You will need your Bible Today
Today's lesson is going to be a short and hopefully fun one.
I think it's reasonable to say that most people prefer to skim over, or completely skip genealogies in the Bible. In our Western culture lineage isn't all that important, so pages of so-and-so begat so-and-so don't exactly scream to us "vital information." Some genealogies in the Bible have clear importance, such as the ones in Matthew, Luke and John (technically John 1:1 is a genealogy). We may still skip them but we know that they trace Jesus' line back through the Old Testament, to fulfill the prophesies. Other genealogies, like the ones in Genesis appear to be little more than a transition from one period to another.
Genesis 5 would fall into the later category. In the text it bridges the gap from Adam and Eve to Noah, but we are going to dig just a little deeper and see what the Holy Spirit wove into this chapter.
Please read Genesis 5, if you have a piece of paper it might be fun to write down all 10 names.
Names in Bible times were very important. Sometimes they reflected the circumstances around birth or conception, other times they were prophetic of character traits or future events. In Genesis 5 we will find all of the above and more. Of the ten names that we are about to look at 8 have commonly accepted meanings, while two of them are debatable. This isn't an exact science but it is enlightening. I did not stumble across this myself, I first saw it in Learn the Bible in 24 Hours, by Chuck Missler, but rather then trusting in the research of someone else I have checked and double checked for myself. I hope you find this little exercise as amazing as I did.
Adam means Man. Genesis 2:7 and 2:20 use the same Hebrew word translated two different way, once man and once Adam. The words are interchangeable.
Seth means granted or appointed. This too we get from Scripture. Eve declared at his birth, "God has granted me another son." In the King James version the word is appointed.
Enosh means frail, feeble, mortal.*
Kenan means sorrow, or acquired depending on which root you link it to. **
Mahalal'el means praise or Splendor of God*
Jared is to go down*
Enoch means to teach.* Enoch is interesting for a couple of reasons. He was one of only two men in the Bible that did not die (Elijah was the other, 2 Kings 2:11). Genesis 5:24 says that, "Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." Hebrews 11:5 tells us that Enoch pleased God by his faith and God spared him from death. Jude1:14 reveals that Enoch had been a prophet. During his life (leading up to the Flood) Enoch proclaimed that God would judge and convict all the ungodly. His son's name showed that he truly believed the judgement was coming soon.
Methuselah means his death shall bring.*
Lamech likely means lament or despairing.** Though some scholars take it back to a root meaning powerful, destroyer, and others state that the meaning is unclear, it's possible that the text itself gives us a hint that leans toward lamenting or despairing. There are two Lamechs in Genesis. One in the line of Cain (Genesis 4:18) and this one in the line of Seth. Both are the only ones in their genealogy that speak and both lament their situation.
Finally Noah means comfort or rest. This is obvious from Lamech's lamentation, he says that Noah will bring us comfort (or rest) from all their trouble.
What is fascinating to me is what happens when you place the meanings of each of these names next to each other.
Man, appointed mortal sorrow, the Splendor of God shall come down teaching [that] His death shall bring [the] despairing rest.
How seriously cool is that. Woven into the tapestry of this mundane genealogy the Holy Spirit saw fit to prophesy the coming Christ. Now please don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting that we read into or manipulate Scripture to find hidden meanings. I am merely demonstrating that the Bible was written by the Holy Spirit. Every detail has meaning, and it all points to Jesus and only to Jesus. I find great comfort in knowing that God wrote the Bible with intention. It's not just a book about things that happened, or how we should live. The Holy Spirit took great care to point to our Salvation in every layer of the text. When John calls Jesus the Word made Flesh (John 1:14) he wasn't using a metaphor, he was being literal. Everything that Jesus is, the Bible says, and everything that the Bible says Jesus is. God intended us to see Jesus in every word. Only a supernatural power (the Holy Spirit) could weave the meanings, imagery and foreshadowing that is so interconnected, into a book written over 2000 years by 40 different men. If He took such care to get the message to us, how could we ever doubt that He cares for us. Oh how He loves us.
There is one last detail I'd like to point out in this chapter. Enoch believed that God's judgement on the sinful was coming quickly. He named his son Methuselah (his death shall bring) as a prophetic warning that God's mercy would come to an end. Methuselah's life was symbolic of God's mercy. What is awesome, and so very God, is that Methuselah lived the longest life of any man, before or since.**
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise [judgement], as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
What is true of Enoch's time is true in ours as well. Someday God will bring judgement to all the ungodly. Jesus will come again, but in His mercy and grace, our Lord continues to wait.
* Smith, Stelman; Cornwall, Judson. The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names. North Brunswick, NJ. Bridge- Logos, 1998. pg 69, 164, 121, 69, 173.
** Missler, Chuck. Cosmic Codes. Couer d'Alene, ID. Koinonia House. 1999. pg. 73, 74, 72
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The Sin Effect Day 2
One sin is always a disaster. Any one of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) on it's own leads to destruction. Murder, adultery, stealing, lying or coveting will damage relationships, destroy security, and bring isolation and fear as a result. If you put any god before the LORD you are essentially putting your faith in something that has no authority and it leads to disillusion and disappointment. If your faith and security are in your job or ability to make money (or your spouse's ability) it will lead to obsession, and insecurity. Neglecting rest, fellowship, and time with the LORD on the Sabbath leads to exhaustion and self-importance. Death is not just the cost of sin, it's also the fruit of sin.
Of course sin rarely happens in isolation. One lie leads to another, coveting turns to stealing, adultery is compounded by lying. Sin is a path and each step down it leads to more sin and more destruction.
"Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way." Proverbs 4:14 & 15
Cain knew what God required in an offering, but he chose to go before the LORD with something else. Cain wanted acceptance on his own terms. He wanted God to affirm that he was good enough on his own, and his arrogance caused his offering to be rejected. Rather than acknowledging his wrong attitude and repenting, he took the rejection of his offering personally. He felt he had been rejected and Abel had been accepted. His hurt pride grew into anger and jealousy, which grew into hatred and murder. Cain walked straight down the path of sin. God himself, had reached out to him to encourage Cain to do what was right, and warn him of the path that he was on, yet Cain boldly continued down the path of destruction. But our God is compassionate, and gracious, slow to anger abounding in love and faithfulness.*
We tend to think of murder as the ultimate sin. To take another person's life seems far worse than lying or hatred, it seems unforgivable. Many of us would bristle at the idea of running into a murderer in Heaven, yet to God sin is sin.
When God went to Cain the second time, after he had killed his brother, God did not approach him in condemnation. God gave Cain the opportunity to confess his sins. When Cain again chose the path of sin and hardened his heart toward God, God chose to teach him a lesson instead of smiting him (like we would probably want to do).
Cain had been a farmer, his ability to grow fruits and vegetables had been a source of pride for him. God striped Cain of his gift, to show him that faith in anything but Him was futile. God alone should be his provision.
Faced with reality of his sin, and its painful consequences, Cain chose fear over faith. Sin had hardened his heart so much that he could not recognize God's love and mercy. He was consumed with self-pity.
"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the [unbelievers] do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more." Ephesians4:17-19
Cain's mind had become polluted with sin, he could not see that God was offering him another chance to repent and be forgiven. Still God persisted in His love for Cain and addressed his fear, giving him yet another opportunity to have faith.
"But the LORD said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him." Genesis 4:15 & 16.
God is so overwhelmingly patient. He does not desire to punish us, He wants us to repent. He wants us to place our trust in Him alone.
There are many ridiculous theories about the mark of Cain. That God gave him a tail or made his skin dark are two of the most dangerous and damaging (not to mention un-biblical). The Bible does not tell us what it was, but it was clearly another symbol of God's mercy and love. God alone should be his security. If Cain chose faith, and trusted that God would keep him safe then he could live out his days in peace. If he chose fear, no matter how long he lived or how many times God protected him from vengeance, Cain would never be at rest.** How totally God is that!
We don't know what choice Cain made in the end, but what we do know is that God, over and over again extended him grace and the opportunity to repent. Cain is often marginalized in sermons, and studies. He's famous for having murdered his brother, and continuing the spread of sin. Yet his story shows the passion and persistence of our God. A God who would not spare His own Son so that we could be with Him. God pursues those that He loves. Over and over again the Israelites, like Cain, turned their back on Him, yet He loved them and continued to give them opportunities to repent. He does the same for us today.
"No temptation has seized you accept what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
Sin is the path that leads to destruction, but our God gives second chances, and third chances and fourths if we need it. His path is righteousness and it leads to our forgiveness not our destruction. Until the moment of our death, or when we see Jesus coming again, there is time to turn to God, and walk in His path.
"I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey our word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path." Psalm 119:101-104.
* Psalm 86:15
** Missler, Chuck. audio commentary on Genesis 4 (1990). http://www.blueletterbible.org/ (accessed 9-23-10)
Of course sin rarely happens in isolation. One lie leads to another, coveting turns to stealing, adultery is compounded by lying. Sin is a path and each step down it leads to more sin and more destruction.
"Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way." Proverbs 4:14 & 15
Cain knew what God required in an offering, but he chose to go before the LORD with something else. Cain wanted acceptance on his own terms. He wanted God to affirm that he was good enough on his own, and his arrogance caused his offering to be rejected. Rather than acknowledging his wrong attitude and repenting, he took the rejection of his offering personally. He felt he had been rejected and Abel had been accepted. His hurt pride grew into anger and jealousy, which grew into hatred and murder. Cain walked straight down the path of sin. God himself, had reached out to him to encourage Cain to do what was right, and warn him of the path that he was on, yet Cain boldly continued down the path of destruction. But our God is compassionate, and gracious, slow to anger abounding in love and faithfulness.*
We tend to think of murder as the ultimate sin. To take another person's life seems far worse than lying or hatred, it seems unforgivable. Many of us would bristle at the idea of running into a murderer in Heaven, yet to God sin is sin.
When God went to Cain the second time, after he had killed his brother, God did not approach him in condemnation. God gave Cain the opportunity to confess his sins. When Cain again chose the path of sin and hardened his heart toward God, God chose to teach him a lesson instead of smiting him (like we would probably want to do).
Cain had been a farmer, his ability to grow fruits and vegetables had been a source of pride for him. God striped Cain of his gift, to show him that faith in anything but Him was futile. God alone should be his provision.
Faced with reality of his sin, and its painful consequences, Cain chose fear over faith. Sin had hardened his heart so much that he could not recognize God's love and mercy. He was consumed with self-pity.
"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the [unbelievers] do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more." Ephesians4:17-19
Cain's mind had become polluted with sin, he could not see that God was offering him another chance to repent and be forgiven. Still God persisted in His love for Cain and addressed his fear, giving him yet another opportunity to have faith.
"But the LORD said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him." Genesis 4:15 & 16.
God is so overwhelmingly patient. He does not desire to punish us, He wants us to repent. He wants us to place our trust in Him alone.
There are many ridiculous theories about the mark of Cain. That God gave him a tail or made his skin dark are two of the most dangerous and damaging (not to mention un-biblical). The Bible does not tell us what it was, but it was clearly another symbol of God's mercy and love. God alone should be his security. If Cain chose faith, and trusted that God would keep him safe then he could live out his days in peace. If he chose fear, no matter how long he lived or how many times God protected him from vengeance, Cain would never be at rest.** How totally God is that!
We don't know what choice Cain made in the end, but what we do know is that God, over and over again extended him grace and the opportunity to repent. Cain is often marginalized in sermons, and studies. He's famous for having murdered his brother, and continuing the spread of sin. Yet his story shows the passion and persistence of our God. A God who would not spare His own Son so that we could be with Him. God pursues those that He loves. Over and over again the Israelites, like Cain, turned their back on Him, yet He loved them and continued to give them opportunities to repent. He does the same for us today.
"No temptation has seized you accept what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
Sin is the path that leads to destruction, but our God gives second chances, and third chances and fourths if we need it. His path is righteousness and it leads to our forgiveness not our destruction. Until the moment of our death, or when we see Jesus coming again, there is time to turn to God, and walk in His path.
"I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey our word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path." Psalm 119:101-104.
* Psalm 86:15
** Missler, Chuck. audio commentary on Genesis 4 (1990). http://www.blueletterbible.org/ (accessed 9-23-10)
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Sin Effect Day 1
You will need your Bible today
The analogy of sin being like a disease is a fairly good one, yet in some ways it is quite an underestimation. In 10 generations, mankind went from communing with God, to desiring only evil all the time. Sin reaps chaos not only in the individual but it also spreads to the family, the community, the nations, and the world. Genesis 4-6 demonstrate the devastating effect, and rampant growth of sin in the time following Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden. In many ways, these chapters are a painful reminder of how much was lost, yet true to His character, God's grace, mercy and love prevail. We could never really know how much we need Jesus if we don't first understand the depravity of sin.
Please read Genesis 4:1-16.
When I was a child the story of Cain and Abel really bothered me. I could not understand why God would refuse Cain's offering. He was a farmer, so it made sense that he would bring the fruits of his labor as an offering. Likewise Abel was a shepherd, so of course he would bring an animal. I could not see the difference between the offerings. God however doesn't look at the outward appearance, He looks at our heart and motivation.*
Many commentators stress that Abel's offering was accepted because it was a blood sacrifice, the only acceptable atonement for sin. Cain's offering on the other hand was not accepted because "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."** Scripture however, does not specify that this was a sin offering. There are other types of offerings, beside the sin offering, where God would accept offerings from the soil.*** Though it is entirely possible that the issue of blood and forgiveness was part of the problem, it might not have been the only problem. The fact that the Bible doesn't say exactly why Cain's offering wasn't accepted, to me, indicates that God's issue was not so much about what was offered. God knows our motivations and I think it was Cain's heart that troubled the LORD.
Hebrews 11:4 says, "By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice then Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead." At the same time, Jude describes Cain as being rebellious, judgmental, hypocritical, arrogant, and self-serving.****
Cain brought to the LORD "some of the fruits of the soil." He did not bring his first fruits, the best of his crop, he brought what he wanted to bring. Cain offered his leftovers out of obligation, he wanted to be accepted by God on his own terms. Abel, on the other hand, brought the firstborn of his flock, the very best of what he had and gave it to the LORD in obedience and faith.
God is not interested in our leftovers, nor does He want to be an obligation. God desires, and really deserves our first fruits, the very best of what we have. Ultimately, though, He's not that interested in any of our outward offerings, He's after our hearts.
"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:16-17
It was clear from Abel's sacrifice that his heart was toward God, so God accepted it. Cain's heart was full of pride, he wanted to show God that he was good enough. When his offering was rejected, instead of turning toward God for forgiveness and acceptance, Cain felt personally rejected and let the seeds of bitterness take root. And still the LORD pursued him
"Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?'" Genesis 4:7a
God came to Cain! Even though his offering hadn't been accepted, God still loved Cain and wanted him to chose the right thing. He reminded Cain that all he had to do to be accepted was to do what he knew was right. God wanted to accept him, but God could not overlook his sin. All Cain needed to do was repent, to be sorry and to turn his heart toward God. Out of love and concern God warned him not to let his anger and bitterness take hold. He told Cain that sin would take him further from acceptance. If Cain didn't get hold of his desires they would control him.
Cain felt reject by God, but his anger was at his brother for making him look bad. If they had both been accepted or rejected Cain would have felt justified, but Abel's acceptance put a spotlight on his short comings. When the LORD came to Cain, rather then seeing a loving God, he felt further chastised. His anger became hatred, and his hatred became murderous.
When I was young I felt so sorry for Cain. To my childish mind I thought God had rejected him, but it was Cain who had rejected God. God pursued him, reached out to him and warned him that evil was trying to take his mind. God loved Cain, but Cain hardened his heart against Him. Now it breaks my heart that Cain could turn his back on God.
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:...hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition...and the like...But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:19-23
* 1 Samuel 16:7
** Hebrews 9:22
*** Leviticus 6:14-23, 7:11-18
**** Jude 1: 11-16
The analogy of sin being like a disease is a fairly good one, yet in some ways it is quite an underestimation. In 10 generations, mankind went from communing with God, to desiring only evil all the time. Sin reaps chaos not only in the individual but it also spreads to the family, the community, the nations, and the world. Genesis 4-6 demonstrate the devastating effect, and rampant growth of sin in the time following Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden. In many ways, these chapters are a painful reminder of how much was lost, yet true to His character, God's grace, mercy and love prevail. We could never really know how much we need Jesus if we don't first understand the depravity of sin.
Please read Genesis 4:1-16.
When I was a child the story of Cain and Abel really bothered me. I could not understand why God would refuse Cain's offering. He was a farmer, so it made sense that he would bring the fruits of his labor as an offering. Likewise Abel was a shepherd, so of course he would bring an animal. I could not see the difference between the offerings. God however doesn't look at the outward appearance, He looks at our heart and motivation.*
Many commentators stress that Abel's offering was accepted because it was a blood sacrifice, the only acceptable atonement for sin. Cain's offering on the other hand was not accepted because "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."** Scripture however, does not specify that this was a sin offering. There are other types of offerings, beside the sin offering, where God would accept offerings from the soil.*** Though it is entirely possible that the issue of blood and forgiveness was part of the problem, it might not have been the only problem. The fact that the Bible doesn't say exactly why Cain's offering wasn't accepted, to me, indicates that God's issue was not so much about what was offered. God knows our motivations and I think it was Cain's heart that troubled the LORD.
Hebrews 11:4 says, "By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice then Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead." At the same time, Jude describes Cain as being rebellious, judgmental, hypocritical, arrogant, and self-serving.****
Cain brought to the LORD "some of the fruits of the soil." He did not bring his first fruits, the best of his crop, he brought what he wanted to bring. Cain offered his leftovers out of obligation, he wanted to be accepted by God on his own terms. Abel, on the other hand, brought the firstborn of his flock, the very best of what he had and gave it to the LORD in obedience and faith.
God is not interested in our leftovers, nor does He want to be an obligation. God desires, and really deserves our first fruits, the very best of what we have. Ultimately, though, He's not that interested in any of our outward offerings, He's after our hearts.
"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:16-17
It was clear from Abel's sacrifice that his heart was toward God, so God accepted it. Cain's heart was full of pride, he wanted to show God that he was good enough. When his offering was rejected, instead of turning toward God for forgiveness and acceptance, Cain felt personally rejected and let the seeds of bitterness take root. And still the LORD pursued him
"Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?'" Genesis 4:7a
God came to Cain! Even though his offering hadn't been accepted, God still loved Cain and wanted him to chose the right thing. He reminded Cain that all he had to do to be accepted was to do what he knew was right. God wanted to accept him, but God could not overlook his sin. All Cain needed to do was repent, to be sorry and to turn his heart toward God. Out of love and concern God warned him not to let his anger and bitterness take hold. He told Cain that sin would take him further from acceptance. If Cain didn't get hold of his desires they would control him.
Cain felt reject by God, but his anger was at his brother for making him look bad. If they had both been accepted or rejected Cain would have felt justified, but Abel's acceptance put a spotlight on his short comings. When the LORD came to Cain, rather then seeing a loving God, he felt further chastised. His anger became hatred, and his hatred became murderous.
"For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desires, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire had conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:13a-15
When I was young I felt so sorry for Cain. To my childish mind I thought God had rejected him, but it was Cain who had rejected God. God pursued him, reached out to him and warned him that evil was trying to take his mind. God loved Cain, but Cain hardened his heart against Him. Now it breaks my heart that Cain could turn his back on God.
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:...hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition...and the like...But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:19-23
* 1 Samuel 16:7
** Hebrews 9:22
*** Leviticus 6:14-23, 7:11-18
**** Jude 1: 11-16
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Fall Day 3
I'm just going to admit right up front that today's lesson is probably not going to be entirely cohesive. We are going to look at Genesis 3 in terms of patterns and foreshadowing and to get all the information tucked neatly into 10-15 minutes I'm gonna have to cut out a lot of flourish. I promise taking a second look at this chapter will be well worth a possibly chaotic writing style.
First I'm going to ask you to refresh your memory and take the time to reread all of Genesis Chapter 3.
Adam, unlike Eve, was not lied to by the serpent.
"And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner." 1 Timothy 2:14
Eve handed Adam some fruit and he took it and ate. What I find fascinating (though I may be barking mad) is that Adam was without sin, but when he saw that his bride had sinned, he chose to sin as well in order to be with her. It's the same and yet the opposite of what Jesus does for us. Holy, perfect, wonderful Jesus saw that His beloved bride was filthy with sin, so He became sin to make her holy and perfect.* Adam's sacrifice pushed the weight of sin onto all mankind, while Christ's sacrifice cleansed us of our sins. As I said in The Fall Day 1, Adam is both a pattern of Jesus and yet Jesus is the end to what started with Adam.
The pattern continues in verses 17-19. Because of Adam's sin, providing for his family would become hard work. The ground would produce thorns and thistles and eventually Adam would die a physical death (return to dust). Adam would be the first man to bear these consequences, but Christ would conquer them.
"Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head." Matthew 27:27, 28a
The Roman soldiers in their utter ignorance and cruelty thought it would be funny to make the "King of the Jews" wear a crown. They wound up some thorny branches, the symbol of the fallen world, and put it on Jesus' head. When they were done mocking and beating Jesus they took off the robe but apparently left the crown.** Jesus was then led up a hill to a very real and physical death. The Christ died bearing the curse so that we could be set free.
In God's grace and mercy, He saw fit to set patterns and symbols into His Word so that we would know Salvation when He came.
With Eve, it's less about symbols and more about themes. The Bible is an intricately woven tapestry, everything is connected in some way to everything else. Of course, with Scripture, it all leads to Jesus.
Tucked neatly into God's declaration of war in Genesis 3:15, He says the most peculiar thing.
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers."
The problem is, it's hard to see how strange this statement is unless you either look in the notes at the bottom of your page or read it in the New King James Version. The Hebrew word, Zera, translated in the New International Version as offspring, is better translated seed. Though indeed it is the offspring that would ultimately crush Satan's head, there is an implication that is lost in the translation. Without going into too much detail, seed is never equated with female reproduction. Strictly speaking, seed comes from men. No author, ancient or modern, would call someone the seed of a woman without expecting their audience to read into it. What is even more interesting about this particular Hebrew word is that is is singular. God is speaking of one specific descendant of the woman.***
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14.
When God declared, through His prophet Isaiah, that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, no one should have been surprised. He had hinted at a virgin birth since the beginning.
God promised that the Savior would come from woman, but because of her sin, it would not be the most pleasant experience. Birth would become a bittersweet event, how much more so for a young virgin in Nazareth. Her pregnancy almost cost her her husband, her reputation, possibly even her life, yet she was about to give birth to the Savior of the World.
The last bit of foreshadowing we are going to look at (which is my no means the last bit in chapter 3) is in verse 21.
"The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them."
It seems like a simple and easily overlooked verse, but again we see a hint at what was to come.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Hebrews 9:22b
Before removing Adam and Eve from the Garden, God showed them what the cost of their sin was. Sin could never be overlooked by God, it has a price and the price must be paid. But God, in his infinite mercy and grace allowed for a substitution. In place of Adam and Eve's death, God taught them to offer an animal for atonement.
Atonement in the Bible is an interesting word. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for it implies a covering over, or pushing ahead of sin.**** But the Greek word used in the New Testament means the sin-debt has been paid in full and removed.*****
It would be thousands of years before Moses would receive that Law on Mount Sinai with all the regulations for sacrifice to make atonement. It would be thousands more until Christ would take the burden of all sin unto Himself, once and for all. In the Garden at the beginning, God showed Adam and Eve the price of their sin. However, in love and mercy He demonstrated for them His provision for atonement.
From the first pages of Genesis to the last page of Revelation, God's love letter to us is Jesus.
"For God so Loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal live." John 3:16
* Ephesians 5:25 & 26
** Matthew 27:31
*** Hebrew- Greek Key Word Study Bible, NIV. Chattanoga, TN. AMG Publishers. 1996. pg. 1514
**** Hebrew- Greek Key Word Study Bible, NIV. pg 1524
***** Hebrew- Greek Key Word Study Bible, NIV pg. 1634
First I'm going to ask you to refresh your memory and take the time to reread all of Genesis Chapter 3.
Adam, unlike Eve, was not lied to by the serpent.
"And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner." 1 Timothy 2:14
Eve handed Adam some fruit and he took it and ate. What I find fascinating (though I may be barking mad) is that Adam was without sin, but when he saw that his bride had sinned, he chose to sin as well in order to be with her. It's the same and yet the opposite of what Jesus does for us. Holy, perfect, wonderful Jesus saw that His beloved bride was filthy with sin, so He became sin to make her holy and perfect.* Adam's sacrifice pushed the weight of sin onto all mankind, while Christ's sacrifice cleansed us of our sins. As I said in The Fall Day 1, Adam is both a pattern of Jesus and yet Jesus is the end to what started with Adam.
The pattern continues in verses 17-19. Because of Adam's sin, providing for his family would become hard work. The ground would produce thorns and thistles and eventually Adam would die a physical death (return to dust). Adam would be the first man to bear these consequences, but Christ would conquer them.
"Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head." Matthew 27:27, 28a
The Roman soldiers in their utter ignorance and cruelty thought it would be funny to make the "King of the Jews" wear a crown. They wound up some thorny branches, the symbol of the fallen world, and put it on Jesus' head. When they were done mocking and beating Jesus they took off the robe but apparently left the crown.** Jesus was then led up a hill to a very real and physical death. The Christ died bearing the curse so that we could be set free.
In God's grace and mercy, He saw fit to set patterns and symbols into His Word so that we would know Salvation when He came.
With Eve, it's less about symbols and more about themes. The Bible is an intricately woven tapestry, everything is connected in some way to everything else. Of course, with Scripture, it all leads to Jesus.
Tucked neatly into God's declaration of war in Genesis 3:15, He says the most peculiar thing.
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers."
The problem is, it's hard to see how strange this statement is unless you either look in the notes at the bottom of your page or read it in the New King James Version. The Hebrew word, Zera, translated in the New International Version as offspring, is better translated seed. Though indeed it is the offspring that would ultimately crush Satan's head, there is an implication that is lost in the translation. Without going into too much detail, seed is never equated with female reproduction. Strictly speaking, seed comes from men. No author, ancient or modern, would call someone the seed of a woman without expecting their audience to read into it. What is even more interesting about this particular Hebrew word is that is is singular. God is speaking of one specific descendant of the woman.***
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14.
When God declared, through His prophet Isaiah, that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, no one should have been surprised. He had hinted at a virgin birth since the beginning.
God promised that the Savior would come from woman, but because of her sin, it would not be the most pleasant experience. Birth would become a bittersweet event, how much more so for a young virgin in Nazareth. Her pregnancy almost cost her her husband, her reputation, possibly even her life, yet she was about to give birth to the Savior of the World.
The last bit of foreshadowing we are going to look at (which is my no means the last bit in chapter 3) is in verse 21.
"The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them."
It seems like a simple and easily overlooked verse, but again we see a hint at what was to come.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Hebrews 9:22b
Before removing Adam and Eve from the Garden, God showed them what the cost of their sin was. Sin could never be overlooked by God, it has a price and the price must be paid. But God, in his infinite mercy and grace allowed for a substitution. In place of Adam and Eve's death, God taught them to offer an animal for atonement.
Atonement in the Bible is an interesting word. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for it implies a covering over, or pushing ahead of sin.**** But the Greek word used in the New Testament means the sin-debt has been paid in full and removed.*****
It would be thousands of years before Moses would receive that Law on Mount Sinai with all the regulations for sacrifice to make atonement. It would be thousands more until Christ would take the burden of all sin unto Himself, once and for all. In the Garden at the beginning, God showed Adam and Eve the price of their sin. However, in love and mercy He demonstrated for them His provision for atonement.
From the first pages of Genesis to the last page of Revelation, God's love letter to us is Jesus.
"For God so Loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal live." John 3:16
* Ephesians 5:25 & 26
** Matthew 27:31
*** Hebrew- Greek Key Word Study Bible, NIV. Chattanoga, TN. AMG Publishers. 1996. pg. 1514
**** Hebrew- Greek Key Word Study Bible, NIV. pg 1524
***** Hebrew- Greek Key Word Study Bible, NIV pg. 1634
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Fall Day 2
I really don't like those pictures of Adam and Eve dressed in fig leaf aprons standing next to a fruit laden tree with a snake wrapped around a branch. I think it's the fig leaves more than anything that makes me sad. Ever since that day in the Garden we've been sewing fig leaves together trying to cover our sin. For centuries, people have been striving to fix themselves. If we can just be good enough, if we say the right things, do more right things than wrong things maybe we can earn Eden back. So we help old ladies cross the street, refrain from kicking puppies, turn the lights out when we leave a room, and try really hard to not use certain naughty words. The problem is that everything we try to do to save ourselves is like a fig leaf apron over our naked sin, foolishness.
Please read Genesis 3: 8-19. Really take your time and savor it. Imagine God, not full of wrath and throwing curses (except at the snake) but as a Father who is brokenhearted, but cannot protect His children from all their consequences.
I have no idea how long our all-knowing God let Adam and Eve try to cover themselves with leaves. Somehow in His great mercy I imagine it was only long enough for them to see that they would never be able to cover their sin on their own. However many fig leaves they had sewn together, when they heard the LORD walking in the Garden they knew they were still naked, so they hid, but it is hard to hide from a God who knows everything.
Just because you know something is coming doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't hurt when it arrives. God knew that Adam and Eve were going to sin, He had even planned for it, but it still broke His heart to know that even though He had given them everything, including Himself, they rejected it and chose to be independent. Unfortunately, actions have consequences and choosing independence from God had some big ones, but our gracious and loving Father began with a promise that He would fix what Adam and Eve had messed up.
Talking to the serpent, God said,
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15
Since the second century this verse has been considered (by most scholars) the protevangelium which is just a fancy of way of saying the first glimpse of the gospel.* You might also call it a declaration of war. Either way God proclaimed victory over the serpent who is both literally and figuratively sin and death.
For the sake of time and getting to the good part, I will operate on the assumption that you know that the serpent was really Satan in disguise (if you don't trust me, it's always better to check for yourself, look at Revelation 12:9).
Enmity is exactly as it sounds, an enemy.** God promised Satan he would have an Enemy. Satan would manage to hurt Him (strike His heel) but his Enemy would eventually crush his head. Thousands of years later, our Savior hung on a tree. I have no doubt that as He took His last breath Satan and his minions celebrated what appeared to be their victory. I once heard a preacher speculate that the darkness that came over the Earth in Matthew 27:45, as Christ hung on the Cross was Satan and his angels filling the sky as they rejoiced over His death. It paints a gruesome scene, but what Satan thought was a death blow was merely a bite in the heel. "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day." Luke 24:46.
Three days after Satan's big celebration, Jesus stepped out of the grave. Having conquered sin and death, He dealt the death blow that would crush Satan's head. Though we are still waiting for the sentence to begin, the judgement has already been made. On the Cross, Jesus paid the price for all of our sins and began the restoration of what Adam and Eve lost. Satan's fate is sealed (check out Revelation 20), unfortunately the battle isn't quite over. Thankfully, in Christ we can have victory.
"Finally, be strong in Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:10-12
"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:56 & 57
We may still live in a post-Fall world, and we may share the same enemy as Adam and Eve did, but in Christ we have the power to no longer be deceived and can reclaim the relationship with the Living God that was lost.
God is so awesome! It never ceases to amaze me that from the moment (and even before) sin entered into this world, He was already laying the foundation for Restoration. God didn't let Adam and Eve suffer unbearably in darkness, but even before explaining to them the consequences of their actions, He told them He would fix it.
" For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might have the righteousness of God in Him ." 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)
*Arnold, Bill T. Encountering the Book of Genesis. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker Books. 1998. pg. 39
** Hebrew- Greek Key Word Study Bible, NIV. Chattanooga, TN. AMG Publishers. 1996. pg. 1503
Please read Genesis 3: 8-19. Really take your time and savor it. Imagine God, not full of wrath and throwing curses (except at the snake) but as a Father who is brokenhearted, but cannot protect His children from all their consequences.
I have no idea how long our all-knowing God let Adam and Eve try to cover themselves with leaves. Somehow in His great mercy I imagine it was only long enough for them to see that they would never be able to cover their sin on their own. However many fig leaves they had sewn together, when they heard the LORD walking in the Garden they knew they were still naked, so they hid, but it is hard to hide from a God who knows everything.
Just because you know something is coming doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't hurt when it arrives. God knew that Adam and Eve were going to sin, He had even planned for it, but it still broke His heart to know that even though He had given them everything, including Himself, they rejected it and chose to be independent. Unfortunately, actions have consequences and choosing independence from God had some big ones, but our gracious and loving Father began with a promise that He would fix what Adam and Eve had messed up.
Talking to the serpent, God said,
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15
Since the second century this verse has been considered (by most scholars) the protevangelium which is just a fancy of way of saying the first glimpse of the gospel.* You might also call it a declaration of war. Either way God proclaimed victory over the serpent who is both literally and figuratively sin and death.
For the sake of time and getting to the good part, I will operate on the assumption that you know that the serpent was really Satan in disguise (if you don't trust me, it's always better to check for yourself, look at Revelation 12:9).
Enmity is exactly as it sounds, an enemy.** God promised Satan he would have an Enemy. Satan would manage to hurt Him (strike His heel) but his Enemy would eventually crush his head. Thousands of years later, our Savior hung on a tree. I have no doubt that as He took His last breath Satan and his minions celebrated what appeared to be their victory. I once heard a preacher speculate that the darkness that came over the Earth in Matthew 27:45, as Christ hung on the Cross was Satan and his angels filling the sky as they rejoiced over His death. It paints a gruesome scene, but what Satan thought was a death blow was merely a bite in the heel. "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day." Luke 24:46.
Three days after Satan's big celebration, Jesus stepped out of the grave. Having conquered sin and death, He dealt the death blow that would crush Satan's head. Though we are still waiting for the sentence to begin, the judgement has already been made. On the Cross, Jesus paid the price for all of our sins and began the restoration of what Adam and Eve lost. Satan's fate is sealed (check out Revelation 20), unfortunately the battle isn't quite over. Thankfully, in Christ we can have victory.
"Finally, be strong in Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:10-12
"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:56 & 57
We may still live in a post-Fall world, and we may share the same enemy as Adam and Eve did, but in Christ we have the power to no longer be deceived and can reclaim the relationship with the Living God that was lost.
God is so awesome! It never ceases to amaze me that from the moment (and even before) sin entered into this world, He was already laying the foundation for Restoration. God didn't let Adam and Eve suffer unbearably in darkness, but even before explaining to them the consequences of their actions, He told them He would fix it.
" For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might have the righteousness of God in Him ." 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)
*Arnold, Bill T. Encountering the Book of Genesis. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker Books. 1998. pg. 39
** Hebrew- Greek Key Word Study Bible, NIV. Chattanooga, TN. AMG Publishers. 1996. pg. 1503
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Fall Day 1
You will need your Bible today.
I am so excited about this week's lesson. That might sound a little bit morbid considering we are going to be talking about The Fall, which is absolutely tragic and painful, but the fact that 3 chapters into Genesis I get to talk about Salvation makes me giddy! I wasn't there when Adam and Eve first bit into that deadly fruit. Other then what is described in Scripture I don't really know what life was like before The Fall. I know it was wonderful, that Adam and Eve got to walk and talk with God, that He provided for their every need, and to me that sounds amazing, but I have never experienced it, none of us have. We only know the reality of life after sin entered the world. We know pain, frustration, hard work, and hard relationships. We know what it is to desire to know God, to walk with Him and hear His voice, but what we have is separation. Or should I say that's what we have apart from Jesus. In Jesus we have the restoration of the relationship that was lost when Adam and Eve sinned. Jesus is the answer, the way. He is life, full and abundant, in Him we get all of what was lost. Maybe not all of Eden today but the most important part, a relationship with God, and the rest is coming! God promised. But before we can get to Jesus we must address the problem, sin.
Genesis chapter 3 is where we see why we need Jesus. From this chapter we learn why the world is the way it is and we are given a glimpse of God's ridiculous love and mercy. His grace is all over this chapter, but before we get to it, we need to back up just a bit. In the midst of God creating Adam in Genesis 2, the Bible tells us that God placed two special trees in the Garden along with all the others. One of the trees provided the basis for the one rule that God gave to Adam.
"And the LORD God had made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground- trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And the LORD God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.'" Genesis 2:9, 16 & 17.
Now please read Genesis 3:1-7.
God gave Adam one simple rule, "Don't eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." God warned him of the consequence, death, and then graciously provided him with all the fruit trees he could ever want to eat from. It was not a trap, it was choice.
Sin is always a choice. It is always an option that we have been warned about, we are aware of the consequences (though we might think they won't apply to us) and God has always provided a better alternative. Most often the temptation starts subtly, a friendly invitation, a glance at something (someone) beautiful, a new opportunity. The serpent simply asked Eve a question, "Did God really say?" Of course his question was a thinly veiled challenge to God's one rule. That's the reality of all temptation though. God gave us one rule, love Him with all our hearts mind, soul and body. He promised us a full and abundant life, a relationship with Him, and best of all eternity in His presence. What more could we ask for? But then we see something that appears to be better. We are invited to try something that seems to feel better, or we are given an opportunity to try to become better. Whatever the temptation, its a challenge to God's best for us by offering us something that seems in the moment, in the flesh, in our human finite minds, better. The serpent accused God of holding out, of keeping something back from Eve that would make her wise, make her special, make her like Him. The snake encouraged her to take a second look at the forbidden fruit, to question God's motivation, to decide for herself what was good to eat.
It's amazing to me that this is the exact same temptation that continues to wreak havoc. King David was well aware that adultery was a sin. He knew there were consequences, but when his eyes fell on Bathsheba he questioned God's rule and chose for himself to eat the forbidden fruit. The consequences almost destroyed his family.* Solomon might have learned from his father's mistake, he knew that God forbid the collecting of many wives. God warned him that they would turn his heart away from Him toward their pagan gods, yet he reasoned that God's rule was for the weak. Solomon was, after all, the wisest man that ever lived. He chose the forbidden fruit and eventually began to worship foreign gods exactly as he had been warned. Because of his sin, the nation of Israel was split in two.**
Every time you or I allow a thought, a person, or even an experience to challenge God in our lives we are taking sides with the serpent. We are declaring that we would like to choose for ourselves what is good for us, that God may not be trustworthy. Never mind the fact that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal and loving, that He sought us out. He sent His Son to die so that we could live, and He desires to bless us, to give us more then we can imagine, still we think we know better. We want to decide for ourselves.
Eve took the second. Even though she knew what it was to have a face to face relationship with God, she chose to believe that He was holding out on her. She took the fruit and ate it, then as the serpent slithered off snickering she offered the fruit to Adam.
When I was young I used to get so mad at Adam and Eve. I remember saying that when I got to Heaven I was going to have words with them. When she ate that fruit everything changed. Because of I never got to see the world perfect and pure, never got to walk and talk with God, but with maturity comes perspective. Every time I sin I show my solidarity with Adam and Eve. Had it been me in the Garden I absolutely would have messed it up to, we all would have and God knew it. That's why His love letter is all about Jesus. Revelation 13:8 tells us that the Lamb (Jesus) was slain from the creation of the world. Before God spoke into the darkness creating the light, He knew it would cost Him His Son.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
* 2 Samuel 11
** 1 Kings 11 & 12
I am so excited about this week's lesson. That might sound a little bit morbid considering we are going to be talking about The Fall, which is absolutely tragic and painful, but the fact that 3 chapters into Genesis I get to talk about Salvation makes me giddy! I wasn't there when Adam and Eve first bit into that deadly fruit. Other then what is described in Scripture I don't really know what life was like before The Fall. I know it was wonderful, that Adam and Eve got to walk and talk with God, that He provided for their every need, and to me that sounds amazing, but I have never experienced it, none of us have. We only know the reality of life after sin entered the world. We know pain, frustration, hard work, and hard relationships. We know what it is to desire to know God, to walk with Him and hear His voice, but what we have is separation. Or should I say that's what we have apart from Jesus. In Jesus we have the restoration of the relationship that was lost when Adam and Eve sinned. Jesus is the answer, the way. He is life, full and abundant, in Him we get all of what was lost. Maybe not all of Eden today but the most important part, a relationship with God, and the rest is coming! God promised. But before we can get to Jesus we must address the problem, sin.
Genesis chapter 3 is where we see why we need Jesus. From this chapter we learn why the world is the way it is and we are given a glimpse of God's ridiculous love and mercy. His grace is all over this chapter, but before we get to it, we need to back up just a bit. In the midst of God creating Adam in Genesis 2, the Bible tells us that God placed two special trees in the Garden along with all the others. One of the trees provided the basis for the one rule that God gave to Adam.
"And the LORD God had made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground- trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And the LORD God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.'" Genesis 2:9, 16 & 17.
Now please read Genesis 3:1-7.
God gave Adam one simple rule, "Don't eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." God warned him of the consequence, death, and then graciously provided him with all the fruit trees he could ever want to eat from. It was not a trap, it was choice.
Sin is always a choice. It is always an option that we have been warned about, we are aware of the consequences (though we might think they won't apply to us) and God has always provided a better alternative. Most often the temptation starts subtly, a friendly invitation, a glance at something (someone) beautiful, a new opportunity. The serpent simply asked Eve a question, "Did God really say?" Of course his question was a thinly veiled challenge to God's one rule. That's the reality of all temptation though. God gave us one rule, love Him with all our hearts mind, soul and body. He promised us a full and abundant life, a relationship with Him, and best of all eternity in His presence. What more could we ask for? But then we see something that appears to be better. We are invited to try something that seems to feel better, or we are given an opportunity to try to become better. Whatever the temptation, its a challenge to God's best for us by offering us something that seems in the moment, in the flesh, in our human finite minds, better. The serpent accused God of holding out, of keeping something back from Eve that would make her wise, make her special, make her like Him. The snake encouraged her to take a second look at the forbidden fruit, to question God's motivation, to decide for herself what was good to eat.
It's amazing to me that this is the exact same temptation that continues to wreak havoc. King David was well aware that adultery was a sin. He knew there were consequences, but when his eyes fell on Bathsheba he questioned God's rule and chose for himself to eat the forbidden fruit. The consequences almost destroyed his family.* Solomon might have learned from his father's mistake, he knew that God forbid the collecting of many wives. God warned him that they would turn his heart away from Him toward their pagan gods, yet he reasoned that God's rule was for the weak. Solomon was, after all, the wisest man that ever lived. He chose the forbidden fruit and eventually began to worship foreign gods exactly as he had been warned. Because of his sin, the nation of Israel was split in two.**
Every time you or I allow a thought, a person, or even an experience to challenge God in our lives we are taking sides with the serpent. We are declaring that we would like to choose for ourselves what is good for us, that God may not be trustworthy. Never mind the fact that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal and loving, that He sought us out. He sent His Son to die so that we could live, and He desires to bless us, to give us more then we can imagine, still we think we know better. We want to decide for ourselves.
Eve took the second. Even though she knew what it was to have a face to face relationship with God, she chose to believe that He was holding out on her. She took the fruit and ate it, then as the serpent slithered off snickering she offered the fruit to Adam.
When I was young I used to get so mad at Adam and Eve. I remember saying that when I got to Heaven I was going to have words with them. When she ate that fruit everything changed. Because of I never got to see the world perfect and pure, never got to walk and talk with God, but with maturity comes perspective. Every time I sin I show my solidarity with Adam and Eve. Had it been me in the Garden I absolutely would have messed it up to, we all would have and God knew it. That's why His love letter is all about Jesus. Revelation 13:8 tells us that the Lamb (Jesus) was slain from the creation of the world. Before God spoke into the darkness creating the light, He knew it would cost Him His Son.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
* 2 Samuel 11
** 1 Kings 11 & 12
Friday, April 16, 2010
Adam and Eve Day 3
To be completely honest I have really been struggling with writing this lesson. There are so many things we could address in Genesis 2, but in light of our theme (God, us and our relationship) the most obvious would be marriage. The problem is I don't want to talk about marriage today. Don't get me wrong, I've been married for 14 years and God has overwhelmingly blessed me in my husband. I am a big fan of marriage, but have you ever read through a passage and just felt that there was something else there, something you were missing, something that was just a little bit bigger then what you could see?
Today we are going to talk about marriage but not about a man and a woman, we're going to talk about Christ and the Church.
If we believe that God is all knowing, which Scripture proves to be true, then it wouldn't be much of a stretch to believe that even before He created Adam and Eve He knew what was going to happen. Perhaps if He knew what was coming, He actually planned for it, and placed tiny hints of His great Redemption in place even before there was the need.
Paul tells us in Romans 5:14 that Adam "was a pattern of the One to come. In 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Paul refers to Adam as the "first Adam" and Jesus as the "last Adam." He's not saying they are the same, but that Adam was a pattern, a type of Christ. Adam's story gives us hints and insight into Jesus' story. Paul is also saying that what began with Adam was finished with Christ. (I don't want to give too much away, but the pattern becomes more clear in light of the Fall, which we'll be looking at next week.)
Luke 3:23-38 is one of two genealogies of Christ. Matthew traces Jesus' lineage only as far as Abraham*; Luke, however goes all the way back to Adam and then one step further.
"the son of Adam, the son of God." Luke 3:38b
Who did Luke say was Adam's father? God! Just as Pinocchio was the son of Geppetto, so Adam was the son of God. It wasn't about biology, Luke is not implying that Adam was divine, it was about relationship, God created and cared for Adam, he was His son (This is really the equivalent to the New Testament idea of being adopted into God's family**). Jesus is the true Son of God (to say biological doesn't quite fit).
"In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God and the Word was God." John 1:1
"And the Holy Spirit descended on him in the bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Luke 3:22
While Adam was created as a pattern for Jesus, Eve may be a pattern for the Church.
We will not be making any doctrine out of what we are going to look at but I believe that the Holy Spirit never misses a detail in Scripture. When specific details are given (or left out) I think the Holy Spirit planned it that way and when patterns seem to appear, I believe it's on purpose.
"So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping , he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man." Genesis 2:21 & 22
When God created all the plants, fish, birds and animals He made them each according to their own kind. God then tells the creatures to be fruitful and multiply, clearly He had made boys and girls of every kind right away. Yet when it came to Adam, He did not make Eve immediately. He instead showed Adam that there was no one suitable for him and then in a separate act God created Eve and presented her to Adam, as his bride. In the first wedding God presented his son with a bride, in the last wedding once again God will prepare a bride for His Son.
"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints)" Revelation 19:7 & 8
Paul's model for a strong and healthy marriage in Ephesians 5 is actually Christ and the Church.
"Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church- for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery- but I am talking about Christ and the church." Ephesians 5:24-32
When God presented Adam with his bride, He was hinting that marriage was a symbol of what was yet to come. Christ would leave His Father to claim His bride. He would sacrifice His very life so that she could be His perfect wife, and He has loved and cared for her throughout the ages (Again next week when we talk about the Fall this will become even more evident).
The last hint we have that Eve may be a symbol of the Church is where she came from.
If you have a Bible that adds notes you might find a little mark next to the word rib in Genesis 21 &22. The note at the bottom of the page might read "part of the man's side"*** The Hebrew word does not explicitly mean rib, it simply means side. Eve was taken from Adam's side. God put Adam into a deep supernatural sleep, and took from his side to create his bride.
Thousands of years later, our Savior would hang, lifeless on a cross, and a wound in His side would give birth to His bride.
"But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water." John 20: 33 &34
With the out pouring of blood and water (Christian sacraments) salvation was made available for all people. Within a very short period of time, a ragtag group of believers would grow to become a changing force in the world, the Church.
In God's infinite power and knowledge, is it so far fetched that He planned it all from the beginning? Is it crazy that He may have not only prepared a pattern for the Redeemer before one was needed, but that He might also hint at a bride long before there was a Bridegroom? I don't know for sure, but what I do know is that believing that nothing in all of Creation has ever been outside of His hands gives me peace, and reminds me how AWESOME my God is. Sometimes the Bible isn't about doctrine, or do's and don'ts, sometimes it about showing God for who He is. Showing us His glory and reminding us that He alone knows the end from the beginning.
"Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please." Isaiah 46:9 & 10
* Matthew 1:1-17
** Romans 8:23, 9:4, Ephesians 1:5
*** Life Application Study Bible NIV. Wheaton, Il. Tyndale House Publishers. (Note j at the bottom of pg. 9)
Today we are going to talk about marriage but not about a man and a woman, we're going to talk about Christ and the Church.
If we believe that God is all knowing, which Scripture proves to be true, then it wouldn't be much of a stretch to believe that even before He created Adam and Eve He knew what was going to happen. Perhaps if He knew what was coming, He actually planned for it, and placed tiny hints of His great Redemption in place even before there was the need.
Paul tells us in Romans 5:14 that Adam "was a pattern of the One to come. In 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Paul refers to Adam as the "first Adam" and Jesus as the "last Adam." He's not saying they are the same, but that Adam was a pattern, a type of Christ. Adam's story gives us hints and insight into Jesus' story. Paul is also saying that what began with Adam was finished with Christ. (I don't want to give too much away, but the pattern becomes more clear in light of the Fall, which we'll be looking at next week.)
Luke 3:23-38 is one of two genealogies of Christ. Matthew traces Jesus' lineage only as far as Abraham*; Luke, however goes all the way back to Adam and then one step further.
"the son of Adam, the son of God." Luke 3:38b
Who did Luke say was Adam's father? God! Just as Pinocchio was the son of Geppetto, so Adam was the son of God. It wasn't about biology, Luke is not implying that Adam was divine, it was about relationship, God created and cared for Adam, he was His son (This is really the equivalent to the New Testament idea of being adopted into God's family**). Jesus is the true Son of God (to say biological doesn't quite fit).
"In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God and the Word was God." John 1:1
"And the Holy Spirit descended on him in the bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Luke 3:22
While Adam was created as a pattern for Jesus, Eve may be a pattern for the Church.
We will not be making any doctrine out of what we are going to look at but I believe that the Holy Spirit never misses a detail in Scripture. When specific details are given (or left out) I think the Holy Spirit planned it that way and when patterns seem to appear, I believe it's on purpose.
"So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping , he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man." Genesis 2:21 & 22
When God created all the plants, fish, birds and animals He made them each according to their own kind. God then tells the creatures to be fruitful and multiply, clearly He had made boys and girls of every kind right away. Yet when it came to Adam, He did not make Eve immediately. He instead showed Adam that there was no one suitable for him and then in a separate act God created Eve and presented her to Adam, as his bride. In the first wedding God presented his son with a bride, in the last wedding once again God will prepare a bride for His Son.
"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints)" Revelation 19:7 & 8
Paul's model for a strong and healthy marriage in Ephesians 5 is actually Christ and the Church.
"Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church- for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery- but I am talking about Christ and the church." Ephesians 5:24-32
When God presented Adam with his bride, He was hinting that marriage was a symbol of what was yet to come. Christ would leave His Father to claim His bride. He would sacrifice His very life so that she could be His perfect wife, and He has loved and cared for her throughout the ages (Again next week when we talk about the Fall this will become even more evident).
The last hint we have that Eve may be a symbol of the Church is where she came from.
If you have a Bible that adds notes you might find a little mark next to the word rib in Genesis 21 &22. The note at the bottom of the page might read "part of the man's side"*** The Hebrew word does not explicitly mean rib, it simply means side. Eve was taken from Adam's side. God put Adam into a deep supernatural sleep, and took from his side to create his bride.
Thousands of years later, our Savior would hang, lifeless on a cross, and a wound in His side would give birth to His bride.
"But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water." John 20: 33 &34
With the out pouring of blood and water (Christian sacraments) salvation was made available for all people. Within a very short period of time, a ragtag group of believers would grow to become a changing force in the world, the Church.
In God's infinite power and knowledge, is it so far fetched that He planned it all from the beginning? Is it crazy that He may have not only prepared a pattern for the Redeemer before one was needed, but that He might also hint at a bride long before there was a Bridegroom? I don't know for sure, but what I do know is that believing that nothing in all of Creation has ever been outside of His hands gives me peace, and reminds me how AWESOME my God is. Sometimes the Bible isn't about doctrine, or do's and don'ts, sometimes it about showing God for who He is. Showing us His glory and reminding us that He alone knows the end from the beginning.
"Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please." Isaiah 46:9 & 10
* Matthew 1:1-17
** Romans 8:23, 9:4, Ephesians 1:5
*** Life Application Study Bible NIV. Wheaton, Il. Tyndale House Publishers. (Note j at the bottom of pg. 9)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Adam and Eve Day 2
Mankind is God's crowning jewel over all of His creation. We are the goal. God desires a more intimate relationship with us than He does with the plants or the animals. Not that God doesn't care for all of Creation, He simply cares most for us. Every detail of Genesis chapter 2 points to the unique relationship God desires to have with men and women.
"This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens-and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and not plant of the the field and yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground-the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being." Genesis 2:4-7
You may have noticed that beginning in verse 4 through the rest of the the chapter God bears a new name, LORD God (depending on what translation you are using it might read Lord God instead of LORD God). I'm afraid I must (again) complain that most English translations do an injustice to the text by using the generic words God, Lord and LORD in place of the Hebrew name, so much can be gleaned from knowing God's many names. In the Creation Day 2 lesson we discussed Elohim, which is most often translated God in the Old Testament, and it's implications of power and creativity, as well as its peculiar plural tense, now we are introduced to the LORD God, Yahweh Elohim.
Yahweh (or Jehovah) is the personal name of God and is considered the most sacred. It is the name God declares to Moses on Mount Sinai in Exodus 3:14, it represented His special relationship with Israel. Jewish tradition holds the name is such high regard that it is never pronounced in fear of blaspheming. Yahweh means: Self existent, the One who will always be, I AM THAT I AM. It comes from the root word Hayah which means: to be, to exist, having being, to breathe. It is used exclusively for the God of the Bible, and refers to His covenant relationship with Israel. All of the other names for God in Scripture describe Him in terms of His works, only Yahweh describes who He is, the Self-existent One.
There is a bit of discussion among scholars about whether Adam and Eve knew God as Yahweh or if Moses referenced the sacred name here to emphasize the intimate nature of God's relationship with Adam and Eve. Personally I find the debate to miss the point, clearly the Holy Spirit inspired the use of Yahweh in the text demonstrating that God's covenant with humanity began with Adam and Eve.
What is even more revealing than the use of Yahweh in Genesis 2, is that it is combined with Elohim. Though both names are by far the most commonly used for God in the Old Testament, this compound name appears only in Genesis chapters 2 & 3 and once more in Exodus 9:30. The clear implication is that Elohim, the Creator God, is one and the same as Yahweh the Self-existent One, who enters into Covenant with His people. By using Yahweh Elohim, the Creator God is revealing a unique, personal relationship with Adam and Eve, as well as making a clear connection between them and His covenant. When Adam shows up in Luke's genealogy of Christ (Luke 3:38), God confirms that His covenant actually began with Adam and Eve. In Romans 5, Paul connects Adam and Jesus through the Covenant, Adam (essentially) created the sin problem, Jesus was God's promised solution. (We will talk a bit more about the covenant ties between Adam and Christ in future lessons.)
Our uniqueness, however is not limited to how God reveals Himself to us, but also in how He created us. He made us to be different from the animals, He made us to have a relationship with Him.
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:26 & 27
God created us to be like Him. The Hebrew word for image, is tzelem, it implies the nature or essence of something. This is different from the Hebrew word for body, to'ar, which is the physical form. The word for likeness is damut, and it implies similar to, but not identical in shape or pattern.**
Scholars have spent eons seeking out the specifics of what about us is patterned after God. Is it our intellect, our creativity, our emotions, our spirit, our triune nature (body, mind and spirit)? What I would like to focus on is that His image sets us apart from the rest of Creation. He did not mark the plants or the fish with His likeness, even the awesome lion or the majestic eagle. They bear their own image, we alone bear God's, and we alone were given His breath.
"The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." Genesis 2:7
When I read this verse I immediately picture a sculptor. After carving out the shape of the man with His bare hands, God bends low (I picture the sculpture laying down), takes a deep cleansing breath and exhales into the face of His creation. It feels so personal, so intimate. Can you imagine waking up to the face of God? Still feeling the warmth of His sweet breath on your skin? Maybe, like a good father, God reached out and helped Adam to his feet and held him as he took his first steps.
I know we've talked a lot today about the meaning of words and how the Holy Spirit's word choices have impact on the text, but just for a moment let's step out of academia and imagine Adam's first moments alive, with lungs filled with God's breath. It's only one verse but the imagery is beautiful and intimate, God took special care to create Adam and would soon take great joy is bringing to him his suitable helper, Eve.
God's breath brought life into Adam. Jesus came to restore life, to offer once again the full and abundant life God had breathed into Adam in the beginning.
I'd like to close with one last thought: our uniqueness comes from God. Genesis 2: 7 & 19 make it clear that both mankind and the animals were made from the dust of the earth. There is nothing special about our chemical make up, it is our identity in Christ, image bearers of the LORD, His breath in our lives that sets us apart.
"From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 'For in Him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said , 'We are his offspring.'" Acts 17:26-28* Smith, Stelman ; Cornwall, Judson: The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos, 1998. pg. 84
**Rich, Tracey. Human Nature. 1996-2001. http://www.jewfaq.org/human.htm (accessed April 13, 2010)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Adam & Eve Day 1
You will need your Bible today
This week we are going to talk about Adam and Eve. Chances are you have at least heard their story once or twice, but my prayer this week is that we might see something new and fresh in the familiar.
Please read Genesis 2:4-25; bear in mind that we are looking for what God reveals about Himself, about us and about our relationship with Him.
Genesis chapter 2 has often been referred to as the second creation account. For some, the differences between the Genesis 1 and 2 accounts, have become a major stumbling block, yet when we look at God's purpose in the two separate narratives the differences seem to melt away. (I will reiterate here that Genesis is not meant to be a how-to handbook for creation.)
Genesis chapter 1 is the opening of this Love Letter. It introduces the Author (Elohim) and sets the stage (the World). The Creator God is the God of the whole world, everything that exists belongs to, and has it's meaning in Him. In chapter 2 God narrows His focus to mankind, who are His purpose for creating all things.
"For this is what the LORD says- he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited." Isaiah 45:18
Man and woman were to be the crowning jewel, the pinnacle of God's creation. Therefore the focus of chapter 2 is God's creation culminating in Adam and Eve. Every day of creation God looked over what He had made and declared it good, but it wasn't until God created man and woman that God declared His creation complete and "very good".
God wasted no time on the specifics of creation, until it came to man. He spoke and there was light, He spoke again and separated water. For 5 days creation was spoken into being without detail or further description. On the sixth day all the animals are merely spoken into being as well, but then God makes man and the formula changes.
God set man apart from Creation. His Love Letter is to mankind, not the trees or the flowers, the birds, fish or animals. His Word is for us, the crowning jewel, the reason for His creation. Genesis chapter 2 is God's introduction to His beloved. This week we will bask in the joy of being God's beloved, before there was any thing that separated us from His precious Love.
This week we are going to talk about Adam and Eve. Chances are you have at least heard their story once or twice, but my prayer this week is that we might see something new and fresh in the familiar.
Please read Genesis 2:4-25; bear in mind that we are looking for what God reveals about Himself, about us and about our relationship with Him.
Genesis chapter 2 has often been referred to as the second creation account. For some, the differences between the Genesis 1 and 2 accounts, have become a major stumbling block, yet when we look at God's purpose in the two separate narratives the differences seem to melt away. (I will reiterate here that Genesis is not meant to be a how-to handbook for creation.)
Genesis chapter 1 is the opening of this Love Letter. It introduces the Author (Elohim) and sets the stage (the World). The Creator God is the God of the whole world, everything that exists belongs to, and has it's meaning in Him. In chapter 2 God narrows His focus to mankind, who are His purpose for creating all things.
"For this is what the LORD says- he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited." Isaiah 45:18
Man and woman were to be the crowning jewel, the pinnacle of God's creation. Therefore the focus of chapter 2 is God's creation culminating in Adam and Eve. Every day of creation God looked over what He had made and declared it good, but it wasn't until God created man and woman that God declared His creation complete and "very good".
God wasted no time on the specifics of creation, until it came to man. He spoke and there was light, He spoke again and separated water. For 5 days creation was spoken into being without detail or further description. On the sixth day all the animals are merely spoken into being as well, but then God makes man and the formula changes.
God set man apart from Creation. His Love Letter is to mankind, not the trees or the flowers, the birds, fish or animals. His Word is for us, the crowning jewel, the reason for His creation. Genesis chapter 2 is God's introduction to His beloved. This week we will bask in the joy of being God's beloved, before there was any thing that separated us from His precious Love.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Creation Day 3
Spring is by far my favorite time of year. It absolutely amazes me how in one week my yard can go from dead, brown and depressing to lush and green. Everything just comes to life. Suddenly the world is painted in bright colors as the azaleas, wisteria, tulips and countless other flowers and trees begin to bloom, and blue jays, robins, and cardinals, become ever more present. Spring is beautiful! Every year it is a fresh miracle to me, and an intense reminder that Creation speaks volumes about it's Creator!
Unfortunately, too often when we study Creation in Scripture we focus on the controversy. I have looked at countless books and commentaries on Genesis and the vast majority focus almost exclusively on how God created the world. Even among Christians there is much debate over the how. Did God really create in 6 literal days or did He use evolution to bring forth life? Were the days actual 24 hours or could they have been ages? Maybe there were ages between the days? There is so much debate over the how that sometimes we seem to miss the miracle, majesty and beauty of God and His creation. It's almost like looking at Leonardo Davinci's Mona Lisa and only seeing the brush strokes, you completely miss the masterpiece.
I told you in the beginning that I would not get into the debate about Creation and evolution. I acknowledge that the debate exists, and I certainly have my own opinions, but that is not what is truly important to me, nor is it the point of this study. God's creation is amazing! Everything that He created hints at it's Creator. Genesis chapter 1 was never meant to be the handbook on how to create life, it is the introduction to the Creator. Today we are going to take the spotlight off the brushstrokes and take a closer look at what Creation tells us about out Creator.
Paul made it clear to the Romans that God's character is visible in His creation.
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20
Nature declares many of God's attributes. Just look around at you can see that God has a great imagination, He loves variety, and beauty. Science shows us that God uses the smallest of things, the atom (I know string theory has smaller elements but you get the point), as the building blocks for all things and it's more complex then the most complex thing man has ever made. God's wisdom is way beyond ours! Nature shows God to also be omnipotent, omniscient, deliberate, and orderly these three attributes are what we will dig into today.
Our God is omnipotent (all powerful). As we talked about previously, God's creative name, Elohim, conotes eternal power, but it's not just His name that implies this, Creation itself declares it.
"Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." Psalm 33:8, 9
"Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created." Psalm 148 1-5 (emphasis added)
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4:11
Our God is also omniscient (all knowing). Every scientific discovery of our time God knew from the beginning. When Jesus walked the earth He knew the exact temperature of the sun and that the Earth revolved around it. He knew the answer to the most complex math equation, and how the human body functioned. God knows everything including our thoughts and feelings, even the ones we can't put a name to.
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account." Hebrews 4:13
This is His creation, there is no nook or cranny that is not known to Him. There is no reason to hide from our Creator (even though we sometimes want to) because no one knows us better or cares more for us then our God.
God was deliberate about His creation. He set natural laws in place to govern the weather, the oceans, even animals. He create a world that we could live in and He planned from the beginning a way for us to have a relationship with Him.
"For this is what the LORD says- he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited- he says: "I am the LORD, and there is no other."" Isaiah 45:18
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'" Matthew 25:34
God created a planet that was meant to support life, your life. Had the Earth been any closer to the sun it would get too hot, further away and we'd freeze. Our atmosphere blocks out the most harmful of UV rays but lets in just the right amount of heat to sustain life. The Earth is perfectly tilted to encourage crop growth in almost all areas. If the Earth's axis was purely vertical, there would be no seasons and temperatures wouldn't fluctuate. If the tilt was greater, the temperatures would be much more extreme; either way most of the Earth would not be able to produce food to support life. * He planned it all just for us.
God is a God of order. He created in a way that built upwards from chaos to order, laying the foundation to support life before creating life.
"Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven." Job 25:2
"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." 1 Corinthians 15:33
What is interesting is that only God can bring order from chaos. The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is called entropy. The basic idea is that everything decays, that nature left to itself will go from order to chaos to death.** We see this at work in nature as well. The minute you stop mowing your lawn things begin to get wild. Weeds sprout up, vines take over, given over time your beautiful manicured yard will become an overgrown jungle. That's entropy. Life naturally gets worse, not better. God on the other hand took the chaos of Genesis 1:2 and created order.
Take a minute to skim back through Genesis 1:3-31. Notice how God built upward, taking the earth from chaos to order.
God is awesome. His creation shows Him to be awesome. In fact Jesus told the Pharisees that if people didn't recognize the majesty of God then nature itself would cry out praises to the Creator.***
Genesis 1:1-31 is really just the introduction to how awesome God is. It gives us an idea of who God is and why He chose to create. His creation was not about showing off, receiving praise (though He is more then worthy) or because He was bored. God created the universe for us because He wants to love us, to have a relationship with us. He wanted us to be able to recognize Him and want to love Him too. Creation is just the beginning of God's goodness, the introduction to His love letter.
Thank you for joining me this week.
* Gardner, Paul. The New Creationism. Darlington, England. Evangelical Press. 2009. pg. 52-55
** Walter, Jeremy L. "Chapter One" in In Six Day, edited by John F. Ashton. Green Forest, AR. Master Books. 2000. pg. 14
*** Luke 19:40
Unfortunately, too often when we study Creation in Scripture we focus on the controversy. I have looked at countless books and commentaries on Genesis and the vast majority focus almost exclusively on how God created the world. Even among Christians there is much debate over the how. Did God really create in 6 literal days or did He use evolution to bring forth life? Were the days actual 24 hours or could they have been ages? Maybe there were ages between the days? There is so much debate over the how that sometimes we seem to miss the miracle, majesty and beauty of God and His creation. It's almost like looking at Leonardo Davinci's Mona Lisa and only seeing the brush strokes, you completely miss the masterpiece.
I told you in the beginning that I would not get into the debate about Creation and evolution. I acknowledge that the debate exists, and I certainly have my own opinions, but that is not what is truly important to me, nor is it the point of this study. God's creation is amazing! Everything that He created hints at it's Creator. Genesis chapter 1 was never meant to be the handbook on how to create life, it is the introduction to the Creator. Today we are going to take the spotlight off the brushstrokes and take a closer look at what Creation tells us about out Creator.
Paul made it clear to the Romans that God's character is visible in His creation.
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20
Nature declares many of God's attributes. Just look around at you can see that God has a great imagination, He loves variety, and beauty. Science shows us that God uses the smallest of things, the atom (I know string theory has smaller elements but you get the point), as the building blocks for all things and it's more complex then the most complex thing man has ever made. God's wisdom is way beyond ours! Nature shows God to also be omnipotent, omniscient, deliberate, and orderly these three attributes are what we will dig into today.
Our God is omnipotent (all powerful). As we talked about previously, God's creative name, Elohim, conotes eternal power, but it's not just His name that implies this, Creation itself declares it.
"Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." Psalm 33:8, 9
"Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created." Psalm 148 1-5 (emphasis added)
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4:11
God spoke the entire universe into existence! He didn't lift a finger, He didn't strive, He merely spoke and it was done. The power of the ocean, the majesty of the mountains, even the intensity of a storm are nothing compared to the power of God.
Our God is also omniscient (all knowing). Every scientific discovery of our time God knew from the beginning. When Jesus walked the earth He knew the exact temperature of the sun and that the Earth revolved around it. He knew the answer to the most complex math equation, and how the human body functioned. God knows everything including our thoughts and feelings, even the ones we can't put a name to.
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account." Hebrews 4:13
This is His creation, there is no nook or cranny that is not known to Him. There is no reason to hide from our Creator (even though we sometimes want to) because no one knows us better or cares more for us then our God.
God was deliberate about His creation. He set natural laws in place to govern the weather, the oceans, even animals. He create a world that we could live in and He planned from the beginning a way for us to have a relationship with Him.
"For this is what the LORD says- he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited- he says: "I am the LORD, and there is no other."" Isaiah 45:18
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'" Matthew 25:34
God created a planet that was meant to support life, your life. Had the Earth been any closer to the sun it would get too hot, further away and we'd freeze. Our atmosphere blocks out the most harmful of UV rays but lets in just the right amount of heat to sustain life. The Earth is perfectly tilted to encourage crop growth in almost all areas. If the Earth's axis was purely vertical, there would be no seasons and temperatures wouldn't fluctuate. If the tilt was greater, the temperatures would be much more extreme; either way most of the Earth would not be able to produce food to support life. * He planned it all just for us.
God is a God of order. He created in a way that built upwards from chaos to order, laying the foundation to support life before creating life.
"Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven." Job 25:2
"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." 1 Corinthians 15:33
What is interesting is that only God can bring order from chaos. The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is called entropy. The basic idea is that everything decays, that nature left to itself will go from order to chaos to death.** We see this at work in nature as well. The minute you stop mowing your lawn things begin to get wild. Weeds sprout up, vines take over, given over time your beautiful manicured yard will become an overgrown jungle. That's entropy. Life naturally gets worse, not better. God on the other hand took the chaos of Genesis 1:2 and created order.
Take a minute to skim back through Genesis 1:3-31. Notice how God built upward, taking the earth from chaos to order.
God is awesome. His creation shows Him to be awesome. In fact Jesus told the Pharisees that if people didn't recognize the majesty of God then nature itself would cry out praises to the Creator.***
Genesis 1:1-31 is really just the introduction to how awesome God is. It gives us an idea of who God is and why He chose to create. His creation was not about showing off, receiving praise (though He is more then worthy) or because He was bored. God created the universe for us because He wants to love us, to have a relationship with us. He wanted us to be able to recognize Him and want to love Him too. Creation is just the beginning of God's goodness, the introduction to His love letter.
Thank you for joining me this week.
* Gardner, Paul. The New Creationism. Darlington, England. Evangelical Press. 2009. pg. 52-55
** Walter, Jeremy L. "Chapter One" in In Six Day, edited by John F. Ashton. Green Forest, AR. Master Books. 2000. pg. 14
*** Luke 19:40
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Creation Day 2
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." Genesis 1:1, 2.
I love the Word of God, and it's verses like these that remind me that the Bible is not a book written by men but a love letter written by the hand of God. These two verses that open the entire Scripture are so full of beautiful imagery, mystery, and theology (the study of God)* that I'm pretty sure you could spend a lifetime studying just them. The plain text alone begs a few questions (the beginning of what? Time? Matter? Life? Does a beginning imply an end? How long was the earth formless?), but even the word choices have rich meaning and give a glimpse of our awesome God.
Since it is impossible to fit a lifetime of study into 10 minutes, we're going to focus on 2 important things that God reveals about Himself. First we will see what God reveals about His divine nature in these verses, then we will explore why this is the perfect way for God to begin His love letter.
Genesis is the book of beginnings. It opens the sacred text, offers insight into the beginning of existence, and begins the epic story of God's relationship with mankind. As with any writing the opening statement sets the tone for the whole, and indicates (at least in part) what is most important. The Bible begins with a clear declaration, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." The Hebrew name for God in Genesis 1:1 sets the God of the Bible apart from the pagan gods of other ancient peoples. While in most ancient creation stories the world is created through murder and intrigue among the many gods and yet also forms the boundary in which gods function, Genesis 1:1 declares one universal God that is outside of and not limited by His creation.**
There are many different names for God used in the Bible. The Jews believe that names are more than mere titles or means to address one another;
"The name conveys the nature and essence of the thing named. It represents the history and reputation of the being named."***
The Old Testament in particular uses dozens of different Hebrew words, alone or in combination, as names for God that give insight into God's character and nature. Unfortunately, most modern Bible translations replace the distinct names with more generic ones such as God, Lord, or LORD (there is a huge distinction between Lord and LORD but we'll address that in a later study). In the opening line to Genesis (and the Bible at large) God chose a very specific name for Himself, Elohim.
Elohim is one of the most common names for God in the Old Testament. It implies, "fullness of might; absolute, unqualified, unlimited energy.**** It is often used in the Bible to emphasize God's universal nature and creative power. He is God over all creation and everything that exists was created by Him. Creation did not take any effort of strength, His strength is limitless, it was merely an act of His will.
Sometimes we fall into the habit of thinking of the God of the Bible as the Jewish God, or the Christian God, as though His power and influence is limited only to those that believe in Him, however from the very beginning God declares that He is the God, the only God, His power is unlimited and unequaled. God may have chosen to reveal Himself through Israel, and He relates to those that love Him in a more intimate way, but the name Elohim reminds us that He is universally God, He has no limits.
There is another aspect to the name Elohim that is a bit controversial but bears mentioning. In every dictionary or Bible aid that you could look at Elohim is said to be a plural word (like we) that is used as a singular (like I). Though every reference I looked at agreed that the tense is peculiar the debate surrounds the implications. The question is does the nature of the word imply a triune God (the Trinity), or is that reading too much into a single word. There are valid arguments on both sides and I certainly don't want to imply that I in any way know more than an expert (I am barely capable of diagramming a sentence in English let alone in an ancient foreign language), but I find it intriguing that God would chose such a peculiar word, so we'll quickly explore the possibility.
Throughout the Bible God reveals Himself in three characters, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each has a distinct nature and function yet they are all fully God (there is no way that I can quickly explain the nature of the Trinity, it is one of the great mysteries of our God, so I will pray that you are at least familiar with the doctrine). Though the Trinity is never explicitly stated, each aspect and its role in the divine nature is woven throughout the entire Bible. In the first two verses of Genesis alone we see clearly both the Father,who created, and the Holy Spirit, who hovered over creation, present. The Gospel of John reveals that Jesus was also present and involved in creation.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that had been made." John 1:1-3
We believe (as Christians) in one God who has three parts, not three separate gods. As complex and mysterious as this is, Scripture tells us that it is true. By using a plural name for God in a singular tense it is possible that God was hinting at this Truth of His triune nature from the very beginning.
** Arnold, Bill T. Encountering the Book of Genesis. Grand Rapid,MI. Baker Books. 1998. p. 49-51
*** http://www.jewfaq.org/name.htm
**** Cornwall, Judson & Smith Stelman. The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names. North Brunswick, NJ. Bridge-Logos Publishers. 1998. p.82
I love the Word of God, and it's verses like these that remind me that the Bible is not a book written by men but a love letter written by the hand of God. These two verses that open the entire Scripture are so full of beautiful imagery, mystery, and theology (the study of God)* that I'm pretty sure you could spend a lifetime studying just them. The plain text alone begs a few questions (the beginning of what? Time? Matter? Life? Does a beginning imply an end? How long was the earth formless?), but even the word choices have rich meaning and give a glimpse of our awesome God.
Since it is impossible to fit a lifetime of study into 10 minutes, we're going to focus on 2 important things that God reveals about Himself. First we will see what God reveals about His divine nature in these verses, then we will explore why this is the perfect way for God to begin His love letter.
Genesis is the book of beginnings. It opens the sacred text, offers insight into the beginning of existence, and begins the epic story of God's relationship with mankind. As with any writing the opening statement sets the tone for the whole, and indicates (at least in part) what is most important. The Bible begins with a clear declaration, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." The Hebrew name for God in Genesis 1:1 sets the God of the Bible apart from the pagan gods of other ancient peoples. While in most ancient creation stories the world is created through murder and intrigue among the many gods and yet also forms the boundary in which gods function, Genesis 1:1 declares one universal God that is outside of and not limited by His creation.**
There are many different names for God used in the Bible. The Jews believe that names are more than mere titles or means to address one another;
"The name conveys the nature and essence of the thing named. It represents the history and reputation of the being named."***
The Old Testament in particular uses dozens of different Hebrew words, alone or in combination, as names for God that give insight into God's character and nature. Unfortunately, most modern Bible translations replace the distinct names with more generic ones such as God, Lord, or LORD (there is a huge distinction between Lord and LORD but we'll address that in a later study). In the opening line to Genesis (and the Bible at large) God chose a very specific name for Himself, Elohim.
Elohim is one of the most common names for God in the Old Testament. It implies, "fullness of might; absolute, unqualified, unlimited energy.**** It is often used in the Bible to emphasize God's universal nature and creative power. He is God over all creation and everything that exists was created by Him. Creation did not take any effort of strength, His strength is limitless, it was merely an act of His will.
Sometimes we fall into the habit of thinking of the God of the Bible as the Jewish God, or the Christian God, as though His power and influence is limited only to those that believe in Him, however from the very beginning God declares that He is the God, the only God, His power is unlimited and unequaled. God may have chosen to reveal Himself through Israel, and He relates to those that love Him in a more intimate way, but the name Elohim reminds us that He is universally God, He has no limits.
There is another aspect to the name Elohim that is a bit controversial but bears mentioning. In every dictionary or Bible aid that you could look at Elohim is said to be a plural word (like we) that is used as a singular (like I). Though every reference I looked at agreed that the tense is peculiar the debate surrounds the implications. The question is does the nature of the word imply a triune God (the Trinity), or is that reading too much into a single word. There are valid arguments on both sides and I certainly don't want to imply that I in any way know more than an expert (I am barely capable of diagramming a sentence in English let alone in an ancient foreign language), but I find it intriguing that God would chose such a peculiar word, so we'll quickly explore the possibility.
Throughout the Bible God reveals Himself in three characters, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each has a distinct nature and function yet they are all fully God (there is no way that I can quickly explain the nature of the Trinity, it is one of the great mysteries of our God, so I will pray that you are at least familiar with the doctrine). Though the Trinity is never explicitly stated, each aspect and its role in the divine nature is woven throughout the entire Bible. In the first two verses of Genesis alone we see clearly both the Father,who created, and the Holy Spirit, who hovered over creation, present. The Gospel of John reveals that Jesus was also present and involved in creation.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that had been made." John 1:1-3
We believe (as Christians) in one God who has three parts, not three separate gods. As complex and mysterious as this is, Scripture tells us that it is true. By using a plural name for God in a singular tense it is possible that God was hinting at this Truth of His triune nature from the very beginning.
The name Elohim gives us a glimpse of who our God is from the very beginning, all powerful, creative, and universal, it also gives us a hint as to why God chose to create the universe.
As I mentioned earlier, God did not exert His power to create the world. His power has no limit and the creative act required no more effort from God then if you or I were to draw a picture or read a sentence. It was more an act of will then of strength. God chose to create and then He spoke creation into being.
The fact that God chose to create life is significant. In most ancient religions mankind specifically was created either out of necessity or as a toy. Some pagan gods needed the praise and sacrifice of humanity to give them strength, others desired little more than a fun pastime, toys to pit against each other, or amuse them with their little lives. Scientific theory doesn't even give human life that much meaning. The big bang theory and evolution imply that life was a cosmic accident, there is no meaning.
But in Elohim we have meaning, we have purpose. You were no accident, you were created. You are not here to appease or amuse but to be loved. God wanted a creation He could have a relationship with. A people that He could love and pour Himself out to. You are a manifestation of God's love.
God began His letter to mankind with a simple yet powerful declaration, He created all of it. From the plain text to the definitions of each word God lets us know that He alone is God, and every detail belongs to Him.
Hebrews 11:6 tell us that, "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
* http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/theology** Arnold, Bill T. Encountering the Book of Genesis. Grand Rapid,MI. Baker Books. 1998. p. 49-51
*** http://www.jewfaq.org/name.htm
**** Cornwall, Judson & Smith Stelman. The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names. North Brunswick, NJ. Bridge-Logos Publishers. 1998. p.82
Monday, April 5, 2010
Creation
You will need your Bible.
You might be thinking that I am crazy to start out with Creation (and you may be right), however I have no intention of getting into all the arguments and controversies about Creation vs. science. There are tons of books and websites wholly dedicated to Creationism and evolution, but that's not what we are going to study here. Remember our goal is to fall in love with the Creator, so we will stick with what Scripture does say and focus not so much on the how but the Who?
Before we get started on our reading for this week I'd like to talk just a little about God's purpose for the Bible. If God had wanted to write a manual on how He created the universe He certainly could have, but He chose not to. Instead He focused only on the things that reveal either something about Himself, or about our relationship with Him, the things that are vital for us to understand so we can have a relationship with Him. It's not the complete history of the universe, it's a love letter from the Creator to His creation. How do I know it's a love letter, well the Bible tells me so.
Let's take a quick look at what the Bible reveals about itself.
Jesus says in John 10:30, "I and the Father are one," and in John 14:18 after declaring Himself the only way to the Father, says that if you have seen Him than you have seen the Father. (There are tons of other scriptures that back up that Jesus and God are one, but I love to use Jesus' own words).
Now lets jump to 1 John 4:8, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." It's not that God loves, but that He is LOVE. He is the description, the epitome of perfect love! How awesome is that.
So we know that God is love, and that God and Jesus are one, so it would be a safe assumption to say that Jesus is love too. So how does this apply to Scripture? Let's look at John 1:1 & 14. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."
Jesus is the Word made flesh. What word? God's Word! Our Bible is the Word of God, Jesus was the Word with flesh on, so if God is love, and Jesus is love than it's reasonable to say that God's Word is love too. It may not always feel like a loving word from a loving Father but it is and that's the lens we will look though to view Creation.
Please read Genesis 1:1-31.
Keep in mind that God wrote this love letter for you.
You might be thinking that I am crazy to start out with Creation (and you may be right), however I have no intention of getting into all the arguments and controversies about Creation vs. science. There are tons of books and websites wholly dedicated to Creationism and evolution, but that's not what we are going to study here. Remember our goal is to fall in love with the Creator, so we will stick with what Scripture does say and focus not so much on the how but the Who?
Before we get started on our reading for this week I'd like to talk just a little about God's purpose for the Bible. If God had wanted to write a manual on how He created the universe He certainly could have, but He chose not to. Instead He focused only on the things that reveal either something about Himself, or about our relationship with Him, the things that are vital for us to understand so we can have a relationship with Him. It's not the complete history of the universe, it's a love letter from the Creator to His creation. How do I know it's a love letter, well the Bible tells me so.
Let's take a quick look at what the Bible reveals about itself.
Jesus says in John 10:30, "I and the Father are one," and in John 14:18 after declaring Himself the only way to the Father, says that if you have seen Him than you have seen the Father. (There are tons of other scriptures that back up that Jesus and God are one, but I love to use Jesus' own words).
Now lets jump to 1 John 4:8, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." It's not that God loves, but that He is LOVE. He is the description, the epitome of perfect love! How awesome is that.
So we know that God is love, and that God and Jesus are one, so it would be a safe assumption to say that Jesus is love too. So how does this apply to Scripture? Let's look at John 1:1 & 14. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."
Jesus is the Word made flesh. What word? God's Word! Our Bible is the Word of God, Jesus was the Word with flesh on, so if God is love, and Jesus is love than it's reasonable to say that God's Word is love too. It may not always feel like a loving word from a loving Father but it is and that's the lens we will look though to view Creation.
Please read Genesis 1:1-31.
Keep in mind that God wrote this love letter for you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
