The Bible contains images of chaos creatures — like leviathan and behemoth — that corrupt, disrupt, and destroy the beauty of God’s creation. God alone can and must do what we feeble and sinful mortals can never do — subdue monstrous evil.

God’s original design was to create a sacred space on earth, a royal sanctuary, a footstool for the Creator's rule, a place to dwell with the mortals sustained by God’s gift of life. Humans would serve as God’s image-bearers, royal priests, “little L lords," to order and fill the earth with knowledge and glory, to roll back the disordered chaos, and to cultivate the earth as the Garden of the LORD, a holy temple where God would dwell with us.

But now the earth is blighted and cursed. Sinful mortals lost access to the Giver of life, Tree of life, and River of life. We are subject to death and decay. The incarnation of God's eternal Son fulfilled God’s promise that the “seed of the woman” would “crush the serpent’s head.” (Genesis 3:15). Advent celebrates God’s Son coming to take on our humanity, become the second Adam, the perfect image of God’s immortal glory. (Hebrews 1:3) He became like his brothers and sisters in every way except our sin. (Hebrews 2:17, 4:15) He came from heaven as our kinsman-redeemer, to purchase our release from all debts, to shed his own blood as God’s Lamb.

After the Father's work of creation and before the Son’s work of redemption, God planted an interim garden spot in the midst of the nations. Israel was redeemed from Egypt, and planted like a vine (Psalm 80:8). But Israel became corrupt — a desolate wasteland (Isaiah 5:1-7). That is why God’s Son is the true Vine (John 15:1-8) in whom we may abide and be fruitful. Jesus entered our world, confronted the evil serpent in the wilderness, and his signs reveal that he came to heal the creation, as “far as the curse is found.”

God’s temple was built by the son of David, Solomon. In the temple was a huge bronze basin (15 ft diameter) known as The Sea, supported by twelve bronze bulls (behemoths?). It held water for ritual washings, but it was probably also a symbol of God’s power. At creation, God had contained the sea, the symbol of chaos. In our chaotic world, God upholds the created order and overrules all the principalities and powers — the forces that threaten God's creation.

In front of the temple’s portico stood two huge pillars (25+ ft high). They were freestanding, named Jakin (establish) and Boaz (strength). The full inscriptions may have read, “the LORD establishes (jakin) your throne," and “in the LORD’s strength [boaz] the king rejoices.” God promised that the royal line of David would be established, forever, by the LORD’s own strength.

As Mary exclaimed after the angel’s Annunciation, her promised son “will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David … of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 2:32-33) Everything God has promised, God will surely fulfill, by God's own power.

At Christ’s final Advent, the new creation will fulfill all of these images. New Jerusalem will be a Garden-City. The entire city will be cubic, like the Holy of Holies. (Revelation 21:15-25) The City of God will be a holy sanctuary city for the nations. The Tree of Life will grow on both sides of the River of Life to heal the cosmos (Revelation 22:1-5). Finally, “there will be no sea.” (Revelation 21:1). All sin, death, disease, and chaos monsters will be banished forever!