Studies in Genesis

Studies in Genesis Presentation 12

The Justice and Mercy of God Gen 3v14-24 Presentation 12

Introduction What was God to do when man went wrong and decided to rebel against him? Wipe him out like some mistake on a blackboard and start again? Smile and pretend it didn't happen? Neither of those responses do justice to a God of love. The amazing truth we learn from these awesome verses is that God loved his creation even when it went wrong. He did so not to the point of indulging it and pretending nothing had happened, that's not love but moral indifference - although today, the two are often confused! God's love allows both his hand of justice and of mercy to operate without contradicting one another. Presentation 12

The Justice of God We have already seen God’s justice meting out punishment to Eve, pain in childbirth and an increased dependence upon her husband. Adam for his part would experience frustration as he laboured to provide for their welfare – thorns and thistles! In addition physical death would now be common to all human experience – a returning to dust and most serious of all they were to be cast out of the place of fellowship with God – there would be a spiritual death a separation from God. Presentation 12

The Justice of God But what of the serpent which had been the vehicle of temptation leading to the downfall of man? It does not escape the censure of God and we read in v14 that it is condemned to crawl on its belly all the days of its life. It is consigned to the lowest place a fitting judgment against the creature that had been responsible for man’s fall, for bringing him down! Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision Before God acted in judgement, casting Adam and Eve out of the garden, he displayed his mercy. Before he banished the guilty from paradise he extended glorious hope to nourish faith and persuade them that punishment did not mean abandonment. God still had designs of grace for mankind. His mercy is seen in his promise of Satan's defeat. Theologians speak of Gen. 3.15 as the "protoevangelium", the first proclamation of the gospel. Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision The text is describes more than simply an ongoing hostility between humans and snakes! As we saw from our study of 3v1-5 behind the serpent was concealed an evil spiritual force identified by Jesus as the Devil who had made use of the serpent. And so v15 points to a constant discernable conflict that would rage throughout history between Satan’s kingdom and the children of the kingdom of God. But there is also a promise here of fundamental importance. Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision The use of the words "head" and "heel" both in the singular indicates that the conflict would ultimately be settled by two contestants. The victor would be the seed of the woman, who would suffer in the process of securing victory. Who is this Saviour of men who would reverse the effects of the fall and overcome Satan? In Heb.2.14 we read, "he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death- that is the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death" and again in 1 Jn. 3.8 we read "the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision Luke, in his gospel, traces the genealogy of Jesus all the way back to Adam. Why does he do that? In order to remind his readership that Jesus was the ‘seed’ promised to Adam and Eve. As early as Gen.3 God was saying to fallen man, "there is a door of hope". The sufferings and death of Christ are alluded to in Satan's bruising of his heel. This bruising process is seen in Satan's attempts to destroy Jesus at birth, through wilderness temptation, and in his influence of Judas and the chief priests prior to the crucifixion. But Christ's death proved to be a fatal blow to Satan's kingdom, a mortal wound from which there is no recovery. Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision A sightseeing trip to Ravenna, in Italy involves a visit to old Byzantine churches which have their walls covered with glorious mosaics depicting biblical scenes. Because the majority of the worshipping congregations in the early centuries were illiterate the mosaics pictured on the wall were intended to unpack and reinforce important biblical truths. The central mosaic in one church shows a picture of a victorious Jesus crushing the head of both a roaring lion and of a serpent. One important lesson being taught was that Jesus by his death has destroyed the works of the Devil. Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision In Rom. 5 Paul describes the way in which Jesus did more than restore all that Adam lost as a result of the fall. Jesus is presented as a second Adam and both ‘Adams’ are compared. One brought death and condemnation on all of humanity who are united to him by nature, i.e. the whole human race. The second Adam is presented as the head of a new humanity and he brings life and reconciliation to all who are united to him by faith. See also 1 Cor. 15.21-22 "For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision Returning to Rom.5 note the recurring phrase, "How much more”. The significant point being pressed home is that we gain much more ‘in Christ’ than we lost ‘in Adam’. Jesus’ rescue package does not merely return men to an Eden situation where they would be as vulnerable as Adam was before he fell. Had that been the case we would spend the whole of our existence wondering, "Will I disobey today and as a result be cast out of God's presence?” Such a life could be compared to walking on eggs with the awful fear that very soon one of them might break. God’s merciful provision for man in Christ contains an eternal security that Adam never had. Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision How could such a secure provision be made? Well, a way into God's presence had to be found, which didn’t depend on man's ability or effort. And as early as Gen.3v21 we read that God provided a covering for man. There is great significance in this act. It needs to be understood against the earlier actions of Adam and Eve. You will remember that in 3.7 Adam and Eve sought to cover their nakedness by their own ingenuity and effort – they used leaves to cover themselves as if by so doing they could undo the effects of the fall. Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision Not much has changed down the years, the response of man towards his sin is often, "I will do my best to earn God's acceptance , I am able to provide covering for myself to protect me from God’s justice!" Isaiah tells us men’s attempts at righteousness are as ‘filthy rags’ before God. But later we read in Is 61.10 "my soul rejoices in my God for he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." Isaiah revels in God's provision as he grasps that God himself has provided a covering that can stand the inspection of his justice. Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision In Genesis 3 God sacrificed an animal to provide a covering for Adam and Eve. He established a sacrificial system, which in turn pointed forward to the coming of his Son, the great sacrifice for sin. Jesus, the lamb of God, would provide those who trusted in him with a robe of righteousness, which was guaranteed to pass the scrutiny of God’s justice. Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision God provided Adam and Eve with a covering, which was in fact a gospel visual aid. It pointed to the substitutionary nature of the Christ’s sacrificial death and to the covering of perfect righteousness that his death would secure for his people. The early Christian fathers used to speak of ‘God’s Great Exchange’. By that they meant that our sins were lifted and placed upon Jesus, who in turn paid their penalty, while his perfect righteousness was taken and placed upon his people. Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision In the garden the hand of God’s mercy wanted to spare the offender, while the hand of God’s justice required his death. God's solution to this dilemma was the death of a substitute, which would at one and the same time satisfy justice and display mercy. From the very beginning God made it clear that he alone would and could do all that was necessary for man’s salvation. It is quite wonderful, it’s overwhelming! Presentation 12

God’s Merciful Provision God comes to us all with two hands outstretched. He comes with his justice and his mercy. He says in effect, “You need a covering, a shelter, and a hiding place from the sanctions of my justice. Nothing you can do can provide an adequate covering or adequate protection but look at what I have prepared. Here is the righteousness that Jesus my Son has made available to those who recognise their need”. A famous minister wrote, "Those who will not deliver themselves into the hand of God's mercy cannot be delivered out of the hand of God's justice”. What hand have you placed yourself in? Presentation 12

Studies in Genesis