Some hold that this is an account of God remaking the cosmos a second time. Chapter 2 is not a re-creation of chapter 1 in any stretch of the imagination. This chapter is simply a natural sequel to chapter 1.
This chapter highlights some of the fundamental facts and the basic experiences of human life for the centuries and generations to come. Remember, this is a book of beginnings, so naturally Moses is putting in order by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, essentials for human life that must be followed in order for mankind to exist.
2 Peter 1:19-21
· “Prophetic word” = all scripture
· “Made well” or “Confirmed” = by many eyewitnesses and not subjective experiences.
· “Light that shines in dark places” = the illumination of God’s word on our lives.
· “Until the day dawns and the morning star rises” = second coming of Christ. It will have a huge impact on all creation!
Revelation 22:16 “…I am…the Bright and Morning Star.”
7 Building Blocks For Civilization
1. The Relaxation For Man. Vs. 1-3
This was not for God benefit, but for man’s best. Does anyone really think that God was tired after 6 days of creating?
Here is a major principle for man to live by…as McDonald’s says, “You deserve a break today!”
Car sticker – “I am not in a hurry, I’m just on my way to work.”
Someone has said, “I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.”
TGIF or TGIM…Thank God it’s Monday!
The Sabbath or day of rest really should be seen as divine instruction!
“Sabbath” = root word is separation or consecration
3 primary ideas of the Sabbath:
a. Take rest.
b. Take satisfaction from work.
c. A holy day, as man would learn later with the 10
commandment. Exodus 20
We all have to balance out the work God has given us to do in our lives. That’s one reason He gave us the Sabbath!
Many people on their deathbeds do regret not having spent more time at the office. Albert Einstein’s last words to his son were: “If only I had more mathematics!” The French composer Ravel’s final utterance was: “I still had so much music to write!” American engineer and inventor James Eads departed this world with: “I cannot die! I have not finished my work!” Charles Darwin voiced only one regret as he lay dying: “I am only sorry that I haven’t the strength to go on with my research. I’m sure most of us have heard Thomas Edison’s famous quote: "Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration.”
And who will ever forget one of Jesus famous last words on the cross, “It is finished.” He came for work and finished it.
2 Tim 4:6-8 “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.” NLT
2. The Superscription of Man. Vs. 4-7
Picking up from chapter 1:26
It is here for the first time we have a divine name change. From Elohim to now “Lord God” = Jehovah Elohim
We go from the Elohim (God of creation) in chapter 1 to the Jehovah Elohim (God of revelation and redemption) in chapter 2 and 3.
Shortly before the N.T. period Jews stopped saying “Jehovah” instead they replace it with “Adoni” Lord. Example: The Passion of Christ movie.
Notice the:
· Natural creation of man. “Dust of the ground”
“Formed” = asah, to mold or fashion. Not bara.
· Spiritual creation of man. “Breath of lives”
This is what separates us from all other forms of life!
A plant has existence, but no soul. A dog has existence with a soul, but no spirit. Man has all three!
Fact: to this day evolution cannot explain man’s personality and spirituality!
Blaise Pascal was a brilliant mathematician and the inventor of the mechanical calculator; he was ahead of his time by at least 300 years. Just before he died in Paris in 1662 he wrote, “God makes people conscious of their inward wretchedness, which the Bible calls sin…Unites himself to their inmost soul, fills it with humility and joy, with confidence and love...”
He was the first to say, “At the center of every human being is God-shaped vacuum, which can only be filled by Jesus Christ.”
3. The Location of Man. Vs. 8-14
Most scholars place the Garden of Eden somewhere in the Middle East. No one can be absolute about its location.
“Eden” = delight
Notice the rivers and precious stones that were there.
The 2 trees were there for the benefit of man and no one else:
· The tree of life = man’s physical development
· The tree of good and evil = man’s spiritual development
4. The Vocation of Man. Vs.15
First thing we notice is that God puts man to work in a hurry! It is true that work has a profound affect on the development of man in every area! God never intended for man to waste a talent or gift.
Man = red dirt “Ha adam” in verse 19 man gets a name.
Tend = cultivate
5. The Instruction for Man. Vs. 16,17
2 firsts:
1. First command. Don’t eat from the tree of good.
Here we have the potentiality of sin, but not the actuality of sin for both God and man. In the original creation, God knew evil in the same way that a doctor knows about cancer – not by personal experience but by personal knowledge of it. Personal knowledge of sin doesn’t make one a sinner.
You see, before the fall in chapter 3 involving this tree, man had the ability not to sin, but after 3 chapter man had no ability not to sin!
2. First covenant. Edenic covenant to man. By giving man a place called Eden, God was giving a universal promise…that really plays out in the next point! But when sin entered the picture in chapter 3 man broke that covenant. Which will take us to another covenant that God gives man next week.
6. The Dominion of Man. Vs. 18-20
Psalm 8: 3-8
A covenant for man to populate the earth, subdue it, exercise authority over it, care for it, keep from eating the tree of good and evil.
Man was created to be supreme over all other creation. You know we’ve come a long way, in our day man is now bowing down to bugs, birds and baboons - rats, bats and nats!
Something is wrong when man in the name of conservation and species protection begins to sell out to the new age, lizard loving, tree-hugging environmentalists!
Don’t get me wrong; I realize that conservation is needed in our day, but for the sake of a bizarre policy that says no oil drilling on a very small portion of land in Alaska that would lessen our dependence on foreign oil? We are upside down on principle!
Thousands of dollars have been spent on environmental studies before one could build on a piece of property! One rat in Southern California has cost landowners millions and millions of dollars over the years. I smell a rat! Isn’t the rat supposed to be in the trap, it’s pretty bad when man is caught in the rat’s trap!
7. The Companion for Man. Vs. 21-25
Up to this point everything in God’s sight was good, until it came to man being alone in this paradise. It just goes to show that Adam was not content and satisfied with just having animals around.
God saw Adam’s first need before he even knew anything about it. That should remind us of how God is very concerned about our needs and sees them before we even know about them…just Him!!
In the previous chapter it just quickly mentions woman, but now we learn the vital role woman is to man. In fact, I get the idea that man is not complete until he is blessed with a woman in his life!
Woman = helpmate or counterpart
I see these verses as how a woman’s affect:
· Man’s development of character.
· Man’s need for fellowship.
· Man’s role as leader.
LifePoint: With a woman touch and influence, a man experiences a counterpart, complement and completeness in life!
Isn’t it interesting that chapter 1 ends with a God’s satisfaction with the building blocks for creation, now chapter 2 ends with God satisfaction with the building blocks for marriage and family!
