4209 land, spiritual aspects of

Scripture presents land in a spiritual perspective. The whole earth, once perfect but now contaminated by the fall, will one day be renewed. There will be a new heaven and earth where life is abundant and God’s presence is experienced for ever.

Eden: the original good land

Ge 2:8-9

Paradise lost: expulsion from the garden

Ge 3:17-19 See also Ro 8:19-20

The promised land: an echo of Eden

Dt 8:7-10 See also Ex 3:8,17; Ex 13:5; Lev 20:24; Nu 13:27; Dt 6:3; Dt 11:8-12; Dt 26:9; Dt 27:3

The land of Israel after the exile

Promise of a return to the land Am 9:14-15 See also Isa 14:1; Isa 35:1-10; Eze 20:41-42; Eze 34:11-13; Am 9:11-12; Ac 15:16-17

Promise of a restored environment Isa 51:3 See also Zec 8:12-13

The final restoration of the land

Isa 65:17 See also Isa 66:22; Ro 8:21

Jesus Christ will reign eternally over new heavens and a new earth Zec 9:9-10 See also Mt 21:5; Jn 12:15; 2Pe 3:13; Rev 21:1-4; Rev 22:1-5

Vision of life on the new earth Isa 11:6-9 See also Hos 2:18-23; Mic 4:2-4

The new Eden: the Christian’s inheritance

Heb 11:13-16 See also Ps 37:11; Mt 5:5; Ro 8:17; 2Pe 3:13; Rev 2:7; Rev 21:7 “paradise” is a Persian word taken over into the Greek, meaning “park” or “garden”. In Ge 2:8 it refers to Eden: Lk 23:43; 2Co 12:1-4

See also