First Principles Study Notes PDF

FIRST PRINCIPLES STUDY NOTES "…… shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven……" February 2009 Online Version Published by: Adelphosweb.com 186 Seneca Avenue Hamilton, Ontario L9B 1M2 Fax (905) 679-9994 Phone (905) 679-9994 Email: [email protected] We...

FIRST PRINCIPLES STUDY NOTES "…… shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven……" February 2009 Online Version Published by: Adelphosweb.com 186 Seneca Avenue Hamilton, Ontario L9B 1M2 Fax (905) 679-9994 Phone (905) 679-9994 Email: [email protected] Web: www.adelphosweb.com  First Principles INDEX Lesson No. Subject Page No. 1 The Bible 3-6 2 The Gospel 7 3 God's Purpose with the Earth 8 4 About God 9-10 5 The Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ 11 6 The Foundation of the World 12-15 7 The Principles of Spiritual Creation 16 8 The Creation of Man 17-18 9 The Sabbath, the Garden, and Gods law 19-23 10 The Creation of Woman 24-25 11 The Fall of Man 26-30 12 Cain and Abel 31-33 13 From Creation to the Flood 34-35 14 The Genesis Flood 36-40 15 The Tower of Babel 41 16 Abraham: Father of the Faithful 42-43 17 Sodom and Gomorrah 44-46 18 The Promise to Abraham 47-48 19 The Sacrifice of Isaac 49-50 20 Isaac and Jacob 51 21 Joseph - a type of Christ 52-55 22 Name and Titles of Diety 56-57 23 The Exodus from Egypt 58 24 The Passover Lamb 59-60 25 The Exodus - 40 years in the Wilderness 61-62 26 Joshua and Judges 63-64 27 The History of Israel 65-66 28 The Promise to David 67-68 29 Nebuchadnezzar's Image 69-70 30 The Gospel of the Kingdom and the Return of Christ 71-75 31 The Kingdom of God - Past, Present and Future 76 32 Jesus Christ 77-79 33 The Sacrifice of Christ - the Atonement 80-81 34 Baptism 82-83 35 The First Century Ecclesia 84 36 The Nature of Man 85 37 Resurrection and Judgment 86-87 38 The Contrast of Truth and Error 88 39 The Devil and Satan 89-92 40 Hell and Everlasting Torment 93-94 41 The Trinity 95-99 42 The Spirit Gifts 100-107 43 The Ecclesia 108-109 44 The Truth and your Family 110-111 45 Life in the Truth 112 46 Relations to the State 113 47 You and Your God 114 48 God Manifestation 115 The Divine Purpose of the Ages 116 The Kingdom of Men - Christadelphian Teaching since 1848 117 Prepared by Bro Ron Cowie, 2 Cornwall Drive, Para Hills 5096 Lesson 1 The Bible Called "The Holy Bible" Holy = Separate Bible = Book Holy Bible = Separate Book 1. What the Bible is The Bible is 66 books in one volume, divided into Old & New Testaments (or covenants). o Old Testament contains 5 books of Moses historical books - Joshua to Job meditative books - Psalms, Proverbs etc the Prophets o New Testament contains the four gospels the Acts of the Apostles Epistles of Paul, Peter, John, James & Jude the Revelation to John 2. How the Bible was written God moved men to write by His Spirit - 2 Peter 1v21 Written over a period of 1,600 years Various writers from all walks of life Kings David, Solomon Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel Priests Samuel Statesmen Daniel Physicians Luke Shepherds David Fishermen Peter, John Written from different places and countries Arabia Moses Babylon Ezekiel, Daniel Palestine Matthew, Mark Asia Paul Italy Paul Patmos John Written in two different languages o The Old Testament in Hebrew The Bible is the World's Best Seller o The New Testament in Greek o The Bible as we know it today is translated from these languages Despite all these facts, the Bible does not contradict itself, but evidences an incredible harmony of though and unity of doctrine. 3 3. The Bible is God's work - inspired and infallible Inspired - by inspired we mean that God was its author 2 Tim 3v16 Infallible - by infallible we mean it is true and reliable in all its parts 4. Both Old and New Testaments are of equal value - it is all God's Word See 2 Tim 3v16; Romans 15v4; 1 Corinthians 10v11 5. The Bible proven to be reliable The witness of Archaeology - the archeological discoveries of the last two centuries have proved beyond doubt the accuracy of the Bible history. Examples of this area: o The flood described in Genesis 6 o The captivity of Israel by Babylon o The prism of King Sennacherib the Moabite Stone o Many other clear testimonies to the Bible's story The Bible's internal structure - though written by different men at different times all its books agree without contradiction. The brilliance of the Bible's numerical structure is also beyond human explanation The witness of Bible prophecy - there is no clearer evidence of the Bible being a Divine book than the incredible accurate prediction of future events. Only God can do this. ISRAEL Their scattering predicted - Deut 28v63-67; Matt 23v37-38 To be preserved while in dispersion - Jer 30v11; 33v24-26 To be regathered in the land of Israel - Romans 11v1; Jeremiah 30v3; Ezek 37v12, 21-22; Jer 16v14-16 Jerusalem to be free again - Joel 3v1-2; Luke 21v24; Israel to dwell in safety - Ezek 38v8 BABYLON A powerful nation that ruled the world in the time of Daniel - Dan 4v28-30 The prophecies of Isa 13v19-22 & Jer 51v53-58; 50v9-11 came to pass exactly Babylon was completely destroyed and became desolate and uninhabited RISE OF RUSSIA In Ezekiel 38v1-2,4-7,14-16 & Dan 11v40 the Bible predicted the rise of a powerful nation to the north of Israel called the prince of Rosh, Meshech & Tubal This nation can be identified as Russia, Moscow and Tobolski (or Siberia). The military might of this power and its impending invasion of the Middle East are the subject of a Bible prophecy made 2,500 years ago It is only in the last 50 years that both a powerful Russia and a regathered Israel coexist. PERSIA, ETHIOPIA & LIBYA Events concerning these nations today were predicted long ago Ezek 38v5 As predicted all have come under Russian influence The exact fulfillment of prophecy in the past, assures us of the certain fulfillment of those prophecies which are still to come to pass 4 6. How to read the Bible The Bible contains a very diverse range of styles of literature The main substance of the Bible is literal narrative (e.g. what actually occurred) Some parts of the Bible are symbolical (graphic representations) Rev 1v1 cp Rev 12v1-7 Some parts of the Bible contain parables (stories with a concealed lesson) Matthew 13v3-23,34-35 Some parts of the Bible are prophetical (predicting future events) Psalm 22v18; cp Matt 27v35 Some parts of the Bible contain types (a life or events foreshadowing a future event) Matthew 12v39-40 Some parts of the Bible contain metaphors (graphic expression) Deut 4v20 Some parts of the Bible contain personification (speaking of an abstract thing as a human e.g. wisdom) Prov 3v13-16 Some parts of the Bible contain metonymy (transposing cause & effect) 2 Cor 5v21 It is vital to understand Bible Passages in context and in the style of writing employed. 7. What the Bible can do for us Make us wise unto salvation 2 Timothy 3v14-17 Give us hope of eternal life Romans 15v4; 2 Peter 1v4; Acts 20v32 Purify our character John 17v15-19; Psalm 119v9; 2 Cor 10v4-5 Encourage us to continue Hebrews 10v24-25 Give us peace of mind Colossians 3v15 It offers us more abundant living now and immortality in the age to come 1Timothy 4v8-15 The Bible - Our Basis Of Faith To the Bible, then, all must come at last if they would be truly wise in spiritual things. This is a great truth, which few of the sons of men have learned to appreciate according to its importance. A man may be a theologian profoundly skilled in all questions of 'divinity'; he may be well versed in the mythology of the heathen world; he may be able to speak all languages of the nations; compute the distances of orb from orb, and weigh them in the scales of rigid calculation; he may know all science and be able to solve all mysteries - but if, with all this, he be ignorant of "the things of the spirit"; if he know not the true meaning of the Bible; he seemeth only to be wise, while he is, in fact, a fool. No one has any right to set up his own ignorance as the limit of what God hath revealed. A thing may be unknown to such a man, but it doth not therefore follow that it is either absolutely unintelligible or a secret. He may not know of it, or, if explained to him, he may not have intellect enough to comprehend it, or his prejudices, or sectarian bias may darken his understanding - this by no means makes the thing unintelligible or mysterious to other people. All that such persons have a right to say is "we do not know anything about it…." Let the example of the noble-minded Bereans be ours. They searched the scriptures daily to see if the things taught by the apostles were worthy of belief. "Therefore they believed" Acts 17v11 …… Let us be contented with nothing less than a "thus it is written" and a "thus saith the Lord" for He has laid it down in His law, that no one is worthy of belief who does not speak after His rule. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to THIS WORD, it is because there is no light in them". If then their light be darkness, how great is that darkness. Elpis Israel pages 3,4 & 6 5 6 Lesson 2 The Gospel 1. What the Gospel is The word 'gospel' means the good news or the glad tidings The gospel is that message from God which has the power to save mankind Romans 1v16; Mark 16v15-16; Matthew 28v19-20 It must be believed, obeyed in baptism and enacted in a life of dedication to effect salvation. 2. There are 2 key elements of the Gospel The Gospel of the Kingdom of God The salvation offered in Christ Jesus Acts 8v12; 28v23,30-31 3. There is only one true gospel that can give salvation This fact is the reason why Paul and the other apostles contended so strongly against those who taught false doctrine. Eph 4v4-6; Acts 20v29-31; Jude 5; Titus 3v10-11; Gal 1v6-8 Christ himself predicted that because there was only one true Gospel there would be few who found it. Matt 7v13-14 One therefore should let the Bible speak as the only authority Isa 8v20; 1 Thess 5v21 To believe error will deny is salvation 2 Peter 3v17-18 God Manifestation The Fundamental Doctrine of the Bible The one doctrine that distinguishes the Truth from all other forms of religion is the subject of God Manifestation ie., that man was created to reflect the glory of his Creator, and that in all his ways he must endeavour to show forth the Righteousness of God in his life. "Men were not ushered into being for the purpose of being saved or lost. God manifestation, not human salvation was the grand purpose of the Eternal Spirit. The salvation of a multitude is incidental to the manifestation, but it was not the end proposed. The Eternal Spirit intended to enthrone Himself on the earth, and in so doing, to develop a divine family from among men, every one of whom shall be spirit because born of the Spirit; and that this family shall be large enough to fill the earth when perfected, to the entire exclusion of flesh and blood." Herald of the Kingdom - April 1855 John Thomas "God has permitted the recovery of the Truth in these latter days and there is a liability that it might be lost again through the inability of complacent minds of limited grasp to see its wide-lying breadth and through their tendency to sympathise more readily with the human than the divine bearing of its doctrines. The doctrines of the Truth embody the thoughts of God, and the thoughts of God are higher than the thoughts of men, and therefore, the majority of men easily fail to rise to the height of them, or easily fall from the height when lifted up to them. The death of Christ has more to do with the exaltation of God, than the salvation of man. Most men take in the latter more easily than the former, and quickly get astray through the power of mere humanitarianism'. Diary of a Voyage - page 70 - Robert Roberts 7 Lesson 3 God's Purpose with the Earth "For thus saith Yahweh that created heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited" Isa 45v18 1. God created the earth with a clear purpose - To fill the earth with His Glory "But as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord." Numbers 14v21 cp Isa 11v9; Hab 2v14; Psa 72v19. This glory of God will be revealed in both the natural and the spiritual creation. 2. What is God's glory? God's glory was revealed to Moses Ex 34v5-7 cp Ex 33v18-19. It is His eternal qualities and character, as well as His physical majesty. God's glory (His name or character) can be described under 2 main headings o Goodness ] o Severity ] Romans 11v22 God is merciful, kind and loving but also is holy & righteous 3. God created mankind with a purpose in mind - that all should reflect His glory of character Man was created with the unique capacity to think like God, and to imitate God Gen 1v26; 1 Peter 2v9-10 4. Jesus Christ manifested the Father's name or glory when he walked on earth "I have manifested Thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world…" John 17v6; cp John 1v14; 2 Cor 4v6 5. God is still calling from the nations, individuals for his name (to reflect His character) God intends to perfect those who respond to His calling and immortalize them so that the earth will be filled with His glory in them "God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name" Acts 15v14; Romans 5v1-2 6. The earth will finally be filled with God's glory at the return of Jesus Christ This will occur when God establishes a world wide divine government under the Lord Jesus Christ Dan 2v44; Matt 6v10; Zech 14v9 God's purpose with the earth will be completed when all sin and death is removed. This will be when Christ hands the kingdom back to God at the end of the 1,000 year reign and then - GOD WILL BE ALL AND IN ALL 1 Cor 15v28 Lesson 4 8  About God God Himself 1. God is a personal, physical being God is the eternal, infinite Creator of all things He has a bodily existence, dwelling in Heaven in unapproachable light 1Timothy 6v15-16; Psalm 123v1; Matt 6v9; 1 Kings 8v30,34,39; Gen 1v26 cp James 3v9 2. God is One The Father of all God is not a trinity Deut 6v4; Eph 4v6; Mark 12v29-32; 1Tim 2v5; 1Cor 8v6; Isa 45v5; Gal 3v20 3. God is omnipresent (everywhere present) & omniscient (all knowing) By His spirit which fills heaven and earth, proceeding from Him as light and heat does from the sun Psalm 139v2-12; Jer 23v24; 1 Kings 8v27 4. God is omnipotent All powerful, all wise, immortal, eternal and the sustainer of all. 1 Tim 1v17; Job 33v4; 1 Timothy 6v15-16 5. God's character is just He is the epitome of goodness and mercy, balances by truth and just severity to the disobedient Romans 11v22; Ex 34v6-7; Psa 103 6. God demands He demands that man know Him and believe His purpose and existence John 17v3; Heb 11v6 "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" Hab 2v14 9  God Manifestation Because God is physically unapproachable by mortals, He reveals Himself through agents - men, angels or Jesus. They are His messengers or ambassadors and as such are manifesting (revealing) God. We have to grasp the principle that God's messengers or agents are often called God, as they do His will or purpose. (i.e. the Fire Brigade are here, or the Police are here - the man at your door may be Bill Smith, but to you he is the Fire Brigade). In the same way angels represent God to men. 1. Angels are called 'God' Or they speak for God Gen 32v24-30; Psa 8v5; Ex 20v20-23; Gen 35v1 2. Men are sometimes called 'God' Because they represent God John 10v33-35; Ex 6v29; 7v1; 22v28; Psa 82v6 3. Jesus Christ was called 'God' Because he manifested or revealed God John 1v18; 20v28. He did God's works John 5v3 He spoke God's words John 12v49-50. He did God's will John 14v7-11 He manifested God's name John 17v6 cp Heb 1v8 4. We should also bear God's name Acts 15v14; Rev 14v1; Matt 28v19' 1 Thess 1v1; John 17v23-26 We can do this by revealing God to others God Manifestation is US Living in a way that others may see God living in us 10 Lesson 5 The Holy Spirit & Jesus Christ The Holy Spirit Holy - set apart, sanctified or special The Holy Spirit is the power of God to perform his will. It is manifested in miracles and inspirations. Acts 2v22; 2 Peter 1v19-22 1. The Holy Spirit is God's power Acts 1v8; Luke 1v34-35; Acts 10v38; Psalm 33v6 God has the power to create and change things as he wishes 2. The Holy Spirit is often personified Is sometimes confused as a second part of the so called trinity. The use of personification (the speaking of abstract things as beings) is common to scripture. (cp Romans 6, sin as a king; Prov 8v1 wisdom as a woman). The spirit is personified because God spoke and acted by it John 14v26-27;16v7-8 The spirit would replace the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and would enable the disciples to achieve great things in preaching and to finish the Bible 3. The Holy Spirit is distinct from God's free spirit which motivates nature. The free spirit of God is the "spirit of lives" or life force found in all creatures. Psalm 51v10-12; Job 34v14; Gen 7v22 Jesus Christ His name means "God shall save by His anointed one" 1. He was the Son of God Begotten by God's power on Mary Luke 1v35; Matt 1v20; Isa 7v14 2. He was born bearing human nature With all its inherent lusts and weaknesses Gal 4v4; 1 Tim 2v5; Acts 2v22; Heb 2v14-18; 4v15; 5v7-8; 3. He was given the control of God's power Through which he did miracles and spoke the words of God Acts 10v38; Luke 3v22; 4v14; 11 Lesson 6 The Foundation of the World God is the Eternal Creator Infinite in time, distance and power. The Bible says, "The heavens declare the glory of God" Psalm 19v1. David the king of Israel also said, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man, that thou are mindful of him." Psalm 8v3-6. Some incredible statistics about Space The Earth The Bible describes God as He that 'hangeth the earth upon nothing" Job 26v7 The earth has a diameter pf 7,926 miles (12,681 kms) Weighs some 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons Revolves upon its own axis at a speed of 1,037 mph at the equator (1,660 kmph) Hurtles through space, on its orbit around the sun at a speed of 66,600 mph (106,560 kmph) Travels through space each year, a distance of 584 million miles (934 million kms) Alpha Centauri The closest star to our solar system 42 light years away or 26,000,000,000,000 miles (41,000,000,000,000kms) If the rocket that landed on the moon was directed to Alpha Centauri it would take 741,500 years at a speed of 5,000 mph (8,000 kmph) or 118,600 years at 25,000 mph (40,000 kmph) Sirius Sirius is called the Dog Star. It is the brightest star we see at night. It light takes 9 years to reach us If this star was in the position of our sun, our oceans and even the polar ice caps would boil away and life would vanish from Earth. Betelgeuse Betelgeuse is one of the biggest stars, being many times bigger than our Sun. It is 350,000 miles in diameter (560,000 km) If this giant star was in the position of our Sun, it would engulf the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The Milky Way Our sun is only one of the many billions of stars that make up the Milky Way Such a group of stars is known as a galaxy, from the Greek word "gala" meaning milk The distance from one rim to the other of our galaxy is 1,000,000 light years. Yet for all his incredible control of this vastness, the creator is willing to recognize humble people on this tiny planet. 12  "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa 57v15 The book of Genesis is called "the foundation of the world", because it lays the pattern for the whole Bible. Rev 13v8; 1 Peter 1v20. God's plan has never altered since creation. It is critical that we carefully analyse God's foundations and His purpose in creating the world. The Creation of the Earth 1. Genesis 1v1 "In the beginning" We are told God created the heaven and the earth at some time in the past. The creation of the planet Earth and the heavens (the solar system) was not necessarily accomplished only 6,000 years ago. Rather, at that time God began to move to fashion Earth into the creation as we now know it. God, being eternal and infinite, has been active in various spheres long before the creation recorded by Moses. There may have even been previous life on the planet Earth before the time of Genesis 1 and this may account for some of the fossils we now see. 2. "God" (Elohim - plural) - "He created" (singular) Hebrew "Elohim" - the word means mighty ones, and is a plural noun, unusually followed by a singular verb. This is showing us that God performed his will in other beings. God created by is power Psalm 33v6-9 which was manipulated by the angels, or "the elohim" as they are called in these chapters. Psalm 103v20-22; 104v3-5; Gen 1v27; Job 38v7. 3. Genesis 1v2 "The earth was without form and void" Hebrew "a catastrophe" Rotherham translation - "had become waste and wild". This indicates that the earth had suffered a great destruction at some time previous which had left it "waste and wild", enveloped in thick cloud and covered by water. 4. "The spirit of God moved on the waters" Literally "was hovering on the surface". The angels arrived to begin the new creation that The creator had determined. 5. The Key to the six days of Creation (see diagrammatical notes over page) It is essential to the understanding of the record to note that the events take place from the point of view of a man standing on the face of the Earth. This explains why the Sun, though in existence was not sighted until the fourth day, when the cloud cover eventually cleared sufficiently. Note the logical order of the things created. A special note on v16 - "And God made two great lights" …. The word "made" in this verse is better rendered "appointed" or "placed in position" - see Psalm 104v19. 13 "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." Psalm 33v6-9 "In the Beginning" Day One "a catastrophe' Gen 1v2 Cloud cover thinned The light dispels the darkness Day & night experienced Dense cloud & Darkness over all the earth Days Two & Three Day Four Dry land appears Day & night experienced but not seen Cloud cover further reduced Sun, moon & stars now seen 14  The Theory Of Evolution In 1959, just 100 years after Darwin presented his theory of evolution, Sir Julian Huxley said "Darwin's theory... is no longer a theory but a fact". Since then our whole society has been influenced by evolutionary and humanist philosophies. Evolutionary ideas certainly did not begin with Darwin. They arose first among the ancient Greeks; Anaximander taught that men evolved from fish, and Empedocles asserted that animals had developed from plants. These views, however, were not generally accepted. Another widely accepted view put forward by Aristotle and others around 400 BC was that of Spontaneous Generation. It taught that fish and frogs arose suddenly from mud and slime, rats and mice from rubbish, and maggots from rotting flesh. Others such as Gregory pointed out in 400 AD that if this was the true, then there was no need to believe in God as Creator. This notion held popularity for hundreds of years, but in 1668 Francesco Redi proved that maggots came from fly eggs laid in rotting meat. In the mid 1800's Louis Pasteur completely disproved the theory by showing that bacteria would not grow in sterilised materials. How is it possible for a false theory to be believed so passionately and for so long against the advice of many eminent scientists and contrary to scientifically controlled experiments? The reasons are exactly the same as those for which evolution is believed today. They are summed up in the opinion of the scientist Haeckel; who claimed that Spontaneous Generation must be, true because otherwise it would be necessary to believe in a Creator. People believed this theory -because they did not want to believe in the "old superstition". Modern evolution has a host of problems. It is false science which has been postulated but never proven, asserted but not supported by valid evidence and dogmatised but never demonstrated. It fails to meet scientific criteria: 1. It is not useful in predicting future natural occurrences. 2. Not subject to experimental tests because its supposed events are unique, unrepeatable and irreversible, and require extreme spans of time 3. Not capable of falsification because it is so plastic it is able to explain anything, even contradiction 4. Its probability is essentially zero. 5. It has no substantial support in natural processes or laws. The theory has several other major weaknesses. 1. The lack of transitional forms as acknowledged by Darwin himself ('Origin of Species' p. 207) 2. The sudden appearance of complex forms in the lowest fossil bearing rocks. 3. The ignoring of data which contradicts the theory. 4. Improbability of uniformitarian assumptions. 5. Degenerative nature of mutations. 6. The inability of untold scientists to produce even one living thing from non-living materials. 15 Lesson 7 The Principles of Spiritual Creation The days of creation also teach lessons, for those seeking to obey God Day 1 Light must penetrate darkness This principle is clearly taught in the Bible - God's truth must replace our natural ignorance 1 John 1v5-7; 1 Pet 2v9; Col 1v13; John 12v46-48 Day 2 Separation - must occur from the troubled sea of nations God requires His servants to come apart from the world in baptism Isaiah 57v20; Rev 17v15; 2 Cor 6v14-18 separated into two classes by water Day 3 God calls people to be separated in order that fruits are produced The fruits that God requires are obedience and right actions 1 Peter 2v9-13; Romans 6v22 Day 4 The light must shine True followers of God will radiate their faith to others Matt 5v14; Phil 2v15 Day 5 The Grace of God goes to Gentiles The number 5 is the Bible's number of grace. The birds and fish represent those that God is calling o Newness of life developed by personal choice Rom 6v4-5 Day 6 The Man & his Bride are formed and united The 6,000 years of creation will culminate in Christ & His bride being joined together Eph 4v24-30; Rev 19v7-8; 2 Cor 11v2 Day 7 Rest from our labours The Sabbath day rest foreshadowed the Kingdom of God Heb 4v9; Rev 14v13 16 Lesson 8 The Creation of Man God created the man and the woman on the 6th day (hence 6 is the number of man - and men have dominion for 6,000 years). Genesis 1 v26 Why man was created "and God (Elohim) said" This refers to the angels who used God's power to create. Job 38v7; Psa 103v20-21 "let us make man in our image" Heb "Tselem" means "bodily shape" or "appearance". For this reason men and angels are often confused. See Gen 18 & 19 "after our likeness" The Hebrew word for "likeness" indicates 'mental capacity or constitution'. Adam was made with the ability to reason on moral principles and divine ideas. All other animals including the serpent were able to reason - but not on moral principles (e.g. love, hope, faith, mercy, justice, respect, holiness, righteousness) The animals were amoral creatures subject only to natural propensities or instincts. They could not absorb God's moral laws and ideals. Rom 8v6-8 "have dominion" The angels declare that this was the purpose for which man was created It was a position later lost through transgression. Man was intended to use his greater mental capacity to subject the animal minds and to rule over them. When he let his animal mind fall to animal thinking he lost that dominion. This will only be regained when Christ reigns as universal king, and "all things" are subjected to him Psa 8v6-8; Heb 3v6-8; Eph 1v19-22; 1 Cor 15v24-28; John 17v2; Matt 22v18. v27 "male and female created He them" Man and woman were created both in the image of the elohim (the angels), suggesting perhaps elohim also were male and female before their exaltation. When the faithful saints are glorified, they will become equal to the angels Luke 20v34-36 v28 "dominion" Is emphasized again as the mission of the man given in the Creation v31 "very good" All things the angels had made (including the serpent) were very good in God's eyes. The serpent could not therefore be an intrinsically evil creature as some suppose. 17  The Days of Creation In an attempt to accommodate the scientific theory of evolution, some commentators bend the scriptural account of creation by claiming that each day of creation was in fact a longer period than 24 hours, and it is suggested that each day represented a period from 1,000 years to billions of years. Yet Moses wrote "the evening and the morning were the first day" etc., in other words a diurnal revolution of the earth which is 24 hours in duration. The matter is made very clear in Exodus 31v17 "For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested". In v 15 He said "six days may work be done, but the seventh is a Sabbath of rest". Here Yahweh is directing Israel to work for six literal days on the basis that the creation took six literal days to perform. In Genesis 5v5, Adam's age is given as 930 years, but if each day of creation were 1,000 years, it would mean that he lived part of the sixth day, conservatively say 500 years, plus 1,000 years of the Sabbath. Thus by the end of creation alone he would have been 1,500 years. It should be noted that all life, both animal and vegetable, depends on light, and if there was darkness for 500 years all would have perished and Adam would have experienced at least one period of 500 years of darkness. However, 2 Peter 3v8 states "that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day". The key to understanding this lies with the statements "is as", that is there is a typical application of a day which spans a thousand years. Thus the creation was typical of Yahweh's purpose with mankind. There would be 6,000 years of human history when man would work the works of the flesh and when Yahweh would take out a people for his name, typically doing this in the fashion of another creation, based on the patter of the first. This would be followed by 1,000 years of rest from the domination of the flesh, when the Lord Jesus Christ's authority will be supreme. The first miracle, in the light of what the We live miraculously on this planet, If the earth's diameter were 7,200 miles rest of the universe is like, is that there protected from eight killer rays from the instead of 8,000, almost the whole IS an ocean here! In the universe as a sun, by a thin layer of ozone high up in earth, due to a lessening of its whole, liquid water of any kind - sweet our atmosphere. atmospheric mantle, would be reduced or salt 0 is an exotic rarity. to a snow and ice waste. Contrary to common belief, the liquid If that little belt of ozone, approximately If there were a variation of only 10 state is exceptional in nature; most forty miles up and only one eighth of an percent, either in the increase or matter in the universe seems to consist inch thick (if compressed), should decrease of the size of our world, no life either of flaming gases, as in the stars, suddenly drift into space, all life on earth as we know it on earth would be or frozen solids drifting in the abyss of would perish. possible! space 18 Lesson 9 Sabbath, the Garden & God's Law The Sabbath Genesis 2 v2 "God rested" "ceased" not because His power was in need of rest (Isa 40v28) but to institute a principle for the sake of man. God did not want man to work 7 days a week so He set one day aside so that man might cease from his own works and consider God and His ways Ex 31v12-27; Isa 58v13-14; Mark 2v27 "the Sabbath" Is a type or shadow of the Kingdom of God. This will be 1,000 years of rest after 6,000 years of labour and toil. God will again create a perfect state from a situation of chaos Heb 4v4,9-11 v3 "God blessed the Sabbath" The blessing would be upon those who kept it in the correct spirit Isa 58v5-8. God set this day apart to teach a lesson to man "sanctified it" Set it apart - as a completely different day to the others A day to rejoice in God's works. Israel was required to observe it as a nation After Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses, the Sabbath no longer was observed. Christ's disciples met on the first day of the week, not the Sabbath Acts 20v7; 1 Cor 16v2 Sabbath keeping is no longer required Gal 4v10; Col 2v16 19  The Earth's Climate Genesis 2v5-6 Apparently when the earth was created, a different system of watering the ground was in operation. This unique climate possibly remained until the flood, when rain was first seen, rainbows appeared and seasons were experienced. Gen 7v11; Gen 8v22; Gen 9v13; Heb 11v7. The Creation of Man Genesis 2v7 More detail is now supplied concerning the mechanics of the creation of man and woman. There are three basic elements that make up a living person. 1. Dust of the ground Physical elements to which man returns at death Eccl 12v7; Gen 3v19 2. Breath of life Hebrew "Neshemet Chayim" - breath of lives i.e. atmospheric air Psalm 146v3-5 3. Spirit of life see Eccl 12v7; Job 33v4; Psalm 104v29-30 Heb "Ruach Chayim" - breath of spirit of lives. The instrumentally formative power of God - the "electricity" which sustains body function and nervous system etc. This is found in every creature and returns back to God at death. Gen 7v15 It has no relation to personality or memory. Man became a living soul. (Heb "Nephesh Chayah) - a breathing frame, a living body, not an eternal soul. See also Job 27v3; 33v4; 34v14; See Gen 1v30 where the word is translated as "life" 20  The Seventh Day… Was Adam obliged to keep it? The 7th day was Saturday, and on God's standard for a day, it was Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. "The evening and the morning were the …… day". From Exodus 16 onwards the Scripture refers to this day as the Sabbath; a word meaning "rest". Moses wrote that at creation, God sanctified it, i.e. He set it apart, but there is no suggestion that Adam and Even observed it as a special day. It was the Elohim that had worked the work of creation and who rested on that day. Adam had done nothing to rest from. Yahweh had set it apart as a type of the Millennium, and gave it to Israel as a day of rest. But they changed it to a day of ritual, to which they became subservient. However, the Lord Jesus Christ clearly condemned this, saying that "the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath." In other words, the Sabbath was designed for man's benefit, that he might enjoy a day of rest, unencumbered by the mundane things of life, so that he could think on and enjoy the things of God. That the Sabbath was given only to Israel and did not apply before or after the Mosaic covenant is clearly seen in the words of Moses in Exodus 31 "verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep; for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations …. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever." When instructions were first given to them to keep the Sabbath, Israel knew nothing of Sabbath keeping. That narrative reveals that it was something new to them and not something they were familiar with. Israel misunderstood its purpose. It was not only designed to give them a day of rest, which under the restrictions of the law became a drudgery to them. Its principal purpose was that they could spend a day thinking about Yahweh and His wonderful law. Isaiah said that Yahweh would bless them Isaiah 58v13. 'if thou turn away….from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight; Holy of Yahweh honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words". The law of the Sabbath is not repeated under the "Law of Christ" but it has a typical application as we read in Hebrews 4v3; "For we which have believed do enter into rest (Sabbath)" v10 "for he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from His". Thus it is that the truth necessitates living a life dedicated to God; not just one day in the week, but every day, ceasing from the works of the flesh, like the Lord Jesus Christ who never did the works of the flesh, labouring in the works of God; v11 says "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest (i.e. this stands for immortality) lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief", as manifested by Israel. Thus the seventh day is a glorious type of God's purpose with His creation, when the "earth will be full of the glory of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea". 21  The Garden & God's Law There were 2 trees in the Gardens of Eden that were important. Genesis 2v9 God planted 2 trees with special significance, the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good & evil Genesis 2v10-14 The garden was a delta surrounded by four rivers Genesis 2v15 Man was set to work to tend the garden Genesis 2v16-17 God's law was placed on the tree of knowledge of good & evil The reason for Man was in an untried state and the law would test his the law obedience to God's law. It is needful to test faith to perfect it, thus developing character. 1 Peter 1v7 God tests all men to improve their faith Job 23v10; Acts 14v22; Heb 12v5-12 Deut 8v1-3; Heb 5v7-9; Gen 22v1 Adam was responsible to teach Eve God's law The tree of life Had the ability to give the eater eternal life Gen 3v22 but apparently they never ate of it This was most likely because they never felt a need to be different from their "very good" state, until after they had sinned. The Tree of Life This tree was literally placed in the midst of the garden Gen 2v9, indicating that it was at the centre of God's purpose. As the law of cause and effect applied when Adam ate of the tree of knowledge of good & evil, changing him physically, so he would have been literally given immortality had he eaten of the tree of life Gen 3v22. This then raises the question, why didn't he eat of it? Possibly it was not ripe, or perhaps it did not look attractive (to the people of the world the truth appears to be unattractive to their fleshly minds and they find it hard to appreciate that it is through much tribulation that we can get eternal life). Although Adam was prevented from eating of its fruit and was expelled from the garden the "way" i.e. "path, road" has been preserved Gen 3v24 (keep = preserved), so that as Adam engaged in divine worship he could see the tree of lives in the distance and learnt that one day certain men and women would have the privilege of eating of its fruit and living forever. The wise man tells us that there is a sense in which we can eat of its today when we partake of divine wisdom. Prov 3v18 says "she (wisdom" is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her". In the Hebrew the word 'life' is literally "lives" (chayim, 'im' making it plural). Thus the "tree of lives" gives us a mental picture of a tree with many fruit, all of which would give immortality to the eater thereof, This will be the great gift given by the Son of God to the worthy Rev 2v7 who thus figuratively become trees. The product of the fruit of a tree is designed to reproduce the tree, thus we have David in Psalm 1v3 writing "and he shall be like a tree …. whose leaf shall never whither" i.e. perennial = immortality. This is expressed by Isa 61v3 "called trees of righteousness the planting of Yahweh". Such a picture is presented in Rev 22v2 where the saints are depicted as a wood or forest ('tree' - "xulon" is a Greek word like our word sheep which is either singular or plural; here it must be plural for it is on both sides of the river), while the word 'life' is singular. We are therefore being taught that the "tree of lives" becomes a "forest of life", that gives "12 manner of fruits", and "the leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations", illustrating the work of the saints in the Kingdom age. 22 The Garden and God's Law (cont) …….. Genesis 2v16-17 The tree of knowledge of Good and Evil Conferred the ability to know good and evil merely because in eating, one disobeyed God and received evil as punishment. Their lusts were excited in the act and the consequent shame and fear brought a knowledge that good had been lost. There was, after sin, a far greater awareness of the difference between good and evil. Thou shalt surely die Yet they did not die that same day. The margin gives the correct sense …. "dying thou shalt die" A process of gradual decay was set in action that culminated in death Genesis 3v19 The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Many Bible commentators claim that this tree would impart the ability to discern right from wrong, but this is contrary to Moses' intention. His account presents the tree as one who fruit, like that of the Tree of Lives, would bring about a physical change in the eater. The effect of partaking of the "Tree of Knowledge" was to awaken latent impulses within man, making him susceptible to the experience of both pleasure and pain, thus to "know" what was desirable and what was harmful. The onset of adulthood brings a growing awareness of these experiences and impulses both pleasant and harmful, whilst "little ones" or children, have "no knowledge of good or evil" Deut 1v39. Our sensitivity to these things is at its peak when we reach maturity, but tapers off with the onset of old age. Thus Barzillai the Gileadite said "I am eighty years old, can I discern between good and evil?" This aged man is not suggesting he has learnt nothing in his 80 years, but is referring to the dulling of his senses and his loss of ability to enjoy life's experiences; "can thy servant taste what I eat, or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing?" 2 Sam 19v35 His explanation helps us to understand what is meant by these terms in Genesis 2v9. Solomon further illustrates the deterioration of the ability to "discern good and evil" with advancing age, in the graphic description contained in Eccl 12v1-7. The "knowledge of good and evil" imparted by the tree in Eden, thus includes the whole range of human experiences wherein the enjoyment of pleasure is tempered by the recognition of danger and pain - we can enjoy the warmth of fire, yet know the danger of coming too close. Because of its effects, this tree could be called the "tree of desire", or the "tree of death". Like the "tree of life" it was unique among the trees of the garden, and apparently did not propagate itself. Whilst we recognize that much can be learnt in a natural sense by the experiencing of "good and evil", we are unable by nature to discern what is right or wrong in God's eyes. Eternal wisdom in those matters comes from only one source; the study of God's work. Therefore "study (Roth 'give diligence') to show thyself approved unto God….. rightly dividing the word of truth" 2 Timothy 2v15. 23 Lesson 10 Creation of Woman The details of the Woman's Creation Genesis 2 v18 The man viewed all the animals with their mates and found no creature with which to share his greater capacity (v 20). God said it was "not good for man to dwell alone" -- he was incomplete if he could not learn to socialise and needed someone to interact with. "help meet" Heb. "a counterpart" - RSV "a helper fit"- the woman was designed to complement the man, to reflect his glory and being made of a different emotional nature, to draw from him the latent characteristics which he may not so easily have displayed. The man had a less emotional nature and was not deceived by the serpent's deceit. 1 Tim 2v13-14, 2 Cor 11v2. As a unit they would manifest the principles of God's character. As one writer has expressed - "Man is the head, but only for nurture and protection and honour of the woman. Woman is man's equal fellow-heir of the salvation that is offered in Christ, but not to usurp the position that belongs to man both by natural judgment and achievement. Woman is for grace, sympathy and ministration. Between them they form a beautiful unit - 'heirs together of the grace of life'. Law of Moses p 220 v 21 "One of his ribs" In this unique method of creating Eve, God intended that there should be a closer relationship between man and woman than existed between the animals. This relationship was typical of Christ and his bride-the ecclesia. Eph 5v22-33; Rev 19v7-9; Matt 22v2-14. At Christ's death his side was opened in a similar way. As a result of his death (deep sleep) the ecclesia was formed, and should be at one with him. John 19v34-37 v 24 "One flesh" - a greater sympathy and love existed between them as a result of their special creation and greater moral and intellectual capacity. Marriage therefore is for life: and cannot be dissolved. Matt 19v2-9; Mark 10v2-12; 1 Cor 7v39 v 25 "Not ashamed" - because shame is the result of a defiled conscience. Genesis 3v7 There was no guilt or sense of wrong in them before sin. 24  Marriage From one man (Adam) Yahweh created two persons with the intent that they should again become one. In Matthew 19v4 the Lord Jesus Christ declared that "He (God) made them male and female" (which we understand as man and woman), so that they come together in marriage. This is to be a permanent arrangement until death separates them. The prophet Malachi 2v15-16 states that Yahweh "hates putting away". A husband and wife should share each others hopes, joys, sorrows, aspirations and ideals and thus be "one flesh" both in body and mind. The creation of Eve from Adam made such ideals possible, for as Adam said, "She is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh". Yahweh made Adam knowing that he would be lonely, and impressed this loneliness upon him by causing the animal creation, male and female, to pass before him. He saw that they had companionship, "but for Adam there was not found a help meet" (companion, counterpart). Because Eve was taken from his flesh and bone instead of from the earth (as it was with the animals), Adam and Eve had a greater compatibility and fellow feeling than the animals could have. This would allow them to more easily fulfill the divine ideal that the two persons that He had made from one, should become one in desire, action and thought. Yahweh said that for this reason "shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife". Gen 2 v 24; Matt 19 v 4-5. Paul in Eph 5 v 31 states that this verse illustrates the personal, intimate relationship between Christ and the ecclesia. It shows the figurative application the creation of Eve has to the formation of the bride of the second Adam, who was put into a deep sleep that his bride might be formed out of him. This chapter also provides guidelines to normal marriage. The wife is to be in subjection to her husband as the ecclesia is to Christ. Let her revere him as she would the Lord, and let the husband respect his wife and render to her due benevolence in the manifestation of a true sacrificial love that seeks her good before his own. God declares that it is not good that a man should remain alone, because the experience of marriage will develop in him the need to mutual understanding and consideration and the exercise of the unselfish love that a successful marriage demands. This helps in a practical way, to develop Christ-like qualities. Marriage was developed by God as a channel for the fulfillment of the divine purpose; the eventual bringing forth of a righteous seed. The Lord Jesus Christ endorsed marriage and graced a wedding feast with his presence John 2v1-2. Paul acclaims marriage as honourable and desirable. But even better than literal marriage is the spiritual espousal of ourselves to Christ 2 Cor 11v2 which means that we can constitute part of his glorious bride at the marriage supper of the Lamb. 25 Lesson 11 The Fall of Man How sin came into the world Genesis 3 v1 The serpent...... was one of the beasts of the field (v14) which God had made, and was therefore "very good" in God's eyes (1v31). He was a literal animal (2 Cor 11v3) and one given the power of speech (cp Balaam's ass 2 Peter 2v16) was more subtle Roth. ,crafty", literally "more discerning" than the other animals. His wisdom (reasoning and discernment) was commended by Christ as a virtue Matt 10v16. He had the power to speak, to move about freely and the power to reason on facts. However, the serpent was still an animal and had a carnal mind... this could never be answerable to God's laws nor could it appreciate moral virtues Rom 8v7. So we see that the serpent was not held accountable for its utterances. The serpent had a theory he had arrived at, about the law of God in relation to the trees of the garden. He now put the theory to the woman. His question came in a way that suggested he had thought through the discussion. v2-3 God hath said. The woman repeated what God had said. As such she spoke God's law. The woman thus represents those who understand and speak God's law. v4 Ye shall not surely die. The serpent now expressed his theory, which seems to be based on a device to overcome the sentence of death attached to the tree of knowledge of good and evil, by eating also of the tree of life (3v22). He had observed that the man and woman lacked the experience of good and evil possessed by the angels he saw in the garden. Note the serpent made no allowance for the fact that God might uphold His law. see John 8v44. The serpent was a "liar" - unintentionally, but still a lair. He 'spoke of himself' because there was "no truth in him". v5 He was correct in his observation about increased knowledge (v7) but was wrong in his assumption that God would tolerate Adam and Eve disobeying Him v6 The woman saw….. the woman made a fatal mistake. She did not use the greater mental ability that she possessed over the serpent and the moral capacity to absorb God's laws. Instead, she adopted the serpent's reasoning, which appealed to the natural desires of her body. Three Aspects of Temptation 1 John 2v15-16; James 1v14-15; Mark 7v20-22 Saw it was good for food Lust of the flesh Pleasant to the eyes Lust of the eyes Desired to make one wise Pride of Life 26  The Process of Sin James 1v15-17 Defiled mentally when she heeded the teaching of the serpent - Gen 3v6 Defiled morally when she ate of the fruit - Gen 3v6 Defiled physically when mortality took hold of them - Gen 3v19 v6 Gave also to her husband. Very likely Adam was with Eve, but failed to uphold God's law. Adam was not deceived (I Tim 2v14) but he listened to the voice of his wife above what he knew to be right in God's eyes (v17) v7 Their eves opened - an awareness of sin now came over them. The serpent felt no shame because he was not capable of it but the man and woman had a conscience which was now awakened by their sin Fig leaves - their shame caused them to be aware that God was watching them. They devised their own covering for their nakedness, but God later provided a covering, teaching us that we cannot cover our own sin, but we must rely on God to provide a covering for us. Prov 28v13-14; Job 31v33. v8 They hid themselves They felt a sense of shame and hid from God. There was now fear and regret as a result of their sin. They lost the confidence of past days. v 10 I was afraid - Adam's answer testified to his guilt. There had been no fear and shame before their sin. Sin is transgression of God's law. I John 3v4 v 11 The woman thou gavest to me - Adam blamed God for his temptation. Adam was later sentenced, but first God pursues the source of blame. Eve blamed the serpent and the serpent had no-one to blame. V 14 God cursed the serpent by removing his powers of speech and motion. God did not punish the serpent for wickedness but as a lesson to the man and the woman to impress them with the folly of serpent thinking that leaves God out of account. It is interesting to note that serpents smell by sucking in fine dust for analysing at the roof of their mouths. God's word is confirmed by scientific discovery. v 15 The first great promise of redemption - God spoke now to the serpent, not because he could appreciate the words but to illustrate the principle to the man and woman that there must be a difference in their thinking to that which the serpent manifested. Also included in God's words was the first promise of redemption and freedom from the power of death. 27  Enmity Between Thee The Woman Thy Seed Her Seed The Results A temporary wound The heel for the woman's seed Jesus crucified yet raised Isa 5 3 v 10 A fatal wound The head for the serpents seed sin completely destroyed Heb 2 v 1 The Meaning God established that there would be both a natural and mental enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. The seed of the serpent Those dominated by natural thinking, who leave God out of account The seed of the woman Christ and all those who think like him Those who know God's law. The Enmity Ultimately Christ will destroy the thinking of the serpent and those dominated by it. CHRIST Matt I v 18 - 25; Gal 4 v 4 had enmity with the serpent minded Jews of the day. John 15 v 19; 16 v 33; Matt 23 v 33 He called them 'vipers'. He also fought and destroyed natural thinking in himself Col 2 v 14 CHRIST'S FOLLOWERS will have enmity both in themselves as they struggle to overcome their own nature and the power of the serpent's seed in the earth. Eph 6 v 12; Rom 7 v 18 - 23 v 16 The sentence on the woman - as she sought to gratify the flesh, so God made this the basis of her punishment. Pain and sorrow in childbirth was to be her lot. Her conception would be increased as the conflict of the two classes of people in the earth would cost many lives. She was also placed in subjection to her husband. 1 Tim 2v9-14 v 17 The sentence on the man. As we noted, the man was punished for listening to the voice of his wife, rather than obeying God's law. His punishment was the loss of the easy life in the garden. He now had thorns and thistles to contend with, the ground was cursed and he would have to labour hard to get a living. He would be impressed with the value of what he had lost by transgression. v 19 The sentence of death, was pronounced in v 19. This declared the fate of man from that moment onward. God had said "dying thou shalt die" and now the words came to pass. Man was created from the dust of the ground and was to return there. God now changed their nature from the "very good" state to mortality, a process of gradual ageing and corruption. 28 v 20 Adam called his wife Eve - Adam's faith expressed itself *in this name. He saw that life could come through the promised seed of the woman. This is a direct contrast to v19 (mortality). v 21 God clothes them. God had to teach them that they could not cover the results of their sin, but they must look to God to provide. God slew an animal before them, teaching that they were worthy to die as that animal had. Heb 9v22; Lev 17v1. God also was teaching that a sacrifice was to be made that would provide for the sins of mankind and hide their shame 'in the eyes of God. (cp Rev 13 v 8). Jesus Christ becomes the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world". (see also John 1 v 29) v 22 The way of the Tree of Life. Death having been pronounced, God ensured that they did not eat of the Tree which could have given eternal life. The man was driven out of the garden. The way of the Tree was guarded by God firstly to provide a place of worship for the man and also to keep open the prospect of eternal life as the ultimate reward Rev 2v7; 22v14 v 24 God placed cherubim. This appears to be an angelic manifestation that God placed at the entrance to the garden. The Cherubim represent the "faces of God" (4 v 14) where men could come to sacrifice before God. Cherubim are the heraldry of God's Kingdom. Principle Death came by mental, moral & physical corruption Life comes by mental, moral & physical change Three Temptations Common To Man Defeated By Jesus Christ Key quotation I John 2 v 16 Eve 1 John 2 v 16 Christ Gen3v6 Luke 4 Good for food Lust of the flesh Command this stone that it be made bread v3 Pleasant to the eyes Lust of the eyes All this power will I give thee v6 A tree to be desired to Pride of life Cast thyself down from make one wise thence v9 29  How Sin changed all Creation Before Adam and Eve sinned, the creation was pleasant and harmonious. There was no death, thorns or thistles. The fact that in the Kingdom age "the lion will eat straw like the ox and the wolf shall dwell with the lamb" (Isa 11v6-8), indicates that this was the condition of things before man sinned. As Moses stated, all creation was 'very good'. In Genesis 1v30 it clearly states "every beast, fowl and creeping thing, I have given every green herb for meat". It would therefore appear that Yahweh implanted latent conditions in the creation that would be triggered off by what we call the law of cause and effect, once sin was committed. Originally Adam and Eve had no sinful lusts, for God made them upright Ecc 7v29. But when Eve believed the serpent, a change took place in her body which released "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life", which John says "were not of the Father" 1 John 2v15-16. (i.e. were not part of the original creation but which became a physical part of our nature). Man became subject to death, a process that now commences at birth; 'dying thou shalt die'. This process is evident in the illnesses and diseases we suffer. The body cells which constantly reproduce, gradually break down, until in old age they cease to function as they should and eventually we die. At creation Adam and Eve possessed a nature capable of corruption but not subject to it. But now we are dying creatures subject to inevitable corruption. All creation changed as we saw with the animal creation. The earth brought forth "thorns and thistles", and the fertility of the ground was affected, so that man would experience difficulty in extracting a living from the soil. Ultimately the purpose of God is to change this state, so that the earth and all creation will revert back to how it was at the beginning, and in addition, man will be deathless and reflect the glory of the Creator - "and there will be no more curse" Rev 22v3. 30 Lesson 12 Cain & Abel The Development of the Two Seeds Genesis 4 God gives us an illustration of the inevitable conflict or enmity between the two seeds. One listened to God, the other did not. 1 John 3v12. Cain was of the carnal mind. v1 Cain Hebrew 'acquired'. He was a tiller of the ground Eve saw him as the promised seed v2 Abel Was a keeper of sheep Perhaps he saw the significance of "the lamb slain from the foundation of the world". v3 In process of time In the Hebrew this means "at the end of days" (see mgn), so we see there was apparently a set time for sacrifice to God. This was probably conducted at the east of the garden where the Cherubim kept the way of the Tree of Life. Cain brought produce from the earth, which God had cursed. v4 God has respect to Abel's offering Why? Because Abel saw the principle involved in the shedding of blood to provide a covering for sin. A man who sins is worthy of death, and the animal's death was his declaration of this fact. It also pointed forward to the one who was to come (the seed of the woman) who would die for his brethren (Heb 9v22; Matt 26v28; Col 1v14) God probably consume Abel's offering with fire but did not recognize Cain's offering. The lesson for us See Hebrews 11v3 Abel's offering was by faith  This comes by hearing God's word Rom 10v17  Abel will be raised again because of his faith  v5 Cain was angry Because his offering would have taken more effort than Abel's Cain had done his best but lacked faith in God's purpose He now refused to see the principle 31 v6-7 God endeavours to show Cain that there is opportunity for him to be restored to favour A "sin offering" was at the door. If he used it he could regain his rights as firstborn, and Abel would be subject to him. Cain refused God's offering - he was a will worshipper who would not submit to God's terms. The word "sin" is Hebrew "chaattah" - is rendered "sin offering" see Numbers 6v11,14,16. The word 'lieth' is Hebrew "rebets" which means 'crouches' v8 Cain slew Abel Cain refused to humble himself before God and took out his frustration in murder. The enmity of Genesis 3v15 was already at work. Cain, by his attitude, began the "seed of the serpent" cp Matt 23v34-35 The seed of the serpent has always opposed the Truth and sought to crush its followers. v9-10 God questions Cain Cain clearly indicates his lack of concern for his brother. He also proved he was a liar 1 John 3v12 v11-15 Cain's banishment From the 'faces of God' (mgn v14) As a punishment Cain was sent away from the place of worship and forgiveness v16-24 The development of the serpent's seed This gives us a history of Cain's seed. The predominant member who is given as an example of their wickedness and defiance is Lamech. Lamech was contemporary with Enoch see Jude 11-14 (also the seventh from Adam). v25-26 The seed of the woman Seth was born to replace Abel The descendants of Seth "began to call themselves by the name of the Lord" (see mgn) Thus the two seeds began - two distinct classes of people and two different styles of living. The lesson for us Principle - to acceptably worship God we must do so in sincerity & truth John 4v24; Matt 7v21 Cain gave effort but did not recognize God's principles  Sincerity without truth will not save  32  Abel as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ Abel Jesus Christ Was the 2nd son The 2nd "Son of God" He was a shepherd "The Great Shepherd" He pleased God "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" Abel was not worthy of Death Innocent of any act worthy of death Offered a better sacrifice "With a better sacrifice than these" Received the birthright "I will make him my firstborn" He was killed in a field "Outside the city" Typical resurrection in the Literal resurrection appointment of Seth Gen 4v25 However, the blood of Abel cannot atone for our sins, so the Apostle Paul bearing this in mind, impresses on us that the blood of Jesus Christ "speaketh better things than that of Abel." 33 Lesson 13 From Creation to the Flood - 1656 years The generations before the flood Genesis 5 v4 Adam lived to 930 years - this illustrates the great patriarchal ages. cp. Psa 90v10; Gen 6v4-7 v 21 Enoch walked with God. Enoch was a faithful man who was in the line of Seth (seed of the woman or the sons of God) He "walked with God" in opposition to Lamech (ch. 4) and opposed Lamech's evil ways. cp Jude v14 v 24 Enoch was not, for God took him. We learn from Hebrews 11v5 that Enoch was "removed" or "carried away" by God to avoid seeing death at Lamech's hands. God probably removed him so that the evil men would not triumph over God's faithful servant. Isa 57v1-2 v 27 Methuselah lived 969 years. His name means "when he is dead it shall be". It seems he was named by Enoch to indicate that the flood was to come. The fact that he became the longest living person ever illustrates God's longsuffering. I Peter 3v19. Methuselah died in the year of the flood. v 29 Noah means "rest". The faithful saw Noah as the salvation from God. Noah had three sons - Shem, Ham and Japheth. The Goodness And Severity Of God In the book of Romans (11v22) we read, "behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness: if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off". Paul is here alluding to the state of natural Israel compared with that of spiritual Israel. God's severity was about to fall on natural Israel, while His goodness was extended to the believers in Christ Jesus, but only on the condition that they remained in thought and deed within the cover of His goodness otherwise they too would be given over to His severity. We see an enactment of these principles in the pre-flood periods, when His severity eventually came on all living creatures except Noah and those with him in the ark. These only remained within the sphere of His goodness. The world around us teaches that God is only a God of love, completely ignoring the other side of His character. But the scripture is full of examples of not only His love but also His severity. He will extend His goodness to those who continue to walk in His ways, but in due course His severity will fall heavily on much of His creation which will return to the dust from which it originated. A powerful example of what can be expected is shown to us in the punishment He exacted by the great flood that swept away man, beast, creeping thing and fowl. What a salutary warning to us that the only worthwhile thing in life is pleasing God, so that eventually He will extend to us His goodness - the gift of immortality. 34  Life Expectancy After the flood, men's ages declined rapidly. Shem 600 years Arphaxad 438 years Salah 433 years Eber 468 years Peleg 239 years Reu 239 years Nahor 148 years Gradually life expectancy was reduced to seventy years Ps 90v10. This should impress us with a constant need to invest in the future. Life is so short, we should set our hearts and hands to the things of God, that our life may be extended to all eternity. During the Millennium, life expectancy will again increase as Isa 65v20 tells us: "he who dies a hundred years will be thought to be a mere youth" (NIV). The mountainous area of Ararat in Turkey includes Mount Ararat where the ark is thought to have come to 35 Lesson 14 The Genesis Flood Why God destroyed the Earth Genesis 6 v1 Men began to multiply Bearing in mind the long lives of men and the recorded generation gaps seen in Genesis 5, a conservative estimate of the population is as follows: o Average of 6 children per family (most likely many more) o 90 years per generation (most likely much less) o Therefore population = 2 (Adam & Eve) x 3 18 factor o The factor being the number of generations in 1,656 years. The figure thus deduced is about 2 billion, or one third of today's population of the world. "Men" multiplied i.e. "flesh + sin multiplied". Daughters were born An obvious statement. This is telling us they were "daughters of men" or if you like, the real examples of the fleshly mind. v2 The sons of God Not angels - but those of "the seed of the woman". The descendants of Seth (4v26) who until now had kept separate from the serpent class. Saw the daughters of men were fair The lust of the eyes To reach this state they lost their desire for separation (the enmity) and had compromised to a situation where temptation arose. They took them wives The lust of the flesh The intermarriage between the two seeds was a contravention of God's principle of enmity and separation. God does not allow marriage to unbelievers (after baptism) as this is destructive of separation 1 Cor 7v39; Deut 7v3-4; 2 Cor 6v14; Neh 13v25-27 v3 God said Rotherham - "my spirit shall not always rule within man". God recognized the nature of flesh and its evil tendencies. Therefore, after the flood, he limited the life span of man to 120 years There was also 120 years left before the flood came. 120 is 3x40 years and 30 is the Scripture's number of trial and probation. God allowed 3 times the normal to allow men to change. Peter says in 2Peter 3v20 "The long-suffering of God waited". 36 v4 Giants in the earth Hebrew - "the nephelim" - attackers, men of extreme violence (such as Lamech) After that, when Sons of God married the daughters of men The fruit of the mixed marriages were "men of renown" or as the Hebrew means "a hero or champion". These were men who became famous for the culture and prowess - they combined the skills of war and industry from the line of Cain with the morality and social graces of the line of Seth. In these the pride of the flesh was seen v5 God's estimation 1. Wickedness very great 2. Every imagination evil continually 3. Corruption on every hand 4. Violence filled the earth 5. "God's way" was corrupt v6 God repented God does not change His mind or make errors to regret, but He does suffer sadness at men's failures (even though He knows them in advance). Grieved Him Ezekiel 33v11 God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked v7 A flood intended v8 Noah finds grace - or favour with God v9 Noah's qualities 1. "just" - righteous 2. "upright" - honest 3. "walked with God" - reverent + obedient v14-22 The Ark prepared See Hebrews 11v7 - Noah believed God and acted to save his house. Faith without action is useless The ark was big enough for all the animals plus food for 12 months The ark was a symbol of baptism - it saves us from perishing with the world 1 Peter 3v20 - Note Noah was saved "by": water, not from it. Had the flood not come the faith, or God's way, would have been lost. Chapter 7 - 9 The Flood Was worldwide Genesis 7v19-20 "all dry land" Destroyed all men and animals outside the ark Genesis 7v21-22 Lasted about 12 months Flood legends are found as a part of the traditions of all races There are 80,000 writings in 72 languages and the stories are consistent between continents. The flood effected dramatic changes on the earth's crust and its climate (rainbows 9v11, seasons 8v22) 37 Genesis 8-9 After the Flood Noah thanked God for his preservation 8v20-21 God promises never to use a flood again - the Covenant of the Rainbow was given 9v11-15 Though the race of sinners had died, sin in the flesh survived - a fact destined to bring evil and death ever since 9v18 The lesson for us We have to be in the ark (have accepted Christ in baptism) to be saved 1 Peter 3v20  God requires faith and action Hebrews 11v6-7  Separation is vital 2 Cor 6v14-16  A warning to our generation Luke 17v26-33 These verses tell us: God's judgments will be poured out when similar conditions exist 2 Peter 2v5; Isaiah 26v9 Conditions today are a sign of Christ's return Men who imagine God will not act should be warned 2 Peter 3v1-8 It does matter what we believe This divine principle is powerfully illustrated in the early chapters of Genesis. Sin and condemnation came into the world because Eve believed the serpent, rather than God. The serpent pointed out that the evidence of what they could see, seemed to contradict the statement made by God. How could she die if there was access to the 'tree of life'? Thus she believed the serpent's lie "thou shalt not surely die" bring condemnation o herself and all flesh, illustrating very clearly that it does matter what we believe. When we come to the story of Cain and Abel this is again emphasized. Cain thought he could worship God as he wanted to, but the evidence of the story shows that his disregard of what God required destroyed his chance of pleasing God, and emphasizes that God will be worshipped in the way He has appointed and in no other. It was essential to the salvation of Noah and his family that he believed that God was going to send a flood on the earth and that the only escape from it was to build an ark exactly to the divine specifications given to him. Any deviation would have led to destruction. Not only did he have to believe, but his salvation depended upon his whole-0hearted effort in building the ark and preaching to others. Peter writes that he was "a preacher of righteousness". His time and substances (physical and material) went into this project, indicating that we must not only be hearers of the word but doers only. Paul write to the Ephesians that "ignorance alienates us from God" and to the Hebrews "we must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him". The Phillipian jailer asked the question "what must I do to be saved?" to which the apostle answered that he must "believe" Therefore we can conclude that the first step to salvation, one that is absolutely essential, is to recognize that it does matter what we believe. What we have to believe is "the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ". When this is done then we must put into practice those things that God requires us to do, such as baptism and obedience to His commandments. 38  A Universal Flood Some Bible commentators propound the theory that the flood was only a local catastrophe and not universal in its effect. This theory seems to be based on the findings of Sir Leonard Woolley, who excavated the ruins of ancient Ur and found a 3m layer of water-laid slag under which were the remains of a superior and quite different culture. From this it was assumed that though a devastating flood had occurred, it possibly affected only the area of the Middle East. But it is now known that this layer of water-laid silt can be found in places as far apart as Alaska and Arizona. Much more evidence is available today, indicating that the earth was subject to a universal flood of a huge magnitude. In the historical records that have been unearthed there are records of lists of kings referring to a pre-flood age like we today refer to B.C. and A.D. dates. All ancient civilisations through-out the world have a flood story, many of them similar to the Bible account. However, a query that readily comes to mind if the flood were universal is, where did all the water come from and as water is an eternal substance, where has it all gone to? It is interesting to note that only 30% of the earth's surface is dry land and that the average depth of water surrounding this land is 4,200m deep, whereas the average height of the dry land is 860rn. In other words, there is 15 times as much water below the sea level as there is land above it and if the sphere of the earth was smoothed out (i.e. no mountains) there would be 2,900m of water covering the earth. Dry land is just the top of the mountains. The Genesis account states that it not only rained for forty days, but that "the fountains of the deep were broken up" (Gen 7v11). This indicates that the sea poured in, which would have happened by God raising the sea bed. On May 20th, 1960, an earthquake off the Chilean coast caused a change in the topography off the coast, which sent a tidal wave 16m high and traveling at 800 kph. It reached Japan 16,000kms away causing much damage and loss of life The earth's axis is tilted at 23.5%, but before the flood it was probably perpendicular (there is evidence to support this). It would have caused a huge wobble that would have created waves traveling at 1,600kph and 10krn high at the equator. Such waves would cause great masses of debris of rocks, churned sediment, pulped vegetation, animal carcasses and marine animals to be flung about in huge quantities. Waves of this magnitude would have sucked air from the polar regions, causing sudden freezing. The Siberian Tundra has been found to contain thousands of frozen rnammoths and other animals. They are perfectly preserved, green food is found in their mouths and stomachs. These graveyards consist not only of the mammoth elephant but also sabre tooth tigers, giant elk, cave bear, musk etc. The area is no longer producing fodder of the type that they needed and this points clearly to a sudden catastrophe of the type that only a universal flood could achieve. These animals had to die and be simultaneously frozen and buried. 39 In warmer climates, preservation was not possible, but there are "death pits" and caves containing the bones of dozens of different types of animals, not compatible yet somehow brought together and dumped in common graves. It is now admitted that oil is derived from the bodies of vast shoals of fish dumped together and buried simultaneously under great pressure, as could have only happened under the circumstances of giant amounts of water crashing round the earth. Coal beds are formed on a similar basis when huge forests must have been uprooted, flung together and buried in like fashion. Coal and oil are found within the Arctic Circle, indicating a change of climate as we have seen necessary in the freezing and preservation of the mammoths. Even on the highest mountains, evidence of marine life, such as shells and fossilised fish can be found. Three quarters of the earth's surface including the tops of the mountains is covered by sedimentary rocks. The remaining quarter is covered by volcanic rock. That these thick layers of sediment were deposited within a short time, is shown by fossils of animals and trees, which are found at times extending through several strata, up to 6m thick. The top parts of these fossils are as well preserved as the lower, showing that the whole animal or tree was submerged in a short time by rapidly deposited layers of sediment. In Edinburgh, a fossilised tree trunk has been found. It was 25m high and had 12 layers of strata, which would have taken thousands of years to be covered normally, yet it was uniformly preserved, obviously indicating that each layer had been laid rapidly on the top of the other. Every indication around us suggests a universal flood that had a devastating effect on the earth and its inhabitants. For those interested there is an abundance of reading matter printed by qualified scientists giving abundant evidence that Moses' account of the flood is fact and not fiction. 40 Lesson 15 The Tower of Babel The World Resettled Genesis 10 The world was divided after the flood into 70 nations From the sons of Noah came the basic divisions of humanity Shem Semitic (Arabs & Jews) Ham African (Negroid races) Japheth European & Asian races All three races of humanity are to be finally reunited in the Gospel of Christ. An example of this is seen in the Book of Acts Acts 8 Ethiopian Eunuch Ham Acts 9 Paul - Jew Shem Acts 10 Cornelius - The Roman Japeth Nimrod - the founder of Babylon After the flood Nimrod (means 'a rebel') began to defy God (Gen 10v9) and to rebuild the cities of man The Tower of Babel Genesis 11 The story of the Tower of Babel describes the clumsy attempts made by man after the flood to unite men on the basis of fleshly reasoning. v1 The earth was of one language - but men had not spread out as God intended v2 Men journeyed "eastward to Babylon" (see margin - the name means 'confusion') v3-4 Their desire to build a tower sprang from the recent flood. It had affected their thinking to the extent that they desired some form of security The tower was for their own glory. "Let us make us a name" Psalm 49v11-14 v5-6 God cannot tolerate pride and rebellion - He sees that matters will soon get worse v7-9 God confuses their language to enforce a scattering. God hates cities and the evil they bring Gen 4v17; Rev 16v18; Mic 4v4 The Principles for us God's purpose cannot be frustrated by men.  In the end God will cause all nations to be reunited with one pure language Zeph 3v9  Man can only be united on the principles of the truth Isa 2v1-4  41 Lesson 16 Abraham - Father of the Faithful The Promises to Abraham are one of the foundations of the Bible's teaching, and are vitally important to understand the Gospel. Consider these verses which show how important the promises are: Galatians 3v8 "God preached the Gospel before to Abraham" 2 Peter 1v4 "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature…" Ephesians 2v12 "That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." The story of Abraham 1. Who was Abraham? He was a man of the tribe of Shem He was called Abram until God changed his name Gen 17v5 Originally dwelt in Ur of the Chaldees (Iraq today) Gen 11v31 Was the son of Terah, husband of Sarai and the Uncle of Lot Gen 11v31 Was called by God because He now desired to develop a nation as the focal point of His purpose Deut 4v6-8; John 4v22 2. Abram was called by God to leave Ur Was an idolater before his call Josh 24v2