard ) of Israel. Many times would the vineyard be laid desolate because of their sins.

The branch of His planting would bring forth "The Branch" in time, which was Jesus. Men would try to meet the approval of God through the Law but it could only show the weakness of man. When man sinned, the penalty was death but the penalty was not completely enforced. God, through the sacrifices of animals, would temporarily hold back the hand that would have smitten the tree of humanity.

God was to bring forth that Righteous Branch from the tree and would smite it (Him) instead. The Righteous Branch would be smitten and broken off to be planted in the second garden at Gethsemane. Gethsemane means oil press or place of crushing to produce oil, which symbolizes life.

The weight of the sin of Adam and the sins of the whole world forever were laid on Him that night in the garden. The inner man was surrendered to the will of the father. He was crushed in the garden and was there obedient to the word and will of the father.

Adam was disobedient in the first garden and Jesus was obedient in the second garden. With life, Adam purchased death and Jesus took that death and purchased life. The demand of God (which was death) was met in Jesus.

God had planted another seed (the seed of the woman) in His garden of life and that Seed (Jesus, Word) would bring new life to all that would taste of the tree of Life (Jesus). To eat of Him is to hear and obey.

Jesus could surrender to the soldiers the next morning to be tried and crucified by man physically because He had already died spiritually in the garden. With his heart he had submitted to the will of the father.

When he prayed and was in great agony, "His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground" (Luke 22:44). This signified the inner death that preceded the outward death. There had to be the shedding of blood and it was in the garden that he became completely willing to be obedient to the death on the cross.

We must follow in his footsteps in obedience even when they lead to a Gethsemane in our lives. Our will must meet his will. We must die to self to live unto him.

Those who are from that Branch are now God's Garden. He will take care of his garden. We are his responsibility and pride and joy. Eden means delight and we are now his delight.

In the beginning of the eight day (8,000 years), God will plant another natural garden of the earth and in the garden will be the spiritual offspring of that Branch and God will dwell in there midst in the New Jerusalem.

The third garden (new Earth) will be inhabited by those who overcame in the test of life and the tempter will not be there.

    The Lord God planted a garden
        The soil is the heart,
    The seed is His word,
        The result is God in us.

The Lord is still in the planting business and his desire is to plant his seed, which is Life, in you. In him was life and the life was the light of men. Receive him and watch him produce his very life within you.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth (and in me) as it is in heaven.