[mfblume]

Amen. There is a spiritual aspect to this as well, which is the larger issue. The curse involved work for food. The Garden situation was one where God exerted all the work and planted the Garden Himself. Man just entered into it and enjoyed it and maintained it. Same with salvation. We do not work for salvation. God provided it and we enter in, enjoy and maintain it.

The seventh day of REST was a message of recovery to pre-fall status where there is no work.

This was foreshadowed by Noah's day when it was like man went into a new creation with sinners removed. But it was not the real new creation we have now.

In Joshua's day, God told Israel that He gave them houses they never built and vineyards they never planted. This is a reminder of the pre-fall state as well. They would enter into this place that foreshadowed the Garden with work already done for them, as Adam entered into the Garden with all the work done.

When Israel entered the land, Joshua dictated to them the blessings and the cursings at Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal. The ark was between them both. It was like Adam's first command again. If Israel chose God's law then they would be blessed. But cursings were listed should they disobey. This was at SYCHAR or Shechem.

Jesus was at that same location where the woman at the well was. Jesus told the disciples that they would enter into a harvest they never planted. Someone else worked and they would reap. Same picture again and again.

Salvation is this restored Garden.

And in Revelation there is no more curse. The tree of life is there. And we have come the heavenly Jerusalem.

Even the year of jubilee was a reminder of the pre-fall state. Prisoners were set free. Land sold due to poverty were returned.

The sabbath year was also a reminder of the pre-fall state. The land was blessed every seven years to bring forth a double portion while no work was bestowed on the land!