For his fourteenth birthday, we bought a bike for our oldest son. He had looked at many models and brands before finding just what he wanted: a 12-speed, silver French-built racer. He bore sole responsibility for its care and treatment. He promised to be diligent. Twenty-two years later the bike is still in excellent shape and has increased in value as a collector’s item.
Adam was given something of far greater value—the beautiful garden of Eden (meaning pleasure), planned and created by God. There he was to live in endless rest and delight, enjoying its beauty and fruit while experiencing the joy of fellowship with God.
God made him responsible for two things keep it in order (till it) and keep it from harm (guard it). Sadly, Adam failed in his responsibility, sinning against God and losing the privilege of dwelling there.
He evidently did not guard Eden, for the serpent gained entrance into its pristine sphere. Perhaps Satan, the highest of God’s created beings (though fallen; see Ezek. 28:12-1912Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. (Ezekiel 28:12‑19)), disguised himself as “an angel of light” and thus fooled Eve. Maybe Adam felt no need to guard against anything so beautiful and harmless as the serpent must have appeared. But what awful sorrow has resulted from his failure and sin!
This has a solemn voice of warning to husbands and wives regarding the sacred garden of marriage. How easily those things which may appear innocent, beautiful and harmless (such as habits, recreations and personal interests) are allowed to enter and dominate marriages. If not controlled, they quickly steal the heart’s affections that belong only to the spouse!
Marriage pictures the union between Christ and His church (Eph. 5), and the enemy tirelessly seeks to gain entrance to spoil that beautiful institution of God. Notice how the bridegroom refers to his beloved bride in the Song of Songs: “A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse” (ch. 4:12 JnD). She was his garden of delight, protected (enclosed) from all that might spoil the love and delight he had found in her.
Also, happy marriages, like healthy gardens, need constant tilling. Before marriage, two in love have no difficulty finding ways little and big to bring delight to their partner. Sadly, after marriage, couples too often forget that tilling of the heart’s affections requires continual daily effort a labor of love. Romance should never stop once marriage has begun!
Both partners (not just one) must till and guard against anything that takes the heart away from their spouse. Satan can easily destroy marriages where romance and love are no longer diligently tilled.
This visually oriented world quickly captures the sight (as it did with Lot; Gen. 13:1010And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. (Genesis 13:10)), ultimately stealing the heart’s affections (as Absalom did in 2 Samuel 15:66And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. (2 Samuel 15:6)) from the one to whom love until death do us part has been pledged. Husbands and wives! We’re responsible before God to diligently guard and till our wonderful garden of marriage. May God stir us up! “Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes” (Song of Sol. 4:99Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. (Song of Solomon 4:9)).
Ed.