Gardens in the Bible

There are many places in the Bible, including gardens. It is no accident that the very first place in the Bible is a garden, the home of the first man and the first woman. It is also no accident that the very first question in the Bible is one asked by God.

After the man and woman sinned, God asked, “Where are you?” It was not that God didn't know where they were located physically. Instead, God wanted them to own up to what they had done. He wanted them to acknowledge where they were spiritually.

That question God asked in the Garden of Eden is the same question He asks each of us on a daily basis: “Where are you?”

The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. (Genesis 2:8)

Garden of Eden

The Garden of Eden was the home of the first man and woman described in the Book of Genesis chapters 2 and 3. It is also where the first sin was recorded.

Eden was a beautiful place when God put the first man and woman to care for the garden and to nurture it. It was where God's plan was for them to live in bliss. In fact, it is often referred to as paradise. However, they were forbidden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that was in the middle of the garden.

After the man and the woman were encouraged by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, God banished them from the Garden of Eden. He did this to prevent them from eating from the tree of life again, which would have allowed them to live forever in sin.

Cherubim and a flaming sword were placed east of the garden to keep the couple away from the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).

Adam and Eve are referred to as the man and the woman because they were not named at this time. It was only after they had sinned that they were called by name. The woman wasn't named until Genesis 3:20.

Garden of Gethsemane

On the night of Jesus' arrest, He asked His disciples to go with Him to Gethsemane, but He went into the garden alone to pray.

Jesus knew He was facing the cross, and He wanted to hear clearly from His Father. So Jesus prayed the same prayer three times:

“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want” (Matthew 26:39).

Gethsemane is a place of prayer. That’s the primary reason one goes there —not to sing, not to worship, not to praise, but to pray. Gethsemane is the place where you can go alone to pray.

If you are really serious about praying to God for a breakthrough, then leave the crowd behind and go to the Garden of Gethsemane. Be willing to say like Jesus, “not my will, but your will be done” (Matthew 26:39).

Jesus Speaks to Mary Magdalene in the Garden

When Mary Magdalene went to the garden, she did not recognize Jesus because of her grief. Besides, she expected to find a dead Jesus. When she saw Him in the garden after His resurrection, she thought He was the gardener. She recognized Him only after He called her name.

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him. Jesus said to her, “Mary.” (John 20:15-16)

River of Life in the Garden

The Euphrates and the Tigris are rivers in the Garden of Eden that represent God’s rich provision for the fertility of the garden (Genesis 2:10-14). The river is the source of divine blessings and is symbolic of God’s peace, life, and tears. It also illustrates God’s control over nature.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. (Revelation 22:1)

It is worth noting that the last garden in the Bible is the same one mentioned at the beginning of the Bible.

You will visit many gardens in your lifetime. Some will have rivers of blessings, and some will have rivers of tears. Both types make up the river of life.