Today we review Genesis 1 and 2 and study and discuss Genesis 3 The Hope Today we review Genesis 1 and 2 and study and discuss Genesis 3

Last week we covered Genesis 1 and 2 There we saw that God created “in the beginning” the universe: the heavens and the earth. Then God spoke. Do you remember what God did in 6 days? What was “the crown” on God’s creation? What was God’s purpose of His creation? What did God do on the 7th day?

In chapter 2 the created human got a job; what? The created human had a need; what was the need and how did God resolve it? The first human couple had an almost unlimited freedom; what? What was the only limitation? And was the consequence of violation? We talked about the “choice” Why did God give Man the ability to choose to obey or disobey God? Is the command of obedience still valid for us today?

Before we discuss Genesis 3 we need to know some stories, mentioned elsewhere in the Bible It’s about the rebellion and attributes of Satan God created spirit beings (or angels) before man. A chief angel wanted to be equal to God. Therefore God threw him out of heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15, p. 1062; Ezekiel 28:17, p. 1311) Later this fallen angel was called Satan or the adversary, who fights against God and seeks to destroy what God has done. John 10:10 says (p. 1633): “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”.

Genesis 3 “the deadly disease” Watch this movie part in English or in Chinese or from DVD Read Genesis 3 in English and in Chinese. Read again Genesis 3:1-6 What happens here? Satan is questioning God’s motive! How do you call such a practice? manipulation How did Satan tempt Eve? What was the result? Eve doubted God and believed Satan Eve involved her husband in the wrong act

Read again Genesis 3:7 How did Adam and Eve’s disobedience affect their relationship with God, to each other, and the whole world? Suddenly there was a distance with God and a shame about their nakedness. By not obeying God the whole world was effected by the first sin How does Romans 5:12 (p. 1717) describe this? Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned Can you remember what the narrator in the movie said about why Adam and Eve were created? Humans were created to live in harmony with God forever

People got afraid for God and hid themselves Read Genesis 3:8-13 again Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” What is happening here? People got afraid for God and hid themselves In His love, God still calls them God holds Adam and Eve accountable as responsible people Adam and Eve blame others, which has ramifications

Read again Genesis 3:14-19 This explains God’s judgment in all facets: Curse for the snake Curse for the woman Curse for the man and the ground (earth) In His judgment God, who loves His creation, includes a promise!

Have a closer look at Genesis 3:15, where God is talking to the serpent Satan “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Do we understand this? You need to read this as such to understand: “And I (God) will put enmity between you (the serpent Satan) and the woman (Eve), and between your offspring (all followers of Satan) and hers (all believers); he (Jesus) will crush your (Satan’s) head, and you (Satan) will strike his (Jesus’ ) heel.” God points to Jesus, the Deliverer.

Read again Genesis 3:20-24 What was restored in verse 20? Review verse 21 “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them”. The first animal sacrifice. This is the temporary covering of sin by the blood of an animal. We will discuss this later in the course. The permanent covering takes place by the bloodshed of Jesus later, according to verse 15. What happened in verses 23-24? Read also Genesis 2:9 for the answer why God banished them from the Garden.

Some people believe that man is basically good. However, the Bible tells us that man is sinful by nature. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, p. 1715). Which view of the nature of man (good or bad) do you think better explains the status of the human race? Did you understand the act of love by God in Genesis 3:15 as a solution for the sin-problem of the human race? See the New Testament description on the next page.

The New Testament summarizes the Salvation in this way (John 1:1-5 and 14, p. 1613; the ‘Word‘ is another name for Jesus) 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.