Experience God Series

Prime Minister Stephen Harper met this week with representatives of Canada’s first nations communities. In an effort to repair generations of conflict and mistrust, they met in Ottawa to improve communications and come to agreements on some crucial issues. The Chiefs warned that a failure to do so, would most likely result in a rebellion on the part of Canada’s Aboriginal population.

To experience God in a meaningful relationship, there needs to be trust of Him and His word. When difficult external situations stir up internal doubt, we must guard against a desire for autonomy, thereby becoming a law unto ourselves. This rebellion means separation from God. Unchecked, the separation becomes eternal.

What causes conflict between people? People can function together for a time, but when a situation of external doubt arises, and trust is not existing between them, communication breaks down, and bad intentions become assumed. The result is separation.

Genesis presents a picture of warning showing the threats to a harmonious experience of fellowship with God. In Genesis 3:1-9 we see: 1)The Tempter (Genesis 3:1a), 2) The Target (Genesis 3:1b-3), 3) The Tactic (Genesis 3:4-5), and 4) The Tragedy (Genesis 1:6-9)

1)The Tempter (Genesis 3:1a),

Genesis 3:1a [3:1]Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. (He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, ’You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?") (ESV)

The word serpent means “snake.” The apostle John identified this creature as Satan (cf. Rev. 12:9; 20:2) as did Paul (2 Cor. 11:3). The rebellion of Satan had occurred sometime after 1:31 (when everything in creation was good), but before 3:1. He was a beautiful angel originally, rejoicing at God’s Creation (Job 38:4–7), but he sinned and was judged by God (Isa. 14:12–17; Ezek. 28:11–19) God is not the author of sin, nor does He tempt people to sin; this is the work of the devil (James 1:13). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the Old Testament (Ge 3:1–6). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.).

The serpent is indicated as "more crafty than any other beast of the field/wild animal that the LORD God had made,”. Explicit characterization of actors in the story is rare in Hebrew narrative, so it seems likely that in noting the snake’s shrewdness the narrator is hinting that his remarks should be examined very carefully. He may not be saying what he seems to be saying. Perhaps we should not take his words at their face value as the woman did. The author wanted to draw a (parallel) between the Fall and man’s quest for wisdom. Man’s disobedience is not so much depicted as an act of great wickedness or a great transgression as much as it is an act of great folly. He had all the “good” (tôḇ) he would have needed, but he wanted more—he wanted to be like God. The forbidden tree is the tree of the knowledge of “good and evil” (ṭôḇ wārāʿ, 2:9). When the woman and the man took of the tree and ate, it was because she “saw that the tree was desirable for gaining wisdom [lehaśkîl]” (v.6). Thus even the serpent is represented as a paragon of wisdom, an archetypical wiseman (ʿārûm). However, the serpent and his wisdom (ʿārûm) lead ultimately to the curse (ʾārûr v.14) (Sailhamer, J. H. (1990). Genesis. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 2: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (50). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).

Please turn to 1 Corinthians 1

Wisdom is a central motif of the Genesis account. From how things are created, to how things should run, there is a plan and purpose through God’s wisdom. Folly, is the relentless desire to contradict God, denying His word, intentions, and actions. Originated from Satan himself, it desires at every turn to supplant Godly wisdom with a false substitute. The result is always the same, sin leading to death.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 [18]For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [19]For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." [20]Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21]For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. [22]For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23]but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24]but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [25]For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. [26]For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27]But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; [28]God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29]so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. [30]And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, [31]so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (ESV)