The Beginning: God With Humanity

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

God planted a garden in Eden (which means delight), and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Scripture tells us, 

“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.” (Gen. 2:7)

The Hebrew word for breath is ruach, it also can mean wind or spirit. 

God brought man to life by breathing his own wind, Spirit, and presence into him. 

The source of man’s life was God. 

He made woman by putting man into a deep sleep, opening his side and bringing forth the man’s bride.

Here we see an early shadow/type of Christ.

- Christ dies
- His side is pierced and opened
- His bride is brought forth

The man and woman were made husband and wife and the two were one flesh. They were to feast from the tree of life, a real tree that pointed beyond itself, as we know Christ is the Life.  

Before there were rules, before there was duty, before there was even obedience, there was presence. 

Relational intimacy. 

Presence was never to be earned, unlocked, or achieved.

God initiated; mankind received. 

Presence describes the reality that God is with us; it’s not a feeling to chase. 

Throughout Scripture God repeatedly promises, “I will be with you.”

Mankind was always meant to be in God’s presence.

This is key to understanding Scripture's big picture, because presence is where the story begins. 

And to look ahead for a brief moment, it’s also where the story ends. 

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Rev. 21:3)