God Lied!?!

We saw the account of creation in fact form in the first chapter of Genesis. Then got "the rest of the story", as a popular radio personality would say, in the second chapter. Now we turn our attention to another account of equal and sobering importance - the fall of man.

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? God created the serpant. This serpant was more subtle or cunning than any other beast of the field (as we know he still wasn't a suitable help for the man). This particular serpant can reason and talk. He says to the woman, which by the way still hasn't been named, "Has God truely said 'Don't eat of every tree of the garden'? What an opening for a conversation! He begins with a lie to draw her into talking with him. Some wonder why she didn't wonder or run from a talking serpant. Thoughts or comments?

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: The woman is indeed engaged in chat. "We can eat of the fruit of the garden's trees." I can see her standing there shaking her head "No! Thats not right! God said we can eat the fruit of these trees."

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. "All except of the tree in the middle of this garden. God said we can't eat nor even touch it or else we shall die."

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: The serpant responds to the woman reassuringly: "You won't die at all."

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. "Even God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will open and you will exist like God knowing good and evil." How much do we as children desire to be like our parents? How many times have we heard the refrain "I want to be just like daddy (or mommy) when I grow up!"? The serpant used the right argument upon an innocent woman. Even deeper is the fact that the serpant villifies God by saying He lied to Adam and woman. There is no turning back for the serpant.

Christian

WHERE did SHE come from!?!

As we left off last post, God had brought all living things namely of the field and the birds of the sky, all of which He had formed from the soil, to Adam to name (which Adam did) but there wasn't a helpmeet found for him. Thought question for you, dear readers, "Is there a difference between helper and helpmeet? If so, what is it?" Also, did you notice that neither the reptiles nor the fish were brought for naming? Hmmmmm.


And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; Again, an implied emphasis is placed upon the "Self-Existent" nature of God. Here we have the very first anesthesia administered for the very first surgery. I remember, as I was growing up, there was a childish rumor that men in general had one less rib than women. I have since found out that this is incorrect and that they each have the same number of ribs.

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. Why do you suppose that God made woman from man? Why didn't He just mould her from the ground the same way He had done man? One word that comes to mind is helpmeet.
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Notice here that Adam again uses that authority as given by God back in verse 19. The right of naming. I would also like to point out that Adam displays another attribute that God gave him . . . reasoning (sometimes known as logic). Adam knew instantly where this creature had come from. She was flesh and bone from Adam's flesh and bone which (to me) signifies that she was the same as him like those animals were not. He reasons here that she was a suitable helpmeet. He called her woman because she came from out of man. Whew! That's a lot to get from those few words.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Why shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife? Because woman was taken from out of man. I will also point out here that man shall cleave or adhere or be joined together with, his wife not with another man.
Also notice via the terminology used here, that the same action is required of the woman. She also is to relinquish her father and mother in the same manner as man and cleave, or adhere, or be joined together with man and not another woman.
The idea portrayed by the use of cleave, is that of holding on with the entirety of one's strength. Just like you depended upon your parents for ; so now you are to relinquish those parents for your spouse; depending on him or her for support, encouragement, love, solace, guidance, sustenance, your needs and your wants.

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Here is another fact presented, although a second can be also gleaned. First, there is no shame in innocence. Neither Adam nor Woman (she hadn't been named Eve yet) knew right from wrong and in that state of innocence (or absence of the knowledge of good and evil) there were no sinful desires with nakedness. Second, there is no shame associated with nakedness when it is in the confines of the marriage.

Here ends chapter two of Genesis. We have been taken from God ceasing creating, through the formation of the garden in Eden, through the formation of man, followed his search for a suitable helpmeet, listened briefly as he named the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. We viewed the first surgery, saw the joy of finding the perfect helpmeet, discovered the meaning of marriage and ending with realizing that in innocence there is no sin.

Now, dear reader, do not forget that I asked if there were a difference between helper and helpmeet. See you in the comments with answers.

I'm Sooo Lonely!!!

"Lord, I need help to carry out your will. It is too big a task."

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. God, again shows His providential nature for His creation and gives us some more information about ourselves. Man was not meant to be alone nor was He meant to shoulder the workload of the tasks God had given him all by himself. So God decides to provide a helper for man.

And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. God brought all living things namely of the field and the birds of the sky which He formed out of the ground to Adam to see what he would name them and what he called out became its name.

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
"Son, that is a cat."
"Why daddy?"
"Because that is what Adam named it, son."
Notice here that even though there were dogs and parrots, cats and canaries, and horses etc. not one was a suitable companion for Adam nor indeed a suitable helper.

I Can't Do What!?!

God caused a garden to grow in the land of Eden and in that garden, he placed man and set him a simple task. That being to dress (otherwise known as tilling and weeding etc.) and keep (meaning to protect and tend) the garden. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

In order for man to accomplish the task that God set for him, God provided sustenance for man.
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: You are to eat of the fruit of the garden wherein you labor. God has provided living space, a job, and a payment for man's work. Hmm, maybe the saying "Nothing in life is free" comes from here. What do you think? Man was not made to laze around but to be busy tending God's creation.

But that food came with a price, for God commanded man: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. You can not eat of this one tree or else you will die. Another point that is shown here, is that God gave (and gives) enough information for His will to be clearly known and carried out, yet does not clutter the command with useless explanations. How often will you hear a parent tell their child to do a task and then go off into a lengthy dissertation of why it should be done, every detail of how it should be done and finally 10 minutes later conclude with what would happen if they did not finish the task? God put it simply. He said, "This is My will. Do it or die." Or, to quote Him specifically, "Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or you will die." "Son, go clean your room or you will be punished."

God, the powerful God, the Self-existent God, the bountiful God the Demanding God. How Mighty and Awesome is OUR God!?!

Christian