The first creation teaches us that God intends for His children to dwell in beautiful surroundings and to enjoy those surroundings. Adam's assignment to cultivate and maintain the garden was a delightful one. It is only because of the curse that people are compelled to live under such difficult circumstances.

We learn also that it is God's intention to walk on the earth and to have fellowship with the people whom He has created. The present condition in which God dwells in the invisible spirit realm, not being immediately available to each person for blessing and counsel (although He is available to the praying saint), is not God's ultimate plan for mankind. It is God's intention to dwell among people on the earth.

The whole duty of man is to fear God and live uprightly. There is no need for any human being to become great or to achieve anything in the world. The need to become something great or to amass material wealth is a burden the individual places on himself. God does not require such achievement of us.

God's purposes for us are wholly good, wholly joyous. We destroy ourselves, being driven by the world, Satan, the sin that dwells in our flesh, and our self-will and self-centeredness.

Men spend their lives in the pursuit of wealth, or pleasure, or fame, or power. In the beginning it was not so. Adam and Eve in the garden were a prototype of what God intends for mankind, although the finished creation will be exceedingly greater, exceedingly more glorious.

The eternal state of man is described by the four aspects of the Divine declaration: the image of God, male and female, fruitfulness, and dominion.

The immediate, temporary fulfillment of these four aspects can be seen in Adam and Eve. Each had a soul and spirit, as does God, and a body that resembled the form of God's body (Ezekiel 1:26). One was male and the other was female. They were the ancestors of all human beings. They were learning to subdue the natural creation and use it for their own purposes.

The eternal fulfillment of the four aspects can be seen in the new heaven and earth reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. The saints are in the image of Christ. The Lamb and His Wife are one as the Father and the Son are One. Through the saints the image of Christ is filling the creation of God. The servants of God have authority over all the works of God's hands.

The environment of the new world will greatly surpass in beauty the garden of Eden. No longer will there be crying, or sorrow, or pain on the earth. God's children, being free from the curse of death, will perform delightful, joyous tasks in keeping with their abilities and desires.

Best of all, the Throne of God and of the Lamb will be established forever on the new earth. Through the saints in whom He is dwelling the Lord God will be available for counsel and blessing to every creature. This is the eternal design, of which the original creation was a forerunner.

To be continued.