Return to Eden

I've recently noticed a few passages in the Bible on the theme of the New Creation being a return to Eden. I don't believe that the Bible says that this is true in every sense. For example, those who are a part of the new creation, that is those who are saved in Christ, can never fall away as Adam and Eve did. However, there are still some very clear allusions to Eden in the new creation language in Scripture. Here are two that I've seen recently.

Temple language
1. Genesis 2:10-14 describes a river that flowed out of Eden and split into 4 rivers that basically watered the entire earth.

2. Beginning in Ezekiel 40, Ezekiel receives a vision from the Lord of the future city of God. In chapter 47 he sees the temple, and out of it flows a massive river which gives life to everything that it touches.

3. John 7:38, "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water,'"

4. In the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 22, there is a river flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, giving life to everything in this city. This passage gives one of the clearest indication of a return to Eden. What was lost in the fall was humankind's glad acceptance of their complete dependency on God. In the new creation this rift is restored, demonstrated by centrality of the throne of God in the New Jerusalem and the live giving water which flows from it.

Thorns and Thistles
1. In Genesis 3, after the fall, God curses Adam saying, "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."
-Thus, man's work will no longer be a joyful and pleasant endeavor, but will be burdensome
and inefficient.

2. Isaiah 55:10-13. Verse 11 is rather well known:

"(my word) shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose."

Verse 13 shows the connection with the reversal of the fall and the curse with regard to the work of mankind:

"Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, and everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

Then, connecting this with Hebrews 6:7-8,

"For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned."

The point is this - where the curse brought resistance from the earth to the effort of mankind, the new creation, through Christ, brings forth abiding fruit both in and through new creatures - those who are alive in Christ. The work, of course, is God's. HE sends his word to accomplish its purpose. HE does the work in the hearts of the elect that yields fruit. Moreover, human work produces fruit which will not last, whereas God's work produces fruit that lasts eternally. The 'everlasting sign that shall not be cut off' is the people of God, the new creation. This new Eden, so to speak, will not fall into decay. It will abide forever. Furthermore, the 'new creation work' that we do, particularly sharing the gospel, does not suffer from the curse. It will go forth and accomplish that which God purposes. It is joyful and rewarding, as God intended physical work to be for Adam in the garden.