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THE GARDEN
And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. (Genesis 2:8)
  The word garden is mentioned in forty-seven verses throughout the Bible. This word is documented thirteen times in the first book of the Bible, and it appears six times as garden and one time as gardens in the Song of Songs. I have selected the Song of Songs and not the book of Genesis to explore the theme of the word garden simply because the Song of Songs develops the theme of the spiritual history of the world while Genesis presents the beginning of man’s evil. In the thirteen mentions in Genesis the baseline and emergence of evil is predominate, however, through the six mentions also becomes seven mentions in the Song of Song: there is the theme of the natural man (the number six) AND the SPIRITUAL HISTORY (the seventh mention) of man and his world.
➤ 1. – Song 4:12 . . . A garden inclosed [is] my sister, [my] spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: (Genesis 3:22)
Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. (Genesis 3:23)
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. (Genesis 3:24)
  In the first mention, the garden (the world) is protected. That which gives life and is the source of all life is shut up and sealed from man as a ROCK frozen from the evil of the world.
➤ 2 and 3. – Song 4:16 . . . Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, [that] the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.
  In the second and third mention of garden in Song 4:16, the winds of war continually engulfed the earth, God never left the earth without the evidence and witness (the number 2) of His love.
➤ 4. – Song 5:1 . . . I am come into my garden, my sister, [my] spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
  In the fourth mention of garden in Song 5:1, As God blessed Joseph (Israel’s lost son) with the gift of myrrh (Genesis 43:11), and as God revived Jonathan with a honeycomb and Samson with honey, God continued to act throughout the earth’s history drawing the world to Himself.
➤ 5 and 6. – Song 6:2 . . . My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
  Through this fifth and sixth mention of garden(s), God’s Beloved Son came to earth, into His garden (mentioned two times), and went DOWN into death in a bed of spices and gathered those (the lilies) who were washed in His sacrificial blood. This fourth reference is centered around the death and resurrection of God’s Beloved Son. Christ went DOWN into His garden, into the virgin tomb in the garden of Calvary. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. (John 19:41) After His resurrection, the power of everlasting life was revealed through the resurrection of (the lilies) the bodies of the saints which slept arose. And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, (Matthew 27:52) And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (Matthew 27:53)
➤ 7. – Song 6:11 . . I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, [and] to see whether the vine flourished, [and] the pomegranates budded. In the seventh and last mention of garden we have the fruits of salvation flourishing under the protective hands of the UNSEEN God . . . the Holy Spirit correctly describes the earth as the garden of nuts . . . and fruits . . . please allow me some space for humor. But do you not see the fruits of the valley of death, and the budded pomegranates on the hem of the High Priest of God, Melchisedec, represented in the garments of the earthly high priest Aaron in Exodus 28:33, And [beneath] upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates [of] blue, and [of] purple, and [of] scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about. The seven mentions of garden in the Book of the Song of Songs are clearly the summation of the spiritual history of God’s earth.
  And now to go to the last mention of garden in Scripture . . . Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. (John 19:41) Two mentions of garden (the witness) and in the second mention there is a new sepulchre. From the first mention to the last mention of garden, the theme gained momentum as a mighty river of purity powered by the energy and force of the love of God.
  As this mighty river of the power and love of God went out of Eden (heaven) and watered God’s garden, the garden called Earth it was parted into four heads. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. (Genesis 2:10) Notice that at this point in Scripture, it does NOT say that it became into four rivers, BUT into four heads. This is an important distinction: from ONE HEAD (the GODHEAD bodily) to four heads. The Supernatural Author placed another concept into His narrative: the idea of four heads. See how easily He slips in another direction, another trail, another adversarial situation into His word. And see how easily readers and students of the Bible just read over these narrative changes. I also missed this narrative change, but He who wrote the words (the PERFECT words) also has the power to lead our hearts and minds TO a SPECIFIC point through a deeper reach outside of His original narrative. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. (Genesis 2:10)
  As the river of water went out of Eden into the world to bring life to the world and to man, so also, the sin of man went out into the world as a sea of waters burying rebellious man under its raging shame and iniquity.
  Does this article finally end at this point? I do not know. As the Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ is eternal and infinite, there is also no end to the written word of God. Hopefully, and prayerfully, I ask that God bless readers with the JOY of loving the Word of God and loving the word of God. May the river of God strongly flow through your heart and soul with the joy of the water of life from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
<<To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.>> God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; (Psalm 46:2)
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. (Psalm 46:3)
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. (Psalm 46:4)
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. (Psalm 46:5)
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And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 22:1)
CLICK HERE to read the complete article titled THE RIVERS.
Copyright 2026, Mary Haigh
Posted on January 12, 2026 @ 11:58 AM (EST)
This article may be used, but not for gain.
Freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8e)
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJV)