Wednesday, December 26, 2018

02 Genesis 3-4 – The Fall, Cain and Abel


Gen 3 - The Fall
Adam and Eve had everything.  Personal fellowship with God ... a perfect marriage with each other ... complete rule, under God, over the entire creation ... nourishment ... beauty ... security ... everlasting life. Why would they exchange all of that for a taste of the forbidden fruit? Would we have done any differently?
How is this sin unique? How is like all others?
Choices and Consequences
The crafty serpent. The first question and lie.
What’s the first question in the Bible?  “Has God indeed said …?”
What’s the first lie in the Bible?  “You will not surely die!”
The beginning of sin is the raising of doubt regarding the validity of God and His Word.
The heart of the matter: challenge to God’s authority, rule.
Remember, man’s role is only subordinate ruler over creation.
Because man is over creation, he can easily forget that he is under God and accountable to God.
Satan is the Father of Lies (John 8:44). He attempts to picture God as the liar and himself as the truth teller.
Why would anyone ever take Satan’s word over God’s?
Does Satan still operate in this same way? 2 Cor 11:3, 14; 1 Thess 3:5; 1 Pet 5:8-9
2 Co 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
2 Co 11:14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
1 Th 3:5 For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.
1 Pe 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
What would you do if you saw a snake? Ignore it and hope it goes away? Run? Get your shovel or gun? Look at it up close to determine if it is poisonous or not?
Where did it come from? Why was it crafty?
As the Bible unfolds it identifies the serpent as the devil.
Why would it desire to tempt the woman?
If you have ever watched a snake interact with a mouse, you know how sneaky, alluring, misleading, and predatory the snake is. And the little mouse, who could easily run and hide, sits there, mesmerized and hypnotized, fooled into a false sense of security.
Eve knew from Adam (2:16-17), but …
“In the middle of the garden?” “Cannot touch?”
“You can be like God, know good / evil, not die!”
God-type independence, equality, and wisdom.
God knows! (Why won’t He share?)
The serpent’s words lies – distorted truth.
Who was at fault? Everyone! Discuss.
Adam – Rom 5:12-21; Eve – 1 Tim 2:11-15
The serpent – Rev 12:9; 20:2
Re 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Re 20:2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
Eve’s steps: she listened, responded, considered, saw, rationalized, took, ate, shared, hid, “died.” Every time one sins, there is some kind of death that results. Rom 6:23
Adam did not lead (3:6) but listened (3:17).
Compare 1 Jn 2:15-17; Mt 4:1-11.
Three areas of temptation: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
1 Jn 2:15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Consequences: awareness of nakedness; desire to hide from God; fear of God; shifting blame.
Why does God ask, “Where are you?”
Gen 3:15 – first promise of the Savior.
Serpent – Gal 4:4; Rom 16:20; Rev 12:9; 20:2.
Woman – 1 Tim 2; 1 Cor 11, 14.
Man – Rom 8:18-25.
NT – 2 Cor 11:3, 14; 1 Th 3:5
The tempter, not God, tempts. Mt 4:3; Jas 1:13
But he only wins if we want what he offers!
Jas 1:13-17
How can we resist temptation before it comes?
Rom 13:14
Continuing grace:
Life continues. “Eve” = “life, living.” Cain, etc.
Note – all human life descended from Eve.
God Himself clothes naked sinners.
Continuing consequences:
Expulsion from Garden, tree, God’s presence.
Gen 4 - Cain and Abel
Marriage relationship – still blessed and holy.
“Cain” = “gotten one.” Conception – God’s gift.
“Abel” = “Breath, vapor.”
Opposite in occupation, character, temperament.
Cain: “of the evil one” by choice. 1 Jn 3:12
No Calvinism. Neither was born depraved, in sin.
Abel’s sacrifice: better because he offered it by faith, as God instructed (Heb 11:4). Faith involves trust, dependence, and allegiance.
Cain, of the evil one, did not act “by faith.”
Why was Cain angry, and with whom? How should he deal with his anger? “Do well!”
Again, no Calvinism. Cain was free to choose.
What if he refuses to change?
Sin: person crouching at the door, desiring you!
Master it, or it will master and destroy you.
Cain killed Abel because … (multiple answers).
Again, why does God ask these questions?
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Discuss.
Abel’s blood crying out to God. Heb 12:24
Consequences for Cain: cursed from the ground; not able to cultivate it; banished as a vagrant and a wanderer (Heb., nod).
Irony: the murderer fears being murdered!
Who might kill Cain? Gen 5:4
Continuing grace: a mark to protect Cain.
Banished, yet may live. “Land of Nod” (of Cain).
Marriage. A son Enoch (“initiation”).
City-building. Lineage.
Lamech – two wives, Adah and Zillah.
First recorded instance of bigamy.
Technological development.
Jabal: invented tents, nomadic life of herdsmen.
Jubal: invented stringed and wind instruments.
Tubal-cain: invented metallurgy.
Naamah: sister. Why noted? Reason unstated.
Growing violence. “77-times vengeance.”
Cain’s family developed materially, economically … but spiritually? Lamech knew – and shared – re: Cain’s life. But would he be less violent?
Seth – “to put in place of” Abel. A fresh start?
First time since Eden: calling on the LORD.
Through Seth (Gen 5:1-3) to Christ (Luke 3:38).
The Line of Cain
1.       Restlessness apart from God - 4:16
2.       Common Grace, Apparent Security - 4:17
3.       Cities Dedicated to Man - 4:17
4.       Self-reliance, Techn’l Advance - 4:20-22
5.       Emphasis on Beauty, Youth, Pleasure - 4:23
6.       Success: Aggression, Revenge - 4:23-24

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