Paradise

May 11, 2025    Zach Terry

Before the fall, there was paradise.


Genesis 2 gives us a glimpse of life as it was meant to be—intimate, beautiful, purposeful. In this rich expositional message, Pastor Zach Terry unpacks the creation of man and woman, revealing how God’s original design still speaks to our deepest longings today.


From the ground to the garden, from loneliness to love—this passage introduces foundational truths about identity, purpose, marriage, and the presence of God.


You’ll explore:


🪨 Why man was formed from dust—and what sets him apart from every other creature

💨 What it means that God breathed into man—and the difference between “breath” and “spirit”

🌿 Why Eden was cultivated with care—and how beauty and function reveal God’s goodness

🧠 The mysterious purpose of the Tree of Knowledge—and a fascinating hypothesis about talking animals

⛰ Why Eden was likely on a mountain—and how mountains frame the story of redemption

🌊 The four rivers of Eden—and what they hint at before the flood

🔨 Why even paradise required work—and how your labor still reflects God’s image

💍 What the first marriage reveals about companionship, completion, and God’s perfect design

🫱 Why woman was taken from man’s side—and the principle of mutual dependence

🎶 Why Adam’s first words were likely a song—and how naming reflects authority and intimacy

💑 How Eden shows us the purpose of marriage—and what it means to be one flesh

🩵 What it means to be “naked and unashamed”—and why we all long to return to that kind of life


This message will help you see your identity, relationships, and purpose through the lens of God’s original design—and stir a longing for the restoration of all things in Christ.


📌 Keywords: Genesis 2 sermon, Eden, creation of man and woman, marriage design, biblical marriage, Pastor Zach Terry, garden of God, mountain of the Lord, theology of creation, image of God, one flesh, expository preaching, paradise lost, spiritual identity, God's breath