THE PENTATEUCH Mints International Seminary Dr. Donald F. Ritsman, D.Min.

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1 1 THE PENTATEUCH Mints International Seminary Dr. Donald F. Ritsman, D.Min. STUDENT MANUAL Old Cutler Rd Miami, FL w w w.mints.edu

2 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS LESSONS ONE: THE BOOK OF GENESIS: CREATION AND EARLY HISTORY PAGES 3-34 TWO: THE BOOK OF GENESIS: THE ABRAHAM NARRATIVES PAGES THREE: THE BOOK OF GENESIS: THE ACCOUNTS OF ISAAC, JACOB AND JOSEPH PAGES FOUR: THE BOOK OF EXODUS: AN OVERVIEW PAGES FIVE: THE BOOK OF EXODUS: HISTORY AND TYPOLOGY PAGES SIX: THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS PAGES SEVEN: THE BOOK OF NUMBERS PAGES EIGHT: THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY PAGES EXCURSUSES ONE: A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH PAGES TWO: THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS PAGES THREE: GENESIS AND HIGHER CRITICISM PAGES FOUR: THE STRUCTURE OF THE CREATION ACCOUNT PAGES FIVE: ARE THERE TWO CREATION ACCOUNTS? PAGES SIX: TYPOLOGY PAGES SEVEN: THE DATE OF THE EXODUS PAGES BIBLIOGRAPHY PAGES

3 3 LESSON ONE: GENESIS: CREATION AND EARLY HISTORY INTRODUCTION: AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS The title found in the English translation of the Bible, Genesis, is actually derived from the Septuagint s (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) rendering of Genesis 2:4, This is the book of the generations [literally, the genesis ] of the heavens and the earth. 1 As the title indicates, this first book of the Bible is the book of origins: the origin of the world, of the human race, of the various nations of the earth; and from a theological perspective, the origin of sin, of salvation, and of the covenant people of God through whom the promised Savior for the world (Gen. 3:15) would come. The Book of Genesis, as the first book of the Torah and, indeed, as the opening work of the Canon, is a book of foundations. 2 To be sure, the Book of Genesis is foundational for our understanding of God and man s relationship to Him. The major theological concepts of the Bible are incomplete if the revelation provided in the Book of Genesis were to be omitted. From the very outset (Gen. 1) God presents Himself as the sovereign and majestic Creator. Man is revealed to be the creation of God, made in the image of his Creator (Gen. 1:27,) created for fellowship with God (Gen. 3:8a-9,) and accountable to God (Gen. 2:16-17.) Not only does Genesis define man s original state and purpose, (namely, to borrow the words of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, ) it also explains man s present state of sin and misery, a condition Genesis attributes to man s own act of rebellious defiance against his God and Maker (Gen. 3:6.) Consequently, God must act in His capacity as the Righteous Judge of all the earth: the first man and his wife are banished from the presence of God. When the sinful degeneracy of mankind reaches its nadir (Gen. 6:5,) the Righteous Judge executes a universal judgment in the form of a cataclysmic flood (Gen. 6:7,) a precursor of the Final Judgment yet to come (2 Pet. 3:10.) But God also reveals Himself to be a God of mercy: He takes the initiative in seeking out Adam in his sin (Gen. 3:9); He makes the promise to provide a Savior (Gen. 3:15); and He provides a covering for man s sinful nakedness (Gen. 3:21) until the appointed Savior (the Lord Jesus Christ) has come and 1 Harrison, R.K.; Introduction to the Old Testament; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI, 1969 (Fifth printing, November 1975); p Longman, Tremper III and Raymond Dillard; An Introduction to the Old Testament; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1994; p. 51.

4 4 accomplished His perfect work of redemption. The whole remainder of the entire Bible is taken up with this subject matter: the preparation for the coming of the Savior; the accomplishment of the Savior s work of redemption upon the cross of Calvary; and the invitation extended to all mankind to accept the Savior and so be reconciled to God, thereby being made fit to inherit the kingdom of God and be spared from the judgment to come. Broadly speaking, the Book of Genesis is divided into two parts. The first part of the book (chapters 1-11) reveals man s original state in God s creation. It goes on to reveal man s fall into a state of sin and misery. Then is revealed God s initiative in extending mercy to man and His promise of a Savior. But also revealed in these opening chapters is the righteous judgment of God as it is expressed in the form of the Great Genesis Flood, the cataclysmic precursor of Final Judgment visited upon unrepentant mankind. The first part of the book concludes with a report of the perpetuation of sin throughout the renovated earth following the Great Flood, bearing testimony to man s need for a renewed nature, not merely a renewed environment. The remainder of the book (chapters 12-50) deals with the calling and development of God s covenant people, through whom the promised Savior would eventually come. These chapters record God s covenant of grace established with Abram (later re-named Abraham ); the succeeding generations of the covenant line in the persons of Isaac and Jacob; and the development of the covenant people into the extended family of Jacob (renamed Israel ). This first book of the Pentateuch closes with the covenant family re-located in Egypt; to preserve it from the corrupting influences of Canaan, the LORD prepared a place for them by means of Joseph. 3 The story of God s covenant people, and the accomplishment of His great plan of redemption, is resumed and carried forth in the next book of the Pentateuch, whose very title proclaims God s next great act: The Exodus. We will now undertake our study of the Book of Genesis, beginning with a more detailed look at God s work of creation. THE ACCOUNT OF CREATION (Genesis 1:1-2:4) Introduction The first sentence of the first chapter of the first book of the Bible sets before us the truth about God as the Creator of the world and all that it contains. In contradistinction to the false views held by sinful man, we must acknowledge 3 The student is referred to Excursus 2, The Structure of the Book of Genesis, and Excursus 3, Genesis and Higher Criticism.

5 5 the fact that the LORD our God is the Creator of all things. We must refrain from entertaining any unbiblical and ungodly views of the world. God is the Sovereign Creator The very first words of the Bible, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, teach the absolute beginning of all things (space, time, energy, matter.) At a particular point in eternity, the immortal God brought everything into existence out of nothing. 4 The verb ar2b2, occurring in the Hebrew Kal tense, always means, "to create," and is only applied to a divine creation, the production of something that had no existence before. 5 In His initial act of creation, God brought into existence the very materials that He would fashion and form in the subsequent acts of creation. As St. Augustine wrote in his Confessions (XIII. 33,) " you created them from nothing, not from your own substance or from some matter not created by yourself or already in existence, but from matter that you created at one and the same time as the things that you made from it " 6 Consider the testimony of Revelation 4:11, You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and to exercise the power; for you did create all things, and because of your will they were brought into being, indeed, they were created. (Rev. 4:11) As noted above, the Hebrew verb ar2b2 in the Kal tense is used only of God in the Scriptures, and implies absolute creation, (creation without the use of preexisting material.) This concept is utterly different from ancient pagan creation stories, such as the Babylonian Enuma Elish or the Greek poem on origins by Hesiod, Theogony. These ancient accounts picture a god working on some sort of already existing primeval stuff. 7 He who did the creative work is identified as God (myh3looa65). This Hebrew name is derived from a root word meaning, to fear, or, to reverence. It, therefore, reveals God as the one who by His nature and His works rouses man s fear and reverence. The work recorded in chapter one of Genesis in a very outstanding way sets forth God s mighty works of power and majesty. God s omnipotence 4 Kelly, Douglas F.; Creation and Change; Focus Publications, Ross-shire, Great Britain, published in 1997, (Reprinted in 1999); p Keil, C.F. and Franz Delitzsch; The Pentateuch, Vol. 1, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI, Reprinted, February 1971; p D.F. Kelly, p D.F. Kelly, p. 66.

6 6 outshines all other attributes in this account; ominpotence rouses man s reverence and holy fear. 8 We may note the commentary of the divinely inspired Psalmist as recorded in Psalm 33:6,8-9, By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and the starry host by the breath of his mouth 8 Let all the earth fear Jehovah; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him; 9 for he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psl. 33:6,8-9) The Hebrew phrase translated, the heavens and the earth, consistently refers to the totality of the physical universe: all of the matter and energy and whatever else it contains. 9 The statement, God created the heavens and the earth, also includes the creation of all the spiritual beings as well as the entire physical realm. In Colossians 1:16 the Apostle Paul declares, by him [Christ] were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth. He goes on to define the things of the earth as things that are visible, and the things in the heavens as things that are invisible. Among the things that are invisible Paul lists thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. He concludes by stating, all things have been created through him [Christ] and for him. The Creation Is God s Majestic Handiwork In Genesis one God reveals Himself as the Master Workman (note Job 38:1-7 and Proverbs 8:22-31) who carries out His awesome work of creation in the course of a six-day workweek that culminates in a Sabbath rest on the seventh day. We should interpret the meaning of the phrase, there was evening and there was morning, in the light of this perspective. Evening is the onset of nightfall (a period of rest and inactivity,) while morning is the termination of that period and the beginning of a new day of activity. The first part of the day is occupied with God s creative activity; the second part of the day (from evening until the next morning,) is the period of God s divine rest together, these two periods comprise one day. Thus the days of Genesis consist of two parts: a period of God s creative activity, followed by a period of divine rest. The point of view, or frame of reference, of the Genesis creation account is established in Genesis 1:2 as the surface of the deep over the waters. In other words, the events of creation are being described from the perspective 8 Leupold, H.C.; Exposition of Genesis; Baker Book House, Grand Rapids MI; Eleventh Printing, June 1971; p Ross, Hugh; The Genesis Question; NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO, Second Edition, 2001; p. 18.

7 7 of an observer standing on the surface of the ocean, (which at that time covered the entire earth,) and below the cloud layers. 10 We may say that God is not describing His work of creation to us from His divine perspective, looking down on the creation; rather, He is describing His work to us from our earthly perspective, as though He were standing beside us upon the earth describing His works to us. Note, also, that from Genesis 1:2 and following, the focus of the creation account is on planet Earth, the rest of the universe is only referred to incidentally (cp. Gen. 1:16c). In Genesis 1:2 the initial condition of the earth is described as being formless and empty (Whbow2 Whto). Whto originally meant "unformedness," and so can mean "a waste land" only in the sense of being not yet put into shape, not in the sense of having been laid waste by some catastrophe. Whbo is derived from a root meaning, to be empty, therefore, emptiness. Both terms together indicate two directions in regard to which the newly created world will undergo further changes. First, it must be shaped and formed into definite molds. Secondly, it must be peopled (or populated) with all kinds of inhabitants or beings. 11 The next sentence, "and darkness was upon the surface of the deep", indicates the last two "incompletenesses" that characterized this newly formed earth. All of what had thus far come into being was wrapped in complete and absolute darkness. This is the first "incompleteness." 12 The other "incompleteness" is that what lay under the darkness was "the deep". Since "deep" (mwoht5), coming from the root word meaning, to resound, signifies the surging, raging primeval waters, the term implies anything but a monotonous peace and uniformity. 13 Genesis 1:3-31 now proceeds to describe God s systematic fashioning of the earth and His creation of its plant life and inhabitants, culminating with the creation of man. God s acts of creation as revealed in these verses may be summarized as follows: Day One: The Appearance of Light (1:3-5) Day Two: The Establishment of the Water Cycle (1:6-8) 10 Ross, Hugh; Genesis One: A Scientific Perspective; Reasons to Believe, Pasadena, CA, Revised Edition, 1983; pp H.C. Leupold, pp According to H. Ross, writing in, The Genesis Question, pp.24-25, "Theory and observations both confirm that all planets start with opaque atmospheres [atmospheres that are dense and do not allow light to pass through them to the planet.] Thick layers of gases, combined with a dense shroud of interplanetary dust and debris, guarantees that no sunlight (or starlight) can reach the surface of a primordial planet such as early Earth. 13 H.C. Leupold, p. 47.

8 8 Day Three: The Appearance of Dry Land and the Creation of Vegetation (1:9-13) Day Four: The Appearance of the Light Bearers (The Sun, Moon, and Stars) (1:14-19) 14 Day Five: The Creation of Sea Creatures and Birds (1:20-23) Day Six: The Creation of Land Animals and Man (1:24-31) 15 Man as the Pinnacle of God's Creation The creation of man does not take place through a word addressed by God to the earth, (in contrast to the creative act reported in verse 24,) but as the result of the divine decree, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness. This proclaims at the very outset the distinction and pre-eminence of man above all the other creatures of the earth. 16 The divine commentary that man is created "in our image, in our likeness, asserts the fact that man is closely patterned after his Maker. Man is not only made after the deliberate plan and purpose of God, (God having taken counsel with Himself and thereupon declaring His intention, Let us make man ), man is also very definitely patterned after Him, made in the image and likeness of God. How exactly are we to define the term, the image of God, what does it mean? Martin Luther says: I understand this image of God to be that Adam not only knew God and believed in Him that He was gracious; but that he also led an entirely godly life. 17 To know God to have the capacity to interact with God and to lead an entirely godly life a life that is God-centered and is a true reflection of the moral nature of God appears to be the essence of what it means to be made in the image of God. 18 Man s divine calling was to subdue (vb1k2) the earth and have dominion (hd2r2) over all of earth s creatures. In other words, man was given the high privilege and calling to exercise a God-like lordship over the creation, and to do so on God s behalf. As H.C. Leupold points out, This would include man s mastery of the powers of nature, physical, electrical, chemical, physiological 14 See Excursus 4 for more information on this subject. 15 See Excursus 5 for a consideration of the question, Are There Two Creation Accounts? 16 Keil & Delitzsch, pp H.C. Leupold, pp According to H. Ross, writing in, Creation and Time, p.141, Worship is the key evidence of the spiritual quality of the human race, and the universality of worship is evidenced in altars, temples, and religious relics of all kinds. Burial of dead, use of tools, or even painting, do not qualify as evidence of the spirit, for non-spirit beings such as bower birds, elephants, and chimpanzees engage in such activities to a limited extent.

9 9 and the like. Whatever true scientific endeavor has produced comes under this broad charter that the Creator has given to man. 19 But this calling was not intended to give man free reign to recklessly devastate the creation and wantonly consume its resources. The LORD addresses this sinful misuse of man s God-given authority over the creation in the Book of Isaiah when He declares through the prophet, The earth is polluted under its inhabitants; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. (Isa. 24:5) The LORD goes on to proclaim, Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and they who dwell therein are found guilty (Isa. 24:6.) But, as will be discussed more fully below, the glorious destiny the LORD God originally intended for the creation shall finally be achieved, being realized by means of the redeeming work accomplished by Jesus the Messiah. When that work comes to its final consummation, the redeemed will share with Christ in His righteous dominion over the renewed creation (cp. Heb. 2:5-9 and 2 Tim. 2:12a.) We are further informed that God created man as male and female. By their own interpersonal relationship within marriage, (which the LORD will institute in Gen. 2:24,) the man and woman would be enabled to experience some reflection of God's own interpersonal relationship within the Trinity: the one and only Son dwells "in the bosom of the Father" (Jn. 1:18,) and the Son declares, "I and the Father are one" (Jn. 10:30.) Furthermore, the intimacy of the marriage relationship would serve as a model of the relationship that would be established between the LORD and His people, whom the Scriptures designate as being His "bride" (Eph. 5:31-32.) Finally, the fact that human beings have been created by God as male and female indicates that such phenomena as homosexuality and same-sex marriage are deviatant forms of behavior and deviant societal relationships. Such phenomena radically deviate from the design and pattern established by our Creator and as such meet with His disaproval and eventual judgment (Rom. 1:26-27.) Indeed, He calls men to repent of such relationships by means of the grace found in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 6:9-11.) 19 H.C. Leupold, p. 92.

10 10 The Creation is Destined for a Glorious Consummation The statement made in Genesis 2:2a, And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had made, is expounded by means of the following two clauses: on the seventh day [God] rested from all his work (2:2b) and God blessed the seventh day (2:3a.) In other words, we are to understand the completion of God s work to consist, negatively in the cessation of any further work of creation, and positively in the blessing of the seventh day. The cessation, or ceasing, of God s creative activity itself formed part of the completion of the work. God indicated that the creation of the world with all its inhabitants was complete by ceasing to produce anything new. 20 The seventh day marked the completion of God s special creative work, but it does not imply inactivity. Although God s work of creation is done, He continues His work of providence preserving and governing His creation. John Calvin writes, Inasmuch as God sustains the world by His power, governs it by His providence, cherishes and even propagates all creatures, He is constantly at work. 21 We may note the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ: In giving His reason for performing a work of healing on the Sabbath day, Jesus declared, My Father is working even until now, and so I am working (Jn. 5:17.) The specific way by which God blessed the seventh day was by sanctifying it setting it apart from the other six days as a special day of rest. The New Testament interprets this Sabbath rest, (initiated by God at the conclusion of His work of creation and instituted as a weekly ordinance for His Old Testament people, see Exodus 20:8-11,) as being a model and foretaste of the heavenly rest God s people shall share with Him in the eternal kingdom of heaven. The New Testament interpretation of the seventh day rest is given in the Book of Hebrews: He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest (Heb. 4:4,9,11.) According to this inspired New Testament commentary on Genesis 2:2, the seventh day itself is equated with the Sabbath rest (the heavenly rest) that awaits the people of God. Furthermore, this Sabbath rest is an ongoing, eternal reality: the absence of the evening-morning formula at the conclusion of the seventh day marks this day as unique in that it has no end. 20 Keil & Delitzsch, p Hagopian, David G.; Editor, The Genesis Debate; Crux Press, Mission Viejo, CA, 2001; p. 33.

11 11 Thus we find that the Genesis Creation Account consists of six historical days followed by the seventh day, which is both historical and intended to be eternal. To express it another way, the Creation Account consists of six earthly days followed by the seventh day, which is both earthly and representative of the heavenly. The teaching of Scripture is that the original creation was destined for a Sabbath consummation, as the picture of the creation week as a workweek ending in the divine rest on the seventh day indicates. This Sabbath consummation would be the state in which heaven and earth becomes one, with God s people entering into His eternal, heavenly rest, and enjoying His immediate presence as they worship the LORD their God and fellowship with Him. Adam, if he had passed the test of obedience, (to be discussed below,) would have brought about this consummation. Adam s disobedience, however, did not cancel or nullify that original hope. But it did bring about the need for the remedial work of redemption for its ultimate accomplishment. That work of redemption was carried out by none other than the very Son of God Himself in His incarnate capacity as the Second Adam, rendering unto the LORD God the complete obedience that Adam failed to offer (Rom. 5:17), If, by the trespass of the one man [Adam], death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. The Fall, and God s subsequent work of redemption, serve as an occasion for the LORD God to display His wisdom and grace: His wisdom in having conceived a plan of redemption, His grace in having actually provided that plan of redemption. Thus Scripture promises that, by means of God s work of redemption and His final act of judgment at the end of this present age, there shall emerge a renewed and transformed creation (2 Pet. 3:10-13.) SIN AND THE PROMISE OF SALVATION (Genesis 2:8-3:24) Introduction In this section we will focus on the subject of man s sinful rebellion against the LORD God his Maker, commonly called, The Fall. We will then consider God s gracious promise and provision for man s salvation. But before doing so, it would be well to take a closer look at man in his original state.

12 12 Man Is A Unique Creation of God This fact has already been made evident in Genesis chapter one (Gen. 1:26-28.) But Genesis chapter two focuses in greater detail upon the creation of man and his unique role in God s creation. Genesis 2:7 declares, Jehovah God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. We may say that man comes from humble origins: the LORD God formed Adam from the dust of the ground. But man has the distinction and honor of having been personally created by God; in contrast to the way He made every other living creature (Gen.1:24-25.) God personally fashioned Adam with His own hands and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. 22 Again, as has been noted previously, not only has man been personally created by God, He is God s unique creation: made in God s own image, made according to His likeness. Consequently, man was created to have a unique relationship with God: one of worship and fellowship. Furthermore, man was created to be a unique reflection of God: exhibiting His moral attributes and godly dominion. As the New Testament teaches, what was damaged and forfeited by The Fall is regained and far exceeded by the redemptive work of Christ and the believer s union with Christ. Romans 8:29 informs us that the purpose of redemption is that the redeemed might be conformed to the image of his [God s] Son. Just as the original man, Adam, was made in the image of God, so the redeemed man bears the image of Christ, the perfect Son of God. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul urges the Christian to put on the new man (i.e.; live in conformity with his new identity); he goes on to describe the new man as having been created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24.) Man Has Been Created with Moral Accountability to God In Genesis 2:16-17 God issues His great commandment that the man is to refrain from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was not the first and only commandment the LORD issued to man. The commission given in Genesis 1:28 (to subdue the earth and exercise dominion over its creatures) was a commandment. The call to serve God by tending and guarding His holy garden (Gen. 2:15) was also a commandment. 22 With regard to the origin of man, there is no evidence of evolution from ape-like ancestors. As Lord Zuckerman confesses in his book, Beyond the Ivory Tower, If we exclude the possibility of creation, then obviously man must have evolved from an ape-like creature; but if he did, there is absolutely no evidence for it within the fossil record. Quoted by Dr. Duane Gish in his Creation Video Series.

13 13 But the commandment issued in Genesis 2:16-17 is unique. It is specifically identified as a direct commandment, so that it could in no way be mistaken as a suggestion or desire expressed by God: the LORD God commanded the man. The commandment of Genesis 2:16-17 stipulates the consequence for disobedience and non-compliance: if you disobey, you shall surely die. This particular commandment was specifically designed to be a test: Will man acknowledge God s Lordship? And will man yield his allegiance to his God? Note that this commandment is set in the context of God s graciousness and faithfulness: the LORD God has provided every other tree of the garden for man to use and enjoy (Gen. 2:16.) In contrast to Adam, when Jesus, as the Second Adam, is confronted with the same demand of absolute obedience to the LORD God, His testing will occur in a barren wilderness (Matt. 4:1-2.) By means of this unique tree, and God s commandment concerning it, Adam was confronted with the great purpose for which he was created, namely, to exercise his God-given moral capacity. As a moral being Adam was now called upon and challenged to make a true moral choice. He was being called to experience the moral categories of good and evil. Because he disobeyed, Adam came to know evil and to recognize good as a contrast to evil. If he had obeyed, Adam would have known good and would have recognized evil as a contrast to good: he would have become like God. Furthermore, by means of this divine command and his response to it, Adam was ordained to experience the consequence of his moral choice. Again, if he had obeyed, he would have entered into the life of God; but because he disobeyed, he was excluded from the life of God. For the Christian, all that was lost in Adam is regained in Christ our Savior. As the Second Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ succeeded where our forefather Adam failed. As the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:18-19, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men; so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life to all men; 19 for just as through the disobedience of the one man [Adam] the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man [Jesus Christ] the many will be made righteous. The eternal state in the kingdom of God is free from the curse because there is obedience: there shall no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be there, and his servants shall serve him; 4 and they shall see his face; and his name shall be on their foreheads (Rev. 22:3-4.) There the redeemed shall enjoy access to the tree of life (Rev. 2:7; Rev. 22:14.)

14 14 Man Yields to Temptation The serpent (as he is employed by the devil) is described as being more subtle than any beast of the field that Jehovah God had made (3:1.) In referring to the devil, Martin Luther wrote: his craft [i.e., craftiness] and power are great; and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal. Let us analyze the way in which the tempter seduced our first parents to sin against the LORD our God. The first thing the devil did was seek to disorient Eve and throw her into confusion. The LORD s command is very clear and straightforward: And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, From every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but you shall not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. (Gen. 2:16-17) But the devil s initial question to Eve is very vague and elusive: Now the serpent said to the woman, Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden? (Gen. 3:1) Next the devil sought to discredit God: the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die; 5 for God knows that in the day you eat [the fruit of that tree] your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be like God, knowing good and evil. (Gen. 3:4-5) The devil implies that man is independent of God our Creator. According to the devil, God may declare that you will surely die as a consequence of disobeying His Word, but such is not the case. Man has an existence that is independent from God, and God is not able to carry out His threat. But in contrast to the devil s lie, note the inspired testimony of the Apostle Paul given at Athens, in him [God] we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28.) Having implied that God is impotent to carry out His threats against autonomous man, the devil now proceeds to accuse God of seeking to deny man any personal self-fulfillment out of a divine selfishness and petty jealousy. The devil s argument is that God does not want man to become like Him. He does not want man to realize his potential. He does not want to share with man what He has God is like a self-centered parent who does not want his child to ever grow up and have an independent life of his own. But contrast the devil s insinuation with Genesis 2:16-17a, And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, From every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but you shall not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

15 15 The LORD God has graciously made available to man all the abundance of His creation. He has also given to man the divine-like commission to exercise dominion over all His creation (Gen. 1:28.) Indeed, as the New Testament reveals, God the Father will demonstrate the self-giving graciousness of His character by exalting His faithful Servant Jesus Christ (the incarnate Son in His capacity as the Second Adam and the true Servant of the LORD) to the highest position (Phil. 2:9-10.) Furthermore, all who submit to the Son, receiving Him as their Savior and acknowledging Him as their Lord, shall reign with Him (2 Tim. 2:12a.) Having slandered God, and having portrayed Him as being both petty and impotent, the devil then invited Eve to indulge her desires, the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired as a means of making one wise. (Gen. 3:6a) Eve found the forbidden fruit to be desirable, attractive, and promising. She viewed it as holding the potential of introducing her to new vistas of experience and fulfillment and adventure. The Hebrew word (dm1j2) translated, to be desired, is the same word that occurs in Exodus 20:17, where it is translated, You shall not covet. Thus, the very first sin involved not merely an action, but was motivated by an attitude of the heart. The question may be asked, Where was Adam all this while? Genesis 3:6b indicates that Adam was right at his wife s side, allowing her to dialogue with the serpent and following her into sin: she took of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband with her [i.e., who was present with her], and he ate it. Whereas Eve sinned by commission, Adam had already sinned by omission. He had failed to be the guardian and protector of God s garden (cp. Gen. 2:15.) He had failed to provide godly leadership in his relationship with his wife. He had failed to discern or defend against the anomaly of an animal speaking. From Genesis 2:19-20 we learn that no animal was able to communicate with Adam on his level. But now in Genesis 3:1, here is a serpent that is communicating on a human level, and in doing so is speaking against the LORD God. Adam and Eve had both allowed themselves to be enticed and seduced by the words of the devil. The devil s message can be summed up as follows: Be your own boss, live your own life, become your own independent self. By rejecting the Word of God Adam and Eve were accepting the word of the devil as the standard by which to make their choices and conduct their life. But by giving heed to the tempter, rather than obeying the commandment of their Creator and God, they became slaves to sin and to the devil. As the Apostle Paul explains to the Ephesians, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you once walked in accord with the course of this world, [which is] in

16 16 accord with the ruling prince of the air, [that is,] the spirit who is now working in the sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:1b-2.) But thanks be to God that He did not leave man in his state of sin and misery. By His grace and mercy the LORD would provide a Savior in the person of His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That Savior proclaims to all who believe in Him, If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed (Jn. 8:36; note, too, Rom. 8:2.) But before considering the salvation provided by the LORD, we must consider the fact that the LORD enforces His word. The LORD Will Enforce His Word By virtue of man s act of disobedience, the relationships the LORD intended for man were tragically destroyed. The horizontal relationship between the man and woman was now characterized by shame. Contrast Genesis 3:7, which describes their condition after their sin, with Genesis 2:25, which describes their relationship before their sin. In addition to shame, the relationship between the man and woman in their sin was also characterized by accusation (Gen. 3:12) and conflict (Gen. 3:16.) 23 The vertical relationship between man and God was now characterized by alienation, guilt and fear: they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and the man and his wife hid themselves among the trees of the garden from the presence of Jehovah God. (Gen. 3:8) Here is the first recorded instance of man s effort to shield himself from God by hiding behind nature. The last book of the Bible, Revelation, records man s final futile effort to hide behind nature, Then the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the generals, and the wealthy, and the mighty, and every slave and free man, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand? (Rev. 6:15-17) Indeed, from the time of man s first sin until the day the LORD returns to execute the Final Judgment, man has endeavored to shield himself from God by hiding behind nature. There are two basic ways in which man seeks to do so. One such way is by means of the theory of evolution. Here is the attempt by 23 When the LORD God says to the woman, your desire shall be for your husband, He is referring to her desire to usurp his position of headship, as becomes clear from His closing statement, but he shall rule over you.

17 17 man to push God out of His creation, putting nature in the place of God. The other way man seeks to employ nature in his efforts to escape the condemning presence of God his Judge is by means of the religion of pantheism. Pantheism is the attempt by man to conceal God within nature, viewing God as part of nature. Genesis 3:8-10 becomes a preview of the Final Judgment. The LORD God comes visibly into the midst of His creation (vs. 8.) The LORD summons man to appear before Him (vs. 9,) and man is compelled to heed God s command and appear before his Maker who has now become his Judge (vs. 10.) The LORD now proceeds to systematically pronounce sentence against each of the offenders. Note that each one seeks to minimize his sin by passing on the blame to another: Adam to Eve and Eve to the serpent (vs ) But each one receives the due penalty for their sin: first the serpent, then Eve, and then Adam (vs ) The sentence of death that God had forewarned to be the punishment for disobedience (Gen. 2:16-17) was enacted against the man. The man and his wife were banished from the blessed presence and fellowship of God: the LORD God drove the man out of Eden (vs ) The man was barred from life (vs. 22) and consigned to death (vs. 19.) But note that on the first Judgment Day as it occurred in the Garden of Eden, the sequence was banishment (vs ) followed by eventual death (vs. 19.) From that time on the sequence has been death immediately resulting in eternal banishment (cp. Hebrews 9:27 and Matthew 25:41,46.) By means of that first Judgment Day the man was given a model and preview of what hell is like: banishment from the blessing of God and exposure to the righteous curse of God. But man was also being given an opportunity to return to God and escape his final destiny in hell. The way of escaping that righteous judgment and gaining reconciliation to the LORD our God is by means of the Savior He graciously provides, a foretelling of whose work is presented in verses 15, of Genesis chapter three. The Promise and Provision of Salvation The fact that the LORD banished Adam from the garden, preventing him from eating of the tree of life, was not only an act of judgment, but also an act of mercy. If Adam, in his state of sin (his knowing evil,) had eaten of the tree of life, he would have been locked into that cursed state forever. In positive terms, we find the LORD extending His mercy to sinful mankind by taking the initiative and coming to seek Adam (Gen. 3:9.) When He eventually came in His incarnate state to undertake the ultimate work of redemption, the LORD would declare, the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost (Lk. 19:10.)

18 18 Then, too, we see how the LORD demonstrated His mercy and His desire for man s salvation by making a covering for Adam and his wife. Earlier, they had futilely sought to make their own covering (Gen. 3:7.) But now the LORD, in His mercy, gives His divine provision (Gen. 3:21) a provision that required substitutionary sacrifice: an animal s life was sacrificed and its blood shed in order to provide the covering. All of the Old Testament sacrifices would serve as a provisional means of atonement, pointing forward to and finding their efficacy in the one true sacrifice of atonement: you were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:18-19.) The sentence of judgment the LORD pronounces upon the serpent contains for Adam the promise of the Savior: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall crush your head, and you shall bruise his heel. (Gen. 3:15) Here is the promise of the incarnation: the Savior will be of the offspring of the woman. Here is also the promise of salvation by the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ the Savior: the serpent shall bruise the Savior s heel. In one sense, the bruising of the Savior s heel was a deathblow, because a venomous serpent normally strikes his victim in the heel. But in another sense, it was a non-lethal blow, being only a blow to the heel and not to the head. Finally, here is the promise of complete victory and salvation: the Savior shall crush the serpent s head; this is certainly a fatal blow. Adam recognized the LORD s promise and believed it. This becomes evident from the name he now gives his wife. He previously had named her woman (Gen. 2:23,) now he names her Eve (Gen. 3:20.) Eve means life ; as it is explained, she would become the mother of all living. This statement is especially in reference to the divine promise stated in Genesis 3:15, that the Savior would come from the woman to give life to her and Adam and all their believing offspring. TRACING DEPRAVITY TO THE SIXTH GENERATION (Genesis 4:1-26) Introduction The period of human history recorded in Genesis 4 was a time when the sinfulness of man and the evil of the devil were permitted to be unleashed upon the world. In this passage, depravity is traced from Cain to Lamech, the sixth generation from Cain. But that is not all that this passage reveals, it also testifies to the LORD s covenant faithfulness and the accomplishment of His purpose.

19 19 Sin Overcomes the Righteous Adam and Eve believed God s promise recorded in Genesis 3:15, and with the birth of their first born son they had high expectations that he was the fulfillment of that promise. This is evident from Eve s exclamation, I have gotten a man with [the help of] Jehovah (vs.1.) But rather than being the expected Savior, their first born son would prove to belong to the evil one (1 Jn. 3:12.) Far from being the Savior of God s covenant people, Cain became the murderer of his righteous brother, Abel. Cain murdered Abel precisely because Cain belonged to the evil one. Here is the first instance in which the enmity the children of devil harbor against the children of God was openly expressed (cp. Jn. 8:40a, 44a and Jn. 15:18-19.) Cain murdered Abel precisely because his own works were evil, and his brother s works were righteous. Cain exhibited the appearance of righteousness: "Cain brought an offering to Jehovah" (vs. 3.) But the true nature of his heart was exposed when his brother presented his offering: "Abel also brought [an offering, consisting] of the firstborn of his flock together with their fat portions" (vs. 4.) Abel s offering was in keeping with the Great Commandment recorded in Matthew 22:37-38; and Abel s offering convicted Cain by exposing the true nature of his heart (cp. Prov. 21:27.) Because he belonged to the evil one, Cain s response was not to repent of his works, but rather to remove the righteous man by murdering him (cp. Jn. 3:19-20 and Jn.15:24.) Sin Becomes Exceedingly Sinful As this passage of Scripture continues to trace the early descendants of Adam, things go from bad to worse. Genesis 4:16-24 records the line of Cain unto the sixth generation; by the sixth generation the exceeding sinfulness of sin has become evident. The first generation (Cain) and the sixth generation (Lamech) are especially highlighted in order to show the increasing dominion of sin. Genesis 4:9-17 gives an account of the heart and history of Cain. When the LORD confronts him, questioning him about his brother, Cain seeks to conceal his guilt: He does not know where his brother is, and he is not responsible for his brother s welfare. His question, Am I my brother s keeper? implies that Cain does not think that his brother s welfare is his responsibility. (But contrast Cain s view with Matthew 22:39 and Matthew 7:12.) When the LORD pronounces His judgment against Cain, Cain exclaims, "My punishment is greater than I can bear!" (vs. 13) There is no repentance, no asking for forgiveness, and no seeking restoration to God. But Cain does recognize his need for God s divine protection if he is going to survive to live out his earthly days. Cain declares, "[In my present state,] whoever shall find me will kill me" (vs 14.)

20 20 In response to Cain's concern, the LORD graciously grants Cain a divine protection: the LORD placed a mark upon Cain (vs. 15.) This mark may have been like the divine protection given to Jacob at a later date (Gen. 35:5.) Note the LORD s mercy and longsuffering as seen by the fact that He did not immediately put Cain to death and consign him to eternal damnation, as well as by His use of His covenant name, "Jehovah" (or, "the LORD"). All of these acts of grace are intended to invite Cain to return to the LORD and be saved. But rather than respond to God s offer of mercy, verse 16 immediately reports, "Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah". Now God s long-suffering and mercy towards Cain become an opportunity for sin to show its true awfulness and wickedness in Cain and his descendants, and thus show that they are truly deserving of the divine judgment. Cain names his son Enoch (from the Hebrew ]n1j2, meaning, to initiate," "to consecrate ). Then Cain builds a city with the same name (vs. 17.) Rather than take advantage of the LORD s offer for him to return and be saved, Cain is just going to take advantage of the LORD s mercy for his own personal benefit. Cain is going to make a new start, a new life for himself; and rather than be a wanderer (vs. 12b,) Cain will build a city in defiance of God. The history of the Cainites now skips through the following generations until it comes to Lamech, the sixth generation (4:19-24.) Lamech took two wives; a violation and total disregard for God s original creation ordinance (Gen. 2:24.) Even Cain respected God s creation ordinance, according to Genesis 4:17, "Cain lay with his wife" (singular.) Lamech, in his song, reveals the exceeding sinfulness of sin. There is no sense of dependence on God; rather, there is complete self-reliance. Cain confessed his need for God s protection (vs.14b.) Lamech, perhaps wielding a sword forged by his son, Tubal-Cain (vs. 22,) declares that his might and his weapons will defend him: "I will kill a man if he wounds me". Here is also the spirit of ungodly pride. Lamech s whole emphasis is, "This is what I, Lamech, will do! I will kill anyone who dares to even injure me!" Then there is the spirit of bloodthirsty vengeance. Lamech declares, I will avenge myself 77-fold! This goes far beyond an eye for an eye ; rather, Lamech speaks of ruthless, merciless butchering at the least provocation. This is the exact opposite of the forgiving spirit that is to characterize those who have become part of the new creation in Christ Jesus ( Matt. 18:21-22.) Here is the desire to usurp the role of God as Judge, and to do so with a vengeance. God promised to avenge Cain 7-fold; Lamech vows to avenge himself 77-fold. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul warns the Christian against the sin of taking justice into our own hands (Rom. 12:19.)

21 21 By the time the line of Cain has come to the sixth generation, the exceeding sinfulness of sin has revealed itself. When the spirit of Lamech is permitted to express itself, the world becomes a hell on earth. But this is not the end of the story; this passage also contains the assurance of the LORD's grace and the ultimate triumph of His purposes. The LORD's Faithfulness to His Promise In time the LORD caused Eve to bear another son. Eve recognizes the distinctiveness of this son: he was appointed by God to replace Abel. She refers to him as "another child" (or, "another offspring"), recalling the words of the promise recorded in Genesis 3:15. Just when it appeared that the covenant line had been extinguished with the murder of Abel, the LORD faithfully provides another son to insure that the divine promises will be fulfilled. Note that when Eve speaks of this newborn son she declares, "God [Elohim] has given me another child". As the Old Testament commentators, Keil & Delitzsch remark, "What Cain (in human wickedness) took from her, that has Elohim (God in His divine omnipotence) restored." 24 Then, instead of suffering the same fate as Abel, Seth gives birth to the next generation in the covenant line. Seth names his son Enosh (from the Hebrew, vn1a2, meaning, to be weak," "to be frail ). Seth is acknowledging our absolute dependence on the power of God to preserve His people and fulfill His promises. Verse 26 informs us that it was at this time that men began to call upon "the name of the LORD". We should read this in light of Acts 2:21, "Whoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be saved". Not only was the covenant line restored with the birth of Seth and his descendants; the LORD now began to call other men out of the kingdom of darkness and bring them into His covenant of grace and into His kingdom. This was the beginning of what Revelation 7:9-10 describes in its final form: After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation and from [all] tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were dressed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 They cry out with a loud voice, [We attribute our] salvation to our God the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb! UP TO THE TIME OF NOAH (Genesis 5:1-6:8) The Uniqueness of Noah 24 Keil & Delitzsch, p. 119.