SEPARATING THE SPIRITUAL FROM THE PHYSICAL
THE HIDDEN MEANING
INTRODUCTION
In these next scriptures, we at VAL-TE’ believe represents the ultimate heavenly city, symbolizing the perfect community of God’s people, free from a heavy burden that one carries, causing pain and anguish, where God dwells with humanity in complete harmony. The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates. Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. Genesis 2: 8-15 NKJV
Biblical Word
EDEN – Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 2 Corinthians 5: 6-9 NIV
Reference
Philippians 1: 23-26 – I am pulled in two directions. I want very much to leave this life and be with Immanuel, which is a far better thing; but for your sake it is much more important that I remain alive. I am sure of this, and so I know that I will stay. I will stay on with you all, to add to your progress and joy in the faith, so that when I am with you again, you will have even more reason to be proud of me in your life in union with Immanuel. GNT
Significance
A Place of Peace and Joy (In the Lord’s Presence) – We at VAL-TE’ also believe is a place without pain, death, or mourning, signifying a state of perfect peace and happiness. This is a comforting assurance that death is not the end but a transition to a continued existence in the presence of God. A state of being that the Lord is always accessible to us. We reach a state of the Lord’s presence (Present with the Lord) by tapping into our inner awareness (To move beyond the self-centered perspective of the ego and to focus on a larger perspective) to become fully conscious of the present moment.
