Beginning with Moses and the Prophets
The Book of Grace
East of Eden - Paradise Lost
Part VIII(c): Judgment & Sin
Genesis 3:17 - 21
Introduction
Genesis, this Book of Beginnings is
about grace - It is far from being some faded pages of antiquity, it in fact
breaths the Living Grace of the Lord God.
about grace - It is far from being some faded pages of antiquity, it in fact
breaths the Living Grace of the Lord God.
When we began this series we saw
that the first eleven chapters give a universal history of the world in the
first five stories: the fall, Cain, the sons of God marrying the daughters of
man, the flood & the tower of Babel.
that the first eleven chapters give a universal history of the world in the
first five stories: the fall, Cain, the sons of God marrying the daughters of
man, the flood & the tower of Babel.
The structure of the stories, is in
four parts: sin as initially described; Speech by God announcing punishment for
sin; God bringing grace to the situation; & God punishing sin.
four parts: sin as initially described; Speech by God announcing punishment for
sin; God bringing grace to the situation; & God punishing sin.
In chapter 3 we have the story of
the fall: sin vv. 1-13; speech quoting the judgment oracles of God to the
snake, the woman, & the man, vv. 14-19; The mitigating grace of God vv.
20-21; & the exile from the the garden, punishing sin, vv. 22-24.
the fall: sin vv. 1-13; speech quoting the judgment oracles of God to the
snake, the woman, & the man, vv. 14-19; The mitigating grace of God vv.
20-21; & the exile from the the garden, punishing sin, vv. 22-24.
When Adam sinned God didn’t rub him
out on the spot but engaged him in conversation graciously. So too with the
judgment speech to the woman & the snake shone with grace
out on the spot but engaged him in conversation graciously. So too with the
judgment speech to the woman & the snake shone with grace
God cursed the snake but in the
curse was the “first gospel”, the woman’s seed would crush the serpent’s head,
while the serpent would wound His heel.
curse was the “first gospel”, the woman’s seed would crush the serpent’s head,
while the serpent would wound His heel.
The judgment on Eve meant that in
the fundamental role as wife & mother nothing would satisfy her in life
apart from God Himself --
the fundamental role as wife & mother nothing would satisfy her in life
apart from God Himself --
It may just be me, but I notice that
in the majority of cards with prayer and praises to God, they show a woman who
looks for and cries out to the Lord God? - Maybe subconsciously this perpetual
discomfort in life is grace, insofar that it would & will drive her to God.
But i think that can be said of all of us --
in the majority of cards with prayer and praises to God, they show a woman who
looks for and cries out to the Lord God? - Maybe subconsciously this perpetual
discomfort in life is grace, insofar that it would & will drive her to God.
But i think that can be said of all of us --
In the first chapter of his book
“Confessions”, in fact in the first paragraph, the fifth sentence, St.
Augustine, speaking of himself I think, but also of all of us writes, “. . .
man desires to praise you, for he is part of your creation; he bears his
mortality about with him & carries the evidence of his sin . . . this man
is only a small part of your creation. You have prompted him, that he should
delight to praise You, for you have made us for yourself & restless is our
heart until it comes to rest in you. --- You can hear the words of
Psalm 8 & Ecclesiastes 3:11 in this words of St. Augustine.
“Confessions”, in fact in the first paragraph, the fifth sentence, St.
Augustine, speaking of himself I think, but also of all of us writes, “. . .
man desires to praise you, for he is part of your creation; he bears his
mortality about with him & carries the evidence of his sin . . . this man
is only a small part of your creation. You have prompted him, that he should
delight to praise You, for you have made us for yourself & restless is our
heart until it comes to rest in you. --- You can hear the words of
Psalm 8 & Ecclesiastes 3:11 in this words of St. Augustine.
Now let’s take up the rest of God’s
speech and move to the concluding punishment; grace, as you will see, will
shine ever brighter -- That amazing, astounding, abounding grace -- primeval
& eternal.
speech and move to the concluding punishment; grace, as you will see, will
shine ever brighter -- That amazing, astounding, abounding grace -- primeval
& eternal.
Judgment & Grace (17-19)
God was explicit about the reason
for His judgment oracle to Adam, Because you have listened to the
voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you,
saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; (v17)
for His judgment oracle to Adam, Because you have listened to the
voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you,
saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; (v17)
Listened is an idiom meaning to
“obey” -- The curse came down because Adam abdicated his leadership, he stood
there in passive self-interest while the woman was tempted, then went on and
ate without saying one little objection --
“obey” -- The curse came down because Adam abdicated his leadership, he stood
there in passive self-interest while the woman was tempted, then went on and
ate without saying one little objection --
Judgment (17b-19)
The woman’s punishment struck at the
profound root of her being as wife & mother, the man’s at the innermost
nerve of his life: his work,his activity & provision for sustenance.
profound root of her being as wife & mother, the man’s at the innermost
nerve of his life: his work,his activity & provision for sustenance.
The “pain” in verse 17 which
describes Adam’s lot is the same “pain” for the woman’s pain in verse 16. Both
of them experience perpetual pain dab in the center of their lives --
describes Adam’s lot is the same “pain” for the woman’s pain in verse 16. Both
of them experience perpetual pain dab in the center of their lives --
The work was not the curse nor was
it cursed - work was a gift from God; in 2: 15 man was put in the garden to
work it & care for it -- It was the ground that was cursed, now man would
have to battle ‘thorns & thistles & eat “plants from the field.”
it cursed - work was a gift from God; in 2: 15 man was put in the garden to
work it & care for it -- It was the ground that was cursed, now man would
have to battle ‘thorns & thistles & eat “plants from the field.”
You may be successful in eating the
fruit of your land but it’s not the desirable fruit of the garden of Eden -
fruit of your land but it’s not the desirable fruit of the garden of Eden -
It leads me to think that maybe they
were in the garden for a time for them to be able to enjoy the fruits & all
that the garden had to offer; just a thought.
were in the garden for a time for them to be able to enjoy the fruits & all
that the garden had to offer; just a thought.
But now, painful toil assaults every
soul who attempts to produce from the world.
soul who attempts to produce from the world.
The poor, the rich, the royalty are made for
work, and anyone who works to produce in this world knows pain &
frustration.
work, and anyone who works to produce in this world knows pain &
frustration.
The ground is cursed and all the foods it
produces is subject to infections of all kinds, & man ends up being subject
to the chemicals that are utilized to control that which infects what is
planted and grows in the ground.
produces is subject to infections of all kinds, & man ends up being subject
to the chemicals that are utilized to control that which infects what is
planted and grows in the ground.
Well, this situation is irrevocable. It is for
all the days of your life. Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of
our lives, and when the sand stops flowing and we return to the ground.
all the days of your life. Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of
our lives, and when the sand stops flowing and we return to the ground.
No repentance, no turning around, no change, nothing will
remove the curse on the ground.
remove the curse on the ground.
Grace
Apart
from the Lord God, no man’s achievements, no work will fully fully satisfy --
you made be a farmer, a rancher, a laborer, a businessman, a CEO - Whatever you
accomplish, those thing from which we seek fulfillment is nothing but a source
of pain.
from the Lord God, no man’s achievements, no work will fully fully satisfy --
you made be a farmer, a rancher, a laborer, a businessman, a CEO - Whatever you
accomplish, those thing from which we seek fulfillment is nothing but a source
of pain.
I don’t want to mislead anyone, work is good, man
is made for work, but it is covered with thorns & thistles. Life apart from
God is as reflected in Ecclesiastes 1:3-4- What advantage does man have
in all his work Which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation
comes, But the earth [a]remains forever. (2:10-11)-
All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart
from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this
was my reward for all my labor. 11 Thus I considered all my activities which my
hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and
striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.
is made for work, but it is covered with thorns & thistles. Life apart from
God is as reflected in Ecclesiastes 1:3-4- What advantage does man have
in all his work Which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation
comes, But the earth [a]remains forever. (2:10-11)-
All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart
from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this
was my reward for all my labor. 11 Thus I considered all my activities which my
hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and
striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.
We and the earth groan for the dawning of a new
day, in an an absurd way confirms our hope, Romans 8:19-22: the anxious
longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him
who subjected it, [a]in hope 21 that the creation
itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of
the glory of the children of God.22 For we know that the whole creation groans
and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
day, in an an absurd way confirms our hope, Romans 8:19-22: the anxious
longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him
who subjected it, [a]in hope 21 that the creation
itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of
the glory of the children of God.22 For we know that the whole creation groans
and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Our groaning is a perceptible, a
feeling of grace.
feeling of grace.
Adam’s Faith
In 3:20 we get a glimpse of
mitigating grace, it starts to glow, in the making of things less severe,
Adam’s faith is exhibited by his renaming his wife.
mitigating grace, it starts to glow, in the making of things less severe,
Adam’s faith is exhibited by his renaming his wife.
He first called her woman, now he
names her “Eve” because she was the mother of all living -- Eve means life, life
giver - He names her Life because she is the mother of all living.
names her “Eve” because she was the mother of all living -- Eve means life, life
giver - He names her Life because she is the mother of all living.
He said this because of his
awareness of the significance of God’s words to his wife. He was listening to
God’s speech to his spouse. He understood that one of her offspring would crush
the serpent’s head.
awareness of the significance of God’s words to his wife. He was listening to
God’s speech to his spouse. He understood that one of her offspring would crush
the serpent’s head.
The tense that Adam used declaring
his faith is in the prophetic perfect, that indicates that it’s a done deal,
its as good as done that she is the mother of all living.
his faith is in the prophetic perfect, that indicates that it’s a done deal,
its as good as done that she is the mother of all living.
His declaration is an overwhelming
shout of hope - The name Eve celebrates the survival of the human race.
shout of hope - The name Eve celebrates the survival of the human race.
Reformer theologian Philip
Melanchton called Eve, “The Seal of Grace.”
Melanchton called Eve, “The Seal of Grace.”
Garments of Grace or Grace in
Garments
Garments
Here, this action by the Lord God
you would think would open the eyes to what type of God, the Lord God is; the
love that flows from His very essence. Verse 21, The Lord God made
garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.
you would think would open the eyes to what type of God, the Lord God is; the
love that flows from His very essence. Verse 21, The Lord God made
garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.
This clearly shows the love, the
sovereign work of God, conceived & executed by the Lord God alone. Take a
note for a second that God again is being referred as the Lord God.
sovereign work of God, conceived & executed by the Lord God alone. Take a
note for a second that God again is being referred as the Lord God.
Adam & Eve on their own would
never have been able to conceive this; it involved the taking of life,
something that is unknown to them.
never have been able to conceive this; it involved the taking of life,
something that is unknown to them.
This feeble attempt to cover
themselves with fig-leaves for loincloths was replaced with the Lord God
Himself clothing them with skin from an animal.
themselves with fig-leaves for loincloths was replaced with the Lord God
Himself clothing them with skin from an animal.
The covering was from God - God’s
provision of robes of animal skin recognized their sin & was an act of
grace.
provision of robes of animal skin recognized their sin & was an act of
grace.
The Lord clothed them, It doesn’t
look as if He told them what to do, but He clothed them.
look as if He told them what to do, but He clothed them.
This act in primeval history by God
was a foreshadowing of His ultimate provision for sin -
was a foreshadowing of His ultimate provision for sin -
The first couple may have understood
this in faint principle, but the foundation was mightily laid.
this in faint principle, but the foundation was mightily laid.
The Levitical priest who read this
passage had to make the connection with atonement because the skin of the
sacrificed animals were given to the priest for their use. (Leviticus 7:8) - Also
the priest who presents any man’s burnt offering, that priest shall have for
himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has presented.
passage had to make the connection with atonement because the skin of the
sacrificed animals were given to the priest for their use. (Leviticus 7:8) - Also
the priest who presents any man’s burnt offering, that priest shall have for
himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has presented.
This divine provision is a telling
illustration of the method of grace in response to sin & its consequences. GOD
HIMSELF covers sin & its degradation.
illustration of the method of grace in response to sin & its consequences. GOD
HIMSELF covers sin & its degradation.
The picture in Scripture of
justification is the gift of the robe of righteousness - Zechariah 3:4-5 -- He
spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the
filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your
iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.” 5 Then I said,
“Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his
head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing
by. (Look up also Matthew 22:11 7 Luke 15:22).
justification is the gift of the robe of righteousness - Zechariah 3:4-5 -- He
spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the
filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your
iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.” 5 Then I said,
“Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his
head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing
by. (Look up also Matthew 22:11 7 Luke 15:22).
Believers are described as being
clothed in Christ, (Gal. 3:27)-- all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
clothed in Christ, (Gal. 3:27)-- all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
The passage of the Lamb & His
His bride, we read how the righteousness of God produces the saint’s
righteousness --
His bride, we read how the righteousness of God produces the saint’s
righteousness --
Revelation
19: 6-8 --- Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude
and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of
thunder, saying,
19: 6-8 --- Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude
and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of
thunder, saying,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
Let us
rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has
come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe
herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous
acts of the saints.
rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has
come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe
herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous
acts of the saints.
Grace abounding! Right here in the
very beginning of primeval history, the gospel of God, the Good News. I look
back at my life and think how could I have missed it?
very beginning of primeval history, the gospel of God, the Good News. I look
back at my life and think how could I have missed it?
It’s here in the pages that record
the breathed word of God to not just a few, but to the world, the good news
that God so loved His creation, the world, that He gave His only begotten, one
of a kind Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in Him WILL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL
LIFE.
the breathed word of God to not just a few, but to the world, the good news
that God so loved His creation, the world, that He gave His only begotten, one
of a kind Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in Him WILL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL
LIFE.
We will continue this part next week
and finish the chapter next week with verses 22 - 24, Exile &
Grace.
and finish the chapter next week with verses 22 - 24, Exile &
Grace.
Father, there really are no words
that are adequate to express the joy, the giddiness, the happiness, the
excitement, that we have inside our bodies; like a child who expresses its joy,
and happiness by yelling and jumping up and down, Abba, we thank you, we praise
you, we shout and sing with the saints,
that are adequate to express the joy, the giddiness, the happiness, the
excitement, that we have inside our bodies; like a child who expresses its joy,
and happiness by yelling and jumping up and down, Abba, we thank you, we praise
you, we shout and sing with the saints,
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty
expanse.
expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty
deeds;
deeds;
Praise Him according to His
excellent greatness.
excellent greatness.
Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
Praise Him with timbrel and
dancing;
dancing;
Praise Him with stringed
instruments and pipe.
instruments and pipe.
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding
cymbals.
cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the Lord.
praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
Amen!
