Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Bible Study~ Genesis 3-4


Genesis 3-4


*Who is it about? God or us?


*When did the Fall of Man happen? How/why was Satan in the form of a serpent? What was Satan's deception? (To twist the word of God-to indicate that God might have been wrong) Why did he go to Eve first? (1 Timothy 2:12-15) Where was Adam? Was God still in control of His creation when Adam and Eve ate the fruit? (Yes- Revealed by the fact that it is God who decides on the punishment.)


*God's curses because of the Fall: Cursed is the opposite of blessed. In Genesis God promised blessings for obedience, curses for disobedience. (Genesis 1:22&28; Deuteronomy 28)


First to the serpent: Verses 3:14-15 (cross reference Revelation 12) Represents a judgment against all who have sinned, even the serpent (Romans 3:23/All have sinned). Also an indication that Satan will be defeated, although not immediately. (Jesus' heel was “struck” on the cross; Satan's head crushed-Revelation 13:3) “All the days of your life,” implies that Satan's life has been extended to fulfill God's plan of salvation through the offspring of the woman (and ultimately through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus).


The gospel is first presented to Satan pointing to his defeat and Christ's victory (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 24:26, 46-47; Romans 16:20; 2 Cor 1:5-7; Col 1:24; 1Peter 1:11; Rev 20:10). A promise was made to mankind that enmity (hostility) would be place between the woman and the serpent/ the saved and unsaved/those who love God and those who don't. How is that a promise? (She was given a change of heart- she would despise the serpent- God's grace of salvation.)

Second curse to the woman: Verses 3:16, (Pain in childbirth, longing to rule over her husband). Submission prior to the fall was a pleasant position- Adam was to protect his wife/reflection of the trinity and Christ's role of submission. After the fall it would be a great burden and longing for her to rule over her husband, ultimately causing marital issues, men to not act as men/leaders, etc.. (Judges 4; Isaiah 3:12; Ephesians 5:22-25; Amos 4:1) Represents her loss of freedom and spiritual liberty~ she would be under bondage; the dominion of sin in the soul is compared to that of a husband ruling her.


Third curse was to the man: Verses 3:17-19. God can not spare passing judgment. The earth that was blessed is now cursed, resulting in toil in working it. It was cursed because of man's sin. Adam was not cursed himself as the serpent was, but instead the ground was cursed for his sake. The result was sickness, melancholy, sorrow, and ultimately death in various shapes (everything dies-dreams, plans, plants, animals, people).

The righteousness of God is to be acknowledged in all the sad consequences of sin-- remembering “how it was/how it should be” causes us to reflect on the God who will one day make it all perfect again. God's mercy is seen in vs. 19: the fact that they would still eat though it would be through sorrow-there would still be some joy. There is even the hope of death as a rest which brings the promise of relief from the curse. Man's days were cut short~ a mercy from God. Prior to the Fall, all mankind would have been allowed to enter heaven (under the pretext of never sinning), Adam's curse reveals the difficulty now of entering heaven.

Verse 3:21

  • God made garments of skin for Adam and Eve. Before the Fall there was no death. God presented the first sacrifice representing the Levitical sacrificial system to later be implemented, and ultimately pointing to the sacrifice for sinners of His own son, Jesus.

Verse 22-24

Adam and Eve were drove out of the garden by God himself. Why? (To protect them from eating of the tree of life and living forever under the curse of sin/never being able to receive a resurrected body.) Cherubim were placed at the gate with flaming swords that flashed back and forth to guard the garden. Do you think the Garden of Eden is still there today?


*Chapter 4 ~ Eve gave birth to her firstborn, a son. The curse has begun already evidenced by the hostility of ungodly Cain and godly Able. Why was Cain so upset about God's response to his offering? Was it the offering that God did not accept, or his heart attitude? (Both, God specifically required a blood sacrifice but Cain brought vegetation; he was not saved, therefor his offering could not be accepted by God.)


Just because somebody seeks to sincerely worship God does not mean that God accepts the sacrifice. Does this seem “cruel” of God? Does God owe us salvation? Cain was to be his “brother's keeper,” but instead he became his brother's murderer.

Sin always needs to be punished. What was Cain's punishment? (vs 4:11-12, under a curse, driven from the ground, the ground will no longer yield its crops [remember Cain was a farmer, the punishment was very close to his heart], he would become a restless wanderer.) Out of Cain, a wicked lineage of people began, setting the stage for the battle between the ungodly and the righteous, and making clearer the obvious need for a Savior.


With prayers that the gospel of Jesus Christ may become sweeter to you day by day as you reflect on His word and His grace to you as a sinner ~ Terri
 
Bible Study Credits: Terri Stellrecht  http://howmysaviorleadsme.blogspot.com/