Garden Theology: From Eden to the Empty Tomb-The Temple

The Temple: Eden Restored in Jerusalem

 In Episode 2 of Garden Theology: From Eden to the Empty Tomb, Pastor Dee and Bernie step into Jerusalem’s Temple and discover it as far more than Israel’s national shrine—it is Eden remembered and symbolically restored. From carved cherubim and palm trees to the guarded holiness of the inner sanctuary, the Temple replays the garden story: God dwelling with His people, sacred space protected, and access mediated through sacrifice. Together, they trace the deep biblical echoes between Eden’s commission to “work and keep” and the priests’ calling to “serve and guard,” showing how the Temple points beyond itself to Christ—the true Temple—who reopens the way into God’s presence. This episode invites you to see worship not as routine, but as God’s relentless pursuit to bring His people back into communion with Him.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to Garden Theology from Eden to the Empty Tomb. In episode one, we stood in the Garden of Eden, the first sanctuary where God walked with humanity. And today we step into another sacred space, the temple in Jerusalem. If Eden was a first place of communion, the temple was Eden restored, a garden-shaped sanctuary of God's presence among his people. This was not just a building of stone and gold. It was a place where heaven touched earth, where time slowed, and where God once again dwelled with humanity. Let's go to our Bible and let's start with 1 King 6 verses 20 through 29. This inner sanctuary was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. He overlaid the inside with solid gold. He also overlaid the altar made of cedar. And then Solomon overlaid the rest of the temple's interior with solid gold, and he made gold chains to protect the entrance to the most holy place. So he finished overlaying the entire temple with gold, including the altar that belonged to the most holy place. He made two cherubim with of wild olive wood, each fifteen feet tall, and placed them in the inner sanctuary. The wingspan of each of the cherubim was fifteen feet, each wing being seven and a half feet long. The two cherubim were identical in shape and size, each was fifteen feet tall, and he placed them side by side in the inner sanctuary of the temple. Their outspread wings reached from wall to wall, while their inner wings touched at the center of the room. He overlaid the two cherubim with gold, and he decorated all the walls of the inner sanctuary and the main room with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. Now Genesis 3 verse 24. After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden, and he planted a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. Let's move on to Numbers 3, verse 7 and 8. They will serve Aaron and the whole community, performing their sacred duties in and around the tabernacle. They will also maintain all the furnishings of the sacred tent, serving in the tabernacle on behalf of all the Israelites. And finally, Psalm 132, verses 13 through 14. For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem, he has desired it for his home. This is the resting place forever, he said.

SPEAKER_00 3:09

The temple wasn't designed at random. Its architecture, its artwork, and even its orientation repeated the patterns of Eden. Inside the sanctuary, Solomon ordered the carvings of palm trees, flowers, gorge, and cherubim. A garden brought indoors, a reminder of paradise.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

That's right. The temple was not simply Israel's worship center. It was a theological portrait. Where the tree of life once stood at the center of Eden, the Ark of the Covenant stood at the center of the temple, holding the Torah, the word of life. And just like the cherubim guarded Eden's entrance after the fall, cherubim overshadowed the ark, symbolizing the guarded holiness of God's presence. This was Eden restored. Eden reopened through only sacrifice and priestly mediation.

SPEAKER_00 4:05

One of my favorite connections is this. In Eden, God walked with humanity. And Scripture says God walked in his sanctuary as well.

SPEAKER_01 4:14

Yes, and the same vocabulary appears. The temple was a place where God once again moved among his people, not metaphorically, but manifestly. Just as Adam was told to work and keep the garden, the priests were called to work and guard the sanctuary using the same Hebrew verbs. And Eden had a gardener priest. The temple had priest gardeners. The connection is intentional and beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Even the geography of Israel mirrors Eden. The land was the conceptual expansion of the first garden, a place of blessing, fertility, and divine presence. But the temple was a spiritual apex, the holy of holies, marking the very center where heaven and earth met.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Every detail reinforces the story. Both Eden and the temple were entered from the east. Both were filled with gold, shining like the creation's first light. Both had waters flowing out, symbolizing life. Both had boundaries and holiness enforced by God. According to Jewish tradition, when God showed Adam the consequences of sin, he not only revealed Eden's loss, he revealed the future destruction of the temple. Because both represented the tragic end of communion with God caused by human rebellion. But he also promised restoration. The temple teaches us this truth. God has always been moving toward his people, rebuilding the communion that we lost. As we look at the temple today, we see God's heart on display. A God who refuses to stay distance, our God who rebuilds Eden restored until the day Eden would return fully in Jesus. This encourages you today. God is always creating sacred space for you. He longs to dwell with you, walk with you, and restore communion in the garden of your own life. Shall we pray? Heavenly Father, thank you for the temple, a reminder that you desire to dwell with your people. Thank you for restoring what was lost in Eden and for drawing us near through your presence. Teach us to guard the sacred spaces of our hearts and to walk with you and to worship joyful obedience. Prepare us for the greater temple that is Christ Himself. In Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen.