The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Genesis 2:15 (ESV)
So "the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it". Now, because the ground was cursed at the fall, mankind's work became considerably more difficult after sin entered the world (Genesis 3:17-19). The ground began yielding thorns and thistles at that point, but before the fall, work was still part of God's plan.
Adam was called to cultivate the gift God had given him. The earth was his to enjoy. He was called to work, and so are we.
And Adam's work likely had a spiritual component to it. His work was a way for him to worship God. In fact, some scholars believe work would be better translated to worship and obey. Like the later priests in God's tabernacle, Adam was the man on God's ground, serving and loving His LORD.
So Adam's work was actually his worship, a way for him to serve God in His holy tabernacle called earth. And I wonder if we could use this passage as a means to energize our work environment. You see, for as much as my sermons are filled with talk of church life, family health, or personal holiness, a major bulk of your time will be spent working. It would be a crime for us to act as if the Bible says nothing regarding our attitudes and perspectives in the workplace. No, the workplace is a worship-place.
Notice Paul's exhortation to the working class in the Colossian church:
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23–24, ESV)
In another place, Paul calls this:
“rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man...” (Ephesians 6:7, ESV)
Believers are to consider their work as being done for Jesus, not for their manager or employer or customer. Our work -- the quality and goodness of it -- is a form of worship. To see the boss as a symbolic stand-in for Christ should fill the Christian with deep inspiration for the work at hand.
As an additional resource, please refer to Pastor Nate’s Through the Bible Series Genesis 2 audio teachings found here:
