Bible 101 – The Books of the Law

1. Bible 101 – The Books of the Law Genesis In the Beginning… Bible 101

2. The seventh dayGen 2:1-3 • Vs. 1-2 • God was not tired: • He ended His work • He rested from His work • Never sleeps or slumbers (ref) • Vs. 3 • Sabbath is a sign to the Jews, not the church • A day off is a good thing • Ex 31:12 • Sign between God and the Jew • Keep it for it is holy, those who profane it will be cut off (put to death) • Children of Israel • Ezek 20 :12-17 • God’s anger towrds them for vs.13 • Rebelled against Me • Did not walk in my statutes • Despised My Judgments • Greatly profaned My Sabbaths • 2 Chron 36:17 – Reason for the Babylonian Exile • Vs. 21 – one reason for the exile was that the land was denied its Sabbaths (Sabbath years) • Legalists – Should we keep the Sabbath? – naaa! • Seventh Day Adventists make a big deal about it • Rom 14: ; Col 2:16; Heb 12:18 • No command or teaching for or against the Sabbath for the Church • I have celebrated Shabat with some friends who were Messianic Jews… it was great Bible 101

3. Creation of ManGen 2:4-7 • Vs. 4 How did we get Chapter 2? • possibly written by Adam, seems to be written by an eye witness • Not necessary, God could have revealed it to Moses just like He revealed the future events of the book of Revelation to John • Another issue that comes up – JEDP Theory • http://www.theopedia.com/JEDP_Theory • Without a WHOLE lot of boring details – comes down to this – a scholar who didn’t believe that Moses came up with a hypothesis on how The first five books of the Bible were compiled. • Jesus quotes from all the books of the Law (the first 5 books) and attributes them to Moses • Matt 19:3-9 Moses wrote Deuteronomy • Mark 1:44 – Moses wrote Leviticus • Mark 7 9-12 – Moses wrote Exodus and Deuteronomy • John 7:19 – Jesus says Moses gave you the Law (common name for the first 5 books of the Bible) • Rom 10:5 Paul says that Moses wrote the Law • http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/moses.html • Vs.5-6 what day are we on? • Day 2 or early day 3 right? • How was the ground watered? (vs.6) • Vs. 7 When was man created? (day 6) • So we have a little more detail about two separate things • God’s watering system • Understand that there was No rain until chapter 7 (flood) • Understand a little more about Noah’s experience - Imagine him saying “water will fall from the sky…” • Understand how God made man • What? Is God making mud pies? – does this sound very “scientific” to you? • Actually it is… Simple, but accurate • We in our wisdom have discovered that all the elements that make up a man are found in dirt Bible 101

4. Garden of EdenGen 2:8-9 • Vs. 8 Eden means “delight” • So the garden of Eden means… • vs. 9 Again… what day would we be on in • Day 6 at the earliest because man is there, possibly day 8 or later? • SO… we are not seeing the events of day three in vs.9 • So what are we seeing? The planting of the garden • So what was the garden like? • Pretty trees (planted every tree that was pleasant to the eye and good for food) • Tree of life • Gen 3:22 – could grant eternal life to the cursed man • Rev 2:7 – says that one of the rewards of the over comer will be to eat from it, in the paradise of God • Rev 22 – Tells us exactly where “they” will be found next. • Mentioned again in Rev 22:14 as a right of him who can enter the city of God. • Ezekiel 47:1-12 – Earthly version (Millennium) • Tree of the knowledge of good and evil – NOT a test, a choice • River (must have been quite a flow) • Splits into four rivers from there… more on that in a bit. • Gold and Gems in the land of Havila • Q). What’s this sound like? (minus the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) • Heaven? Bible 101

5. Where is Eden?Gen 2:10-14 • Vs. 10-14 Where is Eden? Eastward • Possibly east of Canaan or the Sinai Peninsula (If Moses wrote this from the desert during the wildernes wandering). • Moses mentions 4 rivers in vs. 11-13 – we know of 2 of them • Euphrates – all our Middle east vets know about that one… • Dan 4 tells us that the Hiddekel is the Tigris, but the current one is flowing N-S not east • Remember that the flood could have (probably did) changed their courses • Our rivers today could be named for rivers that existed pre-flood • Its very likely that many of the post-flood areas were named for Pre-flood places • Eden was the source of the rivers… • One river went out from Eden and split into 4. • Different people locate Eden all over the Middle East, Turkey, Iran • More popular ones I remember was Kuwait, between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers… • That is near the end of the rivers, not near the source • Bottom Line - I don’t think its possible to locate Ancient Eden • The Flood destroyed it • The Flood changed the markers to lead us to the spot it was on Bible 101

6. Bible 101

7. Man in the gardenGen 2:15-25 • Vs. 15-16 Man’s Job – tend and keep it • Gave Adam a job, Adam the first man served God • Probably wasn’t too difficult, God watered it, no weeds to pull… • Like serving him today… WE make it hard, but its not intended to be. • Gives us His Spirit, wisdom (if we will ask), a spiritual gift (intended area of service) • We make it hard when we decide what WE are going to do for God and we don’t ask for help or seek Him out about it. • Vs. 17 But there was one rule… • Don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (vs.17) • Why did God put the tree there? • Gayle Erwin story – beans up the nose – Tell me NOT to do something then what is the first thing im going to do? • Is God cruel? • Not at all look at the situation: • Perfect Garden, good food, a purpose, animals, perfect climate, tree of Life • Best of all - daily face to face fellowship w/ God • But Love is a choice – Love is not good if its forced or automatic • The tree was what God put in the garden to ensure we were there by choice – it was the way out (more on that next week) • The choice had a penalty – you shall surely die. • Did Adam die? What death was he talking about? • Adam lived 930 years (Gen 5:3-4) Bible 101

8. Eve is built • Vs. 18-19 It is NOT good that man should be alone (first NOT good) • God didn’t want Adam to be alone, came up with an interesting exercise: He had him name all the creatures on earth • Why? • ALONE, I got you God… We can fish, we can eat, we don’t have to say excuse me • Vs 20 As he started naming, he would have noticed each male had a female version that was made just for the male. • No mate was found for Adam from the animals God had made • Vs.21 God does the first surgery… • Familiar deep sleep • JFB say that Adam may have seen the procedure (heb. word implies that he was in a trance) • No matter what happens, Adam would always know that the are more alike than they are different • God removes the rib • Not from his hand – she is not a handmaiden or slave • Not from his foot – she is not to be a doormat • From his side – that is where she is supposed to be at his side and near his heart • Interesting comparison – Jesus also received a wound in his side in the process of getting His bride • Vs. 22 Makes (lit. builds) the woman from the rib • She wasn’t made of the dust… she was made of Adam (no dirt boy comments now…) • Imagine the scene when Adam woke up • When he named Eve… literally the words are Ish (man – husband) and Isha (woman-wife) • Dumb Question - Do men have one less rib than women? • No, in fact I’m told that if you lose one of you lower ribs, it will grow back… Bible 101

9. Rib can also mean “side” • Word for Rib can also mean “side” • Both Hebrew and Greek, (Septuagint) Greek word only means side. • Ken Graves make a great point about the side • Thru the Word, God is portrayed as a Masculine God • Power, strength, endurance, judgement • The Bible aslo gives God some qualities that are considered Feminine, He is: • Gentle, nurturing, loving • Ken suggests what God removed the feminine side of Adam • If Adam had been made in God’s image, he may have had both “sides” • Perhaps this is why man is only complete when he has “become one” with his wife and the two sides are united. Bible 101

10. Leave and cleave • Vs. 23-24 she is: • Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh • Still the same today – we become one in marriage • Oneness supersedes all earthly relationships: • Mom and Dad • Doesn’t mean you ignore them, don’t have time for them, disrespect them • Don’t run to them anymore • Denise and I in Germany • husbands (esp. with Mom) • Friends • Children • Doesn’t mean you neglect them • You don’t put them above your spouse • wives (esp w/ sons) • Spouse is our First ministry, Second Love (Jesus is first), First priority • Do I do this perfectly – I wish, but I am still working on this too Bible 101