The superiority of the new creation to that pre-fall

Adrio König writes in his book (The Eclipse of Christ in Eschatology [1989]) of the wonderful superiority of the new creation to the present one pre-fall:

In Gen. 3:8ff., God visits Adam; in Rev. 21:3 (cf. TEV), he makes his home with humankind on the new earth. In Genesis 2 God builds a lovely garden in which for Adam to live and work; for the new humanity he builds a new city on a new earth. (In biblical terms, a city is immeasurably more than a garden; think of the safe, ordered convenience which city living meant in Bible times – in contrast with the savage, unprotected life of the open country.) (his italics, p.62)

God is amazing in his lavishing of grace upon grace on us. He gives good gifts to Adam, which he does not deserve (he had done nothing worthy of either punishment or blessing), and then betters them in Christ to us rebels. How much he must love us! But more importantly how much must he love Christ and his glory! (Both can be proclaimed with confidence I think; contra. both Rabid Dog-theologians [see post, with more thoughts to follow], and self-esteem Christians)