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Summary

This lesson explores the profound biblical narrative of Eden’s losses and the promise of their restoration in heaven. It emphasizes the hope of eternal life, the significance of faithfulness, and the ultimate reunion with God in the new heaven and new earth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Final Lesson
00:50 Exploring Eden’s Losses
16:04 Restoration and Hope in Heaven
26:16 Unity of Purpose and the Promise of Restoration
35:30 Living in the Tension of Now and Not Yet
44:03 Waiting on the Lord in Exile
49:07 Faithfulness in the Face of Trials
51:11 The Hope of Eternal Glory

Transcript *This transcript was automatically generated and may contain errors.*

Emily Hatfield (00:00)
Good afternoon. Thanks for being with us today. Thank you to all of you who were here yesterday. It’s been a great week to be together and I’m excited that for the final lesson of this week for ladies, we get to talk about heaven. Yesterday we talked a lot about threats to our inheritance, but today we get to focus on heaven.

But it kind of starts in a negative place because our topic for today is Eden’s losses restored in heaven. So the good news is restoration. The good news is heaven. The not so great part is the stuff that was lost in Eden. So if you’ll start with me in the book of Genesis, we’re going to look at an overview of the account of the Garden of Eden.

Now, I’m sure that you know quite a bit about the Garden of Eden, or at least all that there is to know, right? There’s not a lot of time spent in the Garden of Eden. We don’t know exactly how long Adam and Eve were in the garden before they sinned, but not a lot of scripture is lived within the garden, right? Most of it is outside. But that first garden was a perfectly curated place for the crown of God’s creation.

He had made everything just as he wanted to, but restriction was given for their protection. Both trees that were there, God had planted the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but also the tree of life. And both were planted there, one meant to be enjoyed eventually, right? The tree of life and one meant to be avoided at all costs. And so in that garden, God tells Adam,

don’t go near that tree. You are not to partake of the fruit of this tree because in the day that you do, you will surely die. Now at the time that the command is given to Adam in Genesis chapter 2, in verse 15, God puts Adam there to work the garden, commanded him, but it was him. Adam’s the only one at the time.

that’s on the earth who gets the command. So at this point in human history, everybody on God’s earth knows what the plan is. Everybody knows what they’re supposed to do to obey God. And Eve comes along after this and it seems that Adam had passed the information along. Because when the serpent comes to her, she says, God said,

No, we’re not supposed to take of the tree and eat it and we’re not even supposed to touch it. Now that wasn’t a part of the original command that God had given Adam. Perhaps that was something that God told them later or perhaps it was just some wisdom coming in saying don’t even get close to the thing that God says don’t get close to. But they do get close, don’t they? Because the serpent comes when they’re near to the tree. Why are they there?

I don’t know, did they find themselves nearby and Satan capitalized upon that opportunity and is like, hold on, look where you are, don’t you want that? Or were they there admiring what they couldn’t have? Were they busy looking and longing for something?

Adam shared this knowledge with Eve that she wasn’t supposed to eat it. But Satan came in and he lied to them. He lied to them and told them, won’t surely die. Now in a sense, he was right. Because the moment that they touched it, their physical lives didn’t end. The moment that they partook of the fruit, their physical lives didn’t end, but spiritually, they were dead.

as soon as they partook of the fruit that God said, don’t eat that, they were dead. So really the first death that happens is their spiritual life, right? From the moment they take place. But another death happens really quickly in that first garden. Because Adam and Eve, when they take the fruit, when they see that they’re naked,

Chapter 3 verse 7, their eyes were opened, they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Who is it that doesn’t like the word loin? There it is. They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Okay, they did not make themselves proper clothing, right? They’ve sewn together this makeshift thing to try to hide because they feel this shame.

But if you go down to verse 21…

The first death is a foreshadowing of what’s really going to come to clothe them. verse 21 of chapter 3, the Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins and clothed them. You see, in the beginning, when God created this beautiful world for them and created animal kind for them to rule over,

in such a way that they’re coming up to Adam and Adam’s giving them names. There aren’t threats in the Garden of Eden. But now God has had to kill an animal, sacrifice an animal to clothe His people.

And one day, we know, God’s going to send another lamb in order to be slain so that his people can be clothed.

So creation, all of creation has now received a curse because of Adam and Eve. If you look in Genesis verse 17 to Adam, he says, because you listened to the voice of your wife and eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, you shall not eat of it, then cursed is the ground because of you.

In pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life, thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken, for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Here we see from this moment of disobedience to God, all of creation receives a curse. Now even the ground itself

going to yield these thistles and these thorns. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, but everything changed in a moment. But it doesn’t take long in this account to get to the first promise, because in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15, we see that truly before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1-4, this plan for redemption was in the mind of God.

So in Genesis 3 verse 15, the Lord is talking to Satan here actually, but he says, will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. Here we see a promise of the great crusher who is coming and we know who that is.

We know the offspring of woman, because it’s her offspring, we know the offspring of woman, of Mary that is coming, that is going to once and for all defeat the sneaky serpent. And from before the foundation of the world, this was the plan. This was the plan and God was ready to tell them about it immediately because He loves them.

and because God wasn’t going to leave His creation without a way back to Him. And so we have this garden where death is happening, but hope is found. And what I want to look at for this lesson is to focus on our final victory. I want to start by looking at the things that were lost in Eden.

And then I want to look at the things that are going to be restored in heaven. And finally, what we’re going to do while we wait for that day. So in the first place, what was lost in Eden? Well, I think that perfect order was lost. Everything Genesis 1, 31 is very good. Everything. When God creates man in His image,

God is able to rest because everything is very good as it should be. But now, now animals are subject to sacrifice. The very good is going to quickly degenerate in just a few chapters in Genesis. It’s going to get to the point where the whole earth is so full of wickedness that God sends a flood and saves one family.

because he has to purge the wickedness from the earth that he created. See, this very good was shattered in a moment. Perfect order was lost. But it wasn’t just order, their innocence was lost. In Genesis 2, 25, the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Before they took a bite of that fruit everything was innocent Everything was good but now Verse 7 of chapter 3 they know they’re naked and what happens immediately They take on shame Shame comes No longer are they unashamed but now

Have you ever felt shame? Shame is an awful thing to wear.

And I can’t imagine a time of this freeing innocence that they lived in before. But I do know the weight of shame. What a contrast they are living in just that moment from that bite of fruit. No longer are they innocent and therefore no longer are they walking with God in the cool of the day in some kind of joyful relationship. You see, when they hear the sound and I don’t

I got a lot of questions. I don’t know. I don’t know what was going on here. I don’t know how God was walking with them in the cool of the day. But I know there was a sound because they heard it. And that’s when they hid. But if they didn’t recognize the sound, why would they hide? No, they were familiar. They heard a sound they were familiar with. And before that bite, this would have been a comforting sound. But now it causes them.

to hide. Now they’re trying to separate themselves from God because their sin has separated them from God. And they feel that in the shame that they’re wearing. So shame has entered the garden now. Separation has entered the garden now. Their intimate relationship is lost.

But it’s not just the relationship and it’s not just that they’re going to try to hide from God because we’re going to see in verse 24 that they’re going to lose their home too.

They understand, they feel this separation that they have, they feel this sense of shame, they feel like they can’t be close to God anymore and God says, you’re right. See, I planted this garden and I put this tree there so that you could partake and live forever with me. But now you can’t. You can’t partake of this tree in the state that you’re in and live forever with me.

And so he casts them out of the garden. He drove the man out, verse 24, and at the east of the garden, he placed cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the tree of life. Now, could they be forgiven? Yes.

But could they go back to the garden?

They lost their home. They lost their innocence. They lost so much in that first bite. But the serpent, Satan, he was wrong.

He lied to them because they would.

And it took a long time. The Bible says that Adam’s what, like 950 years old? I mean, 930. Okay, it’s about the same by that point, right? But that’s a long time, a long time to live. But he would die. And not only would he die, but that’s an incredibly long time to live with the knowledge that you’re going to die.

Kane and Abel had been born. Abel is murdered.

and they see firsthand death is real.

and something that was not ever meant to be. They have now seen play out in their children.

and they lose Able and then how many days do they spend?

I don’t know how long Eve lived.

And I don’t know from what point, you know, that happened, that Adam lived. know that Seth was born after that and he lived 800 years after that. So it’s at least 800 years with this knowledge of death, with this visual of death, knowing it’s coming.

That’s an awful thing to live with without hope.

Especially when you caused it.

The perfect order of Eden was lost. Innocence was lost. Their home was lost. Physical life was lost.

If you’ve ever lost anyone, then you know the devastating feelings in Eden.

what they were going through, what they were dealing with. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they lost much. But in God’s perfect goodness, He assures us that nothing that was lost will not be restored in a better way. And so, let’s look at the things that Eden lost.

but that we are promised will be restored for us. The goodness of God does not leave His creation without a way back to Him. Yes, they lost physical life, but they did not lose the opportunity to have spiritual life forevermore. So in the first place, okay, they lost their innocence. But Eve’s offspring that we read about in Genesis chapter three,

Eve’s offspring is going to declare them innocent once again. If you go to the book of Ephesians…

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 13, now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near through the blood of Christ. He is going to take us and make us innocent once again. He is going to take us even though we were far away, even though we were separated, He is going to bring us back.

All of Ephesians 2 is speaking about a were and now are in Christ Jesus. And so at the beginning of chapter 2, you were dead. You were sons of disobedience. You all once lived in the passion of your flesh. You were children of wrath. You were dead in your trespasses, but God made us alive together with Christ.

and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Romans chapter six tells us all about this death and resurrection that we have with Jesus.

And the blood of Jesus purifies. The blood of Jesus is like that Passover blood that when applied causes God to pass over our sins. He doesn’t mark us as guilty anymore. The blood of Jesus renders us innocent before God. And isn’t it a blessing?

God has given us a way to stand before him again as innocent children.

We don’t deserve that. Each of us has chosen to go his or her own way. Each of us has chosen to have our own fruit. Right? We’ve chosen in one way or another to disobey the direct command of God.

And like Adam and Eve, we deserve to be cast out of his perfectly pure and holy presence.

Thanks be to God that He had another sacrifice waiting for us that would declare us innocent before Him and give us access to Him. Those who were far off, those who were cast out of Eden now have been brought near and we can be near to the very throne of God. In the book of Revelation,

We read about a people with a sign. In chapter 9,

We’re in one of the trumpet scenes, the angels blowing a trumpet and all these things are happening. There’s a pit, there’s a lot going on in Revelation 9, but I want us to focus on one phrase.

In Revelation 9 verse 4, they’re told, okay, we got these locusts, we got, it’s a scary scene going on, but we got this stuff that’s coming, they’re given the power of scorpions, they’re going through, they’re devouring the earth, but verse 4 of chapter 9, they were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Now, that’s stated in the negative.

But what does that mean in the positive? It means that there are people that God has chosen to put a seal on their foreheads that mark them as His own. Now this is revelation. This isn’t a literal thing that God comes down and puts, you know, stamped seals on people’s heads. But there is something that God has done to mark His people as His own.

so that when trials and torments and things that are meant for unrighteous and rebellious people come, they’re not meant for his people. His people are his people.

We don’t deserve to have a seal. We chose our own way. We, like Eve, chose we know what God wants. We’d rather do what we want to do. And even if it’s just one hum, it changes everything about your spiritual state.

But God has made a way for us to belong in His presence, made a way where we don’t have to hide anymore. Right? In Eden, they’re hiding. But in the book of Revelation, people now have been given an opportunity to bask in His goodness and worship around the throne. So in Revelation 21,

Verses two and three, I saw a holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them and they will be his people.

and God Himself will be with them as their God. There has never been a time since Eden that this was true. That God could come and be close to a people because people have been sinful since Eden. But on the final day,

If we’ve walked in the light as he is in the light, then the blood of Jesus has been continually cleansing us from unrighteousness and we will stand unstained before God, innocent before God, sealed on our foreheads by God. And we’ll get to dwell in his presence forever.

Yes, they may have been cast out of Eden.

But we have a way back to God. And that way back is through the sacrifice of God Himself coming and dying for our sins. No more hiding, but basking in the goodness of God and worshiping around the throne. In Revelation chapter 4,

We have a peek into the throne in heaven.

And verses 9 through 11 say, whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. And they cast their crowns before the throne, saying, worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will.

they existed.

around the throne of God.

His creation, His people. 24 elders, this represents humanity. Here are people, right? These aren’t angels. They are permitted to be around the throne, praising.

and worshiping God and they cast their crowns before Him. So whether this is a victory crown that they have been given, whatever it is, they realize whatever it is they’ve been given, they’re not even worthy to keep wearing when they see the beauty and glory of God and they throw them before Him and worship Him because we’ve been given access to God again. We are going to be able to see Him

face to face. Now no one has ever seen God and lived.

But we’re promised that if we will be faithful, even if it means death, Revelation 2 10, if we will be faithful, then we will be given a crown that we can cast before the throne.

God is so faithful to His people. And like I said, this has been from before the foundation of the world, before God spoke time into existence. When before what we know as earth and life here, there was God the Son, which then was God the Word, and God the Spirit, and God the Father.

And together as one mind with unity of purpose and heart, they made a way for a people that they would create who chose themselves over and over again. They would provide them a way back, a way to be with them forever. So there’s no more guilt, no more shame, no more separation, no more hiding from God.

But there’s also no more toil. Remember one of the curses in the garden was that guess what now everything physical comes with something bad attached. You want to try to do work well the ground is not going to be good. It’s going to hurt. You’re going to be planting and they’re going to be thorns and thistles. Any physical work you do it’s going to come with labor and toil and hardship. Ladies you’re going to give birth well that’s going to also come with toil and hardship.

But it doesn’t end at childbirth, does it? Because as Eve is going to know very soon with Cain and Abel, raising children can also be filled with heartache and hardship, trauma and toil.

But in heaven, no more. No more toil, no more pain. Nothing that spoiled our earthly existence will be in heaven. Back to Revelation 21.

picking up where we left off, that God will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eye and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. The things that plagued us,

And the things that have plagued humankind since that first bite in Eden will be no more in heaven. Now I know if we went around the room, every single one of us could talk about things that have hurt us. Things that we feel have broken our spirits, that have discouraged us, that have caused pain.

that have tempted us to quit, each of us have those things. But one day, we’re not gonna have those things anymore.

God will wipe away the tears and then no more crying, no more mourning, no more pain. We will be with our God and He will be with us. And that beauty and that order and that perfection will be restored. Things will be as they were always meant to be, us and God.

No more pain, no more sorrow. But did you notice? No more death either. You see, from that moment in the garden when Satan looks at Eve and says, did God say you wouldn’t, we wouldn’t die? Because, I mean, you’re not gonna die. He said you would, but you’re not going to. He told you not to eat that. He just doesn’t want you to be like him. You’re not gonna die. Don’t worry about it.

Well, he’s a liar, and thankfully no more lies like that are going to be allowed because Revelation 21 8, all of the cowardly, faithful, detestable things, the liars, all of that will be gone. It will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. Satan is going to go to the place that was prepared for him, and he’s not going to enjoy it. Some people picture Satan as this, you know, demon looking thing that’s happy in hell.

That’s not his thriving environment. Hell was created to punish Satan, and it will. The wrath of God will be poured out on that place that was made for him.

He’s not gonna enjoy it, but it’s made for Him. It’s not made for us. It wasn’t created for people. God doesn’t want you to go there. He’s made every way available so that you don’t have to.

But Jesus, Jesus has made it to where death will once and for all be defeated. That was a part of that promise in Genesis 3. One day, serpent, one day, you may feel that you have bruised the heel of this offspring. And for three days, he probably did feel like that. He probably felt like he’d got a good blow in.

But when Jesus rose from the dead, He defeated death. And one final day, He’s gonna do the final death blow where it’s over. Nobody dies anymore. Everybody raises. Now some will raise to torment. And the rest of us, if we have been faithful to God and trust in the promise that He is preparing a place for us that’s different from that place, we’ll get to be with Him.

and there’ll be no more death. No. Jesus, that offspring of woman is coming and from the beginning the plan has been he’s going to defeat that one weapon that Satan has been using all along. Jesus is going to win. In Revelation 22

We read about access again to the tree of life. So remember when they’re cast out of their garden home, the reason is I planted these trees here. And one, they were supposed to avoid at all costs, fail. But one, they were meant to partake and enjoy and to live forever.

They had to be cast away from that. But remember what we said, nothing that God has taken will not be restored in a better way for His people. so, Revelation 22, then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. Also, on either side of the river, the tree of life.

with its 12 kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads.

God is going to give us access to the tree again. God has made a way for us to access life. Now we know from the rest of scripture that Jesus is life. When Christ, who is your life appears, Jesus says, I am the way, I am the truth.

We have been given access to eternal life through Jesus. And so God says in this beautiful vision of heaven, you can have this again. I’ve given this to you, but it’s not just pictured as a tree sitting over there. It’s a tree big enough to be coming up off of both sides of a river with all kinds of fruits. This is complete restoration.

and beauty were whole, were with him as we ought to be together.

In God’s forever kingdom, His people will have access to the tree of life. In His forever kingdom, God’s people are going to be innocent and free from sin’s harmful effects. In God’s forever kingdom, people are going to see Him and be close to Him and never shirk back in fear or shame again. God will have restored all of Eden’s losses

in heaven.

So what do we do while we wait for that day? Because I know that like me, you are well aware that we are not living in Eden right now.

There is still a lot of shame. There’s still a lot of heartache. There’s still a lot of toil. There’s still a lot of frustration. So what do we do? Well, I feel like there’s this now and not yet tension that we’re living in. Because we are assured that if we have been baptized into Christ, buried with Him in the watery grave of baptism, that we have come up as a new creature.

that we are free, we are cleansed, we have been liberated, set free from our sins. That’s why Christ died is the propitiation for our sins. We aren’t bearing them anymore. But we’re living in a world.

ugly, that’s hard, where our hope is not yet realized.

So while we wait, we are citizens of heaven. God has stamped His name on our foreheads. We belong there. We’re going. One day we will be there. It’s just not yet. But as ambassadors for the kingdom of heaven, as people whose citizenship is there, people who live there, really, that’s home. But I have to live in a different country right now.

Well, I have work to do, just like ambassadors do today, right? They don’t live in their home country. They live in a different country, but they’re doing work on behalf of the country from which they come. Well, we are heavenly citizens, but we’re living here. We’ve got work to do. We don’t get to sit idly. We wait with purpose.

We long for home, but with purpose. In 1 Peter chapter two, we see some of this purpose.

In 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9, you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may, okay, here’s what we’re supposed to do, because we’re a chosen race, because we’re a royal priesthood, because we’re a holy nation, because we’re God’s people, because we’ve been stamped with his name on our foreheads, here’s what we do. So that you may proclaim the excellencies

of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” In verse 11, you’re going to see the language that we’re sojourners and exiles.

This world is not my home. But I have a job to do while I’m here. I can’t have my mind so set on heaven that I’m distracted from the work that God’s given me to do while I’m here. I have my mind firmly planted in heaven, but my eyes looking around to do the work that He’s called me to do. My hand’s busy right now doing the work that He’s called me to do.

We can’t be those inactive members of the royal family. Just sit around and don’t really do anything for the crown, right? That’s not us. We’re busy. We’re out, we’re doing. In 1 Thessalonians 5, 6 through 11, people who are a part of the kingdom of God must not sleep as others do, but keep awake and be sober.

For those who sleep, sleep at night. Those who get drunk are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love and for the helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us so that whether we’re awake or asleep, we might live with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another just as you are doing. What do we do in the meantime?

Well, we don’t walk around, you know, uh-huh, I don’t have anything to do. I’m just waiting on Jesus to come back. Well, please, please wait for Jesus to come back. Eagerly anticipate the day that Jesus comes back. Join me in praying, come Lord Jesus. I’m ready right now. I’d love for Jesus to come back. My kids are small. But we don’t just wait doing nothing. It’s like a doctor’s office where you sit there.

and sit there and sit there and sit there and sit there. Okay, we’re doing something. First, we’re encouraging one another. First Thessalonians 5, 6 through 11. That’s the passage. Hey, we don’t belong to this time. Let’s encourage one another. Let’s come together in moments like this and encourage each other to keep going. Keep fighting. Hey, this world isn’t your home. I’m so sorry for the struggles that you’re going through and the pain that you’re going through, but sister, keep fighting.

because this world isn’t it. We haven’t gotten to see Eden’s losses restored yet. Keep going because one day they will. One day those promises of God will be sight. Keep going. Encourage one another with these words. But don’t just look around at each other because 2nd Peter 3 tells us the whole reason why Jesus hasn’t come back yet.

God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Every moment that the earth still stands is a moment that God is allowing sinners to repent. Every moment that God does not send Jesus to come and collect us means that someone else has the opportunity to see these promises. And every moment of delay.

is God’s patience and mercy towards sinners. So we have to be busy because the reason He hasn’t come is because we have a job to do. We must be busy being ambassadors for heaven, helping people see the beauty of our soon-to-be home and helping to create a longing for them. You know, time in exile is difficult.

Isaiah knew a thing or two about prophesying to a people in bad earthly situations. The is going to be to warn the people of upcoming captivity. It’s not going to be good. First Assyrian, then Babylonian. Neither is going to be great. And there’s only going to be a remnant that is able to return.

Isaiah in chapter 40.

Those who wait for the Lord, verse 31, those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Ladies, we are in exile. We are living in a time of captivity. I do not belong in this world. Just like the Israelites,

and the people of Judah, did not belong in Assyrian captivity. They did not belong in Babylonian captivity. They belonged in the promised land. Well, I don’t belong here. I belong in heaven. I don’t belong here among all of these horrible things that keep happening, among this loss and death and destruction and sin. But while I’m here,

I have to wait for the Lord.

And that word, wait.

It’s an interesting word. Go over to the book of Lamentations. We’re going to see it again. In Lamentations chapter 3, now here’s another situation. Okay, the whole book is called Lamentations. Okay, it’s a big lament. Most people think that Jeremiah is writing this. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. He doesn’t have good news. Okay, everybody’s going to be destroyed. Small amount of people not going to be, but we’re all going. We’re doomed. We’re losing everything.

because of the way we’ve acted. In the book of Lamentations…

which is such a beautiful picture of God because even in the midst of deep grief and sorrow, there is always hope. God has always given hope. Just like in the middle of those curses in the garden, God has always given hope. And so in Lamentations 3 verse 25, the Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him. And that word wait.

It comes from a word that means stretch or tension. Have you ever picked up a tension rod? it’s the bane of my existence when I’m putting, changing the shower curtain for my children and I put up that tension rod because it never works, it always pops back at me or something, you know, I hate it. I don’t like tension rods. If you’ve ever had to do any kind of physical therapy, you’ve had those ropes that really don’t stretch unless you put a lot of…

strain in them and then they’ll sort of go and then they’ll pop right back. Tension, stretching, that’s the word at the root of this word, wait. So this isn’t a comfortable waiting. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him in tension.

in hardship, in stress, who allow themselves, their souls, to be stretched.

Lord is good to those who wait, to the soul who seeks him.

We’re gonna be in extreme anguish outside of Eden.

Adam and Eve lost that for us in the garden.

And there was so much lost in Eden.

They had every opportunity for blessing and life with God.

I gave it up.

From the beginning, God has said, it doesn’t have to remain like that. And even if you were born in exile, you don’t have to stay there. You don’t have to stay. I have a home that’s prepared for you. Isn’t that what Jesus said in John chapter 14?

I’m leaving, but I’m going to go. I’m going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, then I’m going to come again and receive you so that where I am, there you can be also. I’m not going to leave you without hope. I’m not going to leave you without a way. No, God Himself became flesh and dwelt among us so that we could have a way back.

so that we could see Eden’s losses restored. Go back with me to Revelation 22.

In Revelation 22,

versus six through nine.

He said to me, these words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits and of the prophets has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said to me, you must not do that.

I’m a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets and with those who keep the words of this book worship God.

And we’re coming to the close. This is it. John’s been given this beautiful revelation. And it’s so glorious that John’s going to start dropping down and worshiping angels at this point, because it’s just so overwhelmingly good. And the angel says, don’t do that. Worship God. But did you notice what was said? Behold, I’m coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of this prophecy.

Do you want to see Eden restored?

Keep the words of the book. Be faithful even if it means death. Be faithful in the midst of trial and hardship. Be faithful in your time of exile. Be faithful. Don’t let the light of your lamp stand burn out. Be faithful. Because one day we will get to fall down and worship before the Lamb who was slain.

One day we will get to live in a perfectly prepared place with him again when Eden’s losses are restored.

God’s people are going to experience a glory beyond comparison. 2 Corinthians 4, 16 through 17 says, we do not lose heart. Even though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

As we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Nothing, nothing you go through in life is going to compare. No joy will compare with the joy that’s coming, but no sorrow will compare. Heaven will surely be worth it all.

Just one glimpse of him in glory, will the toils of life repay?

beyond all comparison.

when Aidan’s losses are restored. It’s gonna be overwhelming.

So don’t lose heart. Don’t quit. Don’t stop the race in the middle. Don’t stop when the race gets hard. Don’t quit. One glorious day, the light of God is going to be all that is needed. Nearness to Him in heaven is going to satisfy every longing and is going to rectify every wrong. One glimpse of Him. When Eden’s losses are restored, there’s going to be no more separation.

nothing that can ever snatch you away from Him. You’ll be safe in His arms, only God and His people forever.

That was the intent in the garden, but people lost it.

But it was God’s plan all along to give us a way back to Him. Even though we don’t deserve it. Even though we choose self. Even though we struggle. Even though we walk away from Him. Even though we hide from Him. God has always sought His people just like He went to find Adam and Eve in the garden. He wants you. He wants you to be in the place that He’s prepared for you.

So don’t lose heart. We can be strengthened every day if we’ll just wait on the Lord. Would you pray with me, please? Father God, thank you so much for the book that you have given us. Thank you so much for the prophecy of revelation. Thank you so much for the hope that we find in your words. Father, this world…

This world as it is, is so hard to live in. We’re sorry that as a people we have taken something that you created to be very good and have made it into something that is very wicked. Everywhere we turn there seems to be sin and struggle and hardship and grief and pain and our souls are vexed. Father, we’re tired.

But Father, we’re hungry for You and Your righteousness. We are thirsty for that living water that we know flows from that river of life. Father, thank You. Thank You for giving us heaven. We know that we do not deserve to be with You again. We know that our sins have separated us from You and we know that there is no way we could make it back to You.

But Jesus made a way. And we thank you.

that our God became our lamb and was offered so that we could be with you again. Father, thank you for loving us so much. Thank you for the hope we have. Thank you for the joy that we have even in the waiting because we know one day we’ll get to worship you face to face. Father, we long for that day and we say with John, come.

Lord Jesus, through Him we pray, amen.