Lesson #1 - Creation
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Lesson Description:
The Garden
“The first thing Adam knew, he was staring into the face of God. God had formed his body from the dust of the ground, but it lay there lifeless, like a corpse until God breathed into it. Then Adam became a living being (Genesis 2: 7), and in his first moment of conscious existence, he knew that his life had come from God.
God is invisible, but right from the beginning of the Bible story, He has been reaching out to make Himself known. That's why He made Himself visible to Adam. We call this a “theophany,” an appearance of God in visible form. It was God's way of creating a relationship.
God introduces Himself as our Creator and therefore our owner. He made you in His image (1: 26), and you are of unique value to Him. God chose to bring you into being. He did that on purpose, and you will discover that purpose as you get to know the One who created you.
THE GARDEN OF EDEN
The Bible tells us that “the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden” (2: 8, 15). We cannot be certain about the garden's location, but it is important to grasp that it was a real place. It was located near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (2: 10–14), which run through modern Iraq. God prepared a place for Adam, and God put him there. He does the same thing for us. The Bible says that God has determined the exact places for all of us to live (Acts 17: 26). The place where God puts you will not be perfect. Even Eden was exposed to the possibility of evil. But there is no better place to be than where God has set you down. You are not where you are by accident but by the plan and the purpose of God. God gave Adam the responsibility of naming the animals and caring for the garden (2: 19). Work is a good gift from God, and God took pleasure in what Adam was doing. It may be hard for you to imagine that God would enjoy the documents you prepare, the components you assemble, or the home you create … but He does.
A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN
The LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. (2: 22; EMPHASIS ADDED) I'd love to have seen the expression on Adam's face! God appeared to Adam and said, “Adam, I have someone I want you to meet!” I have no doubt that Adam's jaw dropped wide open. He certainly seemed pretty pleased! He said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (2: 23). God brought them together. Try to picture that in your mind. The LORD God takes her hand and puts it into his hand and says, “Here is the partner I have made for you!” When two people marry, God does in an invisible way what He did for Adam and Eve in the garden. If you are married, try to picture God taking your hand and the hand of your spouse and joining them together. When you know God has joined you together, it will help you weather the most difficult times.
A LOVING COMMAND
God came into the Garden of Eden as a visitor, making Himself known and cultivating a relationship with the man and the woman. He did not impose Himself on them but gave them the opportunity of choosing a relationship of faith and obedience with Him. God gave Adam a single command that was, like all His commandments, a wonderful expression of His love. “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (2: 17). God had made everything good, and so “good” was the only thing that Adam knew. The purpose of God's command was to keep him from evil.
— 10 Keys for Unlocking the Bible (Ten Keys Unlocking the Bible) by Colin S. Smith
“The first thing Adam knew, he was staring into the face of God. God had formed his body from the dust of the ground, but it lay there lifeless, like a corpse until God breathed into it. Then Adam became a living being (Genesis 2: 7), and in his first moment of conscious existence, he knew that his life had come from God.
God is invisible, but right from the beginning of the Bible story, He has been reaching out to make Himself known. That's why He made Himself visible to Adam. We call this a “theophany,” an appearance of God in visible form. It was God's way of creating a relationship.
God introduces Himself as our Creator and therefore our owner. He made you in His image (1: 26), and you are of unique value to Him. God chose to bring you into being. He did that on purpose, and you will discover that purpose as you get to know the One who created you.
THE GARDEN OF EDEN
The Bible tells us that “the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden” (2: 8, 15). We cannot be certain about the garden's location, but it is important to grasp that it was a real place. It was located near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (2: 10–14), which run through modern Iraq. God prepared a place for Adam, and God put him there. He does the same thing for us. The Bible says that God has determined the exact places for all of us to live (Acts 17: 26). The place where God puts you will not be perfect. Even Eden was exposed to the possibility of evil. But there is no better place to be than where God has set you down. You are not where you are by accident but by the plan and the purpose of God. God gave Adam the responsibility of naming the animals and caring for the garden (2: 19). Work is a good gift from God, and God took pleasure in what Adam was doing. It may be hard for you to imagine that God would enjoy the documents you prepare, the components you assemble, or the home you create … but He does.
A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN
The LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. (2: 22; EMPHASIS ADDED) I'd love to have seen the expression on Adam's face! God appeared to Adam and said, “Adam, I have someone I want you to meet!” I have no doubt that Adam's jaw dropped wide open. He certainly seemed pretty pleased! He said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (2: 23). God brought them together. Try to picture that in your mind. The LORD God takes her hand and puts it into his hand and says, “Here is the partner I have made for you!” When two people marry, God does in an invisible way what He did for Adam and Eve in the garden. If you are married, try to picture God taking your hand and the hand of your spouse and joining them together. When you know God has joined you together, it will help you weather the most difficult times.
A LOVING COMMAND
God came into the Garden of Eden as a visitor, making Himself known and cultivating a relationship with the man and the woman. He did not impose Himself on them but gave them the opportunity of choosing a relationship of faith and obedience with Him. God gave Adam a single command that was, like all His commandments, a wonderful expression of His love. “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (2: 17). God had made everything good, and so “good” was the only thing that Adam knew. The purpose of God's command was to keep him from evil.
— 10 Keys for Unlocking the Bible (Ten Keys Unlocking the Bible) by Colin S. Smith
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