God’s Original Economic System

Often times, when I am trying to understand God’s design for an area of our lives, I go back to God’s original picture in the Garden of Eden.  Work and finances are no exception to this rule.  God gives us insight into His original plan for our lives.

Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:5-7 NIV)

When God breathed the first breath of life into the first person, God had already prepared the earth to sustain what this man would need to live.  Air was provided for the second breath and the third.  Water was prepared for the first drink and a water cycle was put in place to keep a fresh supply of water coming.  Food was even prepared and then the man was placed right in the middle of this continuous food supply.

Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food… (Genesis 2:8-9a NIV)

God provided everything man and woman would need.  This provision, though, came with a sense of purpose each day.  The garden would provide food to eat, water to drink, and air to breath.  But, the garden would need to be worked and cared for.  This would be the job of the human beings. This would be their reason to get up in the morning.

A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:10-15 NIV)

What was God’s original design?  It was simple.  Human beings would live together in the Garden of Eden.  God would be with them as well.  They would have a sense of purpose as they worked in and cared for the Garden of Eden as well.  Their lives were perfect.  There was nothing hidden and nothing to hide from God or one another.  This was God’s economic system in the Garden of Eden.