Journeying in Genesis: Vital Fences

"And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,

and there he put the man whom he had formed.”

Genesis 2:8

“Garden” is the Hebrew גן (gan) – a garden (as fenced); from a word meaning to hedge about, protect, defend. Before God places us, He has already gone ahead to set up spiritual fences, even if our physical lives might be in danger. God’s fences don’t keep us from something good, but protect us from spiritual danger.

The enemy will never be able to penetrate our Father’s defenses. So he tries to deceive us into dismantling them. Satan claims to give us “freedom” from the “constraints” of God’s commands. He tries to convince us that God’s ways are hindering or antiquated. Once the fences come down, we may have pleasure for a season, but Satan now has access. Our culture continues to remove the safe fences of God’s ways. It’s not good for the sheep, but wolves love it.

Satan may try to deceive us into trusting in faulty fencing – our own wisdom apart from God. Be sure and line everything up with God’s Word. Exchanging God’s commands for anything else is foolish. Deuteronomy 28:52 warns those who reject God’s commandments,

“They shall besiege you in all your towns,

until your high and fortified walls,

in which you trusted,

come down throughout all your land.

And they shall besiege you in all your towns throughout all your land,

which the LORD your God has given you.”

In what fences or walls am I trusting? Satan can’t penetrate God’s, but he can sure penetrate that of humans. Spiritual harm doesn’t come from obeying our loving King, but disobeying Him. God’s ways and commands keep us safe.