Anything we begin, whether it’s a trip, a job, a family, or a goal, it’s crucial to start on the right foot and ensure we have the path laid out. The same is true for our spiritual journey. The importance of our initial steps as believers cannot be overstated, as they will determine our frustrations, failures, and successes along the way. The Bible teaches us that seeking God’s guidance sets us on a firm foundation and ensures our steps align with His will (Proverbs 3:5-6 & Psalm 119:105). This underscores the necessity of letting God’s word guide our every step from the outset. This initial step of faith and submission is not just a beginning but the defining moment that determines the course of our journey. When we start with the proper orientation and God’s word as our guide, He will light the right path for us to reach His desired destination.
Why did God create the heavens and the earth? We’ve explored the striking similarities between heaven and earth, noting the significant overlap between these two realms. In both realms, beings were created—spiritual beings in the heavenly realm and material beings on earth. These beings possess free will, desires, intelligence, and awareness of their almighty Creator. When God formed Adam, He said, ‘Let us make man in our image,’ referencing the heavenly beings. Thus, God and His heavenly and earthly creations share the same image.
After creating Adam and Eve, God established a Garden in Eden and placed them there to tend it. This garden wasn’t just a beautiful landscape; it was designed to be the cosmic temple of God where heaven and earth converged. To understand this, we look to Scripture, which reveals that from the beginning, it has been God’s intention for heaven to come to earth and for Him to dwell among His people (Genesis 2:8-9 & Exodus 25:8). God created a garden (a protected place) to dwell with humanity, but that was lost. Later, God told Moses to build a sanctuary (a dedicated place) so that He could dwell with His people.
In the Jewish tradition, the Temple was central to God’s presence among His people. The Tabernacle was what Moses built in the wilderness, and 450 years later, Solomon built a permanent temple in Jerusalem where God’s presence dwelled among His chosen people. We see God’s presence coming to the temple in 1 Kings 8:10-11.
The pattern of the Temple gives us insight into God’s ultimate plan, as seen in the Garden of Eden. The Tabernacle and the Temple walls were adorned with trees, plants, and flowers, resembling a garden-like setting (Exodus 25:31-40 & 1 Kings 6:29-35). These earthly sanctuaries consisted of two chambers: the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The Holy Place housed the golden lampstand, symbolizing God’s light, the table of bread representing His provision, and the altar of incense for communion and intercession (Exodus 25:23-30). This setup mirrored a sacred geography where heaven (the Holy of Holies) met earth (the Holy Place). However, access to the Holy of Holies was restricted to the High Priest due to sin, symbolizing the separation between God and humanity. God would meet with the High Priest at the Ark of the Covenant, positioned within the Holy of Holies. Look at what God told Moses in Exodus 25:18-22. This arrangement underscored the need for reconciliation and foreshadowed God’s ultimate plan to dwell intimately with His people.
We see God’s plan fulfilled (Revelation 21:3). John sees Jerusalem descending from heaven, symbolizing the ultimate union of heaven and earth. Here’s an easter egg: John stated that God plans to live with his children in New Jerusalem on Earth. At the beginning of John’s Gospel, we’re told Jesus was the Logos (the Word), and the Word came into the world. Then, in verse 14 of the same chapter, John says; The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. “Dwelt” is the same word for the Tabernacle from Revelation. The union of God’s heavenly children and his earthly children began when God’s Son came into the world to the Tabernacle with humanity. God’s cosmic family to be eternally united with his presence and dwelling with his creation was always the proper plan. Paul confirms this in Colossians 1:19-20.
The Garden of Eden was a prototype of this cosmic temple. It was a place where God walked with Adam and Eve in intimate fellowship. It was a glimpse of the perfect communion God desires to restore with humanity. Just as the Temple was a place of encounter with God, Eden was the first sanctuary where heaven and earth met. As we explore the Scriptures, we’ll see how God’s plan unfolds from Eden to the Temple to the new Jerusalem, revealing His unwavering desire to dwell with His people. This journey will help us understand the past and present and shed light on the future fulfillment of God’s promise—to dwell with His children forever in perfect communion through His Son.
For first-century Christians, the cosmic temple, which began with the garden in Eden, was profoundly relevant. It affirmed that God’s presence was not confined to earthly structures like the Jewish Temple but extended beyond, encompassing heavenly and earthly realms. This understanding reassured them that God’s plan for salvation, redemption, and restoration, as depicted in the new Jerusalem, was specific and eternal.
To us today, this vision remains equally significant. It reminds us that God’s desire to dwell among us transcends time and place. We are called living temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), where God’s presence dwells individually and collectively within the body of Christ, the Church (Ephesians 2:19-22). Just as the garden in Eden symbolized perfect communion between God and humanity, and the Temple foreshadowed Christ’s presence among us. The new Jerusalem promises the true story of Creation and God’s plan to dwell eternally with His people.
As we go through our spiritual journey every day, having this cosmic temple perspective encourages us to seek God’s presence earnestly, to align our lives with His will, and to anticipate the day when we will dwell with Him in the new heaven and new earth. It invites us to live with hope and assurance, knowing that God’s promise of eternal communion with Him stands firm in our present lives because we are temples for God’s presence and in the future, which He has prepared for us. This promise frees us from fearing God’s intentions for his children in heaven and on earth.
