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GENESIS 2
LESSON #08
THE AGE OF SIMPLICITY AND THE EDENIC COVENANT
v MEMORY VERSE: GEN 2:24
v READ GEN 2:1-25
v THE FIRSTDISPENSATION: THE AGE OF SIMPLICITY GEN2:8-3:23
Ø THEFIRST COVENANT: THE EDENIC COVENANT
§ THIS IS THE FIRST ATTEMPTAT A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT A BIBLICAL COVENANT IS ANAGREEMENT BETWEEN GOD AND MAN.
§ THE CONDITIONS OF THEEDENIC COVENANT:
· GEN 1:28-29 GEN 2:15-19
| GODS PROMISES: | MANS RESPONSIBILITIES: |
| MAN IS TO HAVE DOMINION OVER THE EARTH | MAN MUST REPRODUCE AND FILL THE EARTHMAN MUST SUBDUE THE EARTH |
| MAN IS PROMISED MATERIAL ABUNDANCE | MAN MUST SUBDUE THE EARTH |
| MAN WILL HAVE A CLOSE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD | MAN MUST EAT A VEGETARIAN DIET |
| MAN CAN EAT FROM THE TREE OF ETERNAL LIFE | MAN MUST TAKE CARE OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN |
| MAN MUST NOT EAT OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL | |
| MAN MUST NAME THE ANIMALS |
§ SIGN OF THE COVENANT: 2 TREES
· EVERY COVENANT HAS A SYMBOLICSIGN. THE SYMBOL FOR THE EDENIC COVENANT IS THE 2 TREES.
§ THE COVENANT DURATION:
· GOD INTENDED THIS COVENANT TO BEPERMANENT, BUT SIN MADE IT TEMPORARY.
§ LIFE SPAN FOR THE FIRSTDISPENSATION:
· MAN WAS INITIALLY TO LIVEFOREVER. AS LONG AS MAN ATE FROM THE TREE OF LIFE, HE WOULD LIVE FOREVER.
¨ AFTER THE FIRST SIN, GOD REMOVED MAN FROM THEPRESENCE OF THE TREE OF LIFE. IN GODS MERCY, HE DID NOT WANT MAN TO LIVE FOREVER INHIS SINFUL STATE.
§ THE FINAL FULFILLMENT OFTHE EDENIC COVENANT:
· GOD WILL FULFILL ALL HIS PROMISESTO MAN EVEN THOUGH MAN FAILED TO FULFILL HIS PART OF THE COVENANT.
¨ THE FINAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE EDENIC COVENANTCOMES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST IN THE MILLENNIUM AND IN ETERNITY TO COME.
Ø READ REV 22:2
v THESEVENTH DAY (2-3)
Ø GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY, WHY?
§ GOD SPECIFIES THAT THE DAYIS DIFFERENT. HIS PURPOSE IS TO COMMEMORATE A FINISHED CREATION.
§ THROUGH THE DESIGNATIONTHAT THE SEVENTH DAY IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DAYS, GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS PLAN OF TIME.
· THE JEWS BELIEVED THAT TIME ONTHIS EARTH WOULD BE 7,000 YEARS LONG. GOD WORKED IN CYCLES OF 7’S OVER AND OVER WITH THEJEWS.
¨ THEREFORE, THE NUMBER 7 IS GODS NUMBEROF PERFECTION AND COMPLETION.
§ GOD SPECIFIED THAT ALLCREATURES NEED REST ONE DAY A WEEK.
§ THIS IS NOT THEBEGINNING OF THE “SABBATH”.
· THE WORD SABBATH IS NOT USED HEREIN GENESIS. THE SABBATH WAS PART OF THE MOSAIC LAW AND STARTED WITH MOSES.
v THE CONDITIONS OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN:
Ø THERE WAS NO RAIN ON EARTH UNTIL THE FLOOD OFNOAH. DURING THIS FIRST DISPENSATION, THE EARTH WAS WATERED BY A GREENHOUSE EFFECT. (5)
§ THE NAME OF THE GARDEN WASEDEN. THE NAME EDEN MEANS = PARADISE OR PLEASURE (8).
Ø THE LOCATION OF EDEN: (10-14)
§ THE EXACT LOCATION ISUNKNOWN. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME KNOWN RIVERS MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE. THEY ARE THEEUPHRATES RIVER AND THE TIGRIS RIVER. (HIDDEKEL) (11-14)
Ø THE TWO TREES: (9)
§ WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THETWO TREES?
· THEY GAVE MAN A FREE WILL CHOICE.
¨ THE TREE OF LIFE WAS IN THE CENTER OF THEGARDEN.
Ø ETERNAL LIFE IS CENTRAL TO GOD’S PLAN.
§ ADAM AND EVE WERE SUPPOSEDTO LIVE FOREVER IN THE CENTER OF GODS WILL AND GODS BLESSING.
¨ TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.
Ø WHAT WAS IT? WHAT IS ITS SIGNIFICANCE? WHYWAS IT SO BAD TO BREAK THE RESTRICTION?
§ TO NOT EAT FROM THIS TREEIS THE ONLY RESTRICTION PLACED ON ADAM AND EVE.
§ IT WAS PROBABLY NOT ANY SPECIAL KIND OF TREE. WHATMADE IT SPECIAL WAS GOD’S RESTRICTION. IT WAS ADAM’S TEST OF OBEDIENCE TO THE COVENANT.
§ EATING OF IT WOULD CAUSEMAN TO HAVE A CONSCIOUSNESS OF GOOD AND EVIL. EATING OF IT WAS TO EXPERIENCE THECONSEQUENCES OF EVIL. HE WOULD KNOW WHAT EVIL WAS, HAVING TASTED OF DISOBEDIENCE.
· THE CONSEQUENCE OF BREAKING GODSRESTRICTION:
¨ DEATH. VERSE 17 LITERALLY READS IN HEBREW,”IN DYING THOU SHALT DIE”. THIS MEANS THAT THE DAY ADAM ATE OF IT, HIS BODYWOULD BEGIN TO AGE AND PROGRESS TOWARD EVENTUAL PHYSICAL DEATH. IT ALSO MEANS THAT THE DAYADAM ATE OF IT, HIS SPIRIT WOULD DIE IMMEDIATELY.
v THE TWOTREES ARE A TYPE:
Ø READ ACT 5:30 AND 1PET 2:24
§ SCRIPTURE REFERS TO THECROSS OF CHRIST AS A TREE.
| THE TWO TREES OF GENESIS | CHRIST ON THE CROSS |
| PLANTED IN A GARDEN | PLANTED IN A GARDEN (JOH 19:41) |
| PLANTED BY GOD IN EDEN | PLANTED BY MAN ON CALVARY (MAT 27:35) |
| PLEASANT TO THE EYES | THEY SAW NO BEAUTY IN HIM (ISA 53:2) |
| THOUGHT TO BE GOOD FOR FOOD | THE TRUE FOOD FOR THE SOUL |
| THOUGHT TO MAKE ONE WISE | THE SOURCE OF TRUE WISDOM |
| FORBIDDEN TO EAT OF IT | MAN IS INVITED TO EAT (JOH 6:51) |
| SATAN ENTICED EVE TO EAT IT | SATAN TRIES TO PREVENT MAN FROM PARTAKING OF CHRIST |
| EATING IT BROUGHT DEATH TO MAN | PARTAKING OF CHRIST BRINGS LIFE TO MAN (JOH 6:53-54 JOH 11:26) |
| ADAM, THE THIEF, WAS CAST OUT OF PARADISE | THE THIEF ON THE CROSS WAS INVITED INTO PARADISE (LUK 23:43) |
| VIOLATION OF THE TREE BROUGHT A CURSE UPON ALL PEOPLE | THE CROSS OF CHRIST LIFTS THE CURSE FROM PEOPLE (GAL 3:13) |
v MANS RESPONSIBILITY IN EDEN: (15) =
Ø ADAM WAS TO “DRESS AND KEEP THEGARDEN” =
§ HE WAS TO SUBDUE AND BRINGIT INTO BONDAGE UNDER HIS DOMINION AND AUTHORITY. THE WORD ALSO MEANS TO WORSHIP BYBUILDING A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND IT.
· GODS INTENTION IN THEBALANCE BETWEEN MAN AND HIS ENVIRONMENT WAS A BALANCE BETWEEN DOMINION AND CARE. GOD GAVEMAN THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY OVER HIS PHYSICAL WORLD, BUT HE WAS NOT TO ABUSE IT. HE WAS TOTAKE CARE OF IT AND PROTECT IT.
v THE MISSING INGREDIENT IN ADAMS WORLD:(21-22)
Ø WHAT WAS ADAM’S PERFECT ENVIRONMENT LACKING? EVE
§ ALL THE ANIMALS HAD A MATE,BUT ADAM HAD NO ONE.
Ø WHAT SIGNIFICANCE IS IT THAT EVE WAS MADEFROM ADAM’S RIB INSTEAD OF ANY OTHER BONE IN ADAM’S BODY?
§ WOMAN WAS TO BE EQUAL WITHMAN. SHE WAS NOT MADE FROM A BONE IN ADAM’S FOOT SO HE COULD DOMINATE HER. SHE WAS NOTMADE FROM A BONE IN ADAMS HEAD SO SHE WOULD DOMINATE HIM.
· THEIRS WAS TO BE A LOVERELATIONSHIP, FOR THE RIB IS NEXT TO MAN’S HEART.
Ø WHAT WERE MALE / FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS TO BELIKE BEFORE THE FALL INTO SIN? (23-24)
§ THE KING JAMES BIBLE USESTHE WORDS, HELP MEET FOR HIM (18)
· THE SURFACE MEANING OF THE WORDHELP IS SIMPLY = HELP, OR AID.
¨ THE ROOT MEANING OF THIS WORD MEANS = TOSURROUND, PROTECT, HELP, AND NOURISH.
· THE MEANING OF THE WORD MEETIS = SUITABLE, FIT, OR CORRESPONDING TO.
¨ THE WORD MEET IS NOT A SEPARATEWORD IN THE HEBREW.
¨ THE IDEA IS THAT SHE IS ALL AROUND HIM IN ADAILY INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP OF HELP. SHE WAS TO SUPPLY WHAT HE LACKED, AND HE MUST SUPPLYWHAT SHE LACKED.
Ø THE UNDERLYING CONCEPT WAS TO CONFRONTFACE TO FACE.
§ IF EVE WAS ALWAYS AROUNDADAM, HE WOULD LOOK AT EVE AND SEE WHAT HE LACKED IN HIS PERSONALITY, JUST LIKE LOOKINGINTO A MIRROR. THEY WERE TO BE A MIRROR OF TRUTH TO EACH OTHER.
§ THEIR RELATIONSHIP WAS TOBE ONE OF EQUALITY AND LOVE.
§ MAN WAS TO BE HEAD OF THEHOUSEHOLD. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE TO GOD FOR ITS SUCCESS.
§ MAN WAS TO CLEAVE TO HISWIFE = THEY WERE TO HAVE A PERMANENT MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP.
§ MAN AND WIFE WERE TO BE ONEFLESH = THEY WERE TO HAVE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ACCEPTANCE AND DEFERENCE FOR THE SAKE OFUNITY.
· THEY WERE TO HAVE AN INTIMACY OFBODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT.
v HOMEWORK
v GENESIS3:1-6
v THIS IS ASELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION
v APPLICATION OF GENESIS 2:
Ø IF YOU ARE MARRIED, WHAT CAN YOU DO IN YOURMARRIAGE TO MAKE IT MORE LIKE WHAT GOD ORIGINALLY INTENDED?
v PREPARATION FOR GENESIS 3:1-6
Ø READ GEN 3:1-6 THE FALL INTO SIN
§ READ LUK 4 AND 1JOH 2:16
· WHAT DO YOU NOTICE THAT ISSIMILAR IN THESE 3 SCRIPTURE PASSAGES?
· WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT FIGHTINGTEMPTATION FROM THESE 3 PASSAGES?
v MEMORY VERSE: JAMES 1:2-3
