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