Where Did We Go Wrong?

[Music] good afternoon everybody good to see you hope you had a meaningful Passover and a delightful night to be much observed we are at the office last evening and we had a wonderful time I thank Jim and Robin Hazen for hosting that to make it such a memorable occasion we hope that you did too our world is wracked by problems and evils of all kinds when we watch our news programs we are continually appalled by what we see and we ask why are there so many problems in the world why can't we all learn to get along with each other we witness graft and corruption and government terrorism gun violence the Syrian civil war kidnappings in Africa religious hypocrisy nuclear proliferation degradation of oppressed peoples what is wrong with our world why so much suffering you know people who've professed Christian faith have lost their faith not being able to answer that question including theologians who are still theologians who become agnostics how did we end up in such a deplorable condition is this the fruit of evolution if so I thought we're supposed to be getting better so what is the source of this evil is there a solution to the spiritual sickness of the human heart the answer is yes God provides an explanation in one chapter of our Bible do you know which one it is the clue that I'll offer you it has to do with God's Word the title of today's sermon is where did we go wrong where did we go all wrong let's turn to Genesis 3 I'd like you to put a Bible mark or ribbon marker or a piece of paper if you're using electronic device but when those little marks there for the for a marker of some kind because we'll be coming back and forth regarding a cross reference elsewhere Genesis chapter 3 to set the stage Genesis of course is our first book of the Bible and it's the book of origins the origin of universe the origin of the human race the origin of sin the origin of redemption cards into the family origin of nations and the origin of languages and many many more that we could list it is a book of origins and in Genesis 1 we have creation than we have recreation in Genesis 2 God makes a man and he signs him to dress and keep a beautiful garden and then in chapter 3 we face a crisis a crisis and we learn about the origin of human sin so let's go to Genesis 3 verse 1 let us study this together to understand where did we go wrong in verses 1 to 5 we have the deception and the seduction of the first couple verse 1 now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made and he said to the woman yay has God said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden this was the formation of the yay has God said Society you know that society still exists today yay has God say so let's look at this more closely first of all we're introduced by a serpent can talk if you ever hear such a thing the word serpent describes us one of the beasts of the field that was made in Chapter two it was formed on the ground I know it's not identified with any spirit until later Jewish literature in the intertestamental period that is the period between Malachi and Matthew roughly a 400 year period and in their literature they begin to associate this serpent with a fallen spirit the word for serpent is no hush the hush which means shining one shining one now I want you think in the Bible who was described as being bright or brilliant or shining remember what Paul spoke of in 2nd Corinthians about an angel of light remember in Ezekiel talks about the Carib was great brightness this carob was not made in God's image unlike Adam in this carob led one-third of the angels in rebellion and Paul in first Thessalonians calls him the tempter and that's what we're reading in Genesis 3 a temptation so who is he not until the last book of our Bible do we have a clear identification revelation to leave your marker there so I say it's important to leave it a marker because we will go back and forth and it'll speed up things for you revelation 12 verse 9 a very popular well-known verse and the Great Dragon was cast out that old serpent old serpent called the devil and Satan which deceives the whole world he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him in Genesis 3 tells us the story of that first deception he now deceives the whole world and it was the serpent that talks to mother Eve so back to Genesis 3 and verse 1 the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field interestingness words subtle meaning cunning crafty shrewd clever mischievous all used in a negative sense but this is one of those Hebrew words it also carries a good sense a positive sight because in the Proverbs it's used for prudence being prudent Hebrew word is a room a room it speaks of wisdom but if we go to James chapter 3 now starting at verse 13 James 3 starting at verse 13 we're going to learn there's two kinds of wisdom this story Genesis 3 has a lot to do with the pursuit of wisdom Genesis I should say James 3:13 James 3:13 who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you let him show what of a good conversation conduct his works with meekness of wisdom but if you have bitter envying and strife in your hurts glory not and lie not against the truth this wisdom descends not from above but as notice three things earthly sensual and devilish notice that set of three because that three is going to come up again later earthly sensual and devilish that's the world's wisdom for you verse 16 for we're envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work but the wisdom this from above is pure peaceable gentle easy to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace so there are two kinds of wisdom it was used for verbally this word or this concept remember what Jesus said in the Gospels be wise as what but harmless as doves be wise as serpents so it had a good sense and yet it also had a very bad sense so this word subtle Genesis 3:1 is a very powerful word it also has another side to it that in the Hebrew there's a wordplay with a similar word for the word naked and I watched you remember that word naked because that comes up in our story later and we find in this association that innocence can be turned through craftiness to vulnerability shame exploitation and exposure back to Genesis 3 in verse 1 and so the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field there's no mention of a time gap from Genesis 2 to 3 it's just an abrupt story that enters into the account of Genesis and though I want you to notice how many times the word and appears because in the Hebrew that word is important some newer translations take it out it's there for a reason it emphasizes every detail of the story and this and that and he said to the woman he talked to a woman here's a serpent talking to a woman recently made and she thinks nothing of this snake talking to her maybe she never expected that animals should not talk can you think of any other stories in the Bible or God permitted an animal to actually communicate with a human being Balaam's donkey so he said to the woman yay has God said these are the devil's first words in the Bible yay has God said doubt is planted in God's Word and he feigns ignorance anger ignorance as God really said you cannot eat of every tree and he says God and yet starting in chapter 2 verse 4 it was the Lord God Lord God Lord God several times until here Lord God was a personal name in that part of the story Yahweh Elohim his covenant name that God was close he was intimate he was personal with these human beings and now Satan just refers Dilma's Elohim and all said mother Eve will respond and say the same thing she only refers to the divinity by Elohim so has God said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden here is opposition to God's Word he's implying that God was jealous and restricting her freedom verse 2 and the woman said to the serpent we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden she corrects the server oh yo we can we can eat the woman said to the serpent verse 2 showing that she's trusting she has no reason to doubt what's going on she be not a thought that's speaking to an animal was unusual and I want you to notice something else go over to chapter 2 remember God had forbidden our parents from taking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil Genesis chapter 2 starting at verse 16 and the Lord God commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden you may freely eat but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat of it for in a day you eat thereof you shall surely die dying you shall die and the Lord God said it's not good that the man should be alone I will make a help meet for him and the rest of chapter goes on to describe how God creates Eve and so she was not present to hear this prohibition about the tree of a knowledge of good and evil she's created afterwards which might help explain what happens in this story so verse 2 of Genesis 3 the woman says we may eat she corrects the serpent but when you compare what she says she omits two important parts of Genesis 2:16 what did God say of every garden of the tree every tree the garden you may freely eat every tree and freely a mother Eve leaves off those two important words Why Why are they omitted was it deliberate was a careless you know it raises questions our minds but already we have a change in what God had said Genesis 3 in verse 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God has said you shall not eat of it neither shall you touch it lest you die now she's already mixed up the two trees because the tree that was described as being in the midst of the garden was the tree of life and yet here she describes it as a tree of the knowledge of good and evil being in the midst of the garden but the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden God has said say she refers to was ill ahem you shall not eat of it neither shall you touch it did you read that in chapter 2 neither shall you touch it no she's adding a phrase no where'd that come from now maybe Adam trying to keep his wife away from that tree it said don't even go near don't even touch it but it wasn't in the prohibition in chapter 2 so now we have in addition to the word in some fashion again raising questions about this story and then I want you to notice at the end of that verse 3 she says neither shall ye touch it lest you die that word less implies there's a possibility you'll die and that's not what God said in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die she has modified the word so when I gave you the clue than my SPS that all has to do with the word we're already seeing down to the word opposition of the word omitting a word adding a word diluting a word I think we're starting to get a sense of what's happened here it all relates to the Word of God and it's a problem yet today isn't it it's a problem for all humanity so back to Genesis 3 verse 4 the serpent said to the woman ye shall not surely die for God does know in the day that ye eat thereof then your eyes will be open and you may be you shall be as God's knowing good and evil did you hear my emphasis on ye see our older English distinguished you singular and you plural which is shown in the King James Bible it is not shown in a new King James Bible thou in thee is singular for you but ye is plural so who is the serpent talking to besides the woman in verse 4 the serpent said to the woman ye shall not surely die there's someone else there with her who is this we'll find out as we can continue through the story and so he utterly denies God's Word he contradicts God's Word here this serpent as he speaks to the woman you shall not surely die and he adds the word surely that she had added had omitted rather so now he corrects her he puts that were surely back in here we are you shall not surely die vigorous be strong negation this is the first lie in the Bible and how did Jesus describe the devil he said he is a liar from the beginning and the father the instigator the originator of lies you shall not surely die when you examine the immortal soul doctrine you find a shade of meeting it's attached to that erroneous doctrine as well Genesis 3:5 for God does know and the day that ye you plural eat thereof then your eyes will be open and you shall be as God's knowing good and evil when you eat thereof your eyes will be open you know that will happen in verses 7 and 22 when our parents do eat the forbidden fruit their eyes are open the devil is partly right and that's how he works on people with half-truths that is the nature of deception a little bit of truth a little bit of error the tree of knowledge of good and evil and you shall be as God's now think back to the Carib as Isaiah described him when he rebelled and took one-third of the angels in rebellion against God what did Lucifer say that reminds you of this passage you shall be as gods I say it says quoting the Carib I will be like the Most High and now he wants the first couple in on the plot to be like God you shall be as God's knowing good and evil good and evil occurs as a set of words seven times in our Bible you shall be Elohim that's what it is in Hebrew you shall be as Godzilla heme your eyes will be open and somebody's doing is employing a god's motive is on Jeff's unjust he's trying to keep from Adam and Eve some divine prerogatives it's unfair and Satan works with half-truths through all this lying and deception you'll be as God's knowing good and evil but yes they'll know good and evil but now they'll have a moral nature that is fixed in sin and - which way will carnal human nature tend to go towards the good or towards the evil well we're here as a result of recognizing what we needed to repent of the meaning of baptism we were reminded of that just a few nights ago at Passover and so you shall be as gods this was perhaps the origin of Gnosticism this sacred knowledge that you must be initiated to the beginning of philosophy you know in the Middle Ages philosophy and theology were won in what was called scholasticism well then after the age of reason the two parted in philosophy thereafter wanted nothing more to do with theology and now they are competitors in the world of ideas and they are to this day you shall be as God's knowing good and evil how would God know evil only as he witnesses it in his creatures God cannot commit evil verse 6 Genesis 3 and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food known as the set of three here good for food pleasant to the eyes a tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her husband with her and he did eat vs. six to eight described the first sin and we have a transgression of God's word transgression God's word and so a mother Eve evaluated what the devil had said and she gives in through credulity or unbelief or appetite or ambition covetousness being persuaded by worldly wisdom may be a combination of them all but she was deceived she sees three things the tree was good for food pleasant to the eyes a tree to be desired to make one wise so she took the fruit thereof and did eat and gave to her who was that missing person with her her husband and he did eat what a story we have here she made a choice he made a choice and both of them were bad desiring to make one wise philosophy the love of wisdom why didn't Adam speak up he had heard the prohibition in Chapter two why didn't he prevent this from happening we don't know but he he caves in was he using her as a guinea pig to see what would happen because he too wanted to eat the fruit again it arouses questions in our minds but this verse six has parallels elsewhere in Scripture let's go to the book of James chapter one verses 14 and 15 let's look at the origin of sin because James summarized it very well for us James chapter 1 starting at verse 14 James 1:14 but every man every person is tempted when he or she is drawn away of his or her own lust desires and enticed and then when lust has conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it's finished or when it's full-grown brings forth death did you ever notice the lifecycle mentioned in at verses 13 and 14 conception bringing forth in birth maturity and death it's unique the way James has phrased this to remind us of the life cycle of sin just like our own human life cycle so where does sin originate in the heart is conceived it brings for sin sin when it's matured brings forth death do not earn my beloved brethren and so we're drawn away by our lust and we're enticed now let's go to 1st John 2:16 let's notice another set of three first John 2:16 first John 2:16 for all that's in the world the lust of the flesh lust of the eyes pride of life is not of the Father but it's of the world the world held captive by a fallen spirit look how these three parallel the three things in Genesis 3:6 the lust of the flesh Eve saw that forbidden fruit was good for food the lust of the eyes she saw it was pleasant to the eyes pride of life she saw they would it was desired to make one wise you would think John is actually recounting a story a little bit different words and it seems to fit very well less of flesh lust of the eyes pride of life now I want to go over to Luke chapter 4 remember Jesus temptation fasting forty days and nights and the devil comes upon him and tempts him in three ways manners are three again is there some connection let's take a look Luke chapter 4 verse 3 look for 3 the devil said to him Jesus if you be the Son of God command this stone to be made bread remember Jesus very hungry he's famished 40 days fasting oh yes just like for mother Eve turning that stone into bread it was good for food lust of the flesh and three times Jesus will retort to the devil by quoting from the book of Deuteronomy a book of Moses - can't contradict what Satan is saying verse 4 it's written that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God we're back to that theme again the Word of God then the devil verse 5 in 6 takes month to a high mountain showing him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time the devil said to him all this power I'll give you and the glory of them for that's delivered to me into whomsoever it will I will I give it if you would do one thing bow down and worship me all is yours Jesus quotes Deuteronomy get behind me Satan for it's written you shall worship the Lord your God and him only so you serve yes pleasant to the eyes lust of the eyes and now verses 9 in through 11 then a devil brings him to Jerusalem system on a pinnacle of the temple and said to him you be the Son of God throw yourself down for thread and he will give his angels charge over you to keep you and in their hands they'll bear you up lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone jesus quotes deuteronomy again answering and said it is written you shall not tempt the Lord your God yes desired to make one wise pride of life what do you mean if I'm the son of God I'll show you he could have fallen for that trap he doesn't he quotes the Bible and Satan has no answer Jesus succeeded where he failed in these three same three ways tree it's good for food pleasant to the eyes desired to make one wise lust of the flesh lust of the eyes pride of life that's why he's our Savior and a devil tried the same tactic on him so back to Genesis 3 now in verse 7 so after they both eat of this forbidden fruit the eyes of them both were opened they knew they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons that is things to GERD about why did do that I mean you read in Chapter 2:25 that when God made Eve from the rib of Adam they were both naked yet Genesis 2:25 the Manda's wife and we're not ashamed and now something has changed now all of a sudden they're very conscious about their naked human bodies they had sinned what happened here affected the whole human race as Paul explains in Romans 5 because Paul says by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin it had a spin-off effect because we've all made this same mistake in one way or another - in our lives and so now they look at themselves and they why's there naked and they sewed fig leaves together fig leaves what are these well you know it's interesting people wonder well where was the Garden of Eden well let me give you one clue figs were indigenous to Palestine but not Babylonian it's one clue that we have in Genesis anyway fig leaves fig leaves and made themselves aprons that's not a lot of clothing any traditional pictures might be pretty close to all that they put on fig leaves and through the centuries people have seen a parallel of putting on fig leaves to man-made religion trying to find righteousness of our own you know Isaiah talks about because he says all our righteousness they are as filthy rags but Isaiah also says the God when we repent and turn to him and faith will give us a robe of righteousness and I want you remember they make their own clothes which are inadequate very temporary but another set of clothes will be provided later in a story that'll be much better so Genesis 3 verse 8 they heard the voice of the Lord God theirs now we restored Lord God Yahweh Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of day and Adam and his and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden what we have here is an appearance of Christ on earth because we know from our studies and we have literature that the god of creation but God who dealt with Adam and Eve all the patriarchs was the one we now know as Jesus Christ and when God appears on earth as Kola theophany here is a theophany which implies that God or Christ have been daily coming down and walking with him and Nicole the day in the Middle East a cool breeze comes in the evening so in the wind of the day that's what it says literally in Hebrew it's a Hebrew word rule like spirit when the cool of the day God would come down habitually and walk with Adam and Eve in the garden to admire the garden and enjoy time together fellowship that was very special personal he was a personal God so the Lord God comes down into the garden and Adam and Eve hid themselves why was a conviction of sin guilty conscience they feel alienated from God they feel disgraced this is the effect of sin it separates us from our God as Isaiah says separates us from our God and so they're hiding themselves you know historians when they write about 'evil or write about religions say there's been an evolution of religion through human history and has been man's quest for God I wish they would read verse 8 where I don't evening for God here or hiding from God God comes looking for them it's the first manhunt because God wants to restore for a relationship that's gone broken as I'll show you later so we have here Adam and his wife hiding in the cool of a day when God comes to fellowship with him and the Lord God verse 9 called to Adam now verses 9 to 13 we have the inquiry God wants to discuss with the original couple what happened and he calls for Adam and he says where are you and Adam said I heard your voice in the garden I was afraid because I was naked so I hid myself where are you this is the first question of the Old Testament where are you God seems to still be asking that where are you why have you broken our relationship why are you running from me what have you done you know what the first question of the New Testament is in Matthew the wise men said asked where is he that was born King of the Jews is there any connection between these two questions it's amazing how you find links when you just ask simple questions like this where is he that is born King of the Jews here is God seeking these sinners and this will become the primary theme of the rest of the Bible the fact Luke will tell us that Jesus came to seek and to save the Lost the ones who have run away from God he comes looking for us this is not man's quest for God and so God will have a plan of restoration he makes no God makes no accusations against him he simply asked where are you and Adam said in verse 10 for things he says I heard your voice in the garden notice your footsteps and I was afraid where'd that come from because I was naked well he wasn't ashamed in chapter 2 and 4 so I hid myself is he like God I mean Genesis 3:5 the devil said when you eat that forbidden fruit you shall be as God is he act like acting like God now hiding now I see this is the fruit of sin now Satan has a army Adam and Eve have a fear of God fear of God through the guilt instinct and they're starting to experience new emotions they had not felt before so I hid myself hid myself because I was naked and that's that word it sounds like and is similar to the word subtle see what suddenly has led to vulnerability shame exploitation and exposure I was naked so I hid myself shame associated with nudity exists to this day I don't see one person here on clothes it's a good thing too even when Jesus returns with the armies of heaven they wear garments white garments so I hid myself which is in contrast to to later people in the same book who walk with God Enoch and Noah but right now Adam and Eve are hiding because of what they've done so God goes on with the inquiry in verse 11 one he has two questions who told you you were naked - have you eaten of the tree whereof I commanded you that you should not eat two questions sin was known to God what God is doing here is trying to get them to confess to own up to what they have done take ownership for what you've done be responsible so let's see how Adam will respond verse 12 the man said the woman whom you you gave to me to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat now all of you who've raised children more than one time you all know what's going on here and all of us as we think back in our childhood we all recognize blame-shifting oh no don't me he does not answer either question God asked God asked who told you you were naked and have you eaten of the tree instead he replies the woman whom you gave to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat as if she had forced this down his throat carnal nature really reasons around the circle's eeeh logically doesn't it we come up with the lamest excuses that's the nature of people apart from God this is blame-shifting cowardice insolence he's blaming God in part for giving her such a deceiving woman and he makes excuses you know even job refers to this in his story when he says if I covered my transgressions as Adam I would be guilty he makes reference to this very incident so the man said the woman you gave to be with me gave me of that fruit and I did eat what a shame he doesn't own up to it and so the Lord God said to the woman verse 13 well what is this that you've done and a woman said the serpent beguiled me and I did eat there's a figure speech here what is this in the Hebrew deep feeling of indignation God's anger is aroused because he knows is all creatures made in his image of in DC by this fallen carob sin is very deceptive so what is this that you have done and woman said the serpent beguiled me and I did eat and so the interrogation now is over it's been admitted three things one they eat the forbidden fruit two the woman gave it to the man and three the serpent beguiled her I want to show you how Paul deals with this in his epistles first sorry second Corinthians 11:3 this story is fundamental to understanding biblical doctrine it's why it's so important and why it's placed so early in our biblical story 2nd Corinthians 11:3 2nd Corinthians 11:3 Paul writes but I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ false gospel presents us a challenge just like the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3 and the forbidden fruit Paul tells us the serpent beguiled Eve through subtly and so her mind became corrupted from the simple truth that she had already known to that point now 1st Timothy 2:13 first Timothy to first Timothy to 13 and 14 first Timothy 2:13 but I for Adam was first formed and then Eve first Timothy 2:13 and Adam was not deceived Wow what a condemnation and we get that from Paul Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression so Eve's response was correct she had been deceived the serpent beguiled her so she ate back to Genesis 3 now verse 14 Genesis 3 starting in verse 14 so now comes the sentence when God acts as judge and the Lord God said to the serpent because you've done this you're cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field upon your belly you'll go thus you shall eat all the days of your life you know in the interrogation God dealt with em man first and then the woman and then they serpent but now the sentencing goes in reverse order it deals with a serpent first and he deals to the woman then finally with the man there is no and err no interrogation of the serpent he doesn't ask him any questions he gives a sentence instead because you've done this you are cursed above all cattle you know what was cursed in this chapter verse 14 the devil or the serpent and verse 17 the ground and that's it God is not directly curse Adam and Eve out of grace because they were made in His image and God is enacting a plan for their Redemption but he does curse the serpent in the ground and we'll see how that comes in a story in a bed so Jazza 3:14 you are cursed above all cattle with all the rest of the animals will be cursed along with you above every beast of the field and upon your belly you shall go you shall eat dust all the days your life now snakes might eat a little bit of dust as they're consuming their prey but it's more of a figure of speech for being conquered because in Joshua for example the enemies were put under foot Joshua invites the demand to we actually stopped their feet upon the necks of their opponents that they've just conquered it eat my dust kind of a thing well that's the way they it's used here as well that this describes Satan's abasement humiliation subservience as the snake slithers through the ground and it's striking that in Isaiah 65 even in the Millennium it says the dust shall be the Serpent's food even the ages to come Wow so the serpent is cursed in now genesis 3:15 one of the most important verses of our entire Bible I will put enmity between you and the woman between your seed and her seed it shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel I will put enmity it's an unusual word of a blood feud of malice between you and a woman that is a Serpent and the woman in between your seed that that will seed and her seed who's his seed well that's the wicked of the world those who fall for Satan's lies and they lie themselves with him who was her seed well ladies do women have seed they have eggs don't they this speaks of something very special her seed this is a prophecy first prophecy the Bible first prophecy of Genesis first messianic prophecy called a protoevangelium that is the first good news her seed describing a future descendent that will bruise the head of the serpent the Messiah the coming of Messiah and this verse is long but understood is the first messianic prophecy proto Evangelion is called and he describes a messianic victory because you see to bruise the head the head is the vital part and Men when they kill snakes they strike the head cut off the head but the serpent will bruise a heel where do snakes bite tend to fight on the heel poison to and to kill it's interesting how this verse 15 has spawned many legends and myths throughout world history literature take for example chores and the dragon you many like that around the world this ongoing battle why is it we are so afraid of snakes people don't like snakes do they unless you're what's the word for a person who loves snakes is it herpetologist thank you Jim Jim I can always rely on Jim they give me the correct answer herpetologist most people are not herpetologists we don't like those snakes goes right back to this verse let's take some cross references galatians 4:4 galatians 4:4 but when the fullness of the time was come God sent forth his son galatians 4:4 made of a woman born of a woman made under the law galatians 4:4 Paul is very specific he was the seed of the woman galatians 4:4 now let's go to galatians 3 7 just back a chapter galatians 3 7 know you therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham galatians 3 7 2 children abraham who else how else does he's to describe in verse 14 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles all the nations through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith now verse 16 now to Abraham and his seed or the promises made he said not to seeds as of many but as of one and to your seed which is Christ in verse 29 and if you be Christ's then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise wait today who have gone through conversion and baptism are now the body of Christ we're joined one with him he's the seed of the woman he is our Messiah so back to Genesis 3 now verse 16 and to the woman he said I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception is sorry you shall bring forth children and your desire shall be to your husband your husband and he shall rule over you describing first two things about women there after motherhood and being wives of motherhood he says from now on you'll give birth pangs in pain and will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception it wasn't God's intention but this is part of the result of sin the birth pangs I've witnessed it we have more children I was present with my wife for all four it is not a pleasant experience so he talks about being a mother interesting that word for sorrow also sounds like the word for tree tree now it's a good and evil tree on which Jesus was crucified so many overlapping connections and then the second thing is about being a wife your desire will be to your husband you'll want to be close to him romance attachment leadership but your husband's going to rule over you but what's he mean by that well this is part of her punishment right it's in the context of difficulties that she's brought on herself because of her bad choice so this last phrase he'll rule over you has been understood as part of headship and male leadership of the family but there's much more to it it does relate to her desire to submit to her husband to desire to bear children even regardless of the pain but as Jewish and Christian scholars have understood by their phrasing of the Hebrew is talking about subjection it is descriptive as opposed to being prescriptive something is less than ideal subjection instead of being a helpmeet she becomes subservient to a man that can even act like a despot at times in a much of the world to this day that is true of women's state they are ruled by despots in part of the Muslim world but in other cultures as well describing a power struggle subservience domination like remember dr. Herman hae explaining this years ago in that way to us one of our conferences of her being attached to one sympathetic husband's who would abuse their authority that is changed when a man is converted because then it begins to look to her for companionship partnership offers her christ-like love as for the church turning tyranny into servant leadership but throughout history that has not always been the case has it been for women's lot genesis 3:17 and to Adam he said because you've hearkened to the voice your wife and eaten of the tree which I commanded you saying you shall not eat a bit cursed is the ground for your sake sorrow in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life Adam hearkened to the voice of his wife instead of harkening unto God who said do not take of that tree the first marital role reversal do not take but he did take as well as her so therefore since you did do this you shall eat of it cursed is the ground sake and sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life this is the effect of sin God had ordained work back in chapter 2 verse 15 work is not the curse I know sometimes it feels like that but that's because work was made less pleasurable because of the curse cursed is the ground for your sake in sorrow same word used for the woman's sorrow and childbirth in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days your life let's go to Romans chapter 8 cursed is the ground you know this is why Paul describes this scene in Romans 8 this way it's striking but we all have to concur this is the way things are romans 8 verse 19 for the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth a manifestation of a sense of God even all creation is waiting for the sons of God daughters of God to be born for the creature of creation was made subject to vanity or futility not willingly but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope verse 21 of Romans 8 because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption or decay into the glorious liberty of the children of God for we know that the whole creation groans and travails and pain as if in labor together until now we wonder why is there such conflict even in the animal world why do they eat each other alive and it turns our stomachs when we see it and not only they but ourselves also which have the firstfruits of the Spirit even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption to wit the sonship the redemption of our bodies yes there is a redemption coming of creation that's this good news that Jesus has brought for us and the protoevangelium you see what we just read romans 8 is the decay of the universe second law of thermodynamics entropy everything tending towards disorder and extinction we see the effects of the curse all around us every day so back to Genesis 3:18 and so Adam thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you when you shall eat of the herb of the field this is the origin of agriculture you're now going to grow vegetables Adam whereas in the garden you're allowed to actually pluck the fruit right off the trees without much work at all now you're gonna have to till that soil bend over plant the seeds we did water it so you could eat making laborious toil which God didn't intend originally he talks about besides that we have to fight off thorns isn't it not remarkable that when Jesus was being tried and being tortured by the Roman soldiers what did they plant on his head but a crown of what crown of thorns symbol of the curse on the ground and thistles poisonous noxious weeds shall it bring forth you should try to plant your vegetables of what comes out of the ground is the weeds so we're constantly pulling up the weeds playing up the weeds no end of it so you'll show each of the herb of the field the origin of Agriculture first nineteen in a sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground for out of it were you taken for dust thou art and to dust you shall return you ever hear that phrase before we use this traditional and funerals we are dust scientists say Stardust God says we're dust to the ground in a sweater your face.you libre a figure of speech for all kinds of food all your food will have to come from the ground and the animals whereas we were appointed to dress and keep a garden where we could just pick the fruit now penalty of sin extra work and that as best as we can maintain life through all those years eating of the vegetables of the ground what's the end result death till you return to the ground for out of it were you taken for dust you are and to dust you shall return God said dying you shall die Adam lived 930 years he didn't die the same day but dying you shall die he did begin to die when he and he and Eve took of that forbidden fruit but he still died 930 years later but he still died it's remarkable how many of the details of this story are related to the sacrifice of Christ the tree axe and first Peter and others say he was nailed to a tree curse Paul tells us in Galatians Jesus was made a curse for us suffering first Peter tells us of the sufferings of Christ dead Psalm 22 the great crucifixion psalm said you brought me to the dust of death you see he took our place when death was the punishment so now verse 20 of Genesis 3 verses 20 and 21 we actually have an act of faith through all this upset and disappointment an Adam called his wife's name Eve hava in Hebrew that is living life ever because she was the mother of all living she's the mother of the one human race in Adam now does something right he shows faith in the protoevangelium because from the woman would come to one that would crush the head of the devil remember we started with Galatians that Jesus was made of a woman we didn't finish that set of scriptures let's go to first John 3:8 first John 3:8 just to tie this together a little bit better first John 3:8 he that commits sin is of the devil for the devil sins from the beginning first John 3:8 for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil destroy the works of the devil that relates to this story of Genesis 3 and now I want to take you to one more Romans 16:20 this goes beyond our imagination we know Christ is going to be victorious and yet because of who we are today because of the meaning of Passover the days of unleavened bread we are now in the body of Christ we are attached to him as the head and in Romans 16 verse 20 we have a reference back to Genesis 3 Paul writes in the God of peace shall bruise remember that from Genesis 3 shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly whose feet the Church of God's feet because we are in Christ the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you amen you mean because we're in Christ we're gonna have some part in this victory it'll be Christ's victory but because we are who we are we have hope so back to Genesis 3:20 when Adam calls his wife's name Eve mother of the Living life giver he's expressing faith in this restoration program of God's and so in verse 21 in Genesis 3 - Adam also it and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them this is divine provision now where did God provide these coats of skins from you know to take off the hide of an animal hopefully out of mercy it would be dead first and here we have the first sacrifice of animals and who doesn't god this is substitutionary atonement to provide a covering and atonement for Adam and Eve with their skins of these animals the first blood shedding God does it for Adam and Eve out of grace and he provides for them clothing far better than aprons of leaves because you see skins provide warmth and protection and comfort and durability but how long with a waistcoat of leaves last do you suppose if you making leave aprons every day I would guess but skins people still wear some skins today hardly a normal attire now Genesis 3:22 24 the expulsion and the Lord God said Behold amass become as one of us to know good and evil and now lest he put forth his hand and take of that tree of life and eat and live forever therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden - till the ground from whence he was taken behold amass become as one of us that's is said in irony in the Hebrew this is ironic man was not like God that's the whole point of an irony man is a wreck he's in a ruin here man yeah he's like one of us all right look what he's done now brought death upon his head he's become like one of us here we have the father and son and communication together yes we do know good and evil and so now lest we put forth our hand and take of the tree of life and live in our sinful state forever God acts gracefully to expel us humankind from the garden it was a punishment to be expelled it was an act of grace to prevent us from becoming immortal in our sin God needs no more enemies in this universe we're told by Paul who brought life and immortality to light through the gospel Jesus Christ life and immortality comes through him through his sacrifice and so here is the first sentence therefore the Lord God verse 23 sent them forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken paradise lost' that's part of our literature English world this is banishment exile judgment and yet it's also an act of mercy and grace so that down the road we would have a chance to repent and be redeemed for Christ to pay a ransom price to bring us into the body of Christ and so therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden to work until the Gurdon so he drove out to man that's an even stronger word it's like Adam knowing he was to dress and keep the garden lingered on and was loath to leave but now God forces him out he cannot take the chance of that man taking of that tree of life and living forever in such a state so he drives him out and he placed at the east of the Garden of Eden Kara being with a flaming sword of turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life he drove him out sin separates us from God and he places at the east of the garden a word Chacon that was used for at a Burnett God's dwelling place God will be in the garden and outside guarding it will be the carob in remember the tabernacle images his temple images the carribean that guard God's throne the Ark of the Covenant he places them here and then there's a flaming sword doesn't say it's in the Angels hands it says a flaming sword the sword of the Lord the term used elsewhere in our Old Testament and so they're cast out they place them at the east of the garden so people are driven east the cradle of civilization so we are told by some historians is in the East others that went east cane people following a tower Babel all went east interesting and so we have verse 24 the beginning of civilization mr. Herbert Dobie Armstrong in his book mystery of the ages devoted a whole chapter to the mystery of civilization I refer you to it I also refer you to the Bible study course lesson 7 all about civilization and mystery of civilization so this is our civilization folks it's not been fully redeemed yet but we're going in the right direction because of God's plan he drives them out Paradise Lost is there a hope yet is there a way to bring us back into an e Zdenek State again let's go to the last book of the Bible you see we're in Genesis that's one cover now let's go to the other cover the two covers of the Bible are related by this story revelation 21 and verse 4 the last two chapters revelation described by new heavens and a new earth and a new jerusalem and in that description we have connection to Genesis 3 Genesis I should say revelation 21:4 God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away to recognize the language that verse from Genesis 3 go to chapter 22 and verse 222 - in a New Jerusalem in the middle of the street of it and on the river was there the Tree of Life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations verse 3 there shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of the lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him a knee Zdenek state restored Paradise Regained that's where we're heading folks were going back to the beginning we're going back to the garden it's a wonderful story that's why we need to read the whole Bible because of the all it's in the middle tells us how its made possible so that's our story of Genesis 3 isn't it remarkable we have traditions around the world that relate to this story - clay seals from archaeological digs at Nineveh may reflect it on one it seems to show a man and woman being tempted by a serpent the other their expulsion from the garden myths and legends like Pandora's Box where Zeus gives a box to a woman named Pandora TSA's do not open it because inside all the troubles of the world and what does she do she opens Pandora's box you see these are all myths and legends that relate back to this story so what about us you suppose you and I would do any differently if we were the original couple in Genesis 3 well unless we get to Harding let me remind you of some well-known verses I'm not going to turn there but just for your notes Genesis 6 5 & 6 during the flood God notices that the wickedness of man is great in the earth every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually after the flood God smelled a sweet savour Genesis 8:21 the Lord God said in his heart I'll never again curse the ground any more from men's sake for the imagination of a man's heart is evil from his youth now not original sin but somewhere in our youth and then in Romans or Jeremiah 17:9 to her is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it I the LORD search the heart I try the range scheme even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Paul says in Romans 3:23 all have sinned and come short of the glory of God in Romans 8 he says because the carnal mind is enmity against God and it's not subject to law of God neither indeed can be so then thator in the flesh cannot please God that's why we must be in the spirit converting so I get back to my original question where did we go wrong the Garden of Eden Genesis 3 by questioning and doubting God's Word becoming part of the yay has God said Society that's the root of all evil Passover and days of unleavened bread represent forsaking sin and to do this we must trust and obey God's holy word it reveals the mind and the plan of God why do we struggle so with sin it relates to how we deal with God's Word it's one of the central lessons of Genesis 3 so the Bible warns is to not doubt it to not omit from it to not add to it to not dilute it to not contradict it Genesis 3 is a foundational story explaining what is wrong with humankind it not only explains how we came to be in such a miserable state but also explains the way out through a sacrificial death of God's only begotten Son Jesus Christ Passover in a days of unleavened bread both relate back to this primeval story the good news is that God has not left us in this condition of sin eternally but has provided a way for us to be cleansed of sin and restored in fellowship to him only then can we live forever with him and Christ in the kingdom of God

Channel: Living Church of God

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Keywords: Unleavened Bread, 2019

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Length: 76min 59sec (4619 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 22 2019