The sermon for Sunday Jan 3, will be entitled "as it was in the begining." taken of course from the Gloria Patri: "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen." Lets look at the way it was in the beginning.
Genesis 2
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
The previous chapter lines out the 6 days of creation. It is not necessary to hold the strict opinion that the 6 days were 6 periods of 24 hours, but it is important to hold two truths if you still wish to hold to the authority of Scripture: First That God created all that there is, "the heavens and the earth in their vast array." and second: That he did so in some way that will when all is made clear, reflects the pattern and method of Genesis 1. The significance of the "6 Day" creation appears in the next verse, and the revelation of creation in this way is significant to us as believers to display the character of God and His will for us.
2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested [a] from all his work.
This pattern of work and a Sabbath, seventh day rest, is established at creation and repeated throughout Biblical History. In the commandments, in Exodus 20, the creation story is repeated as the reason for the commandment to "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy". God's rest does not imply His need for rest as much as his sovereignty in being free to choose to rest. The one in authority may choose to rest at will, but if you are under authority you must seek permission either by schedule or request from your boss if you wish to rest. God needs no permission and freely chooses to rest.
3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Jesus said: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." (Matthew 2:27) God blesses the Sabbath: and gives to man rest; something belonging to Him, is granted to His beloved creations. A study of the word Bless or blessed, will turn up many such incidents, God giving freely something that is His. The Sabbath is also Holy: set apart, given yet still belonging to God and therefore a rest we should observe with due reverence to God and looking to how He would have us spend our rest.
Adam and Eve
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens-
This second account details the creation of God's special creation of humanity. No other creation of His is given the description "in His image". Immediately we find God's word turns to an account of humanity as the Bible is not written as an abstract account but a specific revelation to re-connect God with humanity first through the spoken and written word then the Word made flesh (John 1) Jesus Christ.
5 and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth [b] and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth [c] and there was no man to work the ground,
The world Adam and Eve first saw was different from our environment today. It would seem while the natural plants which would spring up on their own without man's aid would be present Man still had a purpose of tending and caring for some special kinds of plants which had not yet become visible, requiring working the ground and the God given task of tending them. Be aware man was not yet formed, let alone fallen so the work of tending would not be as now where we struggle against noxious plants, weeds and thorns which came as a result of the curse (see Gen 3) and Man would not,as we will se, be reliant on the work for the sake of survival, also a consequence of the fall. Instead work would be like God's own work of creation, done for its own sake and enjoyment, a better form of what we do when we garden or "work" at a hobby now. More than recreation a blessing of participating in God's own work by invitation.
6 but streams [d] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground-
Verse 5 lets us know there was no rain, but instead the ground was self watering avoiding the later struggles of unstable climate, drought and flood which plague farmers today.
7 the LORD God formed the man [e] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
The man it says was formed out of the ground, the common made special, simple elements made complex by the hand of God. This is God's work. Not only made complex like a plant but given the breath of life and made not only alive but uniquely aware of his being alive.
8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.
Among all that was created God also set apart and "planted" and specially equipped a place suited for the unique new being.
9 And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
In this Garden were trees which not only provided food but were pleasing to the eye. An element of life which sets humanity apart is it's appreciation of beauty,imitation of the creator in creating beauty through art and music. Beauty points to the blessing of our creator and our being in His image. God did not need to make the trees beautiful to sustain life, the glosses of unnecessary and extravagant blessings display God's glory all the more.
The middle of the garden contained two unique trees of Spiritual significance as well, the tree of life and the tree of knowlege of Good and Evil. These will play a part in the drama that unfolds as well as all the rest of Human history through eternity.
10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin [f] and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. [g] 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
Captivating is the placement of this story in a very real landscape and not some vague world. While some would call the Genesis narrative a myth, the Revelation contained in God's word is so often tied to such concrete places and recognizable real world features as to forbid us from writing it off as mere allegory or morality tale. Scripture does freely use the literary devices, including symbolism, parable and other means to reveal God's character and will but is never so vague as to allow a reasonable person to write it off entirely. Faith strengthens our vision to see the truth of Scripture to be sure but details throughout remain testable to anyone looking to disprove them.
Also significant is the pre-fall and pre-flood (Noah) geography and geology of the land. Eden was situated in good land able to sustain the generations that would follow as the humans multiplied per God's command and blessing.
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Work, as I said before was not a curse but a blessing and divine purpose, to participate in God's creation and care for the earth. It was no burden as the daily needs of man were not tied to the work ast they are after the fall into sin.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
Notice our first condition was one of abundance: we were free to eat of all of the trees of the garden, Including the tree of life, but NOT the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We were blessed with all that we could need and free access to life itself, as well as the ability to talk with God personally, and denied only the loss of innocence. How like us now as children and especially teens when we are tempted to betray our own best interests and freedom to grow, learn and enjoy life, and feel we must lose our innocence as quickly as possible. In youth, now fallen, we flee innocence and even ridicule those who would hold it longer as though they were weak. Fallen humanity make fun of those who value virginity, peace, clean speech, and clean living even though the irony is it takes greater strength to preserve innocence than to give it away.
17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
With the freedom God had given and the innocent condition of Adam, knowing neither Good or Evil, and in full conversational and personal relationship with God, came but one command, the first covenant, of works, requiring obedience and promising life, but also promising death with disobedience. The freedom the human race was to enjoy gave them the freedom to choose obedience or disobedience, and this was what gave unfallen man his "free will". Free will was not "free agency" or sovereignty, with the ability some imagine in "free will" to possess: to do as one wills. Instead a choice is offered along with a clear picture of what would be lost with disobedience. God does not set up a snare but gives us a clear warning of the consequences of sin so that a truly free choice is made.
18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
God's will for the man's companion was that she would be a helper suitable for him. Not just a mate as with the animals to reproduce with but a "companion" and a benefit to him. To see tyranny of the man over the woman in this is to see it through the lenses of our fallen condition. Note Adam's rejoicing in the verses that follow as Eve is made. Love is the character of God and is infused and implied in this union of man and woman and in love each desires to benefit the other and does not see his or her place as a benefit to the other as a chore but as a joyful gift to give. Live "The Princess Bride", Wesley's "As you wish" was his way of saying "I love you".
19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
Adam was given the task of naming the animals which is almost an early demonstration of man's scientific curiosity, and, in that it was God who brought the animals to be named, I do not think it outside reason to assume God intended for man to explore creation and see in it the subtle and amazing demonstrationas of God's glory. Also in seeing and naming each animal God gives Adam the ability to excercise the "dominion" over them as a shepherd would know his own sheep.
20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
But for Adam [h] no suitable helper was found.
Adam did this task but in the doing of it his lack of a suitable helper and companion was made more evident.
21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs [i] and closed up the place with flesh.22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib [j] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The intimacy here is striking. Where God formed Adam from the ground, God's hand is again upon Adam opening his flesh, removing a part of him and carefully closing the place again. The "companion" would not be a separate creature but Adam's own being made alive and now a separate being, yet still a divinely ordered perfect match for him.
23 The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called 'woman, [k] '
for she was taken out of man."
Adam rejoices! She is now alive and a part of him yet a mysterious other. belonging to him yet free as well. Together with Adam the woman Eve completes the creation of humanity. Humanity is male and female as in Chapter one, and incomplete as a single gender. Not to say all should be coupled, but that the mutual humanity of man and woman is cause for celebration, a picture of God's intention for the species and the necessity of the two for reproduction a demonstration of the good purpose of man and woman as companions and helpers when experienced with God ordained love as a bond for both in their relaition to one another.
24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Just as a man (or woman) comes biologically from the bodies of the parents so Eve came from Adam and yet God here establishes the necessary order of marriage: that the man and woman leave the parents, their only previous physical tie and in marriage are united physically in a new union, made all the more visible when that union produces children who once again come from the bodies of the parents. Marriage too, even as devalued as it is in our time, creates a picture for us to see the intent of humanity's Creator in man an woman as suitable companions.
25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Their intimacy and innocence combined in a perfect condition where they lived and enjoyed complete vulnerability without fear, and complete freedom without want. They also enjoyed God without separation and guilt since they knew Him without the stain and debt of sin. This would change with their disobedience and the first casualty would be their intimacy with each other and then immediately to follow with God. We inherited this same fear, struggle, distrust and guilt. We too no longer free, choose sin easily and find nothing in ourselves to save us. Yet God made a way. The good news is Jesus came to restore us to the conditions Adam and Eve enjoyed. God came down to us again and was himself wounded to resore us.
John 1:10-14
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent,[c] nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
In Christ and on the Shepherd's Path
Mark
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