153. GOD'S PURPOSE IN THE CREATION OF MAN

Genesis 1 outlined the broad details of the six days of creation.

In Genesis 2 we learn of the way in which God created man and then woman. After this He placed them in the Garden and gave them a law.

We will see in this lesson how the man and the woman failed to obey God's law and as a result, sin and death entered the world.

Genesis 1:24-28; 2

THE CREATION OF MAN (Gen. 2:7)

As we saw in our last lesson, the most important act of God's creation was man. God intended him to have dominion over all creation (Gen. 1:26). The animals were "very good" in their own way, but they could only follow their instincts, which taught them how to obtain food, how to defend themselves and how to look after their young. They were not able to give glory to God in the way He desired, because they were not capable of understanding His ways. In Gen. 1:26 we are told "God said, Let us make man in our image (i.e. bodily shape), after our likeness (i.e. the mental power to take in God's thoughts and to develop a character like His)." So man was formed in the image of God having the same ap­pearance as angels, but not of the same nature, because they are immor­tal, spiritual beings. We are told in Gen. 2:7 that "the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul" or creature. He was made of the dust, as were the animals (Gen. 2:19), and they were all kept alive by the same "breath of life" (Gen. 7:21-22; Psa. 104:29). But man was different from the animals, because he had been made in the likeness of God. His brain was able to understand God's ways. This made it possible for him to give God love and obedience, so giving honour and glory to his Maker.

THE FORMATION OF EVE (Gen. 2:18-23).

God had placed Adam over all the creation. Adam had given names to all the birds and beasts, but there was not one among them that was a fit companion for the man. They did not have the same intelligence and understanding. So God said: "It is not good that man should be alone: I will make him an help meet (fit, or suitable) for him."

God caused Adam to go into a deep sleep, and took one of his ribs, from which he built up a woman. When Adam awoke he saw this one who was to be his companion, who would think and feel as he did because she was made from a part of himself. Adam called her "Woman", which means "out of man', and later gave her the name "Eve" which means "living" (Genesis 3:20). God could have made the woman directly from the dust, as He had made the man, but if he had there would not have been the same sympathy and affection between them.

We know that this is the way man and woman were made. God in­spired Moses to write about it, and Jesus Christ himself believed and taught it, quoting from Gen. 1:27 and 2:24 in Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-8. So we do not agree with those who tell us that men and women and all the animals just evolved or developed from other lower forms of life.

Speaking of the woman, Adam said, "This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh," and the scripture adds—"therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Marriage is therefore a divine appointment and established as a permanent unity of husband and wife. With minds that can be directed in love and devotion to God and an understanding and feeling for each other's needs the husband and wife, in a God fearing and loving unity, can assist each other in their service of God.

MAN IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN (Gen. 2:8-15).

Adam had been placed by God in a garden in Eden, "to dress it and to keep it." "Eden" means "delight" and in this garden grew, "every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil."

All that God had made was physically "very good", including the man and woman. Adam and Eve lacked character, because as yet they had not been tested. God desired their love and obedience and this could only be shown by seeing if they would obey God of their own free will.

THE COMMANDMENT (Gen. 2:16-17).

"The LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

If Adam and Eve obeyed this command it would honour God. If they disobeyed they would "surely die." They had free will to choose their course of action, and God desired them to use it in the right way by giving obedience to Him. He warned them that disobedience would bring death.

It is important to remember therefore that to disobey God's law is to sin. If we sin we become liable to punishment and could well bring shame and dishonour upon God and our family.

THE TEMPTATION (Gen. 3:1-5)

All went well so long as Adam and Eve remembered God's law and kept it. But in the garden was a serpent, a very cunning animal who had the ability to talk. Although he was more "subtle" (shrewd) than any beast of the field, he was still only an animal, with an animal's in­telligence. He was not able to understand that everything God said was Truth. He was not capable of developing a conscience as were Adam and Eve and so could not understand right or wrong, obedience or disobe­dience. He had evidently heard God's command, and his animal intellect had led him to think things which were directly opposite to the truth.

The serpent asked the woman "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Eve replied according to the commandment God had given. The serpent then told the first lie, "Ye shall not surely die." It was the very opposite of what God had said. However it was mix­ed with part of the truth when he added "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods (i.e. the angels), knowing good and evil." This suggestion aroused the unlawful desire to be equal to the angels. We can see that Eve was deceiv­ed to believe a lie (1 Tim. 2:14). She chose not to discuss this lie with her husband Adam but went right ahead and ate of the forbidden fruit.

DISOBEDIENCE (Gen. 3:6).

Genesis 3:6 illustrates the three basic fleshly desires as described by the apostle John in 1 John 2:16. Instead of rejecting the serpent's suggestion, Eve listened, then looked and saw that the tree was good for food Oust of the flesh); pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eyes); and a tree to be desired to make one wise (the pride of life). She ate of it in disobedience to God, giving it also to Adam, who shared it with her.

In doing this, Eve had accepted the fleshly ideas of the serpent, and she was thus led away by her own desires. This process is described in James 1:14-15, and is now the experience of all mankind, for "every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

Whenever we are tempted to sin we should try to remember Christ's example of overcoming temptation by always thinking about God and His Word (Matt. 4:1-10; see also 1 John 2:14).

THE RESULT OF SIN (Gen. 3:17-19).

The eyes of the man and woman were opened, but not to "make them wise" in the way Eve had hoped. They were filled with feelings of shame and fear. They realised they were naked, and tried to clothe themselves by making aprons of fig leaves. They no longer felt at one with God and tried to hide themselves from Him. The angel of God sought them out, and Adam confessed that he had eaten of the forbidden tree. He blamed Eve for his action, and Eve blamed the serpent. Judgment was passed upon all:

• The serpent — cursed above all cattle (v.14);

• The woman — subject to her husband (v.16);

• The man — ground cursed for his sake (vv. 17-18).

The final condemnation: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (v.19). Man was no longer "very good", he was now mortal — subject to death. This con­demnation has passed upon all of Adam's race since. As his descendants, we inherit a mortal nature. As his descendants we also find in our nature a tendency to think and act in opposition to the ways of God (Rom. 5:2, 12; 7:18; 8:5-7).

Death is a reality- It is the end of life, thought and action (Psa. 6:5; Ecc. 9:5; Isa. 38:18). There are still many people who teach and believe the serpent's lie, "Thou shalt not surely die," by stating that man has an immortal soul, something which lives on after death. This is not true and is not taught in the Bible (refer to Instructor Lessons No. 31 to 35). The Bible teaches the mortality of the soul (Ezek. 18:4; Psa. 89:48).

We have seen how, as a result of sin, Adam and Eve were sentenced to death. They became mortal, dying creatures, and all mankind continue to inherit the same mortal nature. How then could God bring about His purpose to fill the earth with immortal people who would give honour and glory to Him?

In our next lesson we will consider Genesis 3:14-19 in more detail, par­ticularly verse 15. We will see how God provided a way of redemption for mankind, which would save them from their hopeless state.

REFERENCE LIBRARY:

"Elpis Israel" (J. Thomas)—Part First—Chapters 2, 3

"Story of the Bible" (H. P. Mansfield)—Chapter 4

"The Visible Hand of God" (R. Roberts)—Chapter 4

"First Principles Bible Marking Course"—(C.S.S.S.)—Pages 16-19, 68-74.,

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

1. Describe how man was created, and show:—

1. how he was like the animals and

2. how he was different from them.

2. Explain how woman was made.

3. What was the first lie ever told? How did Eve respond to the serpent's reasoning?

4. Show scriptural proof that man is mortal.

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Describe the temptation of Eve, showing the three ways in which temptation comes to all mankind.

2. What were the results of the disobedience of Adam and Eve?