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THE NEW COVENANT (Part 2)

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isa. 64:6).

For those who seek God’s presence by their own works…for trying to follow the rules and regulations of religion…the veil is still there, separating them from God. And it always will be. For those people “…It has not been removed…”

But what else did you see in 2 Cor. 3:14-16?

“…because only in Christ is it taken away.”

“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away! No more separation from God. How come? Because centuries later…

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.” (Matt. 27:51).

Because when Jesus died on the cross for your sins, the curtain that separated us from God was torn in two from top to bottom. Just as Aaron had to cleanse himself by sacrifice before he could enter God’s presence, I have to cleanse myself by sacrifice before I can enter His
presence. So do you. But for you and me, the sacrifice was provided by God….Jesus….so that whenever “anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” His blood is our purification.

And instead of having to sacrifice every time we wish to enter God’s presence, the sacrifice that was made once…Jesus on dying on the cross…was sufficient forever.

On top of that, we can enter His presence any time we wish. We’re not limited to once a year.Through Jesus, we’ve been made clean. We can be with God anytime we like, anywhere we like! Unlike the priests of old, we don’t have to enter God’s presence with fear and trembling…we don’t have to wonder if our buddies are gonna have to drag us back out by a rope tied around our ankles! In fact, Paul says in Hebrews 4:16
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence…”
With confidence! Why?

“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood…” (Rom. 3:20-25)

“Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” (Rom. 5:9).

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…” (Eph. 1:7).

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:13).

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Col. 1:19,20).

Through Jesus, we have peace with God. We’ve been washed in the Blood of the Lamb. We can fellowship with God…anytime, anywhere. Our sins have been redeemed.
That’s the New Covenant.
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New Covenant
“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20)

“He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?” (2 Cor. 3:6-8).

“But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Cor. 3:14-16).

“Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:21-29)

The Law of Moses. The Ten Commandments. That’s the old covenant. The new covenant is Jesus Christ. It’s interesting to note, though, that the new covenant… Jesus…was promised long before the old covenant was
ever established!

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” (Gen. 3:15).

“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen. 12:3).

“Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.” (Gen. 18:18).

It’s also interesting to note what Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 3:14-16. If you didn’t catch it, please read it again. Did you see it?

“…for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read.”

What veil? At some point, there will be a fascinating teaching on the tabernacle of the Old Testament. For the moment, though, do you remember the curtain that was hung to separate the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place?

“Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.” (Ex. 26:33).

“The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.” (Lev. 16:2).
Not just anyone could enter the Most Holy Place. Only the high priest…which at the time was Aaron. And even he could only enter once a year (Lev. 16:24). Why?

“…because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.”

God was present in the Most Holy Place. And no one was clean enough to enter His presence, which is why He was separated from the people by the heavy curtain. Before the high priest could enter, he had to cleanse himself by sacrifice…and if he wasn’t clean enough, he would never leave the Most Holy Place under his own power. His fellow priests would drag his lifeless body out by a rope tied around his ankle.

That’s the old covenant. Separation from God. Those who try to live by the Law of Moses will never enter God’s presence. They can’t get past the veil. No one will ever be clean enough to enter God’s presence through the old covenant.

WHY I PROMOTE HOME BUSINESS PROGRAMS

Now for the spiritual side of why I choose to promote home business programs…the number one motivator for me! I truly believe that we, as people, are to spend our lives working. I don’t, however, believe we are to spend them “earning a living” or just getting by! To me, the Bible has promised us prosperity. It has promised us freedom through Jesus Christ. It tells me about a God of abundance, who provides all our needs…and a God who gives generously to all. In fact, there is nothing anywhere…not on heaven, nor on earth…that can be earned from God.

We can’t earn salvation. That’s very clear. Yet, He gives it freely. We can’t earn healing. Yet, He gives it freely. But we think we have to earn a living…even though He has already promised to provide our needs! The problem is, we would rather depend on our human peers to provide for us through a means we call “employment,” than to depend on God (and the abilities that He’s given us) to provide for ourselves and our families. What’s the difference and where did we go wrong?

It started in the garden of Eden, when Adam ate the forbidden fruit.

“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 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.” (Gen. 3:17-19)

Everyone assumes from this verse that we are doomed to a life of labor and toil. The Bible also says, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2 Thes. 3:10).

There are, however, a couple of things most people don’t stop to think about! The first, is this:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” (Gal. 3:13)

We’ve been redeemed from the curse of Adam! Jesus did that on the cross! The second thing we don’t stop to think about is this: before Adam ever even thought about eating the forbidden fruit, he was…working!

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Gen. 2:15)

Adam was put in the garden to work before it ever became a curse! It was a BLESSING to work! After the fall, it became a curse. But then Jesus came along to redeem us from the curse…and work SHOULD have become a blessing again…but it didn’t for most of us! How come? Because by then, we were so ingrained in our ways of being enslaved to someone else that it never occurred to us that we were set free!

What kind of work blessed Adam? The work that God put him here to do…tend the garden. What kind of work blesses you? Tending a garden? Playing music? Painting pictures? Creating things from popsicle sticks? Working in a gas station? Then THAT’S WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING!!! Instead, we crawl around from one “job” to another, scratching out our meager existance and wonder why God is putting us through this horrible ordeal. Only it’s not by His choice that we do it…it’s by our own.

He takes a lot of blame for a lot of things we bring on ourselves, dear friends. Instead of blaming God, find your blessing and pursue it. A good home business (whether online or not) will allow you to do just that. I choose to promote those that cost little or no money for someone just starting out, because most folks that are looking for ways to make money, don’t have any. These can be a great stepping stone and help you get started on your path to financial freedom. Please, whether you choose any of these programs or not…please, take whatever steps you have to take to get out from under the curse.

Jesus paid the ultimate price for your freedom and mine. Let’s try not to waste it…

Many blessings!

WHY I PROMOTE HOME BUSINESS PROGRAMS

I suppose it would be easy to assume that the #1 reason I promote home business programs is for the money. In truth, that’s a valid reason, but it comes somewhere down the list. The #1 reason, however, has nothing to do with money. Neither does the #2 reason. If you’ll allow me…

From a strictly secular standpoint, when we work for someone else, they have total control over when (or if) we work, how much money we make, the hours we may or may not work, etc. In other words, they control an awful big part of our lives. They control what time we wake up…after all, we don’t want to be late! They control the amount of time we spend with your family. For most of us, they control a large portion of what we can or can’t enjoy in our “off” time, simply by controlling our wages. In other words, in a sense, we are slaves of a system that throws us a few scraps every Friday to keep us coming back for more!

Job security? Years ago, maybe, but it’s a thing of the past. Again, it’s in the control of the powers that be. From CEO to parking lot attendant or dishwasher. You never really know. Aside from that, we spend a large portion of our lives frantically trying to get somewhere (that most of us don’t want to be in the first place!), so we can perform duties (that most of us don’t wish to be performing!), just so we can catch a few scraps on payday! Then we wonder why we’re stressed out!

There are great artists working as prison guards. Writers working in gas stations. Folks that would be great at decorating your home working in a factories. And there is nothing wrong with that…IF that’s what you enjoy! I remember reading an article in the newspaper (I live in Virginia) about an elderly man in California that worked as a Walmart greeter, and how he had influenced the community…his story was in newspapers across the country! He was doing what he was put here to do…be a greeter at Walmart! He was where he belonged! He wasn’t enslaved by the system, he was completely free!

But how many of us can say that we are doing what we’re supposed to be doing?

If you hate working in the bank, then WHY ARE YOU? Start your own home business! It doesn’t have to be on the internet, although there are advantages to it. You don’t have to have a lot of money, or a lot of time to START. Start small. Start slowly. Just START! And be patient. Be persistent. Do what you were put here to do! Enjoy life. Enjoy work. Enjoy your family and your off time! LIVE FREE!

If you would like more information on a great home business that you can start today…and for free…please click here!

HELL: TRUTH OR FICTION

The entire purpose of this website is not to “scare” you into receiving Jesus as your Savior. It is, instead, dedicated to informing you of the truth and educating you in the things that will hopefully help you experience your freedom in Christ to a greater degree, and maybe even help you understand a little better, just how much your Father loves you! Part of God’s truth is that there is a place of torment for unbelievers. Ignoring the truth doesn’t change the truth. Denying the truth doesn’t change it either. If you haven’t yet accepted Jesus as your Savior, then, yes…that would be a little scary. If you are sitting here reading this, it’s not too late.

Hmmmm. Ignoring the truth. Denying the truth. If the grass is green, you can ignore the fact all you like. You can deny it all you like. You can tell all your friends it’s red, blue or black. You can convince yourself that it’s any one of these colors, or all of these colors. You can write books about it, sing songs about it, preach sermons on it. You can convince others that the grass is red, blue or black. But that doesn’t change the fact that the grass is green, no matter what you say or believe. No matter how many others you may convince. If the grass is green, it’s green. Your ignoring it and denying it doesn’t change it. That’s the way it is with truth. Accept it or not,
it’s still the truth. And the truth is, there is heaven…and there is hell.

If you died right now, where would your soul end up? If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Savior… if you want to think about it a little more… feel free. There’s no pressure. The choice is yours to make in your own
time. But if you decide to put it off until tomorrow are you prepared for the possible consequences?

We’re not trying to “sell” you on salvation or anything else. In fact, there is nothing here to buy other than a few books and a few songs. As for salvation? That choice is yours to make. We are, however hoping to inform you so that you can be better equipped to make that decision. Salvation is
one of the few things that can’t be bought with any amount of money. It’s absolutely, one hundred percent free. In fact, no one anywhere can sell it to
you, although there are those who might try. It’s a gift from God.

“…it is the gift of God…” (Eph. 2:8).

A gift is something that a person buys or makes to give to someone else. You can’t buy a gift for yourself. It’s impossible. If you buy it for yourself, it’s not a gift, it’s a purchase. If you buy it to give to another, then it’s a gift. God bought your salvation for you because He knew you can’t afford the price. He bought it with the blood of Jesus. He offers it to you freely…it’s your gift from God. Like any gift, you are free to accept it or reject it.

If you accept it, we gain nothing but your eternal fellowship in our Father’s presence. You, on the other hand, gain eternal life. If you reject it, we lose nothing. You lose everything. We say this, not to make light of your salvation, but so that you may know these pages and God’s offer of salvation are for you! Again, the purpose of this website is not to scare you
into anything, but to educate you in the truth…and the truth is, there is a heaven and there is a hell. Once you leave this earth you go to one or the other. If you are a child of God, through Jesus Christ, you go to heaven. If you aren’t, you don’t. Which leaves only one alternative…hell. And you make your own choice while you’re here on earth. It’s that simple.

Some say that a loving God could never create a place like hell. What they don’t realize, is that while He did indeed create it, He does everything in His power to keep you from going there, other than making the decision for you.

“He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

He had to create it for the unjust.

Some ask why a loving God would send the people He so dearly loves to such a place…a place of eternal torment. What they don’t realize, is that God doesn’t send anyone to hell. He never has and never will. Those who end up there are there by choice. God gives them the choice to make… life through Jesus or hell…and they choose. You choose. It’s your choice.

He loves you so much that He gave His only begotten Son for you…to keep you from hell…if you’ll let Him. Then He allows you to decide for yourself to accept or reject His offer. YOU are the one that catches the ride to heaven or chooses hell.

It’s your choice. Eternal life through Jesus…or eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46). Which will you choose? If you’ve already decided, we look forward to meeting you someday! If you haven’t, feel free to browse through our website and drop us a line about anything you have questions about. If you’d like to have us pray for you, whether you’re a Christian or not, just let us know. Like salvation, prayer is free! Not only that, but…“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16). If you’ve never made the decision for Jesus, but would like to make it now, please click here. You might care to browse over our page on salvation, too!

HELL: TRUTH OR FICTION

Once you leave earth….

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from
here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ ” (Luke 16:19-26).

When your time here on earth is up, there are only two places you can go. Heaven or hell. There are no other alternatives. You do not cease to exist, as some would have you believe. You are an eternal being.

“…and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” (Acts 24:15).

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matt. 25:46).

Contrary to what some may teach, there is indeed, a hell…a place of “…darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 8:12). Matthew 13:42 describes this place as a “fiery furnace”. There is no “purgatory” where you can “work your way back into God’s good graces”. There are no second chances. You are not reincarnated as a plant, animal, insect or your uncle’s second wife. You are not a “spirit being” floating around the cosmos. Once you leave earth, you’re in one place or the other…whether it’s heaven or whether it’s hell. There is no “crossing over”. You are either in heaven, or hell…and you’re there forever, for better or
worse.

Your final destination depends on one single decision that you will make before your departure from this earthly life. Have you or have you not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? If you have, you are one of the righteous that have received the gift of eternal life. If not, you are one of those destined for eternal punishment. Once you leave earth, it will be too late to make that decision.

Please keep in mind, for your own sake, that to make no decision is to decide. If you’re waiting for tomorrow to make your choice and your life is taken from you tonite, then you “will go away to eternal punishment” because you left this life without your Savior. It will be too late.

RIGHTEOUSNESS VS HOLINESS

Too often, we confuse righteousness with holiness. Too often, we claim to believe God, but do we really? Our righteousness is determined by what we believe. Our holiness is determined by what we do.

He says that whoever believes in His Son has eternal life. But we say that whoever believes in His Son and lives a certain way has eternal life.

He says that Jesus has healed our sicknesses on the cross. But our doctor’s offices and hospitals are full of patients.

He says He will never leave us or forsake us. But we’re always wondering “where is God when I need Him?”

He says He’s taken away our guilt on the cross. But we carry it around with us like we’re attached to it at the hip.

He says He came to set us free. But we remain in bondage.

He says He’ll provide all our needs. But we walk around in constant worry, wondering how we’re going to pay the mortgage next month, or the light bill next week.

So the question is…how exactly are we believing God? And how is that affecting our righteousness?

For the moment, we’re gonna leave you hanging to give you time to think about it…and soon, if it’s His will, we’ll have some ways to help you in your righteousness. :0)

“Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

Do you believe the Lord?

RIGHTEOUSNESS

right·eous – Morally upright; without guilt or sin

right·eous·ness – the quality or state of being righteous

“Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Gen. 15:6)

Contrary to what many people believe, righteousness is nothing more than believing God. A lot of folks think that righteousness has to do with the way they live, or the way they do this or that. The Bible says that Abram believed the Lord and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Abram was an old man when God came to him in a vision and told him he would be the father of more descendants than he could even count. His wife was nearly as old. But he believed God. And it was what? Credited to him as righteousness.

Righteousness, or “being without guilt or sin”, is believing God.

“He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever— holy and awesome is his name.” (Ps. 111:9).

“And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” ” (Matt. 3:17).

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18).

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:36).

Do you believe God?

“If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” (Ex. 15:26).

Do you believe God?

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5).

Do you believe God?

THE ORIGIN OF MAN-ADAM

For now, closing remarks on the origin of man…(I know you’re thankful…lol)

How long did Adam live in the paradise garden? Nobody knows. Nobody except Adam and God. How did he spend his days? Chatting with his Creator, tending the garden, getting to know the creature that was now his wife, playing with the lions…enjoying his perfect world.

Then, at some point, Adam goofed. He ate of the one fruit that was off limits. And everything came undone. The spiritual connection with God was broken. Sin, sickness, death, decay entered the world. The dominion that he once enjoyed over all the earth and everything in it was handed over to his tempter, the serpent…that ol’ devil, Satan. Adam, along with his bride, was kicked out of the garden…and so began a new life. The one that you and I are familiar with.

You can blame Adam if you like, but you or I would have eventually done the same thing. You can blame Eve if you like, but Adam was standing right there when she took her bite (Gen. 3:6). It’s interesting to note that it wasn’t until Adam had taken a bite that their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked. After all, it was Adam that was commanded by God not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Maybe he was curious. Maybe he was just gullible or trying to impress his wife. Or maybe he was just being man.

Even more likely, maybe…just maybe it was God’s plan all along. There is so much packed into these first three chapters of God’s story. Hopefully, as time allows, we can explore some of it together. For now, though, take a few minutes to ponder on Adam. Try to imagine what it must have been like, this garden experience. In the beginning…and again at the end.

Paradise.

Paradise shattered.

With God, as one. Apart from God, separated by sin. From king of the world, serving the King of kings to, as Paul writes, a slave to sin. Man, what a fall!

You think Adam at some point wished he could take that bite back? Kind of like we wish we could take back some of the things we do? Sure, he did. Probably fairly often. You think he ever felt guilty? Kind of like we do sometimes? Probably. But while God wouldn’t let Adam take back his bite…just like He doesn’t allow us to take back our mistakes…He did something better. For Adam and us. He offered salvation and redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ…and He forgave His creation.

I’m just another Adam. So are you. Don’t be so hard on the poor guy. God forgave him. Can you? And if you can forgive the Adam that screwed up your Garden of Eden, then you should be able to forgive the Adam that screws up everything you live with today…the one that lives inside of you. Do you know what God did when Adam ate the forbidden fruit? Even before He kicked Adam out of the garden, do you know what God did?

“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Gen. 3:21).

He forgave Adam. He made him garments of skin and clothed him. With His very own hands God made Adam and Eve garments of skin and clothed them. He provided what Adam needed. Why? Because, in spite of the ol’ boy’s sin…God still loved His creation.

So, tell me “Adam”…what makes you think God can’t love you?

THE ORIGIN OF MAN-ADAM

Remember that it was God who leaned down and breathed the breath of life into Adam’s nostrils. As Adam stirred and slowly opened his eyes, I believe he saw the glory of God hovering before him…watching…waiting for His creation to become aware of His presence. I wonder about the look of expectation on God’s face…the anticipation of seeing His creation come to life…the joy of watching His creation look upon His glory for the first time.

It had to be a moment of indescribable wonder for both! And I believe they were captivated by each other for a time… whether for moments, hours or days…each one mezmerized by the existence and the presence of the other.

Keep in mind, that this was before the fall of man. In a sense, a spiritual sense, God and Adam were one…both of the same Spirit. (This is not intended to imply in any way that Adam was a divine being, because he wasn’t. But he was created a perfect being!) And though Adam would
eventually severe that spiritual connection, at the moment, they were both one. While the seedlings in the ground (that God had created on the third day) sprouted and grew, Adam was getting to know God… and the Teacher was teaching His creation about life…about Himself (God) and about himself (Adam). It’s quite possible that Adam even moved freely between earth and heaven…that he conversed with angels.

In the paradise in which he lived, I don’t believe Adam had to eat to stay alive, just as I don’t believe we’ll have to eat in heaven. I believe he was welcomed to eat… even invited to eat… perhaps at God’s own table…but I don’t believe he had to eat. Nor did the animals that had been created on the fifth and sixth days. Remember, this is before the fall. Sin, death, decay, even hunger was somewhere in the future.

“Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.” (Gen. 1:20,30).

The plants that were given for food were still seeds in the ground. The “meat-eaters” weren’t “meat-eaters” yet…not until after the fall. For now, they were still vegetarians waiting patiently for their first salad. Adam, when he wasn’t hanging out with God, was naming the animals (Gen. 2:19,20). Somewhere along the way, Eve was taken from Adam’s rib (Gen. 2:22), the Garden of Eden was planted by God (Gen. 2:8), and Adam was put in the garden to take care of it (Gen. 2:15).