Adam & Eve
Gen 1:26
26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
(NKJ)
26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
(NKJ)
The clay form was molded into 3 parts: spirit, soul and body. To partake of god’s life, man had to be made in God’s class, in god’s realm, in the image and likeness of his Creator. To be God’s child and heir, he had to be created as nearly like Deity as possible.
Man is a spirit being, made to walk in fellowship with God. Man’s spirit was made to rule his soul (mind, will, emotions) and the subjected soul was meant to rule the body. The body is merely a house in which the spirit and soul dwell. Man’s soul contains his reasoning faculties-mind, will, and emotions- which animals do not have. A crowning feature of the soul is man’s will. The power of choice and the ability to choose make man distinctly different. Without this will, he would have been mechanical. Since God could have not fellowship with a robot, He risked creating a being with a will - knowing that man could choose to disobey. |
The divine purpose for creating man is expressed numerous times throughout the Bible:
1) Rev 4:11
11 "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."
(NKJ)
11 "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."
(NKJ)
Man was created to give pleasure to God! This is a new thought. Somehow we think only of God bringing pleasure to us. But we the lesser, are intended to praise, honor and give pleasure to the Creator!
Thus, God made man for His own satisfaction. He yearns for a close, voluntary relationship with us, His choice creatures.
Expressions of love for God complete His enjoyment of being our Father. God wants and receives genuine pleasure when each of us answers His love with sincere praise
Thus, God made man for His own satisfaction. He yearns for a close, voluntary relationship with us, His choice creatures.
Expressions of love for God complete His enjoyment of being our Father. God wants and receives genuine pleasure when each of us answers His love with sincere praise
Rom 8:29
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
(NKJ)
Col 1:15
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
(NKJ)
Col 1:15
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
We were created to be like Jesus.
Only human beings are created “in God’s image”. This is a great privilege and gives us dignity. Like God we are spiritual beings – our spirits will outlast our earthly bodies; We are intellectual – we can think, reason, and solve; like God we are relational – we can give and receive real love; and we have a moral consciousness – we can discern right from wrong which makes us accountable to God.
But the image is incomplete and has been damaged and distorted by sin. So God sent Jesus on a mission to restore the full image that we have lost. The full image and likeness of God is Jesus – “the exact likeness of God”, “the visible image of the invisible God “, and “the exact representation of His being”.
Only human beings are created “in God’s image”. This is a great privilege and gives us dignity. Like God we are spiritual beings – our spirits will outlast our earthly bodies; We are intellectual – we can think, reason, and solve; like God we are relational – we can give and receive real love; and we have a moral consciousness – we can discern right from wrong which makes us accountable to God.
But the image is incomplete and has been damaged and distorted by sin. So God sent Jesus on a mission to restore the full image that we have lost. The full image and likeness of God is Jesus – “the exact likeness of God”, “the visible image of the invisible God “, and “the exact representation of His being”.
Gen 1:28-3128 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.
30 "Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so.
31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
(NKJ)
29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.
30 "Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so.
31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
(NKJ)
God had fellowship with Adam & Eve. God desired to share his goodness with family and Adam & Eve were the first family. God loved them with an everlasting love and wanted to bestow His goodness and richness on them.
God gave them dominion over the Earth. Over the beast of the land, the birds of the air and the fish on water. God made man is His image. Meaning in God's class, separate from the animal kingdom. |
2 Cor 4:4
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
(NKJ)
Heb 1:3
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
(NKJ)
Eph 4:23-24
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
(NKJ)
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
(NKJ)
Heb 1:3
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
(NKJ)
Eph 4:23-24
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
(NKJ)
“like father, like son”, a phrase to refer to family resemblance. God wants His children to bear His image, and likeness too. We were created to be righteous and holy. Not to become Gods but to be Godly! Many religions and New Age philosophies still promote this old lie that we are divine or can become gods. The desire to be a god shows up every time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and people around us. But as creatures we will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want you to be a God; He wants you to be godly –taking on his values, attitudes and character. The bible says:
Eph 4:21-23
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind
(NKJ)
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind
(NKJ)
God’s ultimate goal for your life on earth, is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ .This does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created your uniqueness, so He certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christ-likeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality. God wants you to develop the kind of character described in the beatitudes of Jesus (Matt5:1-12), the fruit of the spirit and Paul’s great chapter on love and Peters list of the characteristics of an effective productive life .see the ff 3 verses
Gal 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
(NKJ)
1 Cor 13:1
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
(NKJ)
2 Pet 1:5-8
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(NKJ)
2 Cor 3:18
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
(NKJ)
Col 1:27-28
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
(NKJ)
Rom 12:2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
(NKJ)
I Jn 3:2
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
(NKJ)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
(NKJ)
1 Cor 13:1
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
(NKJ)
2 Pet 1:5-8
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(NKJ)
2 Cor 3:18
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
(NKJ)
Col 1:27-28
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
(NKJ)
Rom 12:2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
(NKJ)
I Jn 3:2
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
(NKJ)
We are a work in progress and finally completed when we see Jesus face to face.
Gen 2:7-9
the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.
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. (NIV)
Gen 2:15-17
15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
(NKJ)
Gen 2:19-20 names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to
(NKJ)
Gen 2:25
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
(NKJ)
19 Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.
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. (NIV)
Gen 2:15-17
15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
(NKJ)
Gen 2:19-20 names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to
(NKJ)
Gen 2:25
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
(NKJ)
19 Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
Gen 2:15-17
15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
(NKJ)
15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
(NKJ)
Original SIN
Gen 3:1-8
1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" (Satan cast’s doubt on God’s Word)
2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;
3 "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.
5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Satan perverts God’s Word & continues to attack to this day!)
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Gen 3:1-8
1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" (Satan cast’s doubt on God’s Word)
2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;
3 "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.
5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Satan perverts God’s Word & continues to attack to this day!)
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
1 ......."Did'nt God say that you can eat from every tree in the Garden?". (The tool of the serpent is lies and to create doubt in the Word of God.)
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Satan perverts God’s Word & continues to attack to this day!) |
"I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
(Sin drives us away from God) God replaced the leaf covering of Adam & Eve with tunics of skin. It is implied that an animal had to die to cover for the sin the first couple.
Most probably that animal was a lamb symbolic of the lamb of God who will pay for the forgiveness of sins! |
Gen 3: 9-13
9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
13 And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
13 And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
Because of sin, man now has a depraved nature. Now Adam blames Eve. But even worse, Adam blamed God - "The woman, You gave me" insinuating that God is responsible. Instead of Adam & Eve acting righteously by accepting their fault. They blame everyone except themselves.
God cannot co-exist with sin and thus the separation of Adam & Eve. Separation from God is death for there can only be life with God.
God cannot co-exist with sin and thus the separation of Adam & Eve. Separation from God is death for there can only be life with God.
Genesis 3: 9-24
9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
13 And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
14 So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."
16 To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."
17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return."
20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
21 Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
22 Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"--
23 therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
(NKJ)
9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
13 And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
14 So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."
16 To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."
17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return."
20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
21 Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
22 Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"--
23 therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
(NKJ)
There is the record of what appears to be a strange act of God: He replaced the tunics of fig leaves the guilty couple had made to cover their shame and gave them instead coats of animal skin. For them to wear clothes made of the skin of an animal, an animal had to die. Does God prefer fur clothes?
Gods slaying an animal is a symbol of the sin covering that God will provide in the future for the sins of the world. The wages of sin is death.
God's
Gods slaying an animal is a symbol of the sin covering that God will provide in the future for the sins of the world. The wages of sin is death.
God's