The Undoing of Adam's Legacy

The Undoing of Adam's Legacy

>>>Summing up Genesis 1 – 22<<<

 

In our study of Genesis 1 through 22 we have seen the entire story of God and man encapsulated – a groundwork has been laid, a foundation upon which the whole of the Bible rests. 

 

In the beginning there was a beautiful, peaceful garden where God communed with the most precious creatures in all of creation, the man and the woman. By design, these innocent, intelligent beings could grow into mature 'sons of God' – made in His likeness, they would grow in His image as they experienced Him in their lives.  Maturity would be theirs if only they would choose Him. Their choice was represented by two trees growing in the middle of their garden home.  The tree of life bore the fruit of eternal life with God but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil produced the fruit of self-will and independence from God.

 

 God's desire for a mature relationship with mankind was thwarted when, tempted by the enemy of God, Adam and Eve chose the path of self-will and independence. The results were devastating for three reasons. First, the very nature of mankind was changed, for Adam's children would be made in his sinful likeness, not in the image of God.  Cain and his descendants settled down in the world determined to make it a comfortable place to live. Inventing tools to avoid the judgment of 'thistles and thorns' and congregating in cities named after themselves, they had no desire to know God.

 

Adam was to share (with Jehovah) dominion over the earth; however when he chose to believe Satan's lie ('you will be like God'), he relinquished the governance of the world to Satan. It became a 'world system' – an anti-God system where  self could flourish and reign.  Noah, given a few rules by which to govern the earth, showed that he was not able to govern even his own actions. He got drunk and shamed himself in front of his sons.  Even a world purged from sin by the great flood was not rescued from  Satan's 'world system.' The descendants of Noah repeated the sins of Cain – defying God's instructions as they congregated in cities and concocted their own religion.

 

The third great tragedy of sin is that it created a great wall of separation between God and mankind. Men who remembered God and desired to stay near to Him offered blood sacrifices as a reminder that sin brings death. But there was no communion with God and He desired companionship with mankind – what would He do to get it? This is the theme of the entire Bible. It is a revelation of all that God has done, and will do, in order to regain the lost relationship with mankind. It is a written promise that man will share dominion with Him throughout all eternity. The promise began with Adam and Eve when God said that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head, and was sealed (in a manner of speaking) when the blood of animals were shed to provide coverings for them.

 

The promise was given teeth when God chose Abraham to be the father of spiritual offspring numbering as the stars of the heavens. God demonstrates, in Abraham, that even when we are unfaithful, He remains faithful. The fulfillment of God's desires and purposes does not rest upon our pledge to Him – but rather on His pledge to us. However, God does make demands upon us – we are required to depend upon Him to sustain us. We are required to continually set aside our natural desires and will; He desires children who are growing toward a mature knowledge of Him and this requires submitting to His will.

 

Abraham shows us how a believer grows in the knowledge of God and in the knowledge of self. We must learn, as he did, that God requires us to know His mind so that we can leave the 'natural mind' behind (the mind inherited from fallen Adam). Do I desire to find comfort in the world (like Cain), or to have a notable position among men (like Lot)? Then I do not have the mind of God. Abraham did not have the mind of God when he was called away from his homeland to a life of faith. He had to learn that the man of faith does not demand quick results from God or depend upon outward signs. Hebrews 11 tells us about people that "died in faith" – living by what they were promised –  not depending upon what they could touch or see. These men of faith were were strangers and pilgrims on the earth; they could not settle down here because they were on their way to another world. Their hearts and minds were fixed on God.

 

While we live here God will test us to uncover our weakness on the one hand, and pour out His grace and faithfulness on the other. He will require us to live a life separated from the world, while He reveals the heavenly riches that await us when our pilgrim life is over. He does not promise ease and comfort in this world, yet He desires thanksgiving for the earthly gifts He gives us for our journey. We do not worship Him because of His gifts; we worship the Giver because He makes Himself known to us, making it possible for us to experience His presence. He offers us a tree of life bursting with the fruit of joy unspeakable – faith makes this fruit available for the journey and allows the Spirit of God to give us revelation about our life with Him for all eternity.  Enjoy the Word of God – and believe it!              LJ 3/10

 

Jehovah Jireh – He Will Provide

Jehovah Jireh – He Will Provide

>>> Read Genesis 22>>>

 

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore… through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.     Gen. 22:17-18

 

Faithful, faithful to the end; my true and precious Friend; You have been faithful, so faithful to me. This is the chorus to a song recorded by Selah and it speaks to the heart of anyone who knows God as Abraham came to know Him. If Abraham was alive today, I believe he could sing the first verse of the song: I find no hope within to call my own, for I am frail of heart, my strength is gone; but deep within my soul is rising up a song, here in the comfort of the Faithful One. Abraham learned to know the frailty of his own heart and the comfort of the Faithful One.

 

To understand the heart of God and all He has planned – for yourself as well as for time and eternity – you must be familiar with the promises and blessings bestowed upon Abraham. The foundation of the entire Bible rests on the blessings that God promised to Abraham.  First, God gave him earthly promises, which include land as an everlasting possession for his offspring, and seed numbered as the dust of the earth (Gen. 13:6; 22:14). According to these promises, many nations and kings would come from Abraham's earthly offspring, but one nation, Israel, would be a great nation belonging to God.

 

Secondly, God gave heavenly (spiritual) promises to Abraham – his spiritual seed would be numbered like the stars of heaven. Not only does Abraham's physical seed lead to the human Savior, but Abraham obtained the righteousness of God through faith. Everyone who exercises faith like his becomes his spiritual seed. 

 

Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.         Gal. 3:7-9

 

Abraham lived in tents which are temporary structures having no foundation. His tents show us that he had no roots tying him to the earth – he was only a pilgrim passing through the world – his friendship was with God, not with the world. (James 4:4).  By faith Abraham was able to look forward to that heavenly city whose architect and builder is God (Heb. 11:10-16).

 

Abraham was weak, as all mankind is, but he knew the place of strength as demonstrated by the altars he built throughout his life. These altars spoke of Jehovah (God in relationship with man) and El Elyon (possessor or heaven and earth). They spoke of God's revelation to Abraham, and of Abraham's humble response. Abraham's last altar speaks louder than all the others for it was the altar he built when God told Him to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. For Abraham, this was the test of all tests and the defining moment of his faith. It was the place where God revealed Himself as Jehovah Jireh (the Lord will provide).

 

What did God provide for Abraham's last altar? He provided a substitute, a ram, to take the place of Isaac as the sacrifice. In the ram, we see the substitute that God supplied for our redemption. In Isaac, we see a picture (a type) of the Son of God yielding to His Father's will – laying down His life for you and me. Jesus said I lay down my life… No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord … This command I received from my Father (John 10:17-18).

 

Isaac was a youth when Abraham took him to Mt. Moriah – he was old enough to know what his father was planning to do.  He did not resist, instead he submitted to his father. Isaac introduces us to the concept of sonship.  As the incarnate Son, Christ lived for His father's pleasure and satisfaction, and then gave Himself willingly as the sacrifice for our sins. He was born as a little child, but he developed into a mature son through obedience to His Father. It was the mature Son who submitted to the Father as the offering for sin. (For more on 'Sonship' see Gal. 4:7, Eph. 4:13, Ro 8:14, Heb. 12:7)

 

We are saved to become mature sons and daughters before the Father. If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23).  For us the daily cross is submission to the Father. How do we do that? It's so hard! We do it through resurrection power – and we see this power working in Isaac. He is bound and placed on the altar, the knife is raised – Isaac is as good as dead as far as the type goes. Then he is freed from his bindings and given back to his father – this is resurrection! Resurrection is the key to growth into a mature believer. In Abraham we see the difficulties of the maturing process; in Isaac we meet Jehovah Jireh who provides everything we will need to overcome the flesh, the devil and the world so that we can grow into a mature relationship with our Father. Resurrection is the key to life and godliness for every believer. The risen Lord Jesus gives us His Spirit, the Spirit of resurrection; therefore we can sing I am frail of heart, my strength is gone; But deep within my soul is rising up a song, here in the comfort of the Faithful One.  His faithfulness, His power, His desire to have us – we can see it all in the lives of Abraham and Isaac.  Enjoy Him!         LJ 2/10