Even Better Than Eden by Nancy Guthrie
Week 2: Chapter 1 — The Garden
Read Chapter 1 of Even Better than Eden. Primary passages: Genesis 2; Ezekiel 36:33–36; Revelation 21:1–5; 22:1–5.
Previewing Week 2 of Even Better Than Eden
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
The garden of Eden has captured human imagination for millennia, but Guthrie invites us to see it not as the pinnacle of God's intentions, but as a glorious beginning — a seed of something far greater.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Guthrie points out that Eden was a 'very good' but not yet perfect place — it was a garden that required tending, and Adam was charged with extending its boundaries. How does the idea that Eden was a starting point rather than a finished destination change how you read Genesis 2?
2.The chapter explores how the prophets — especially Ezekiel — use garden imagery to describe the restoration God promises to his people. What does it tell us about God's character that he consistently pictures his redemption in terms of a renewed garden rather than simply a courtroom verdict?
3.Guthrie draws a contrast between the garden of Eden, where God walked 'in the cool of the day,' and the new creation, where God will dwell permanently with his people. What is the significance of that shift from occasional presence to permanent, unmediated dwelling?
a.What does this tell us about what was 'not yet' true even in Eden?
b.How does this affect your longing for heaven?