The content below was developed by Doug Reynolds who has requested that it be placed here for others to use in teaching the word of God.
The content is constructed in ten different parts or sections. Each section consists of one lesson.
Genesis – The book of beginnings
Part VI – Chapter 2:7-15
In chapter 2, God begins to tell us in more detail about his creation. But we are not given details about everything. Rather, God focuses chapter 2 on His creation of man. This theme is repeated often in the Bible. God first gives a summary account, then follows with the specific application to man. Man, after all, is the reason for God’s creation. Simply put, God begins now to teach us about his relationship with us, and our relationship with Him.
Verse 7:
In this verse, God begins to give us more detail about His crowning creation, man. God first created the organic from the inorganic. That is, He made something (organic) from nothing (inorganic). The creation of man is an organic creation in that God took from something He already had created, and made something new.
Evolutionists have never been able to prove a transition from some other creature to man, Homo sapiens. Man is unique in his creation and being…Why??
God in fact took us from the dust of the ground. Through science, we know that man is composed of 15 different chemical elements that are also found in the earth. From the earth we were taken, and to the earth we will return at our death. This is the physical fact of our creation.
What differentiates man from all other creation on the earth, and in the universe, as far as we know, is that God breathed into us the breath of life, giving us a living soul. To no other part of His creation does He do this. This is our spiritual creation. Man alone has the ability to think and create abstractly, against his nature. Man alone has the ability to choose his own path, to obey or to disobey God. In this way, mankind is brought into a wonderful relationship with its creator.
The only other creature in God’s creation that seems to have a similar capacity to man are the angels, and we know very little about them.
Carry the idea of man being created in God’s image further. What else does this unique creation give to man? (Hint….remember that, at this point, the earth was perfect, and man was sinless.)
Verse 8:
Exactly where was the Garden of Eden? Though no ancient maps, or modern ones, show the location, the Bible does give us a good idea of the general location. Moses wrote this book in the area of Mt. Sinai. Moses tells us that God planted the Garden to the East, placing it eastward across the Arabian Desert. We will discuss more on the location beginning in Verse 10.
Verse 9:
God made all kinds of trees for beauty and for function. This verse tells us that God placed man in a wonderful, self-sustaining, creation. Think of the most beautiful places you’ve been in your life, and if you can, imagine a place exponentially more beautiful and useful. God also introduces us to two unique trees; the Tree of Life, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. These are unique because they do not exist on the earth today. Eating of the Tree of Life ensured immortality. Eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil brought physical and spiritual death. This tree was necessary because God wants us to choose, out of our free will, to love and obey Him. What do you think about this description? Do you think it is only a testing tree? A test implies a pass or fail grade. Do you think mankind failed the test? If so, I ask you to consider if a failure deserved redemption.
This tree’s fruit did not, in itself, give knowledge of good or of evil. Instead, if man and woman chose to obey the command not to eat of the tree, they would know in personal experience what is good (God’s blessing of everlasting life in the perfect Garden.). However, if they disobeyed and ate of it, they would know in their personal experience what is evil.
Verses 10-14:
Now, let’s get back to the location of Eden. The Bible tells us that the water that fed the Garden flowed outward forming four rivers. The rivers are the Pison, the Gihon, the Hiddekel, and the Euphrates. First, we do not know which river today is the river referred to as Pison. Remember that this account is before the Flood. The Flood could possibly have destroyed this river. The other rivers, however, can be identified today. The Gihon River is what we call the Nile River today. It can be identified because of its location in Ethiopia, or North Africa. The Nile flows through Egypt on its way to Africa. The Hiddekel River can also be located today as the modern river Tigris. The Tigris River, like the Euphrates River, is located east of Assyria. Of course, the fourth river is the Euphrates River.
These locations give us a good idea of the region where the Garden of Eden was located. Most feel that it was located in the valley between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. This region is in modern-day Iraq and Iran. It is in what we know as the Fertile Crescent. History tells us that the land in this region used to be so fertile, that crops grew year after year without planting.
Verse 15:
Work is good!! Man had the responsibility to tend God’s Garden. Along with this responsibility, man also had the authority, or dominion, from God, to oversee all his creation. God’s intent was that for every day of his life, Adam would be reminded of his origin and of his responsibility. Adam tended the Garden out of his own free will to please God.
Part VII – Chapter 2:16-25
In the last half of chapter 2, God will give man His first command, His first rule. God also finds something missing from His creation, and corrects it.
Verses 16-17:
In these verses God gives man His first rule, or commandment. God commanded man not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Notice that this is the only fruit forbidden to man. God gave him freedom to eat from every other tree or plant in the Garden. This is important in chapter three when Satan tempts Eve.
Why did God give man this rule?
What did it mean that man would surely die if he ate from the forbidden tree?
Since woman was not yet created, did this command apply to her as well? If so, how did Eve come to understand the commandment?
Verse 18:
This is the only thing in God’s creation that He finds missing. What is missing from the creation? It is important to understand that God makes nothing imperfect. The absence of a helper for man is not a mistake, do you agree? If you agree, why do you think God left Adam alone for a time before creating Eve?
Verses 19-20:
Before creating a helper from man, God causes all the animals (excluding the fish and the creeping things) to come before man to be named. This, as you can imagine, was a huge undertaking. Apparently, what Adam named the animals stuck, for there is no record of the names ever being changed. Did God need Adam to name the animals?
Why did God have Adam go through this exercise?
Note that a suitable helper was not found, though Adam saw and named all the animals brought before him.
Verse 21:
As a result of an unsuccessful search for a helper, God causes a deep sleep to fall upon the man. While he was asleep, God removed a rib from Adam’s side. The Hebrew word interpreted here as “rib” is more often translated “side.” If that is true here, then God is removing one of man’s sides. Either way, we have something taken from the side of man to create the woman. God then closes up the flesh after He removes the rib or side. Do you think this was painful for man?
Verse 21:
God creates woman from the rib or side taken from Adam. This is an act of indirect creation by God. This is also his final act of creation in Genesis. In many ways, some say this is the crowning achievement of creation. Do you agree with that statement?
Much has also been inferred about the reason for the rib or side being taken from man to create woman, as opposed to a part from man’s head or foot. Do you have any comments or opinions about the location of God’s surgery?
Verse 22:
A simple statement here sums up the creation of woman. It’s important to note the last half of the verse. God brings the woman to the man. Apparently, this is an arranged marriage?
Verse 23:
This is man’s response upon meeting the woman. What does he do first? He names her, just like he did the other animals God brought before him. But, something’s different….what?
Verses 24-25:
Though we are two, we’re really one. This comment by God is what really institutes His intent for marriage. Many years later, Jesus reinforces this teaching that what God brings together, men and women external to the marriage should not separate. This verse also demonstrates a responsibility for service on the part of man. Can you describe it?
Because they wore both sinless at this point, they had nothing to hide from God or each other. They walked in perfect communion with each other and with God.
Part VIII – Chapter 3:1-6 – The Setup and The Sin
In chapter 3, we see the fall of man. As we look at chapter three, we will use five “S”s to aid our memory: Setup, Sin, Shame, Sentence, and Salvation Solution. In the first six verses, we will employ mostly questions and discussion to explore the motives of God, Eve, Adam, and Satan.
Verse 1:
Who, or what, is the serpent, and where did he, or it, come from? We know from elsewhere in scripture that the serpent was used by Satan to tempt Eve. We will look at some of those references shortly. But, to answer the question,
Both came from God
The serpent was an animal created by God.
Satan was an angelic being also created by God.
How did Satan come to be in the Garden? Genesis does not tell us this. We must look in Isaiah 14:12-20, and in Ezekiel 28:11-19, to find this.
The Bible (King James Version, says the serpent was more “subtil” than other creatures in the Garden. What does “subtil” mean? The interpretation of the Hebrew text can mean beautiful, graceful, crafty, and/or intelligent.
Let’s now take a few minutes to read and understand more about Satan’s basic mode of operation: deceit.
II Corinthians 11:3-4
II Corinthians 11:13-15
Revelation 12:7-9
Revelation 20:1-3
Now let’s think about at least four strategies Satan has used, is using, or will employ during his time in the earth and in Heaven.
- Dominion – Satan originally tried to exalt himself above God (Isaiah 14)
- Deception – Satan’s most tried and true strategy. He used it in the Garden and is still using it today. He still uses it because it works very well.
- Destruction – As we study more in Genesis, we will see this strategy employed up until the Flood.
- Domination – As seen during the Tribulation and at the end of the 1,000-year reign. This is Satan’s last strategy to seize power from God.
Satan tempts Eve
What is temptation? One definition I read is given below. Do you agree with it or disagree? How would you define temptation?
Temptation is “an inward pull to do wrong.” Further, to tempt someone is “to arouse a desire to do wrong by seeming to offer a benefit.”
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
As we discussed earlier in chapter 2, this tree was necessary because God wants us to choose, out of our free will, to love and obey Him. If we choose, we can:
- Delight in the presence of the tree. View the tree as a symbol of God’s refining love.
- View the tree as symbolic of God’s guaranteed provision.
- Glory in what God has given us, rather than agonize and lust over what we don’t have.
When viewed in this light, it’s obvious how foolish it is to disobey God. To disobey God is to defy the only Being who knows inside and out what we need the most.
Why do you think Satan approached Eve rather than Adam? They were both there (Genesis 3:6).
Satan begins by asking a question of Eve. Why do you think he did it, and what do you think he was hoping to accomplish?
Verses 2-3:
Close, but not exactly
Eve corrects Satan, but also adds a restriction God did not place. Why do you think she did that?
Lastly, I offer a definition of sin. Do you agree or disagree? How would you define sin?
Sin is “our effort to supplement what we think are limits to God’s goodness” or power.
Part IX – Chapter 3:1-6 – The Setup and The Sin
In chapter 3, we see the fall of man. To recap, as we look at chapter three, we will use five “S”s to aid our memory: Setup, Sin, Shame, Sentence, and Salvation Solution.
Verses 4-5:
Was the Serpent’s lie a subtle lie? At first reading, yes, But, we should really think about what Satan is doing here. Satan is contradicting God openly. Satan is substituting his word for God’s word. Try re-wording Satan’s statement into your own language. This should help you understand the gravity of the lie Satan spoke.
Usually, the liberal and the atheist take away from the word of God. Cults (and some fundamentalists) usually add to the word of God. Both are sinful, God warns against both. Salvation is by faith through grace. Please read John 6:29.
Verse 6:
We’ve covered the setup, now we look at the sin. Satan’s appeal to Eve (and to Adam) was a three-point appeal. Satan also used a similar three-point appeal to tempt Jesus when He was in the wilderness.
Point 1. An appeal to the flesh. “…The tree was good for food.” This is important, but not the most important point of the appeal. Why? Because there was plenty more fruit in the Garden to eat. Hunger was not a cause for temptation, to a large degree. Satan tempted Jesus to make stones into bread.
Point 2. An appeal to the psyche or to the mind. “…It was pleasant to the eyes.” This is probably the strongest point of Satan’s temptation. Do you agree? Satan still today is allowed to tempt us, and he usually uses beauty as the tool of temptation. Can you think of examples? Satan tempted Jesus with all the kingdoms of the earth.
Point 3. An appeal to the religious side of man. “…And a tree to be desired to make one wise.” What’s wrong with wanting more wisdom? Nothing if it is not in opposition to God’s commands. This point was, in my opinion, less of a temptation and more a rationalization. This was how Eve and Adam could convince themselves that eating of the tree was really something God would want. After all, would God really deny them something that could help them by making them wiser? Satan used a similar tactic with his final temptation of Jesus in the wilderness when he tempted Jesus to throw Himself down from the temple. The rationalization would have been that God would not allow Jesus to be harmed, at this point, even if Jesus jumped voluntarily.
Adam ate as well. We get the feeling that Adam was there, but not really paying attention. Do you agree with that view? If that is true, why was he so willing to eat of the tree? After all, God gave Adam the command not to eat from the tree first. What do you think Adam was doing, and thinking, while Satan was deceiving Eve?
Satan told them they would know good from evil. Next week we’ll discuss the result of the sin, the shame.
Part X – Chapter 3:7-13 – The Shame
In chapter 3, we see the fall of man. As we look at chapter three, we will use five “S”s to aid our memory: Setup, Sin, Shame, Sentence, and Salvation Solution. In verses 7-13, we will look at the first consequence of sin: shame. Again we will employ mostly questions and discussion to explore the motives of God, Eve, and Adam.
Verse 7:
Eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil did not make Adam and Eve gods, or like God. It did, however, open their eyes. The “eyes” here are not physical, but spiritual. Before the sin, Adam and Eve did not know evil. They were innocent. Some scholars assert that since they did not know evil, they had no conscience before they sinned. Do you agree?
What were Adam and Eve ashamed of? Were they ashamed to see each other, or were they ashamed for God to see them? See John 3:19-21. God is light. When man and woman sinned, they did not want to face the light.
To solve their shame problem, Adam and Eve made for themselves aprons, or coverings, out of fig leaves (it is interesting to note that the fig is the only tree mentioned by name, or fruit, in the Garden). This covering for sin is like the darkness. Sins are committed in darkness, usually; and the darkness covers, temporarily, the sin. How is the covering Adam and Eve made like religion?
Verses 8-9:
In their shame, Adam and Eve hid from God. Sin has caused a great separation from God. No longer were Adam and Eve able to enjoy the fellowship with God they had once enjoyed. Some have said that this condition was more serious than just shame. They would argue that Adam and Eve no longer desired to have the fellowship with God that they once had. They would argue that the former relationship they had with God no longer appealed to them. Do you agree or disagree?
Verses 10-11:
God already knew where Adam and Eve were hiding. He already knew why they were hiding. So, why did He ask?
Who told Adam and Eve they were naked?
How Adam and Eve answered God’s questions would indicate if they were sorry for their sin and if they were ready to repent.
What is our tendency in dealing with sin in our own lives?
Verses 12-13:
Instead of confessing their sin, the man blamed the woman, and the woman blamed the serpent. Adam even had the nerve to implicate God by suggesting He was at fault for creating the woman.
Adam and Eve had put their trust now in covering up, or hiding. How is this like religion?
Were Adam and Eve “lost” at this point?