BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 6

One Obedient Man

Genesis 7 & 8

Me-

Subconsciously, one of the first sins that I committed intentionally was disobedience.  I say subconsciously because it seems to be built into the fabric of human nature.  Its foundation is pride. It comes from the idea of doing what I want to do, when I want to do it, how I want to do it and with whom I want to do it without anyone telling me that I cannot.  The earliest examples that I know existed in my own life was defying my parents.  I think of all the times I refused to pick up toys, clean up my room, or to eat what was put in front of me.  Then there were the times when I would return home when I was told to be there because what I was doing was more important than obeying. 

I have learned that obedience is an acquired skill.  It is all about trust.  Trust that what God is telling me to do is for my benefit.  To disobey now causes, not only me, but those around me a   great deal of harm.   Others are watching to see how I handle different situations because I happen to be in a leadership role.  My prayer each day is to do those things that are pleasing in God’s sight.

We-

It is so easy for the church to be disobedient.  We have to remember that the church is made up of individuals, which means that whatever takes place is multiplied many times over.  We would call it “church culture” which the accumulative attitudes and opinions of all who attend on a regular bases.  We might ask. How are we disobedient and what affect does it have on the body and the community around us?  Simply, we have been given two commands (Matthew 22:37-40) and the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20) upon which we are to base all that we do.  To violate either or both of these is to be disobedient to the charge we have been given to impact the world.  Sadly, we are not doing well in either of them when we consider that 80% of Chesterfield County is un-churched and most of us have not witnessed to a single person this year. 

As Hebrews tells us that Noah witnessed to the ungodly for a hundred years as he built the ark.  He is the example of faithfulness and boldness that should be guiding our walk with the Father in obedience and not disobedience.

 God-

Genesis 7:1

The word for enter in Hebrew can mean enter as is normally understood.  It can also mean to come in.  What a beautiful picture is given using the second definition.  It would indicate that God was waiting for Noah to come into the ark which would provide his salvation and that of all who were with him.  This was the first of two recurring commands that lead to the actions taken by Noah in this chapter. 

God helps Noah to understand the reason that he is being saved.  In him alone did God find righteousness.  It was not because of his works but his continuing faith before and throughout the one hundred years it took him to build the ark.  His family was also given life because of his faith.  This is probably the only time that salvation came to people as a result of the faith of a parent.  Ezekiel speaking of the judgment that was to come on Judah said, “Even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves. (Ezekiel 14:16)

1. Why did God tell Noah to come into the ark?
2. If he alone was declared righteous, why did God allow his family to be saved also?
3. Why must each person make his or own decision to accept Christ?

Genesis 7:2-3

Noah now is given the second command.  He is to make sure that the animal world is saved.  It is important to note that God gave him specific instructions concerning the animals.  There were to be seven pair of clean and one pair of unclean animals taken aboard the ark.  There are a couple of valid reasons for this arrangement.  Because of the flood, all vegetation would be destroyed and the animals would provide food for Noah and his family until a new harvest could occur.  The clean animals could also be offered up to God in thanksgiving. 

In all likelihood the animals were brought to Noah by God.  It is no way that he could have rounded all of them up.  His responsibility then was to make sure that each of them found its way onto the ark.

1. What was the second command?
2. Why did God decide to save the animals also?
3. What was the purpose for saving seven pairs of clean animals and only two of the unclean?
4. What was Noah’s responsibility in regard to the animals?

Genesis 7:4

God gave Noah a timetable in which the last minute preparations had to be done.  In a way it also gave him one more opportunity to speak to those about to be judged and destroyed.  The thing for which Noah had been preparing was about to occur.  He was given not only the duration of the rain but the results.  It was to rain forty days and nights.  During that time everyone and everything that moved on the earth would be destroyed.  Very few throughout history have been given a more precise timetable than the one Noah received.  One last idea in regard to this description of what God was about to do.  He has never taken pleasure in having to bring judgment on man.  See Ezekiel 18:33, 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9.  

1. Why was Noah given such a clear timetable?
2. How could he have used this time?
3. What would we do with our lives if we were given such a schedule and the results that would occur at the end of it?
4. From the lesson that can be learned from this verse how should we approach each day? 
5. What does it say about our lives and how God views them?
6. How do the verses in Ezekiel and 2 Peter relate to what is going on in verse 4.

Genesis 7:5

Once again a picture is given of the obedience of Noah.  He did not fail in all that God had called him to do.

1.  How do we do all that God calls us to do?
2. What does it take from us to make this happen?
3. Why are only half way commitments not enough for God?
4. What happens when we fail to give everything that we are to God?

Genesis 7:6

This is one of those defining moments in history.  The writer gives in the verse the age of Noah   when judgment came on the earth.  A new era in history was about to occur.  It was the dividing line between the old sinful, pre-flood world and a fresh start for mankind.

1. Why was God so specific in His timing of the events that were about to occur?
2. What was about to take place that is important to us today?
3. What do the events that occurred in the life of Noah up to the point of he and his family entered the ark say about God?

Genesis 7:7-16

The day finally arrived for Noah and all who were with him to enter the ark.  After the seven days mentioned before the flood waters came upon the earth.  A more specific dating was then given than that of verse 6.  Moses said in the 600 hundredth year in the second month and the seventeenth day there was a two prong catastrophe that came on the earth.  Not only did the rain fall for forty days and nights but of the subterranean streams burst forth.

It was on the very day that all with Noah went into the ark.  Here the names of the three sons of Noah are given.  By naming Shem, Ham and Japheth and then listing their wives it is clear the number of people who were to survive the flood.  In describing the animals Moses used a term that was seen in the creation narrative.  He spoke of the cattle, the creeping things and the birds having entered the ark each after their own kind.  Here again the whole idea of evolution is shown to be impossible and untrue.

Once God saw that all that was to be saved were inside the ark He did one last thing to ensure their survival.  It was He who closed the gang plank and sealed them inside to ride out the storm.

1. What was the reason that Moses mentioned a number of times who and what was on the ark?
2. Why did God use both the water from below and above to carry out His judgment?
3. What changes could this have brought to the world as Noah had known it?
4. What is the importance of the mention of “after their own kind” in this passage?
5. Why did God shut the door to the ark?

Genesis 7:17-23a

The extent of the flood is beyond imagination.  It reached a depth of over 22 feet higher than the tallest mountain.  All life on earth would have had no place to go from the water.  All living things whether man, beast or bird perished.  In recent years there have been a number of examples of the devastation that can be caused by earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes and Tsunamis. Now think of this taking place over the whole earth and one can only begin to understand the scope of the destruction and changes to the landscape brought on by the flood. 

The greatest catastrophe was the almost total judgment of man.  Moses used a term again that was seen back in chapter two where he spoke of the breath being given to the living.  Now that same breath was being removed from every creature and His highest creation man.

1. Why was it important for the water to reach such great depth?
2. What perished in the flood?
3. What events can you name that have occurred in recent years that show the devastation than can take place in nature?
4. In your estimation what was the saddest part of the whole event?
5. Why did Moses speak of the “breath of the spirit of life?”
6. What was he trying to say with such an comprehensive description of what took place?

Genesis 7:23b

After speaking of all of the destruction, Moses gets back to Noah.  Only Noah and those with him out of all that had lived on the earth remained alive.  The breath of the spirit of life given to man lived on through him and his family.

1. Why was it important to bring the narrative back to focus on Noah?
2. By indicating that he was alive what does it say about God?
3. What did God intend to do with mankind?

Genesis 7:24

Although the rain lasted forty days the flood waters, of course, would take much longer to subside.  As will be seen in the next chapter at the end of the one hundred and fifty days the top mountain could be seen.

Genesis 8:1-4

It might seem strange that the text reads, “But God remembered Noah.”  Of course He does not forget anything or anyone.  In today’s times this could mean that God again took action on Noah’s behalf.  The storms had stopped and the underground water was no longer causing flooding.  A wind began to blow that would dry up the water. 

There might be a parallel to what was now taking place as the world was being recreated.  In chapter 7 the surface of the earth was covered with water.  In chapter 8 the waters recede as the wind blew over its surface and the dry land reappeared.

It took one hundred fifty days for the waters to subside enough for the tops of the mountains to appear.  At that point the ark came to rest on Ararat which is modern day Turkey.  The exact timing of the ark coming to rest is given.  It was the seventh month and the seventeenth day of that month.  That date would correspond to the resurrection of Jesus on the third day following Passover which is in the seventh month and the fourteenth day of the Jewish calendar. It is also interesting that the word for rest, Nuah, is a play on the name of Noah which also means rest. 

1. Why would Moses write, “but God remembered?”
2. If we took the word as it is written what would this say about God?
3. What was the Scripture really saying?
4. What is the significance of the timing of the ark coming to rest on Ararat?
5. What was the rest that would come through Noah?

Genesis 8:5-7

The water continued to recede for another three months until the tenth month.  At that point the mountains around him could be seen.  Remember his only access to the outside world was the window in the side of the ark.  After forty days he sent out a raven to determine the condition of the earth.  The raven was probably sent out because of its strength to fly long distances and its ability to forage for food that might be floating on the surface of the water.

1. What was the sign of hope that conditions were improving?
2. Why did Noah send out the raven?
3. What conclusion could be reached by Noah by the fact the raven did not return?

Genesis 8:8-12

After the raven did not return to the ark, Noah sent out a dove.  Not having the same abilities as the raven it would give a better indication of the condition of the land.  The dove returned without finding a place to rest.  Subsequent to that first time it was sent out two other times over a fourteen day period of time.  On the second flight the dove returned with an olive branch.  The third time it did not return at all.

1. Why did Noah choose the dove as his messenger?
2. What did it find in its flight?
3. Why do we use the olive branch as a symbol of peace?
4. What conclusions did Noah draw after each flight of the dove?

Genesis 8:13-14

One year from the start of the rain in the six hundred and first year of his life, Noah felt confident that he could open the door of the ark.  What he found was that the land had dried from the surface of the earth.  Even then he did not leave the ark but waited until the second month to make sure that everything had dried up.  Another reason he remained on the ark was that God had not given him instructions of what to do.

1. How long did the flood last?
2. What gave Noah the confidence to open the door?
3. Why did he not leave the ark at that point?
4. What does this say about the character of Noah?

Genesis 8:15-18

Finally God is seen speaking again.  He gave Noah permission to leave the ark and to take all of the animals with him.  One commentator suggest that the command to go indicated that God had been with Noah the whole time although there is no detail of that time He and Noah spent together.  Once on dry land they would once again multiply and fill the earth as God had planned for them back in the garden.  It was only after God commanded him to do so that Noah and his family departed from the ark.  Although not mentioned in the narrative satan’s scheme to have everyone and everything had failed.  God was allowing a new start for man and the animal kingdom.

1. What do we see God doing after a whole year had lapsed since the flood began?
2. Why did Noah only leave the ark after God spoke?
3. What were God’s explicit instructions to Noah?
4. What was to take place once the animals left the ark?
5. What does this event say about satan’s scheming?
6. What lesson about waiting do these verses have for us?

Genesis 8:19

Here again is an indication that God created different animals to remain unique.  Moses said that each went out in pairs according to their own kind.  There was no mixing of any of the animals with other types.

1. Why is important to understand what is being said in this verse?
2. What has been God’s plan concerning animals from the very beginning?
3. How does this verse help us to answer those who believe in evolution?

Genesis 8:20

The first action Noah took upon leaving the ark was to worship God.  He built an altar and offeredof every clean animal and bird as sign of thanksgiving for all that God had done for him.

1. Why was it important that his initial act was to worship God?
2. What was the meaning of building an altar and making a sacrifice?
3. In what ways can we indicate that we love God each day of our lives?

Genesis 8:21-22

God accepted the offering of Noah.  He then made two promises.  They were:

• He would never curse the ground because of man.  This is amazing since he indicated that He understood that Noah’s descendants would be no different that their ancestors.  He said, “The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”  Sin did not disappear with the flood waters.
• He would never again destroy every living thing from the earth.

In verse 22 He told Noah that a number of things would never cease as long as the earth last.

• Seedtime and harvest
• Cold and heat
• Summer and Winter
• Day and night

God’s promises have been true.  Throughout all time and the catastrophes that man has known these things have remained constant.  They are a reminder of the faithfulness that began with Noah and remain until this day.

You-

• As you think about the circumstances in which you may find yourselves, pray that God will give you the faith and perseverance to face them.
• Pray that you will be obedient in all the ways God calls you to serve. See Matthew 28:19-20 and Romans 12:1-2
• Realize that sin is still alive in this world. 
• Confess and repent of all the sin you have committed
• Trust God that His promises still hold true for you.  See Genesis 8:22

We-

Noah had a chance to begin again.  He was carried into a brand new world by the waters of the flood.  In each of our lives we have the same opportunity as we go through the waters of baptism signifying the change that has taken place in our hearts.  We should pray that our lives reflect our commitment made to Jesus and work very hard at overcoming the evil intent that is prevalent in every man’s life.  We know that we can trust God because the promises He has made to man throughout history have come true.  His greatest guarantee is that those who have become followers of Christ will spend eternity with Him in a new land for man called heaven.  There we will not have to worry about failing to please Him. Our heart’s desire will be to always obey Him.

Additional Notes:

RT-The following are just thoughts I have.  There is no basis found specifically in the Bible or in science for them.  Since the biblical calendar is based on 360 days, there is a possibility that during the flood and violent underground eruptions that they were strong enough to cause the earth to be tilted to its present axis, thus altering the time it takes the earth to orbit the sun to its present 365 ¼ days and altering the seasons.  This may also be one of the reasons that certain animals became extinct because they were no longer suited to the new climate. (Based on Gen. 7:11)

C-It fell to Noah’s sons to repopulate the earth.  (Gen. 7:11; 10:1-32)

RT-Although we do not know how Abel came to understand that he was to bring a sacrifice to God, Noah after all his experiences of seeing God work in his life gladly made a burnt offering to the Lord on the altar he built.  (Gen. 8:20-21)

C-Although Noah was a righteous man God knew that those who came after him would not truly be any different than those who had perished in the flood.  In this case a fresh start for the world would not bring about a lasting change in the hearts of men.  It would take the coming of Christ to bring this about.  Even after the flood, God said, “The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” (Gen. 8:21)

WM-Even after such a great judgment as the flood the fact remained that man has a bent towards evil.  Sinful man lacks the ability to continually do what is right. (Gen. 8:22)

I believe that this is an example that the modern world fails to understand.  Our concept is that conditions have to be just right if a person is going to be motivated.  Here we see a man who had the internal spirit drive doing, not what is comfortable or convenient or the right working conditions, but because he was righteous, blameless and walked with God, did what God called him to do.

 

 

 

 

 

Lesson 5

What’s in a Name?

Genesis 4:25-6:22

Me-

A subject that once bored me in school, possibly because of the way it was taught, has over the years become one which have bought me hours of enjoyment.  It is the history of mankind.  As I have grown older I have come to appreciate the great men and woman who have lived down through the ages.  Of course some of the most fascinating people are those found in the Bible.

On a more personal note I have enjoyed looking at the genealogy of my own family.  It is interesting to know the names and a little about those who came before me.  Sometimes, like most families, there are those who would be considered the black sheep of the family.  Every family is a mixture of good and bad.

Looking at circumstances surrounding how I got here, I am continually amazed that somehow God reached down and touched my heart and drew me to Him.  Left to my own will I do not know if I would have ever been led to the point that I am in my relationship with Christ.  I thank Him for His grace and mercy in my life.

We-

We all have a story that is made up of an accumulation of bits and pieces of all those who have gone before us.  Their lives have an effect on us because beliefs and behaviors are passed down from generation to generation.  We also have a great heritage of those who have carried on the faith in Christ throughout history.

In the lesson today there is a contrast between the descendents of the godless Cain and those of Seth.  We will see that the faithfulness of his family led to the ultimate salvation and survival of man in Noah.  We will also see the importance of our own faithfulness as we impact the generations that follow us.

 

 

Genesis 4:25

What was to happen now? Cain had been discredited and banished to wander the earth.  Abel was dead.  The seed of man could have easily perished.  However it is important to note that God had not rescinded His command to Adam to multiply and fill the earth or the promise of seed who would defeat satan. 

God in His infinite grace and mercy provided a son to Adam and Eve.  They called him Seth. His name can mean “seed, appointed or “granted.”  In Eve’s mind Seth was given to take the place of Abel. 

1. What could have happen to mankind after the death of Abel?
2. Why did Eve see Seth as a replacement for Abel?
3. Why were Cain and his descendents not taken into consideration?
4.  What does Seth’s name signify?

Genesis 4:26

Although nothing else is known about Enosh except his name, it was an important time in history.  Seth called his son Enosh which represents the mortality and frailty of man.  During the lifetime of Enosh men began to worship and praise God once again.  Abel had set the stage and others were taking up the banner.

1. What is the important fact of the time of Enosh?
2. Why did Seth name his son Enosh?

Genesis 5:1-2

Moses recounts the relationship that man had in the beginning.  God created man and woman in His own likeness.  In turn God not only created them but gave His creation the name of Adam and blessed them.  It is significant that these words were written here.  This was the new Genesis for man.  This would begin a new godly line man culminating in the promised seed Jesus.

1. Why did Moses give a recap of creation?
2. Who was at the center of what God created?
3. What does it mean for man to have been blessed?
4. Why was it important that God gave male and female the name of Adam?

  Genesis 5:3-20

There is a reoccurring theme that runs through these verses.  Although the names change there are at least some factors that remain the same.  In each generation is seen:

• Each person was born with the divine image of God but also the likeness of the fallen nature of Adam.
• Unlike Adam every person since his time have not been created but born to their parents.
• The names of only the first born.
• Each of them had other children both male and female
• Every single person died as a consequence of Adam’s sin.  There is one exception that will be discussed in the next section.

Following is the list of descendants of Adam down to Enoch:

Seth had Enosh. The meaning of their names has already been given.                                    Enosh had Kenan, Kenan is a variation of Cain.                                                                      Kenan had Mahalel. Mahalel is one who praises God.                                                           Mahalel had Jared.Jared may mean servant.                                                                               Jared had Enoch.

1. Why was each son described as having both the image of God and the likeness of Adam?
2. Why were only the names of the firstborn given?
3. What was the result of Adam’s sin in the lives of all of his descendents with a couple of exceptions?
4. How has his sin affected us?

Genesis 5:21-24

Enoch, Jared’s son, stood out among the descendents up to that point.  He was described as one who walked with God.  His life was one of communion and intimacy with God.  In this respect his life was different from all of his predecessors.  The other difference between him and other men was the fact that because of his relationship, he did not experience death as all of the others had.  When Enoch was 365 years old “God took him away.”  It is a picture of what will take place at the time of the Rapture when Christians will be caught up and changed from the mortal to immortal.

1. How does a man like Enoch come to the point of communion and intimacy with God when there is no indication that such faith exists in those around him?
2. Why did God take him away from this world without experiencing death?
3. How is this a picture of what will take place at the Rapture?

Genesis 25-27

When Enoch was 65 years old he had Methuselah.  Imbedded in his name was a prophecy concerning the future of man.  His name means, “When he dies, it will come.”  Enoch possibly saw the coming judgment of man as he witnessed the evil condition of the world because of the influence of Cain’s family.  Methuselah was the longest living man ever.  He died the year of the flood, 1656 years after the creation of man.  Like all those who preceded him, he had other sons and daughters, but the son written about was Lamech.

1. Why is the translation of Methuselah’s name so important?
2. Why did God allow him as well as the others to live so long?
3. What was God waiting for if man was becoming more evil?
4. What does it show about God?

Genesis 5:28-31

The life of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, was a complete contrast to the descendent of Cain who had the same name.  Although both men were powerful as the name denotes, Seth’s descendent was a powerful man for God in a world that had turned its back on Him.  This is reflected in his son’s name.  He called him Noah, which means, “rest, comfort or consolation.”   In the mind of Lamech Noah was seen as the hope of a future peace that could come to the earth.  Little did he know that through Noah a new world would begin.

1. How do we know that Lamech’s lifestyle contrasted with Cain’s descendent?
2. What evidence do we have that he used his power for God?
3. What lessons can we learn from the use of power from these two men?
4. What is wrapped up in the name he gave to Noah?
5. What hope did Lamech have for his son?
6. In naming his son Noah in whom did he put his trust?
7. How would Noah be able to live up to his name?

Genesis 5:32

The timing of God is amazing.  Noah was 500 years old when he had his sons.  This is the first time that not only the first born was mentioned but all three of them.  Shem, Ham and Japheth would each be instrumental in founding the different races and nationalities after the flood.

1. Why did God wait so long to give Noah sons?
2. What is unique in the fact that all three sons were mentioned?
3. What role would they play in the history of mankind after the flood?

Genesis 6:1-4

By the time Noah was an old man the world was a changed place.  As the population increased so had man’s capacity to commit evil also grown.  There is a part of Scripture found here that is very difficult to interpret.  “The identification of the “sons of God” is an age-old biblical-theological challenge that has been answered in various ways. The position taken in this commentary is that the marriages involving the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men” were between the godly and ungodly lines of humanity based on the literary context and resulting judgment on the human world.

The more traditional explanation is that the “sons of God” were fallen angelic beings, based upon such evidence as the later use of this term in Job and Psalms, the apocryphal Book of First Enoch 6-7 which says they were angels, and possible reference to this sin in 1 Peter 3:18-20 and 2 Peter 2:4.

Other explanations have included dynastic rulers who were seeking to rule all humanity and non-elect despots under demonic influence.

Whatever position one takes on the identification of “sons of God,” the truth remains that there was a sin of improper, mixed marriage that resulted in great sin and eventually necessitated God’s worldwide judgment.”

Holman Old Testament Commentary – Holman Old Testament Commentary – Genesis.

When God saw the depth to which His creation had sunk, He put in motion the judgment that would befall all of mankind except for Noah and his family.

God said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”  The verse defined the number of years that would allow Noah to have the time to build the ark and give man more than enough opportunity to repent. It also meant that God’s patience with man had run out. 

1. What had happened to the world during the years of Noah’s life?
2. What is meant by the term “the sons of God and the daughters of men?”
3. What did God mean by the statement that He would not strive with men?
4. What was important about the number of years before judgment would come?
5. What does it say about God?

Genesis 6:5-7

God saw that not only the actions were evil but everything that man thought about was filled with evil intent.  Because of the total state of depravity to which man had fallen, God was sorry that He had even made them.  They had totally rejected Him at this point in history.  One verse speaks of the hurt that God felt.  It said, “He was grieved in His Heart.”  Although God is spirit and does not have a physical heart the reader could certainly understand the seriousness of the sin of man.

Based on the condition of man, God declared that everything that He created would be destroyed.  This included not only man but every living animal that moved on the earth and bird that flew above the earth.  Here is seen how the sin of man affects all of creation.

1. How did the earth look from God’s perspective?
2. How could man’s actions grieve the heart of God?
3. What other emotions do we see displayed by God in these verses?
4. Why were the animals and birds to suffer the same judgment as man?
5. What hope was left for man at this point?

Genesis 6:8-10

There was one man left who found favor with God.  Noah was that man.  He was viewed by God as one who was:

• Righteous
• Blameless in his time.  He was a man who had a spiritual maturity and was full of integrity.
• One who walked with God.  He had not been influenced by the evil world around him but was steadfast in his relationship with God.

This man had three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth who had been mentioned earlier.

1. Why did Noah find favor with God?
2. What does each of the characteristic of this man mean?
3. Why are his sons mentioned again?
4. What kind of influence did Noah have on them since they were not included with those who were to be destroyed?
5. How does God view you and me? 
6. How do our actions and words influence those around us?
7. What contrast can be drawn between Noah and the rest of mankind?
8. How does a man remain faithful living in an evil society?

Genesis 6:11-12

The writer gives a further description of the condition on earth.  There are two words that he used to indicate what was taking place.  The first was corrupt.  He used it three times.  Man had become rotten to the core.  The second was violence.  It is easy to see that from God’s perspective there had been total rejection of all that He had intended for His creation.  The world had become completely unraveled and lost its moral foundation.

1. Why did the inspired writer use the terms that he did to describe man’s condition?
2. What does each of them mean?
3. What evidence do we have that these same kinds of things are taking place in our own world?
4. What do these verses really say about mankind?

Genesis 6:13-16

Here is the first indication of a beginning dialog with Noah.  He first told him what He was going to do and what was going on in the world.  Noah could certainly understand the latter part of the words from God.  All he had to do was look around and see what was going on.  The former would be a little more difficult to grasp. God was telling Noah that everyone and everything with which he was familiar was going to be destroyed. 

These opening statements were given because Noah would have to have a reason for building a massive ark in the desert where there had never been any rain.  He did not give Noah an option.  In order to survive he would have to build the boat.  Then God gave him instructions on the materials to be used, the design and the precise measurements of this huge boat.  Remember nothing like this had ever been built by man up to that time. 

1. Why did God speak to mortal man about what He was about to do?
2. What might Noah’s immediate reaction have been to such a statement?
3. Why did God tell him what He was planning before He told Noah what he was to do?
4. What options did Noah have?
5. Why did God give such detailed instructions?
6. What would have been your response to all of this information?    

 Genesis 6:17

God once again reiterated what He was about to do.  Noah would have understood by that point that his only hope for survival was to build the boat.  To refuse to listen would lead to his own destruction along with everyone else.

1. Why did God repeat what He was about to do?
2. Why does God sometimes have to tell us something more than once?
3. What were the options for Noah at that point?

Genesis 6:18

This verse has two important parts to it.  First it was  God’s promise of a continuing relationship with Noah by way of a contract or agreement made by Him.  This certainly would speak of the survival of Noah beyond the flood.  It said that mankind would get a third chance. The second is that God was giving life to his sons based on the covenant relationship with Noah.  They would be the fathers of the generations to follow that would once again populate the earth.

1. What was importance of the covenant with Noah?
2. How were his sons included in the God’s agreement with Noah?
3.  What did this agreement mean for you and me?

Genesis 6:19-21

Noah was then given instructions of what was to be taken with him into the ark.  Of the clean animals there were to be seven pair.  Those of the unclean would be saved in two’s.  He was also commanded to carry onto the ark all the necessary food they would need to sustain them.  Notice, Noah was not told when the events would all happen or how long the journey would be. 

1. Why was God so specific about what would go on the ark?
2. What would you have thought given such instructions?
3. How in the world was Noah going to accomplish all that he was commanded to do?
4. What was the instruction concerning the provisions so important?
5. What evidence is given that Noah had a long time to accomplish all he had been given to do?

Genesis 6:22

All that was said about Noah comes to fruition in this verse.  As difficult and overwhelming a task that he had been given, “Noah did according to all that God had commanded him.”  Moses then puts the exclamation point on all that has been said when he wrote of Noah’s faith, “So he did.”

1. What does this verse say about the character of Noah?
2. How difficult would it to have been for Noah to remain faithful for a hundred years?
3. Although not mentioned, how do you think that he would have been viewed by all those watching him build the ark?
4. What would you like for your legacy to be?
5. What example did Noah set for us as you reflect on the statement, “Noah did according to all that God commanded him.”

You-

• As you review the last two lessons give attention to the meaning of each name.
• If you were named according to your attributes how would you be described?
• What legacy would you like to leave behind?
• Look at the characteristics you most admire about the men Moses wrote about and choose those you would emulate.
• Pray that you will remain firm in your faith no matter what is taking place around you.

We- 

For the last two weeks we have studied the descendents of Adam from Cain to Noah.  As we have seen there has never been a greater contrast between Cain’s descendents and those of Seth.  All of those who came from Cain were worldly and evil men.  Lamech was the perfect example of men who have rejected God. 

For us the descendents of Seth exemplify the kinds of men that we should desire to be.  In the time of Enosh men began to call on God.  Enoch had such a close relationship with God that he was translated into heaven and never faced death.  Lamech hoped his son Noah would bring about the restoration of  a godly society.  Noah was called blameless and righteous.  He was also described as man who walked with God. 

We live in a society not much different from the one in which each of those men found themselves.  Hopefully we will have the same spirit as Seth, Enosh, Enoch and Noah who desired to impact the people around them.  The question we have to ask after studying the events of the last three chapters is how close are we to the culmination of history?  Even Jesus stated that the last days will be just like those Noah experienced.

Keep looking up for your salvation is drawing closer.  It is closer than it has ever been.  We need to remain faithful in all that we do.

Additional Notes:

C-After the death of Abel and the exile of Cain, God blessed the couple with a son whom they named Seth meaning seed.  They saw this son as providing a new beginning for mankind. It would be through Seth that the world would be multiplied.  God brought joy out of grief with Seth’s birth. (Gen. 4:25; 5:3)

C-Man began to call on God during the lifetime of Enosh.  Faith reached its pinnacle in Enoch lifetime.  The Bible tells us that “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. (Gen. 4:26; 5:3)

BL-As a result of man’s fallen nature there is a recurring mournful refrain, “. . .and then he died,”  Only Enoch out of all the men listed in the line of Adam before Noah was born   responded to God’s call with gratitude, as reflected in his upright way of living.                      (Gen. 5:1-31)

E-We are not told the particulars of Enoch’s encounters with God.  What we do know that however he met God that it brought a life-long transformation in his life. Of all the people listed in the genealogy found in Genesis 5 only of him is it said, he walked with God.  His ultimate meeting with God came as the Scripture tells us, “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”  Enoch’s faith remained strong in a time when others did not believe.           (Gen. 5:22-24)

GC-A Christian walks with God to find true communion with Him.  Eventually he will take that final walk into eternity and finally be at home. Enoch is our example.  For 365 years he walked with God and we are told that he was no longer to be found on the earth because God took him. (Gen. 5:22, 24; Ps. 116:9)

OC-Previous to Enoch there was one mention of man calling on the name of the Lord.  It is found in Genesis 4:25.  Enoch was born many generations later.  Of him alone was it said, “Then Enoch walked with God.” Because of this special relationship, “God took him.” We can only imagine what Enoch endured as he lived among men of which there was no indication that they shared his faith.  To be the only one of his family to walk with God had to make his life very difficult.  In spite of what others believed he was faithful throughout his life until God took him and he no longer walked among godless men.    (Gen. 5:21-24)

RT-Enoch’s whole identity was in God.  It should not surprise us that God took him home as He did. (Gen. 5:21-24)

M-It is a sad commentary on man that it was not until the Bible informs us that a man walked with God. That man was Enoch.  In a time and among the descendents when no one else acknowledged God, Enoch was that one man who held true. (Gen. 5:22-24)

UE-Once again at some point righteous men like Enoch will not experience death but at the rapture will be taken alive right into heaven. (Gen. 5:24)

RT-One of the characteristics that great leaders seem to posses is humility.  Enoch set a very clear standard for all who followed him.  It is said, (He walked with God and was not more.”  What a powerful statement of faith for all of us to emulate.  He was no more.  He was lost in his God.  Paul said practically the same thing in Gal. 2:20 and Phil. 1:21; 3:7-9.  (Gen. 5:24)

RT-It is a sad commentary on the state of man that God first destroyed all men because their hearts were full of evil intent.  Then He said to Noah after the flood from which only Noah and his family was saved that the intent of man’s heart was fully evil.  He then promised that He would never destroy every living thing by water because of it.  Finally our Lord could not trust Himself to man knowing what they were like. (Gen. 6&8; John 2)

OC-There was Noah, the one man who found favor in the eyes of the Lord.  In the midst of a people who God said He was sorry He had ever made them, Noah remained righteous and blameless.  Of all others God saw only that,  “every intent of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually.”  For 120 years he and his family remained faithful.  During that time he built and ark and prepared for God’s judgment on His creation.  Noah overcame the influence of the evil society apart from God.  He obeyed God throughout his life, thus preserving himself, his family and the future of mankind.  If it had not been for Noah standing tall in his day mankind would have been completely  destroyed.  (Gen. 6:3, 5-7, 8-10, 13, 14, 18, 22; 7:23)

BL-What lessons can we learn from these verses?  First, when only one man stands up for God in a society, that society degenerates very quickly.  For that reason, Christians need to be like Enoch and Noah–people who are not afraid to say “no” to sin and “yes” to God!  Where would most people say that you and I stand?  And perhaps even more importantly, where would our children say that we stand?  Are we teaching them that God–or something else–is the most important thing in life?  We all leave a legacy behind us–what legacy will you leave to YOUR children? (Gen. 6:5) 

C-In his lifetime Noah experienced more drastic changes than any of us would want to experience.  Noah

1. Went from farmer to shipbuilder                                 
2. When the ark was completed he became a zoo keeper.
3. Along the way he was probably ridiculed by his family and those he thought were his friends.
4. He lost all of his family except his wife, sons and their wives.
5. The world as he knew it was completely changed as a result of the flood.
6. The relationship with one of his sons and his descendents became strained.
7. God began to give him some basic laws dealing with the taking of life and dietary restraints.
8. He received a promise from God that no man prior to him had received.      

(Gen. 6-9)

WM-God saw

1. The wickedness of man
2. “Intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

Missing was the desire to do right and to focus one’s heart not on evil but on that which is good in the sight of God. (Gen. 6:5)

C-Man went from the position where he called on God to the condition of being wicked in the eyes of God. There was now only one man left on earth who was righteous and blameless and “walked with God.  That man was Noah. (Gen. 6:5-9)

C- The world became a place full of violent men.  God said that “wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was evil continuously.”             (Gen. 6:5, 11, 13)

M-In chapter 6 of Genesis we see the clear contrast between the wicked and the righteous.  God said of the wicked, “Every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The condition of man made Him sorry He had ever created him.                                                    (Gen. 6:5-6)

GC-Just the opposite of the way men were behaving in the time of Noah, they are not to grieve the heart of God. (Gen. 6:6; Ps. 78:40)

UE-What a sad day it had to be when God looked down on His creation and saw that out of all the people on the face of the earth that only Noah and his family found favor with Him.        (Gen. 6:8)

GC-If we are to find favor in the eyes of God we must be seen as righteous and blameless before Him.  Our daily walk must be a walk with Him. (Gen 6:8-9; 17:1-2)

GC- Righteous and blameless are terms that God uses only for a few men who truly lived a life in obedience to Him. It is not because of whom man is that earns this description, but what God has done for us. We are told that one man could be described in this way.  That man was Noah. (Gen. 6:8-9)

GC-One of the attributes that do not fit into the life of a godly man is one of insolence. God found that this describes the people of the earth in the time of Noah. (Gen. 6:9)

GC-God wants from us:

1. Goodness not wickedness (Prov. 26:23)
2. Proper intentions
3. Good thoughts leading to a pure heart.
4. Not one who is disposed to evil continually. (Gen. 6:5)

RT-If the story of Noah is true then evolution is dead in the water.  The flood would have ended any kind of transitional species.  Noah took, at least two of every kind of animal that God had intended to survive into the ark with him.  Beyond that, man survived the flood as man, not some variation of an animal. (Gen. 6:9-11)

M-Evil men in their godless state will become corrupt and violent are driven only by his own agenda. (Gen. 6:11-12)

WM-Corrupt individuals and those prone to do violent acts cannot see God.                           (Gen. 6:12-13)

UE-Things had become so wicked on earth in the mind of God that He saw the need to use such a catastrophic event as a worldwide flood to destroy all of mankind because of his sinfulness. (Gen. 6:13, 17)

RT-It is interesting to note that in listing the heads of households that only the descendents of Reuben, Levi and Simeon are given to us.  After mentioning Reuben and Simeon, Moses goes on to describe the family of Levi in detail.  He never gets to the fourth son of Leah, Judah. What might have been his reasoning in doing so? (Gen. 6:14-30)

UE-God preserved mankind as Noah and his family found safety inside the ark.                    (Gen. 6:18; 7:1, 23)

GC-A Christian is obedient to God’s commands.  “Thus Noah did according to all that God commanded; so he did.” It takes faith to operate on the unknown.                                           (Gen. 6:22; 7:5; Prov. 19:16)

GC-A Christian is obedient to God’s commands.  “Thus Noah did according to all that God commanded; so he did.” It takes faith to operate on the unknown.                                           (Gen. 6:22; 7:5; Prov. 19:16)

DM-Even though Noah was considered a righteous man, blameless in his time and one who walked with God, he still had to face his on critical moment, his hour of decision. It took a tremendous amount of faith to believe that God was going to bring judgment on the earth in the way described for us in the Scriptures.  It tells us, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Gen. 6:22; Heb. 11:7)

M-Noah however heard God and was driven by the desire to please and obey Him.  He understood the will of God and set out to fulfill it despite the obstacles and difficulties that may confront him.  In the case of Noah the task would be difficult for two or three reasons and maybe more. They were:

1. The length of time it took to build the ark
2. The fact there had never been a flood of the magnitude that God was promising would come
3. The possible ridicule from his neighbors as he built the ark in the middle of the desert, especially one of such tremendous size.
4. The thought of how to get all of the animals together to house them in the ark and how they were going to be fed.
5. How long would this incident last.

The key is that Noah believed and the Scripture tells us, “Thus Noah did; according to all God had commanded him, so all that God had commanded him, so he did.” (Gen. 6:22)

  

 
 

 

 

Lesson 4

Genesis 4

Pride Versus True Worship

Me-

There have been many times in my life when I have attended a worship service with the wrong attitude.  All kinds of reasons have diminished the opportunity to meet God.  I did a Bible study a number of years ago that I titled Encounters with God.  Like so many others I had often left the church with a sense of emptiness because nothing had happened.  I decided to look at the people of the Bible to see what occurred in their lives when they were truly confronted by God.  Did they walk away from those encounters the same or did God do something in them?  I discovered that what is missing when I leave the church without having my expectations met.  It happens to all of us because like you I have put my focus on the wrong things.  Not that any of the activities that take place in a worship service is wrong, but I sometimes pay too much attention to them and miss out on the fact that anything that distracts me from concentrating on God and worshipping him becomes all about me.  I struggle with this.  I am not in church for entertainment or to have all my desires met but to come before the Father in all humility and give myself over to worshipping Him.

We-

We can get so caught up in those activities and pay more attention to them than the reason we are in church in the first place.  We must remember it is not about fellowship per se.  It is not about the music or well you name it.  Our time together is about genuine, humble giving ourselves over to the pure worship of God.  If we let other things distract us we just might miss why God wants us in His house.  We have to be very careful that pride in programs, choirs, Bible Study Classes and even the sermon from the Teaching Elder do not somehow leave God out of the equation.  When we begin to forget God then we become like Adam, Eve, Cain and Lamech.  Each of those individuals thought that they could handle their own lives and move God to the periphery.  In the same way that kind of attitude did not work for them in certainly will not work for us.

Life outside of the garden was certainly different.  It was not long before the sinful nature of man manifested itself in terrible way in the lives of Cain and Abel.

God

Genesis 4:1-2

Part of God’s command to Adam came to fruition.  The first son of the couple was born.  She said of him, “I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.” Therefore he was named Cain which could mean brought forth as in procreation.  Some commentators indicate that the name given to the first born might have indicated that Eve thought that he was the fulfillment of the promised seed given in the garden dialog. Nothing else is said about the event. Immediately Moses wrote that a second son was also born and was called Abel, meaning breath.

Without reference to their childhood the next thing that is learned about each of them was their occupations.  Abel is listed first although the second born.  He was called “a keeper of the flocks.”   Cain was a tiller of the ground which God had told Adam that he would do outside of the garden.

1. Why did Eve name her son Cain?
2. How did she misinterpret his birth?
3. Why are we not told anything about the childhood of these two boys?
4. What is the significance of the two professions?
5. Why did both of them not take up farming?

Genesis 4:3-5

The writer does not tell how the two men knew to make offerings to God.  Evidently, the worship of God was instilled in them by their parents.  Adam and Eve would certainly have shared with them all that the Lord had done, including the sacrifice of the animals to make a covering for their bodies.  In a very few words Moses wrote about the two different offerings     presented before the Lord.  Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground to present to the Lord.  Abel on the other hand brought the first of his flock as his offering.  Cain’s offering was the rejected but the one brought by Abel was accepted.  Not only were the offerings different in a physical sense but the quality and attitude with which they were brought caused God to accept one and reject the other.  When He rejected Cain’s offering he became angry and his whole demeanor showed it.

1. How did the two men know to bring offerings to God?
2. What did Abel learn that Cain somehow missed?
3. What hints are we given why Cain’s offering was not regarded or accepted by God?
4. Why was Abel’s offering viewed differently than that presented by Cain?
5. What did Cain’s reaction show about him?
6. Which reflect the attitude that we might have when it comes to things of God?

Genesis 4:6-7

God in His mercy came to Cain to give him an opportunity to address the issue of why his offering was rejected.  He dealt first with Cain’s anger issue.  The real problem was the sin of pride.  By asking him about his anger, God was trying to bring him to the point of confession and repentance.  He had not brought the first fruits or the best of the harvest but only a portion of what had been produced.  By doing so he did not acknowledge that God was the provider of all good things.

Once He had brought attention to Cain’s condition God gave him an opportunity to overcome his pride and anger.  He once again asked a question that would cause Cain to look at himself and understand that God wanted a relationship with him.  It was up to Cain to make the choice to remain as he was or to do well.  The reality of the situation was then laid out for him.  He could  master the sin in his life by eliminating the pride that dominated his life.  If that was not his choice then sin was waiting at the door of his heart to destroy him.

Paul wrote in Romans,

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.  For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:12-14) 

1. Why did God approach Cain?
2. In what way did the questions reflect the concern that God had for Cain?
3. Why did God use rhetorical questions in His conversations with Adam and Eve and Cain?
4. How close does the advice in Romans 6:12-14 relate to what God said to Cain?
5. What does anger show about a man’s heart?
6. What are the choices that God gives us?

Genesis 4:8

It is interesting that this verse begins with the fact that Cain told Abel what had happened.  The Scripture is completely devoid of what that conversation entailed.  Abel may have repeated God’s words urging Cain to repent.  Cain’s answer to God’s offer of grace and mercy was to display his jealously and anger by killing his brother.  His answer was a total rejection of God saying no thanks I can handle my life and problems all by myself. The apostle John wrote, “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20)  By his actions Cain showed that there was no place for God in his life.

1. Why do you think Cain shared with Abel what had been said?
2. What drove Cain to take his brother’s life?
3. How did pride play a part in his actions?
4. What was his answer to God?
5. In what ways are we like Cain? Like Abel?
6. In what ways are the attitudes of the world like Cain?
7. How do we know that Cain had no love for God?

 

Genesis 4:9-12

After the murder of Abel, God once again confronted Cain.  As before He asked a question of which He already knew the answer.  The question was, “Where is your brother Abel?”  Instead of confessing what he had done, Cain lied and then arrogantly asked God a question.  By his question it is obvious that his heart was hardened and his pride would not allow him to humble himself before Almighty God.

God then answered both his own question and Cain’s with another question which again would have allowed Cain to confess his actions.  The question went straight to the heart of the matter.  He asked, “What have you done?”  The next words He spoke let Cain know that He knew what had taken place.  Cain could no longer hide behind his lies.  With the strongest words possible, God emphasized that “the voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.”

God waited no longer but gave to the sentence brought on by his act.  He would be:

• Cursed from the ground that had received Abel’s blood.
• The ground would no longer yield a harvest for him.
• A vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.

 

1. What approach did God use to confront Cain after the killing of Abel?
2. What did Cain’s response indicate about his spiritual condition?
3. Why did God have to finally tell Cain that He knew what he had done?
4. Why did God pronounce such a harsh punishment on Cain?
5. Why did God not kill him as he had done to his brother?
6. What happens in our own lives when we think we can lie to God?
7. What is the remedy for such an attitude?
8. What happens if we refuse to hear the convicting words of the Holy Spirit and act upon them?

Genesis 4:13-14

At that point the consequences of his actions became a reality.  What a wakeup call he received.  No longer was he the prideful individual who could answer back to God in such a derogatory manner.  He was now on the receiving end of God’s justice and it was make than he could bear.  There is no way to know whether is his response was out of true repentance or self- preservation.   Whichever it was he was overwhelmed by God’s decision.  His only concern was that he might face the same destiny as his brother and someone might kill him. 

To protect him from others some type of mark was given to him for protection.  He also gave a command that vengeance would come on anyone harming Cain. The once promising statement made about him by his mother was now forgotten.  He proved that he was not the hope of mankind after all.

1. Why did God finally tell Cain what would be his future?
2. How did Cain’s actions end the prospects of being the promised seed as his mother had exclaimed at his birth?
3. When thinking about the justice meted out to Cain, how do you view what God did to him? Too lenient? Too harsh?
4. What are your thoughts about Cain’s reaction to the sentence from God?
5.  Why would God so far as to put a mark on Cain to protect him?
6. Why would He command that vengeance would come to anyone that might harm him?
7. Why did God not execute Cain?

Genesis 4:16

This is one of those verses that is very disturbing because it presents a finality in the relationship that a man will have with God for the present and for eternity.  Yes, Cain was still alive but the Scripture says that he went out from the presence of God.  One other time this same idea was conveyed.  It was the night of the last supper when Jesus had reached out to Judas in every way possible and had not changed his heart that John wrote, “he went out immediately, and it was night.” (John 13:30)  Both of these men went out into the darkness away from God’s love and mercy.  The place to which Cain went was called Nod which was beyond the garden to the east.  The name Nod is appropriate because it means wandering.   

1. Why is this verse disturbing?
2. What does it show us that the future holds for people like Cain who reject God?
3. What does the reference to Nod being east of the garden mean?

Genesis 4:17-18

In the short description of the descendents is found the same defiant acts that had already been manifested in the life of Cain.  Although condemned to be a wanderer Cain once again defied God and built a city which he named Enoch after his first born son.  Enoch’s name may mean several meanings.  It could be train up, dedicate, introduce and initiate.  The meaning that would most fit the actions of Cain would be “Dedicate” since he honored his son by naming a city after him.  Of the other descendents of Cain the writer only gives their names until he gets to Lamech who is the seventh generation after Adam.

1. How did Cain once again show a defiant attitude towards God?
2. What had God said that Cain was to be the rest of his life?
3. Which of the meanings of the name best describe what is seen in the Scriptures?
4. Why is there a lack of information about the other descendents after Enoch until we get to Lamech?

 

Genesis 4:19-22

Lamech is the personification of the line of Cain.  There are two incidents that reflect the same attitude of Cain in his disobedience and defiance of God.  First, in the direct violation of the sacredness of marriage between one man and one woman, he committed bigamy. His wives have interesting names which indicate the worldly perspective of this whole family.  Adah means ornament.  Zillah the second meant shadow, shade, shrill and tinkle. It might be said that these two women were “praised for their beauty and sweet voice.” (The New American Commentary- Genesis)

Lamech’s children by these two women included three sons and a daughter.  Each of the sons had a different profession that would advance society.  Notice that nothing was said of any relationship with God in the development of their skills.  Their achievements were:

• Jabal in the field of animal husbandry which would have included not sheep but possibly cattle also.
• Jubal was in involved in music.  He played the lyre and pipe.
• Tubal-Cain developed the process called metallurgy.  He forged objects from bronze and iron. 

There is nothing else known about Naamah. One commentator mentions that she was possibly listed to provide symmetry to Lamech descendents.

1. What does the meaning of names of the wives say about them?
2. How do these fit the description of Lamech’s family?
3. What is your view of the professions of the sons?
4. What do they show about the mindset of the family?
5. How can the professions in which we are involved be used for God’s glory?

Genesis 4:23-24

After these two verses there is no more mention of the genealogy of Lamech.  In them is seen the results of Cain’s sin fully manifested in the final act of Lamech.  He displayed a complete disregard for the man who had been created in God’s image.  He openly bragged that he had killed both an older and younger man out of revenge for harm they had done to him.  It is possible that he may have used the implement of metal produced by his son as the weapon with which he carried out his act.  Arrogantly he then set himself above his ancestor by announcing that anyone who tried to avenge the death of the two men would have seventy-seven times the vengeance brought against them. This is the last that is heard of this godless family.

1. In what ways did Lamech show us when a family continues to disobey God?
2. What did he say to his wives that show the utter disregard for human life?
3. What claims did he make for himself that prove how self absorbed he was?
4. Why do we see nothing else about this family after these verses?

You-

1. Approach each encounter with God with all humility.
2. Confess any sin of which you have become aware.  This could come from accountability partners, sermons, Bible study lessons, or during times of prayer.
3. Look at the work you are doing or activities in which you are involved as opportunities to glorify God.
4. Realize how important it is to raise up children in the Lord.

We-

We need to understand from the life of Cain how a life begun in promise can end in disaster not only for ourselves but our families.  Our praise and worship is to be genuine bringing only our best before Him.  Anything short of total sacrifice of giving ourselves to God, as Paul spoke about in Roman 12:1 where he wrote, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”   One last point we know that we all sin.  The bringing of a sacrifice not acceptable to God was a sin but the undoing of Cain and any of us is to disregard God’s call to confess and repentance of the sin.  Continual rejection of God will eventually lead to the spiritual death.  God showed to Cain to us that He truly cares for us and gives us every opportunity to have a relationship.  He does not give up on us until we give up on Him.  It is our call.

Additional Notes:

BL-God’s problem with Cain was not the sacrifice Cain brought Him, but the attitude with which Cain gave it. Cain gave his crop, while Abel brought his best. When God looked with favor on Abel’s sacrifice, Cain responded by pouting.  God warned Cain that sin would master him if he did not repent, but His words fell on deaf ears. Cain’s resentment festered until finally, he murdered his brother.  Even after killing his brother he still did not repent.  While he deserved to die for spilling his brother’s blood, he was not grateful even when God spared him.  Instead, he whined that his punishment was too harsh for him to bear.  Sadly, this is the same attitude all too many people in today’s world who commit sin.  Their initial reaction when caught is to blame God for their problems.  Their arrogance and ingratitude often become a way of life that is passed down to their children. (Gen. 4:3:15)

RT-Probably one of the most puzzling question that there is in the Bible is, if Cain and Abel were the two first born children where did he get his wife? (Gen. 4:17)

BL-We see the impact that Cain’s sin had on his descendents.  Lamech justified his murder of two men who wronged him by saying, “If Cain avenged himself, then it’s all right for me to do it, too.”  (Gen. 4:23)

UE-It should not astonish us that man could so quickly descend to the depths of depravity that overpowered Cain.  In this one man was embodied what pride and rebellion can do.

1. It started with the rejection of his offering and a warning from God.
2. This led to jealousy of his brother.  How easy it is to blame others for our short comings
3. The next thing that he did was to carry out the ultimate injustice against an innocent man, the murder of his brother.
4. Then like his parents before him he attempted to cover up what he had done with a false decree of innocence.
5. Finally when God pronounced His judgment of Cain, he played the part of the victim saying, “My punishment is too much to bear.” (Gen. 4:3-13)

DM-Cain had set a pattern of not offering God his best.  There came a point when God called him to be accountable.  His response was to become angry and despondent.  Even after receiving God’s admonition Cain made the decision to take out his anger with God on his brother Abel.  Because of anger and jealousy we had the first murder. 

Because of Cain’s decision he was cast out into the world by God to wander and be fearful of what man would do to him all of his life.

Sin is waiting at the door of each man’s life to destroy him.  Cain chose to give into the temptation and committed one of the worse sins that one man can do to another man.  He chose to let sin master him.  That was the crucial point for him and his life.                   (Gen. 4:3, 5-7, 13-14; Heb. 11:4-5)

M-Evidently the sacrifices of Cain were self-serving and self-centered.  When God would not accept his offering he became angry and jealous which ultimately lead to the murder of his brother, Abel.  (Gen. 4:3, 5-8)

M-Abel’s relationship with God was such that he knew that God deserved the best and the first of his flock long before the Ten Commandments were given to Moses by God.             (Gen. 4:4)

TM-God was trying to give Cain a lesson in the way to have a proper relationship with Him.  He also tried to share the types of activities in which he should be involved.  To do well lifts one’s spirits and chases away anger. (Gen. 4:6-7)

DM-After a decision is made an act is just the extension of it.

GC-Genesis 4 deals with Cain and Abel.  It is pointed out that the problem God had with Cain was not the sacrifice Cain brought Him, but the attitude with which Cain gave it. Cain gave his crop, while Abel brought his best. When God looked with favor on Abel’s sacrifice, Cain responded by pouting.  God warned Cain that sin would master him if he did not repent, but His words fell on deaf ears. Cain’s resentment festered until finally, he murdered his brother.  Even having committed that act there was no repentance but belligerence on his part.  While he deserved to die for spilling his brother’s blood, he was not grateful when God spared him.  Instead, he whined that his punishment was too harsh for him to bear.  This can be likened to many people in today’s world who sin, then blame God for their problems.  Their arrogance and ingratitude often become a way of life that is passed down to their children.

WM-Cain did not give God what was due Him.  He thought he could get away with bringing an offering not of the first fruits but just part of the harvest.  (Gen. 4:3-4)

WM-Cain had some major character flaws

1. Lack of reverence towards God
2. Anger
3. Jealousy
4. Hatred for his brother resulting in killing of Abel
5. Disobedient
6. Uncontrolled sin in his life                                                                                 (Gen. 4:3, 5)

M-Once again we see the self-centered attitude of Cain.  He was more concerned with his own future than he was about the terrible act he had committed. (Gen. 4:13-14)

TM-Cain learned too late the results of yielding to the temptation of sin. (Gen. 4:13)      

WM-Cain was only concerned about himself and preserving his own life. (Gen. 4:13-15)

TM-One of the key elements and possibly the most important in being forgiven is to face the fact that we have sinned.  In the case of Cain God was directing him to answer some of the following questions;

1. Why was he angry?
2. Will you not feel better if you do well?

Depending on how he dealt with those questions would lead him to take one of two paths.  Either he would;

1. Do well
2. Allow sin become his master.

How do those same questions maybe worded differently apply to us?  How do we respond when confronted with our own sin?  Which path do you take? Why?                   (Gen. 4:13)

TM-At what point does God give up on a person who has hardened his heart?  Even after the death of Abel what was God trying to do with Cain?  How did the following questions set the stage for different responses?  When sin prevailed in Cain’s life God again asked:

1. Where is brother?
2. What have you done?

Based on Cain’s answers what did it say about the condition of his heart? (Gen. 4:6-10)

RT-Adam and Eve were given two sons, Cain and Abel.  We do not understand how Abel developed an awareness of the correct relationship with God.  Somehow he had learned that God deserved the offering he brought.  Cain on the other hand displayed the attitude that so plagues mankind today.  He offered God only a token half-hearted gift and it was not acceptable to God. (Gen. 4:3-6)

C-After a period of time tragedy struck this fallen family.  Cain who was jealous of his brother became the first murderer, thus changing the relationships in this family forever.  To his parents he brought the experience of death and grief.  For himself there would now be guilt and separation from not only his family but from God.  His fate became that of a wandered and fugitive.  His only protection was the sign that God gave to him.         (Gen. 4:8-15) 

GC-The offering we bring must be of the first fruits.  If we set aside that which is upper most according to worldly standards, we offer the sacrifice, including our very lives, with proper motives. (Gen. 4:3-4; Ex. 34:26; Prov. 21:27; Is. 43:23-24)

GC-True worship and genuine sacrifice are what God desires from us.  God had regard for Abel’s offering but not that which Cain brought. (Gen. 4:5)

GC-Through Christ a Christian has the ability to be master over sin. Cain was told that sin was after him, but he must master it.  He must not let it get a foothold in his life, because once that happens it would become his master. (Gen. 4:7; Rom. 6:12-14)

GC-The godly man realizes that jealousy leads to anger and anger leads to murder.                                                 (Gen. 4:8; 1 Kings 21:1-13; Prov. 6:34-35; 27:4)

GC-The end of chapter four shows what happens when a parent has not lived an exemplary life before his children.  If we want our children to grow into adults who respect others we must set the example. (Gen. 4:8-24)

GC-Is it going to take murders, jealousy and arrogance of man to finally cause man to begin to call on the name of the Lord?  A Christian knows that in order to avoid such actions as listed above he must constantly communicate with the Father.  After Enosh was born there came a time when man finally began to know the Lord. (Gen. 4:26)

C-Sadly, Cain’s influence filtered down to one of his descendents named Lamech.  He used what Cain had done to justify his killing of others for a wrong done to him.  A lesson needs to be learned that man never knows how his actions will impact those around him.  In this particular we are talking about five generations from Cain. (Gen. 4:19-24)

WM-Lamech saw Cain had done as justification for killing those who had hurt him.    (Gen. 4:23-24)

M-Following in the footsteps of his ancestor Cain, Lamech took the revenge which is sadly is one of the characteristics of a godless man. (Gen. 4:23-24)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fall of Man

Lesson 3

Genesis 3

Me-

Back when I worked with the youth there was an activity the leaders would use to point out the consequences of sin.  We would have each person write down a wrong that they believed they needed to confess to the Lord.  Those pieces of paper were then nailed to two boards in the shape of a cross.  Once everyone had nailed their confessions to the cross we would burn all of them up.  This was to signify God’s view of the sins that had been confessed.  Then the nails were pulled from the wood leaving holes.  We then explained that even though God forgave each of us for the wrongs we had committed that there always be consequences of our actions.  As I reflect back now I have to say that I quite often fail to confess both to God and to others the wrongs that I do that may have lasting effect on their lives.  In a way this keeps me from condemning the actions of Adam and Eve because I am no better than them.

We-

We live in a blameless society.  Making that statement does not mean that we are sinless or do no wrong, it just means that we have reached the point that we no longer accept the responsibility for our wrong doing.  We blame everyone else for our failures, our inadequacies and reasons we commit sinful acts.  The church is not exempt from this attitude.  No longer do we hear messages from the pulpit or Bible study classes concerning sin and its consequences.  When we do speak of the ills of society it is the fault of the media or someone trying to keep others down.  Adam and Eve learned a harsh lesson that should be an example for each of us.  We are to take responsibility for our own sin. We are not to come before God with excuses but with humility, owning up to what we have done with a broken heart confessing and asking for forgiveness from the perfect Creator of this universe.

God-

Genesis 3:1

In this verse the adversary of God and man came onto the scene.  Even in the perfect world of the garden there was the presence of evil. He was described as a serpent which was, depending on the translation used, wise, subtle or crafty.  There are words like cunning that could be used to tell of his attributes. He possessed what the other beasts did not have.  It meant that whatever kind of beast the serpent was the devil had taken control and spoke through it.

This creature came, not to Adam, but to Eve to begin his assault on mankind.  It is on the surface strange that he would approach the woman and not the man.  It was to the man, before the creation of woman, that the command was given to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The woman would have therefore received the information second handed from her husband.  The other factor to consider, according to one commentator, is the psychological makeup of men and women.  Women seem to be the more sensitive and emotional in dealing with issues.  Men have a tendency to approach situations from a logical and intellectual point of view.

The serpent began the conversation with a question that was meant to undermind God’s authority in Eve’s life.  The question was more rhetorical in nature than the honest seeking of information.  He knew the answer before he asked the question.  It was asked in a way to start Eve thinking, why did God not want them to eat of every tree? Why was that particular tree off limits?

1. How are we introduced to the serpent?
2. What indications are given according to the text of the kind of creature he was?
3. What description is given to indicate that the serpent was real and Satan is real?
4. Why did he approach Eve instead of Adam?
5. To whom had the command been given not to eat of the tree?
6. What was the serpent attempting to do by asking the question in the way he did?

Genesis 3:2-4

Of course there is no returning to the way things were before the fall but there is a lesson to be learned from this conversation.  Anytime someone contradicts the word of God man must be leery of what is being said.  The woman lost the battle once she began to speak to this animal which had been created by God.  The woman’s answer completely changed the tenor of God’s command to Adam.  She spoke of:

• Being able to eat of any of the trees
• the tree which could not be eaten as being in the middle of the garden and omitting the significance of it being the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
• Not being allowed of even being able to touch it.
• The possibility of death not the surety of which God spoke.

1. What was Eve’s first mistake?
2. How did she change the commands of God?
3. What would have kept her from being influenced by Satan?
4. What lesson can we learn from this conversation?

Genesis 3:5

The serpent immediately picked up on the questioning of death and arrogantly stated that God would not kill either she or her husband. He carried his point even further. Not only did he declare that God would not kill them if she ate the fruit but would become like God knowing good and evil.  Who would not want to be wise?  Who would not want to be like God having total knowledge?  Satan played to the one characteristic of mankind that has led to the downfall of many a person beginning with the first couple.  Pride would lead to the fall wanting to dethrone God and to put one’s self in His place. 

1. Why did the devil go straight to the issue of whether God would cause Eve to die if she ate of the tree?
2. What is the one characteristic that leads to all other sin in man?
3. Why is pride such a problem?
4. What does to have pride really mean?

Genesis 3:6

Here is one verse upon which the history of man’s relationship hinges.  Pride had become full blown in the heart and mind of Eve.  She could be like God.  In First John it was written how the desires of what this world has to offer leads one to the devastating effect of Pride.  John said, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eye and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”  (1 John 2:15-16)

How was this played out in the garden?  Eve saw

• The fruit as good to eat (Lust of the flesh)
• It was pleasant to the eye (Lust of the eye)
• It would make her wise (Boastful pride of life)

Not only did she eat of the fruit, but implicated her husband in the transgression against God’s commands.  She gave him some of the fruit and he willingly ate of it.  Again choices were made that carried the couple to their own destruction.  Although Eve had been deceived, it was Adam who knowingly broke the command of God which he had personally received.  His was an intentional violation of all that God had said and thus deserved the greater condemnation. 

There is an unspoken thread that runs throughout the Old Testament and into the New.  The devil’s ultimate goal has always been for the total destruction of mankind.  He had accomplished this at the very beginning there would be no need for Christ to come and he would never be defeated causing continual problems for God.  He has never been strong enough to confront God head on.  By tempting God’s children to sin, he might provoke God to destroy all of mankind.  He did not nor will he ever succeed. 

1. Why is this verse one of the two hinges upon which all of history turns?
2. What could Adam have done even at this point?
3. Why do you think that Adam gave into his wife’s wishes and ate the fruit?
4. Was the man or the woman more at fault and why?
5. Why is there greater guilt for the one who chooses to sin than the one who is deceived?
6. Why did they not give greater thought to the possible consequences of their actions?
7. What has always been satan’s ultimate goal.
8. How has he been prevented from accomplishing this?
9. What can we do to make sure he goes down to defeat?

Genesis 3:7

Immediately, the first thing that happened to them was the loss of innocence that they had enjoyed up until this point.  They now felt guilty at seeing the other person unclothed and knew that they could not face God in their sin.  The knowledge of sinfulness, the broken relationship with God occurred the moment their eyes were opened and they saw each other as they were.  As man always does when confronted with the reality of sin, they attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves sewn together.  Of course throughout history there would be other attempts to hide one’s sin from God.

1. What did man lose because of his actions?
2. In what way did the awareness of their nakedness bring them to the realization of their sin?
3. Why did they believe it necessary to cover themselves with fig leaves?
4. At what point did they understand that their relationship with God would be different?
5. How are fig leaves representative of the way that we try to deal with sin?
6. If we stop at this point who would appear to be the victor?

Genesis 3:8-13

Some translations use the term voice when speaking of God’s presence in the garden.  The NASB uses the word sound.  Whether it was the voice of God or His sound, the man knew that God was in the garden in a way that He had done so many times before.  This time was different.  Rather than welcoming the sweet fellowship the man and woman had experienced before they now feared making themselves known. They hid themselves because of their shame. When Moses wrote Genesis it was part of the mid eastern culture that public nudity was considered a shameful act.

The initial question that God asked was not for His own benefit.  He knew where the man was physically.  It was asked for two purposes.  He wanted man to explain his spiritual relationship with Him.  It was to have man confront himself and use the opportunity to confess and take responsibility for what he had done.  It was obvious that he was not going to do it voluntarily but only under the scrutiny of God.  The man did not own up to the sin of disobedience but only the consequences of his action. Supposedly, he was afraid to come before God because of his nakedness.

The answer given was unsatisfactory, so God asked a more penetrating one.  He wanted to know how the man knew that he was naked.  Then He went right to the heart of the problem when He asked whether the man had eaten of the tree.  God reinforced this question with the words, “Of which I commanded you not to eat?” 

There was no way to evade the question, but like man from that point on, the man managed to deflect responsibility and blame the woman for his failure.  God then turned to the woman giving her a chance to confess, but she like her husband, now put the blame on the serpent.  Her answer was so telling.  “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”  This is like the cartoons that have been drawn in which everyone says “Not I” when confronted with the broken vase etc.

1. Why did God ask the questions in the way that He did?
2. Why do we sometimes fear God?
3. What is the equivalent to appearing before God as the man did in our own lives?
4. In what ways do we try to hide our sin?
5. What does it mean when the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin?
6. How does this compare with the way God questioned the man and the woman?
7. Why is it so hard to confess our sin?
8. Why do we blame others for our failures?
9. How far does the blame game get with God?

Genesis 3:14-15

The judgment on the serpent was twofold.  God first dealt with the beast which had been inhabited by satan.  He condemned it to move about on its belly and eat dust forever.  Secondly, he pronounced on the devil himself with the first prophecy concerning the coming Savior.  He said to the devil that he would be:

• The enemy of the woman’s seed.
• The seed would bring ultimate destruction to the devil.
• He would bring short term harm to the seed.

1. Why was the curse on the serpent twofold?
2. What did God mean by the seed of the woman?
3. Why would the serpent be the enemy of the seed of woman?
4. What would be the fate of the devil?
5. How would he bring harm to the seed?
6. What do the verses mean for us today?

 Genesis 3:16

God then turned to the woman.  As a consequence of her disobedience the woman would

• Experience pain in childhood.
• Have a desire for her husband.  She would look to her husband for protection and be dependent on him.
• Be ruled by her husband.

1. In what ways were these conditions appropriate for the woman?
2. How do the statements differ from reasons presented at the time of the creation of woman?
3. What rights did this give to the man?

Genesis 3:17-19

God explained to the man the reason that His judgment had come to him. The man had heeded the voice of his wife and had deliberately eaten the fruit from the tree. The command had been given to the man and no one else.  As a result of his disobedience his future would be much different than he had experienced in the garden. 

• Only through hard work described as toil would the earth produce food.
• The land would yield thorns and thistles.
• By the sweat of his brow the land would yield food.

The final part of the judgment had to do with life itself.  No longer was the blessing of living forever a possibility.  When he died he would return to the ground from which he had been taken.

1. Why did the man receive the brunt of the judgment?
2. What changes were to be in the future for the man?
3. Who was affected by man’s disobedience?
4. What was the difference between the sin of the man and that of his wife?
5. What was the ultimate penalty for man?

Genesis 3:20

The man now names his wife.  He called her Eve, which meant “living.”  She was to be the mother of all who would come after them.

 Genesis 3:21

Instead of the fig leaves that Adam and Eve had made to cover their nakedness, God made clothing from the skins of animals.  This is the first time that animals would be sacrificed to cover man’s sin.  Throughout the Old Testament this is called atonement.

1. Why did God sacrifice an animal to clothe man?
2. What did this represent in the life of man?
3. What does the term atonement mean?
4. What does this show to us about the character of God?

Genesis 3:22-24

To keep the man from having access to the tree God drove him out of the garden.  If he had remained then he would lived in his fallen state forever.  No longer did man have all of the vegetation of the garden but now had to cultivate the land in order to eat.

After God drove man out of the garden He stationed the “cherubim and the flaming sword” to guard against the attempt on the part of man to return.  The tree of life continued to be in the garden as a reminder of all man had lost. Man after the fall could no longer avail himself of it.

1. Why did God drive man out of the garden?
2. Why did He not want man to live forever in his fallen state?
3. Why was it necessary to put the angel to guard against the return?

You-

• Through prayer and Bible Study come terms with the fact that you cannot face the devil alone.
• Humble yourself and realize that you can never attain to the place of God.
• Desire to be like God’s Son so that you will not be deceived by the methods of the devil.
• Take responsibility for the sins that you commit and do not blame others for your failures.
• Confess and repent of those sins that you commit and seek God’s forgiveness.

We-

If we truly understand the events that took place back in the garden there should only be one response on our part.  To think how close the devil came to winning and having man destroyed should cause us to fall down on our faces and cry out for mercy.  Let none of us think that we can  stand up to the devil in our own strength.  Perfect man and woman were no match for him, much less we who are fallen creatures. Thankfully God in His great compassion has heard our plea.  He sent His son to ensure that the devil cannot win.  Christ has won the victory. We now have the relationship with God that was lost in the garden. Let us continually praise Him.  

Additional Notes:

BL- Bible Lesson

WM- What’s Missing

UE- Unexpected Event

 

 

BL-In Genesis 3 Satan (as the Serpent) approaches Eve tempts her to be even “better” than she was  already–to be gods, instead of godly–by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Eve succumbed first then gave some of the fruit to Adam to eat.  The Scripture tells that immediately their eyes were opened to the awareness of not good and evil but the fact they were naked.  They DID gain knowledge of both good and evil, but what they failed to consider was the terrible consequence of their sin–the loss of their previously perfect relationship with God.  This resulted in separation from Him and from each other, and introduced them to emotions they had never experienced before–shame, guilt, and fear.  Sin hardened their hearts, and we saw Adam blaming the woman for tempting him, blaming God for making the woman, and Eve blaming the serpent. 

However, we see God’s mercy in Genesis 3:15 when He tells the serpent, “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 (NIV).” 

In the Old Testament family lines are normally traced through the man, but here the order is changed.  God tells Eve that it would be her seed that would eventually defeat satan. This makes Genesis 3:15 the first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who was not conceived by man, but through the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary. Satan “struck” Him when He suffered and died on the cross, but through His death and resurrection, Christ crushed Satan’s weapons of sin and death (see I Cor. 15:55-57).  We see God’s mercy again in 3:24-25, when He banishes the couple from the Garden of Eden.  He does this to keep them from eating from the tree of life and thus living in a state of separation from Him forever.

GC-Do not provide satan an opportunity to make inroads into our lives by raising doubts about God’s commands and His ultimate purpose for us. (What is our responsibility towards sin). (Gen. 3:4-6)

GC-We must always be on guard against those things that stimulate the senses but may destroy the spirit.  Remember man does not commit a sin in a vacuum, but there is the strong possibility that others  can  be grievously affected or destroyed along with us.                                                                                  (Gen. 3:4-6; Josh. 7:20-21, 24-25)

GC-A Christian must beware of deception (things appearing differently than they really are).  Eve was deceived by the serpent. (Gen. 3:4; Matt. 7:15; Luke 6:26; Eph. 4:14; 5:6)

M-In this text is the essence of the motivational theories of today.  The idea that is pervasive is to be independent of God.  Man has the ability to accomplish all he desires on our own.  It is to be like God and to have the knowledge of good and evil with us and by what we do.  He is continually stepping out into areas that God calls taboo, which includes those things that are not good for our own well-being.  The whole concept comes down to self.  Maslow talks about everything I need finally resulting in what he calls self-actualization. (Gen. 3:5)

WM-To desire to want to be on the same plane as God shows a lack of understanding and acceptance of who God is. (Gen. 3:5)

RT-It should have been enough for Eve to already be like God. Both she and Adam were created in His image.  They were also given all responsibility and authority that they could handle. (Gen. 3:5)

RT-In order for change to come there must be a physical, mental or spiritual condition preexisting that needs to be altered.  Part of what will be written in these notes started as many of the studies that I have done because of some events that were occurring in the life of the church.  It was a conscious decision to look at this subject from a biblical perspective.  Every remark that follows talking about change will have a C preceding it.

C-Since the beginning of time there has never been a time when change has not been occurring.  Of course this is not news to anyone no matter how isolated from the rest of the world they may have been.  Understanding that changes seem to be taking place more rapidly today than ever before, I decided to look at all of the changes in the Bible.  Since we seem to deal with them reluctantly, especially in the church, the Bible should provide a clear picture of all the different changes man may face.  Today we may put different tags on them, but in reality are they that much different than what man has already experienced?  From the beginning we shall see how dynamic this world is. 

RT-As a free moral agent man is allowed to choose the path he will take.

1. Adam and Eve chose to eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil located in the garden that God had told them they were not to eat. (Gen. 3:6)                         
2. They chose to hide themselves from God because of their shame.  The shame was not for what they had done but because they were naked. (Gen 3:8)                                       
3. God was deeply concerned at that point that man might choose to eat of the fruit of the tree of life and live forever in his fallen state.  Man would have certainly done this having already disobeyed God. (Gen 3:22)
4. Enoch set out as a man who chose to walk with God. (Gen. 5:22, 24)
5. Noah was righteous and blameless.  He walked with God in the midst of a decadent world. (Gen. 6:9)
6. Abraham went forth from his home country as God directed him. (Gen. 12:4)
7. Abraham called on the name of the Lord. (Gen. 13:4)
8. He proved that he feared God by his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise. (Gen. 22:12)
9. Esau despised his birthright. (Gen 25:34)
10. Jacob chose to follow the instructions of his mother in the deception of Isaac in order to receive the blessing that should have gone to Esau. (Gen. 27:5-29)
11. Jacob promised to future conditional commitment to God. (Gen. 28:20-22)
12. Joseph chose not to sin against God. (Gen. 39:9)
13. He feared God. (42:18)

RT-Man decided he could do a better job without God’s help, therefore alienating himself from God.  This decision made man an unfit vessel to carry out God’s plan for this world.  In that fallen state man could no longer accomplish any good thing for God.  It took Jesus to bring about the reconciliation between God and man.  Through Christ man can once again carry out the purpose of God. (Gen. 3:1-6)

RT-To mourn for the lost innocence, the lost purity of each and every man should be in the hearts of each of us.  Our sorrow is that the ways of this world have become the dominating factor in the lives of most people, the god of life and so each person lives in opposition to God. (Gen. 3:1-7)

C-Perfect man and perfect woman were no match for satan’s guile.  Since that was true for them, how do we think we can face him in our own strength?  (Gen. 3:1-6)

WM-Missing in the life of Adam and Eve was the whole concept of self-control.  They were more willing to gratify their own desires than to obey God.  (How much like them are we? (Gen. 3:6)

DM-Eve did three things that would show her rebellion to God’s authority.  By her actions and the involvement of Adam she received what she desired.  Her eyes were opened but not what God had determined was best for her. (Gen. 3:6-7)

DM-Adam was a party on this rebellion. Both of them and subsequently the whole earth has suffered for the acts and decisions in Eden. (Gen. 3:6-24)

C-When the serpent entered the picture and man succumbed to the temptation to be like God a whole new chapter for Adam and Eve began.  No longer would they stewards of a perfect environment, but would have to labor to provide for themselves and their family from a land that would grudgingly yield its fruit.  Even the thing that would be precious in their lives, giving birth to a new life, would now be accompanied by submission and pain.  The Bible indicates that this new life was difficult for Adam and Eve to accept.  In Genesis 3:23 it says, “Therefore the Lord sent him out of the garden of Eden.” One verse later we are told, “He drove the man out.”  Adam went from maintaining the garden to becoming a farmer eeking out his existence from the very ground out of which God had formed him. How could a loving God do such a thing to His special created being?    (Gen. 3:1-24)

RT-Most of us go out into the world spiritually unprepared to face the reality that satan is wreaking havoc on our homes, church and society as a whole. (Gen. 3:1-4)

WM-The thing missing in the lives of Adam and Eve was that they did not fear God enough to completely obey Him. (Gen. 3) 

WM-When we live in perfect relationship with God our heart does not convict us.  Sin brings shame and separation. (Gen. 3:7)

UE-The first death that followed eating of the fruit was the loss of innocence.  They lost that childlike faith that calls every man to have who wants a relationship with Him.   (Gen. 3:7-11)

E-Before the fall of man God used to spend time walking with Adam and Eve in the garden communing with them. (Gen. 3:8)

C-For Adam there was not the option of holding on to the past.  By his actions he closed that door forever.  Both he and Eve did not view the consequences of what they were about to do through the eyes of God.  If they had they would certainly have made a different choice.  Mankind is so short-sighted in only seeing what is in the moment without any real thought of how what it does affects others.  The last point to be made is that in much the same way we cannot hold on to the ways we once knew.  Each new moment of life brings changes and new challenges from where we have been. (Gen. 3:24)

 RT-Eve saw that the fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was

1. Good for food
2. Delightful to the eyes
3. Desirable to make one wise

She then took of the fruit and ate of it herself.  The fruit was then shared with Adam.  With this last act she involved others even though willing in her sin. (Gen. 3:6)

RT-A man of vision cannot be one with an appetite just for what can be accomplished only for today.  He must think beyond himself to the benefits can come when he seeks for the greater good of those around him.  This is where Adam failed. He saw the possibility of self-promotion, becoming like God, doing the one think that indicated that he was living for the now. Sadly, like many of us, his actions did not make him wise or give him the power and position he desperately sought.  It brought only death, heartaches and unfulfilling labor. (Gen. 3:6)

M-We need to take look at the things we do if we are to understand if they are going to produce the desired results in our lives.  Disobedience to God’s direction will always bring shame not glory. (Gen. 3:7-8)

WM-There was a failure to accept responsibility for their actions.  It is so easy to play the blame game when we are caught in our sin.  They did not have the courage to confess what they had done. (Gen. 3:12)

M-One of the negative results of motivation of fallen man is to not accept responsibility for his actions. (Gen. 3:12-13)

GC-He realizes that God is always the One seeking to restore each person to a right relationship with Him.  It is man who seeks to hide from Him or tries to cover up his sin. (Gen. 3:10; Is. 1:18; 29:15)

GC-We must take full responsibility for our sin and not blame someone else for our actions.  The ultimate decision to serve God, to obey Him or to sin rests with each one of us individually. (Gen. 3:12-13; Ex. 32:21-22; 2 Kings 14:6)

RT-What are the things in your life that if exposed would make you ashamed before God. (Gen. 3:7-11)

RT-Universalism is as old as the Garden of Eden.  Even then satan’s great lie was at work.  He used the same argument with Eve then that is still heard today.  Surely a loving God will not let you die spiritually. To say such a thing means that those who make such a statement expect everyone to go to heaven. Another example of worldly reasoning is If God is so powerful why is there so much evil in the world?  But his most devastating words are you can become life God which means to become a god yourself. (Gen. 3:4)

Those things that bring about spiritual death are the ones that are all too often the most appealing to man. (Gen. 3:6)

RT-One other fallout occurred from Adam and Eve’s sin.  No longer did they enjoy the relationship with God that they had had.  They lost the experience of His presence they had enjoyed while in the garden.  Sin puts up that kind of barrier in the lives of people, alienating them from God. (Gen. 3:8)  

RT-When God asked Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” He was seeking to know of their physical presence but their current spiritual relationship with Him.  This is the same question that has plagued mankind ever since the fall.  We continue to wrestle on a daily basis with that relationship because of our fallen nature.

Paul shared his own struggle when he speaks of not doing what he should and doing that which he should not be doing.  He then asked the rhetorical question, “Who shall deliver me from this body of death,” knowing of course the answer for him and for us is Christ.                              (Gen 3:9; Rom. 7:15-25)

RT-To be naïve is a form of rebellion.  God has provided for each of us the means to know Him.  To fail to do so is to bring judgment on ourselves. (Gen. 3:12-17)

RT-However, we see God’s mercy in Genesis 3:15 when He tells the serpent, “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 (NIV).”

DM-A critical moment occurs at the point when God showed to Adam and Eve that the serpent (the devil) was their mortal enemy and all their descendents. (Gen. 3:15) 

OC-Man would finally overcame the work done by satan in the garden of Eden thought the seed of Mary who would finally defeat our enemy the devil and crush his head.    (Gen. 3:15)

UE-Even in the time of judging the sin of Adam and Eve, God was speaking of His provision for forgiveness and the ultimate defeat of satan.  As parents when we had to discipline our children did we give any thought to what we would do once the disciplining had been completed?  What actions should we have taken to bring about a restoration of the relationship?  (Gen. 3:15)

UE-The very thing that satan hoped would occur never did take place.  His desire in the garden and in our time was and is the total destruction of mankind.  If he cannot accomplish that then he attempts to severe our relationship with God.  This is important to him because on it hinged his survival.  Destroy man and Christ would have no reason to come.  No Christ and satan would not have to face his ultimate end.  Life for Adam and Eve would now be difficult in a hostile world, but God’s plan of salvation for the world remained intact. (Gen. 3:15-19)

C-With the fall of man there came a change in the relationship with God and creation.               (Gen. 3:15-24)

GC-A godly person should always be convicted of the shame which disobeying God always brings. (Gen. 3:17; Is. 42:17)

GC-Work done within the will of God is meaningful, but once we step outside of His will it then becomes a curse and drudgery. (Gen. 3:17-19; Prov. 12:14)

 UE-When God sent Adam and Eve forth out of the garden, it must have been another of the unexpected series of events that was a consequence of the fall.  Something they could not have foreseen as happening. (Gen. 3:24)

RT-In the Old Testament family lines are normally traced through the man, but here the order is changed.  God tells Eve that it would be her seed that would eventually defeat satan. This makes Genesis 3:15 the first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who was not conceived by man, but through the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary. Satan “struck” Him when He suffered and died on the cross, but through His death and resurrection, Christ crushed Satan’s weapons of sin and death (see I Cor. 15:55-57).  We see God’s mercy again in 3:24-25, when He banishes the couple from the Garden of Eden.  He does this to keep them from eating from the tree of life and thus living in a state of separation from Him forever.

GC-When considering the whole matter of the knowledge of good and evil, we grow when we can discern the difference and learn to stay away from evil. (Gen. 3:22)

 

 

 

 

Perfect Man

Lesson 2

Genesis 2:4-25

Me-

I have often used the saying, “I am from Missouri show me.”  To me this has meant that even though a statement has been made it does not prove that it should be accepted on face value.  Ideas must be fleshed out and theories proven.  Just looking at chapter one I have always accepted the narrative as truth.  It is the one thing that I have not questioned because I believe that the Bible is God’s word.

It is easy to naively make that last statement.  The question of how to defend what I have believed to be true has become more critical in today’s post-Christian society.  To me that is what chapter 2 does.  It takes the summary or Reader’s Digest version and gives more detail of how the events surrounding man’s creation and the responsibility given to him actually occurred.  As I said in lesson one I will never understand all of the ramifications of what God did but at least I can get glimpse into how the events occurred.

We-

It cannot be emphasized too much that we must continually seek to understand God’s word.  There are enough critics that want to undermine Christianity.  If we truly look at what God has given to us in His inspired word we will be able to build a strong well rounded faith.  Part of the great commandment says we are to love God with our mind.  It is therefore important to spend time in trying to understand our relationship with God and the foundation upon which that relationship is built.  God has given us an example of determining the truth by expanding on the picture in Genesis 1 with a clearer explanation of the “how” in chapter 2.  Let us open our minds to what He has to say to us.

God-

To keep from getting bogged down in the many different interpretations of what occurred in Chapter 1 and now in chapter 2 the focus of this lesson will be the relationships between God and man, man and the earth, man and the animals and finally man and woman. 

It will also be obvious that chapter 2 does not use the chronology of the first chapter but is more topical in nature as has been mentioned above.  Man was at the center of all the creative acts and was God’s highest creation.  With this in mind the study of Genesis 2 can begin.

 

Genesis 2:4

In the opening words of this verse the writer tells us what he is about to do.  It is to be an account heavens and earth came into being.  In his second phrase he uses a reversal of the order to indicate that emphasis would now be placed on the events that occurred on earth.

1. Why was the word earth placed before heavens in the last part of the verse?
2. What were the things that had happened in the heavens and earth?
3. Why do we need a further explanation of creation?
4. What questions might remain after studying chapter 1?

Genesis 2:5-6

The writer now presents the condition of the land before the creation of man.  The terms and shrub and plant in verse five do not refer to the plants and trees of chapter one but to that which would require the cultivation of the land by man.  The other reason presented is that God had not sent rain up to this point and the water available was in the form of a mist.  Evidently this was not enough to allow for growth of these shrubs and plants.

1. What was the condition of the earth before the creation of man? 
2. Why did the writer distinguish the different types of vegetation from each other?
3. What are the reasons that the vegetation in chapter 1 needed to be already growing and producing?
4. Why was the mist not enough for plants to grow?

Genesis 2:7

It is important to note the difference between the creation of animals and man.  In chapter 1 it was written that the animals were brought forth from the earth.  Here is seen that God gave special care to the forming of man out of the dust.  The idea of forming comes from clay in the hands of a potter who shapes it into a useful vessel.  The care with which God made man shows the special relationship that He was to have with Adam.  After making the physical, God then breathed into Adam the breath of life.  At that point Adam became a living soul or being distinct from the animals which are identified as creatures.   

Not only did God create a physical being at that time but a spiritual one also.  Paul used the term spirit more often than soul when speaking of man.  God built into man a special relationship that the animals could never hope to have.  There is one other example of the life giving presence of the Holy Spirit being mentioned in John 20:22.  It says, “He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.”  In that moment the special relationship that man had in the garden before the fall was re-established. 

1. What is the initial difference between man and the animals?
2. Why did Moses use the term form rather than being brought forth from the earth?
3. What does man have in common with the animals?
4. What indications are there in these verses that man was to be different from the animals?
5. What it mean to have God’s breath given to man?
6. Why was man taken from the earth and formed from the dust?

Genesis 2:8-14

The garden which Moses called Eden must have been a place of extraordinary beauty.  God put the man whom He had formed into the garden.  From the description given it is obvious that God had made it not only adequate but one which provided for every need man might have.  It contained:

• Trees that were pleasant to the sight and also good for food.  One might think that even the cherry trees that bloom around Washington in the spring would not compare to the beauty of the garden.
• The tree of life which would be available for all.
• The tree of the knowledge of good and evil which was off limits to man. 
• A river which was the head waters of four rivers flowing out from it.  They were the Pishon, Gihon, Tigres and the Euphrates.  It had the important function of watering the garden so things would grow.

 

1. Why did God make a distinct place for Adam?
2. What indication are we given that man had a special place in the heart of God?
3. Why were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil identified separately from the others?
4. What was the purpose of the river, which was the head waters of the other rivers that were named in this verse?

Genesis 2:15

Man was placed in the garden.  He was given two specific tasks to perform.  It was up to Adam to cultivate the land so that the other plants and shrubs could produce food.  His other responsibility was to be a good steward of God’s creation.  He was to use it, subdue it but not abuse it.  God knew that man needs to have meaningful work that gives purpose to life.  Not mentioned but part of the forming of man had to be the instilling in him the abilities to accomplish the tasks given to him? 

1. Why did God place Adam in the garden?
2. What were to be his responsibilities?
3. What reasons can you give for why it was important for him to have these two tasks to perform? 
4. What does it say about the way God has uniquely made each one of us?

Genesis 2:16-17

God gave man both a command and a warning.  One had to do with calling him to obedience and the other was the consequences of disobeying the commands of God.  He was told that he could eat of every tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The consequences of disobeying would be death.  It is hard to imagine that Adam would have any concept what death might be having never experienced it.  God was calling Adam to trust in His words even though he might understand all that they meant. 

1. Why did God give such a harsh command and warning to Adam at this point?
2. If the consequences of disobedience would result in death why did God put the tree in the garden in the first place?
3. Why would Adam have trouble understanding what God meant by death?
4. What was the important thing God called Adam to do in his relationship with Him?
5. In what ways do we sometimes have trouble understanding the consequences of our sins?
6. Why does God allow certain things to come into our lives that might be harmful to us?

Genesis 2:18

God had surrounded Adam with everything that man could desire except the one thing that would make it all worth having.  That would be someone with whom to share it.  God looked down and saw that man was alone.  Even though He had viewed all of creation as good, He knew that that was not a good situation.  Man needed someone. It would have to be someone suitable and equal to him in every way that would walk along beside him and be his constant helpmate.  To be equal does not mean alike.  This will be discussed in later verses.   

1. What was the problem for man through the eyes of God?
2. What had been given to man that would appear to be adequate in the minds of man today?
3. Why did God determine that these things were enough?
4. Why is important to have someone with whom we can share our days?

Genesis 2:19-20

Adam was given the task of naming all of the creatures of his world. This may seem strange in light of the situation.  One idea is that by doing so he would see that every creature had a partner.  These verses give a picture of the intellectual capabilities of man prior to the fall to carry out such awesome tasks as naming of every creature.  Man’s answer for a suitable helpmate was not to be found in the animal world.  A couple of important facts can be drawn from these verses:

• Man was given authority and rule over the animal world by God not vice versa.
• Only man was capable of making those kinds of decisions.
• There needs to be an understanding of the equality between man and woman.
• Man will only find dissatisfaction without the relationship with God and other human beings especially the one who is his helpmate.

 

1. What do these verses show us about man?
2.  In what ways is he superior to the animal world?
3. How do the verses once again strike at the heart of the theory of evolution?

Genesis 2:21-22

God had a unique role in the creation of woman.  He did not take her from the ground or dust as He had the animals and even Adam himself.  Adam’s sleep in preparation for the woman was God induced meaning Adam had no part in the event.  From him God removed a rib from his side and built or fashioned a companion from the man.  She was to be the same as a living, spiritual being but different but different physically.  Like every couple she would augment and complement her husband.  When Adam had been awakened God brought her to him.  The method of this creative act was done to:

• Separate her from the animals which had been formed out of the ground.
• Indicate the unity and bond that would exist between man and woman. 
• Show that his authority and rule would be completely different than that of the animals.
• Point out that the man was still the head of the family having the authority of God upon him.

 

1. Why did God fashion the woman as He did?
2. What is the significance of making her out of Adam’s rib?
3. What was her relationship to the animals?
4. What does this indicate about the position of the man in the family?

Genesis 2:23-24

Adam’s response in today’s language would be WOW!  The Scripture showed in a more poetic way Adam’s understanding of what God had done.  He immediately knew that their relationship would be one that reflected the fact the woman had been created from his body.  This gave the example of oneness that should be present in every marriage.  Before there were any other people on the face of the earth God’s standard and definition of marriage were laid out for us.   Marriage was to be:

• Between one man and one woman.  Any other union is not valid in the eyes of God.
• Between a man and woman who set aside other family relationships in order to be one in the eyes of God.

 

1. What can we see in Adam’s response of the understanding of what God had done?
2. What is to be the relationship between husband and wife?
3. How are they to view other relationships?

Genesis 2:25

This verse must be viewed in light of the fact that it was written before the fall of man.  Sin came with the knowledge of sin.  Paul spoke about this in Romans and Galatians when stated that the knowledge of sin is what brought about his spiritual death.  It was the death of his innocence.  Once sin comes into the picture guilt arrives at the same time and man immediately sees his failure. In the beginning Adam and Eve were completely innocent.  Their relationship was pure in the sight of God and each other.

1. How do we know what sin is?
2. What does sin do to our innocence?
3. What do we see in the first couple’s relationship that is good?

You

• Think about how you use the authority that God has given you over His creation.
• Understand that stewardship of the earth is different than the worship of it.
• Understand that your relationship with your spouse is to be one of mutual respect and love.
• Work as partners, knowing that God has made each of us different on purpose for the carrying out of His purpose for the individual and the family.
• Remember that each of us is part of a larger family, the family of God and we are to treat them with the understanding that God loves each of us equally.

We

These two chapters have shown a universe that was created for the unique place that it is.  Throughout the process saw everything was good except that man was alone in relationship to another person.  We have been given the privilege of being a benefactor of the work He did in creation.  This world can be viewed from the perspective of God’s love for mankind.  The Psalmist said in very well in Psalm 8.  He wrote, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that you take thought of him and the son of man that You care for him?  Yet you have made him a little lower than God (or the angels), and have crown him with honor and majesty!  You make him to rule over the works of your hands. (Psalms 8:3-5)

When we begin to understand all that God has done for us it should affect our attitudes towards others, who have been made in the same way as we. Let us not use this privilege to our own benefit but for the glory of the One to whom all of the universe belongs.  

 

Additional Notes:

C = Changes in the life of the person, circumstances or church.

DM = Defining moments in the life of the people of the Bible

RT= Random Thoughts

GC = Characteristics of a godly men.

GC-Every man has been given a meaningful task according to the gift God has given him.  Adam was to be obedient to God in cultivating the Garden of Eden and keeping it.    (Gen. 2:15; Ecc.3:10-11)

GC-To be within the will of God, man must stay within the limits set for him by the Father, which are always for his benefit.  It would very detrimental for Adam to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  God requires our obedience.       (Gen. 2:16; 16:1-10; Ex. 2:12)

GC-We must take note that the command was given to the man and not the woman.  It is for this reason that man must accept responsibility for the consequences of his sin.  Therefore it was Adam’s sin, not Eve’s or satan’s, but Adam’s. (Gen. 2:16, 19)

UE-Even though God told Adam not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, I am not sure that he had any concept of the consequences such actions would bring. The question I have is, How could he and Even know what death meant never having experienced it?  To them it must have been some vague idea what it would be like in the same way we might understand what it would be like to walk on Mars to live in a country that you have never visited.

Being perfect man at this point and possessing knowledge and wisdom far surpassing that of any man living today, they should have realized that this death had to be a terrible thing for God to even speak of it.  (Gen. 2:17)

WM-Even thought Adam from the beginning had a relationship with God.  He knew that Adam needed someone like him.  Another human being made in the image of God would provide all the characteristics that we think of when we talk of companionship and relationship.  With the forming of the woman from Adam’s rib the circle was complete, God, man and woman. (Gen. 2:18, 20-25)

RT-If evolution is true then why does the record we have of Adam giving all the creatures their names.  He did not say, “I am going to call cattle for now but later you may be named something entirely different? (Gen. 2:19-20)

UE-That God would give man the ability to name all of the creatures on the earth. (Gen. 2:19-20)

UE-That God would create woman so different than he had every other creature and man.  All others were formed out of the dust of the earth.  Woman was fashioned from a rib taken from Adam’s side. (Gen. 2:21-22)

RT-To trace all of mankind back to one Eve, as the scientists have concluded, is to validate man.  Man and woman originally would have had the same DNA since it was Adam’s rib that was used to form Eve. (Gen. 2:21-22)

C-With the creation of Eve, Adam’s life would never be the same.  Instead of the animals over which he was to be steward; God gave him a companion, a helpmate, one like him made in the image of God.  They were to share all things as the two became one flesh. (Gen 2:22-24)

Additional Resources:

“Darwin on Trial” by Phillip E. Johnson

“The Wedge of Truth” by Phillip E. Johnson