God’s Garden
Read: Genesis 2:4-17 The LORD God planted a garden in Eden. (v. 8) My wife and I enjoy gardening. It’s hard work, but the end result can be so satisfying:
Rich Bawinkel July 1, 2026
Christians sometimes think of their final home after death, or when Jesus comes again, as heaven. You may be surprised to learn that Scripture gives us a different promise: a fully restored creation, a new heaven and a new earth.
From the beauty of Eden at the beginning of Genesis to the promise of a renewed world at the end of Revelation, the Bible tells a story of restoration. What was once lost through sin will be made new again, more glorious than before. A place without sorrow, without death, without brokenness. A place where righteousness dwells, where peace is complete, and where God himself lives with his people forever.
In this reading plan, you will imagine and anticipate this future reality while also reflecting on how you live today. You’ll discover that this hope isn’t just for someday. Instead, it gives strength for today. The vision of a new heaven and a new earth calls you to trust Jesus, to pursue righteousness, and to share in his mission as you wait.
No matter what you are facing, this promise stands firm: the story isn’t over. God is restoring what was broken, renewing what was lost, and preparing a place for all who belong to him.
Come and be reminded—your future is not defined by this world’s suffering, but by God’s coming glory.
Read: Genesis 2:4-17 The LORD God planted a garden in Eden. (v. 8) My wife and I enjoy gardening. It’s hard work, but the end result can be so satisfying:
Read: Exodus 3:7-17 . . . a land flowing with milk and honey. (vv. 8, 17) Life can be wonderful. But at times it can also be painful and difficult.
Read: Isaiah 65:13-25 Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. (v. 17) There are people who really enjoy restoring old cars—taking a vehicle with a rusting motor and
Read: Romans 8:18-27 The creation was subjected to futility. (v. 20) What is the last thing that broke at your house? Maybe it was a favorite vase. Maybe the chain
Read: 2 Peter 3:8-18 We are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (v. 13) Unfortunately we don’t have to look very hard to find
Read: Revelation 6:1-11 O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long? (v. 10) Have you ever asked for something new, only to be told you don’t need it? Maybe as
Read: Revelation 21:1-14 I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (v. 2) Have you ever
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:42-56 The dead will be raised imperishable. (v. 52) Do you ever look in the mirror and wish that your hair wasn’t so thin? Do you get
Read: Revelation 21:9-21 The city was pure gold, like clear glass (v. 18). When I was a teenager, one of my Sunday school teachers collected rocks and gems. He had
Rich Bawinkel is a retired pastor who has served churches in the Reformed Church in America and the Kingdom Network. He is married to Anne and serves as a musician in their local church, as the administrator of the Kingdom Network, and on the Words of Hope Board of Directors.