The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 1

Transcription

1 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 1 Chapter 1 2 Timothy 3:16 1 Peter 1:20-21 The Story so Far We ve only just begun! Objectives To understand that the Bible is God s word to His world, written by human beings To understand that the Bible is a story about Jesus and His Kingdom To introduce the definition of God s Kingdom = God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing Connections The Old Testament and New Testament are connected. The Old Testament involves God s promise of a Kingdom. The New Testament involves the fulfilment of God s Kingdom in Jesus. Summary The Bible is God speaking to us. It is a book about Jesus and His Kingdom. 12

2 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 1 The Bible When God created the universe He did not hide from people. God revealed Himself during the history of the world. The book called the Bible is the record of God s revelation of Himself in history. The word Bible means the Book. God wants human beings to know Him, so He wrote us a book. By reading and studying the Bible you can know the Creator God in a personal way. Who wrote the Bible? 1. God wrote the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16) There are two parts to breathing breathing in and breathing out. When we speak, we breathe out our words. The word God-breathed means God breathed out. The whole of the Bible is God s breathed-out words to us, which means that every word in the Bible comes from God. He is the author of every sentence of the Bible. This means that the Bible is a very unique book; it is God s words to human beings. No other book in this world is like it. Therefore studying the Bible is very exciting, because every time we open the Bible and read it God speaks to us. Every word of the Bible comes from God. Through the Bible we hear God speaking to us. 2. Human beings wrote the Bible (1 Peter 1:20-21) God did not write the Bible in heaven and drop it to the earth. God the author used human beings to write the Bible. People were moved by God s Spirit to record the revelation of God in history. Each human being wrote with his own style of writing, but God controlled every word by His Spirit. Therefore, no part of the Bible is written from only a human understanding. 13

3 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 1 God is the author of the Bible but He used human beings to write it. The Bible is God s revelation of Himself to human beings God God speaks to us through the Bible Human beings The Bible is not human imagination about God God Human imagination Human beings The Bible is God s revelation of Himself in history - not a collection of human imaginations about God. Who did God use to write the Bible? God used over forty different authors to write the Bible. An example of writers of the Bible are: a political leader (Moses), fishermen (Peter and John), shepherds (David and Amos), kings (David and Solomon), a military general (Joshua), a prime minister (Daniel), a doctor (Luke), a tax collector (Matthew), and a Jewish religious teacher (Paul). How many books are in the Bible? The Bible has two parts and is made up of 66 individual books. There are 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. The word testament means covenant, which is like a marriage contract. In the Bible there are two covenants an old one that is replaced by a new one. We will learn more about these covenants later on. What is the Bible about? (John 5:39b; Luke 24:22; Mark 1:15; 2 Corinthians 1:20a) The Bible is a book about a person called Jesus Christ. It is a story about Jesus and His Kingdom. The Bible begins with God establishing His Kingdom at the creation of the world. But His Kingdom is soon ruined. God then makes many promises throughout the Old Testament to rebuild His Kingdom. In the New 14

4 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 1 Testament Jesus fulfils those promises. The Bible can therefore also be understood like this: Promise Jesus Fulfilment When Jesus says, The time has come The Kingdom is near! He is announcing the good news that God s Kingdom will be established through Him. Through Jesus, God re-establishes His Kingdom that is ruined at the beginning of creation. In the Old Testament God makes many promises about His Kingdom. In the New Testament Jesus fulfils those promises. This means the first part of the Bible (the Old Testament) is about God s promised Kingdom; and the second part of the Bible (the New Testament) is about how Jesus establishes God s Kingdom and brings it to completion in a new creation. God s Kingdom Like reading any book, if we are going to understand it, we must understand the beginning, for that is where the plot is established. The Bible begins and ends with similar language of God s people living in His presence, under His loving rule. This must therefore be our control for understanding the other parts of the Bible. It is all about God s Kingdom God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. The Bible follows this simple plotline: Creation Ruin New Creation (Kingdom) (New Kingdom) God s Kingdom = God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. The pattern of God s Kingdom can be understood from the diagram on the next page. 15

5 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 1 God s Kingdom Constitution: I will be their God, they will be my people God s promises Place People Rule & Blessing King Creation Eden Adam & Eve God s word Adam God s Kingdom ruined Abraham Canaan Abraham s family God s promises Kings from Abraham s family Israel in desert Tabernacle Israel nation God s rules Tribe of Judah Israel in Canaan Temple in Canaan Israel nation God s rules God s Kingdom ruined again! David, Solomon Israel in exile Jesus Return to new temple in Canaan Remnant New covenant JESUS The fulfilment of God s promises A perfect King is promised The church God s people are a living temple People who have faith in Jesus The Gospel King Jesus New creation New heaven & new earth Perfect people from every nation God s everlasting rule & blessing King Jesus 16

6 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 1 Think it through & discuss 1. Who wrote the Bible? 2. What is the plotline of the Bible story? 3. What is the Bible story about? 17

7 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 2 Old Testament Books 18

8 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Genesis 1:1 The Story so Far The Bible is God s book. God is the author of the Bible, but He used human beings to write it. Every word in the Bible comes from God. The Bible has one story Jesus and His Kingdom. God s Kingdom = God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. Objectives To understand who God is, and how He created the world To become familiar with the names of God Connections To emphasis that God s rule as King is a central theme in the Bible, which lays the basis for His Kingdom Summary God is the Creator and ruling King of this world. 19

9 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 2 In the Beginning The very first words of God s book are quite amazing: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). We can learn a lot from the first sentence of the Bible. The great assumption The first four words of the Bible assume God s existence. God exists fact! The Bible is not written to debate this; it starts by claiming this fact. It is not written to prove God s existence, since it does not need proving, but rather it assumes God has always existed! It is the great assumption. God has always existed The opening four words of the Bible also tell us that before the beginning, God existed. God has no beginning and no end He is eternal. He is the great uncreated God. Listen to these words from a song in the Bible that speaks of God as an eternal being: Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God (Psalm 90:2). God is the powerful Maker The word create means to make from nothing. The phrase heavens and the earth are a collective term meaning everything. God created the universe and everything in it from absolutely nothing. Human beings have made some amazing and magnificent structures in this world, for example, the Great Wall of China. But human beings can only create with material that already exists. God is so powerful and mighty that He creates everything from nothing! God is the wise Maker God was never taught how to make a universe. No-one has been God s teacher. God did not attend school or university. He is so 20

10 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 2 wise that from nothing He created everything. Listen to these words in the Bible: But God made the earth by His power; He founded the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding (Jeremiah 10:12). Only one God We can also see from Genesis 1:1 that there are not two or three, or 100 gods that worked together to create the universe; there is only one God. In the beginning God (alone) created the heavens and the earth. God is Spirit Matter is created. God was never created. If God created all the matter that exists in the universe, then we know God is not made of physical matter. In fact, later in the Bible we read: God is spirit (John 4:24). We cannot see God because He is an invisible spirit. God is always present everywhere For God to create the whole universe He must be so much bigger and greater than what He creates. Later in the Bible we are in fact told that He fills heaven and earth and is present everywhere at one time: Am I only a God nearby declares the LORD, and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD (Jeremiah 23:23-24). God is separate from the material world God existed before anything was created. This shows us that God is not part of His creation. God is separate from His creation. The Creator and His creation are distinct set apart. Some religions teach that God is a part of His creation but we can see clearly from the Bible that God is set apart from His creation. God is King (Genesis 1) Genesis chapter 1 reveals to us that God is the King of His creation. God creates and rules He is the great Creator-Ruler. This is made clear to us when we read through each day of creation. 21

11 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 2 The ruling King God rules His creation like a King. Rulers of countries give names to people and places; they give roles to people in society; they separate and divide provinces. Throughout the first six days of creation God gives names to things; He gives roles to the sun and moon; He separates light from darkness. God makes creatures (birds, fish and land animals) according to their kind, which means that He put them into categories. God commands action, Let the birds fly and Be fruitful and increase in number. God is the King who rules over His creation. The talking King The God of the Bible is a talking God. As the King of this universe God s words are so powerful that when He speaks things are created. God creates this world by talking! He spoke and it was so! This pattern is repeated for the six days of creation. God speaks and things are created. God is not a silent Ruler of His world but a talking Ruler. He is the King who talks. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth Let all the earth fear the LORD, let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm (Psalm 33:6-9). God is the Creator and ruling King of this world. The names of God God has various names, each with a significant meaning. Names in the Bible reflect a person s character. It is the same with God s names. God The word God means Mighty One or Powerful One. God Most High This means the God of highest authority. Lord Lord means Master or Ruler. 22

12 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 2 God Almighty This name is used to describe God as the all-sufficient God, meaning He is able to supply all the needs of His people. LORD In the Bible this name is distinguished from Lord by putting all the letters in capitals i.e. LORD. In the Hebrew language this is written as Yahweh, and means self-existent, self-determining, faithful God. It is the name God uses when He refers to His covenants. LORD of Hosts This title is used in the Old Testament a lot to describe God as the King of His people. It is a royal name. 23

13 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 2 Think it through & discuss 1. What do the first four words of the Bible tell us about God? 2. What features of Genesis 1 highlight that God is King? 3. Why is the word create very unique in the Bible? (See Genesis 1:1, 21, 27, Psalm 148:5, Isaiah 42:5) 4. Read Hebrews 11:1-3 and discuss. 24

14 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Genesis 1:1 2:3 The Story so Far The Bible is God s book. God is the author of the Bible, but He used human beings to write it. Every word in the Bible comes from God. The Bible has one story Jesus and His Kingdom. God s Kingdom = God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. In the beginning God created the universe and everything in it. God is the Creator and ruling King of this world. Objectives To explain the pattern of creation and rule in Genesis 1 To show that human beings are God s chief rulers To understand that rest and blessing are God s purposes for creation Connections God is imprinting His image of rule on the world through human beings Plotline of the Bible story: Blessing and rest judgement and work blessing and rest Summary God forms His world and then fills it. God makes rulers under His rule. When He completes His creation God sees that it is very good. 25

15 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 3 Creation, Rule and Rest Genesis 1:1-2:4 is a summary of the creation of the world. The purpose is not just to explain how God creates, but also why God creates everything. The pattern of creation (Genesis 1:3-27) The first six days Day 1 3 God the Creator forms His world Day 4 6 God the Creator fills His world In days 1-3 God forms His world (Genesis 1:3-13) Day 1 God creates light and separates it from darkness. God creates the sky by separating the waters. Day 3 God creates the land and separates it from the sea. Then God creates self-producing vegetation on the land. God creates creators! Every living thing that God creates on the earth is made so that it can reproduce itself. 26

16 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 3 In days 4-6 God fills His world (Genesis 1:14-27) Day 4 God fills the sky with the sun, moon and stars. To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all of these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and strength not one of them is missing (Isaiah 40:25-26). Day 5 God fills the air with birds and the sea with fish. Day 6 God fills the land with animals. The pinnacle of creation (Genesis 1:26-27) The word pinnacle means highest point and usually refers to the peak of a mountain. Genesis chapter one highlights that human beings were made last in the six days of creation. They are the high point of all that God makes. In the Hebrew language in which the Old Testament was written there is no word for very. The Hebrew language makes its point, or emphasises something, by repeating it three times. Note the word created is repeated three times when God speaks of making human beings. This part of the Bible wants us to see that human beings are the pinnacle of all that God makes. The pattern of rule (Genesis 1:14-19, 26-28) There is a pattern of rule throughout Genesis 1. God rules God is the King of His creation. He speaks and it is so. He separates, He names things, He gathers, He commands action, He sets in place, and He blesses. God is the ruling King of all that He makes. 27

17 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 3 Sun, moon and stars rule The sun is called the greater light and rules the day. The moon is called the lesser light and, along with the stars, rules the night. God makes rulers in His creation. Human beings rule God creates human beings to rule over all that He has made the fish, the birds, and the animals. We see further evidence of man ruling in Genesis 2:20 where he names the animals; which is exactly what God did in chapter one when He created light, sky and land. God makes human beings to be His rulers on earth. 28

18 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 3 The result of creation (Genesis 1:10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31) Six times God sees what He has created from nothing and says it is good. In the beginning God s creation is good, useful, pleasing. For a perfect God to say something is good means that there is nothing wrong with the world. Today we know that the world in which we live is not perfect. It is not good like it was in the beginning. So what has gone wrong? We ll find out as we keep reading the Bible. God forms His world and then fills it. God makes rulers under His rule. When He completes His creation God sees that it is very good. The purpose of creation (Genesis 1:25, 28; 2:1-4) Why did God create? What was His purpose behind this world? The answer is blessing and rest. God creates so He can bless, and He creates so He can rest. Like an artist that finishes his work and then rests to reflect and enjoy what he has made, so God finishes His work of creation and rests to enjoy what He has made. God creates in order to bless and rest. We see this because God blesses the seventh day. He did not bless any of the other days. He also sets it apart from the other six days. God did not start work again on day eight. Day seven was what creation was made for blessing and rest, and this was to continue forever. The Bible begins with blessing and rest, and ends with blessing and rest. But in between there is judgement and work. We are going to see that this blessing and rest is ruined by the disobedience of human beings, but will be restored by another man who lives in obedience to God s rule. 29

19 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 3 Think it through & discuss 1. What is the pattern of creation? 2. Name the rulers that God makes in His creation. 3. Read Psalm 8. Why are human beings significant in God s creation? 4. What is the purpose of creation? 30

20 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Genesis 1:26-2:25 The Story so Far The Bible is God s book. God is the author of the Bible, but He used human beings to write it. Every word in the Bible comes from God. The Bible has one story Jesus and His Kingdom. God s Kingdom = God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. In the beginning, God created the universe and everything in it. God is the Creator and ruling King of this world. God is the ruling King of His creation. God made human beings to rule over everything that He had made. Human beings were God s representative rulers on earth. God is King; we were made to be kings over His world, but under His rule. Objectives To understand what it means to be made in God s image rule and relationship To explain the Trinity To convey that human beings were made to be in relationship with God Connections The theme of God s Kingship continues He makes human beings to be rulers in a loving relationship with Himself, and so establishes His Kingdom. Summary Human beings are made to rule this world and be in relationship with God, and with each other. In the beginning God established His Kingdom God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. 31

21 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 4 God s Kingdom Made in God s image (Genesis 1:26) When God speaks about creating human beings He says that He wants to make them in His own image. Very simply, He wants human beings to be like Him. There are two main ways in which human beings reflect God s image: rule and relationship. 1. Rule Made to rule the world (Genesis 1:26-28) Human beings are made to be like God. God is the ruling King of the universe, and He makes humans to be rulers of His world. Humans are made to rule this world under God s command, and so reflect what God is like. Adam as priest-king of Eden (Genesis 2:8, 15) God places the first man, Adam, in Eden with the instruction to take care of it. A similar instruction is given later in the Bible to the priests who are to guard the tabernacle the place where God lives. When we read the story of the Garden of Eden in the context of the whole Bible, we realise that the garden symbolises the place where God lives with His people. This means that Adam is the priest-king of Eden. God would both bless and rule the world through Adam. Made to live under God s rule (Genesis 2:16-17) In the beginning God s people live in His presence in Eden. But they must learn that God is the ultimate King of Eden and the world. They can not live in Eden any way they want; it is God who will decide what is right and wrong, good and evil. This is what the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents God s Kingship. Man is made to obey God and to rule the world under God s rule. God tells Adam and Eve that everything in Eden is theirs to enjoy, except for one tree. To eat from this tree would mean to make themselves rulers of their own lives; deciding for themselves what is right and wrong. Such an action would be rebellion against the King, and would result in death and the removal of God s blessing. 32

22 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 4 To be made in God s image means humans beings are made to rule. 2. Relationship A change of speech (Genesis 1:26) On day six of creation God makes human beings. We know that God creates by speaking, but when He creates human beings there is a change in His speech. Compare the difference of days 1-5 to day 6 in the table below: DAY 1 5 DAY 6 DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 Let there be light Let there be an expanse Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky DAY 6 Let us make man in our image, in our likeness DAY 5 Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth DAY 6 Let the land produce living creatures Relationships in God We already know there is only one God, so who is God talking to when He says, Let us? This will become clearer as we progress through the Bible, but for now we can see that there are relationships within the one God. God talks to Himself. The Trinity Father, Son and Holy Spirit The Bible teaches that there is one God, but in God there are also three persons. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person of 33

23 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 4 God is a distinct person, and each person is God. i.e. the Father is not the Son, nor is He the Holy Spirit, but the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. At present this may seem to be a very hard concept to understand but it will become clearer as the Bible progresses. There is only one God; but in God there are three distinct persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Relationship (Genesis 1:26-28) Human beings are made to be like God in regard to relationships. We are made to be in relationship with God and with each other. Man needing a relationship (Genesis 2:18 20) Everything about God s creation is good except one thing. Among all God s creatures Adam has no one to relate to. There is no suitable helper to help him rule Eden. Woman made for relationship with man (Genesis 2:18, 21-23) God provides for Adam and forms a woman from his rib. Adam and the woman are now in a relationship. God creates the woman so that Adam can experience a relationship, and have help in his responsibility of ruling the Garden of Eden. Man and woman made to live together (Genesis 2:24-25) God s rule for the man and the woman is marriage. God s purpose for man and woman is to become one - one in marriage, one in rule over the earth, and one in sexual union. Adam and his wife are to live together under God s rule of marriage. Their relationship is open and honest; they hide nothing from each other, even their own naked bodies. To be made in God s image means human beings are made to be in relationship with God and with other human beings. 34

24 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 4 God makes human beings to be like Himself. God rules and God has relationships with Himself. Human beings are made to rule and live in relationship with God and with each other. Human beings are made to rule this world and to be in relationship with God, and with each other. God s Kingdom In the beginning God establishes a Kingdom. God s people, living in God s place, under His rule and blessing. We can see this from the pattern of life in the Garden of Eden. God s people are Adam and his wife. God s place is Eden where He lives with His people. God s words are You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God has established a Kingdom. He is the King of His Eden Kingdom with Adam and his wife as the citizens. God s Kingdom = God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. 35

25 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 4 God s Kingdom Constitution: I will be their God, they will be my people God s promises Place People Rule & Blessing Creation Eden Adam & Eve God s word Adam King 36

26 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 4 Think it through & discuss 1. In what way are human beings like God? In what way are we not like God? 2. In what way is Adam like a priest? In what way is Adam like a king? (see Psalm 8) 3. What does the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represent? 4. Define God s Kingdom in your own words. 37

27 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 5 38

28 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Genesis 3:1-6 The Story so Far Human beings were made to rule this world and be in relationship with God, and with each other. In the beginning God established a Kingdom - God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. Objectives To explain who Satan is and what he does To teach how humans choose to be rulers of their own lives and thus the concept of sin To show how God s Kingdom is ruined through rebellion Connections God s Kingship as seen by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil Summary Satan causes human beings to act as rulers of their own lives, and so rebel against God, deciding for themselves what is right and wrong. 39

29 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 5 Rebellion Against the King Angels Angels are spirits created by God. We cannot see them because spirits are invisible. But they are not like God s Spirit, because they are created. The word angel means messenger or servant. Angels are messengers or servants of God. Lucifer s rebellion (Isaiah 14:12-14) These verses describe how an angel called Lucifer, chief of all the angels, rebels against God and tries to take His place in heaven. God s punishment for this rebellion is to throw Lucifer out of heaven along with some other angels who rebel with him. Lucifer becomes known as Satan, which means God s enemy. Jesus says that He witnessed Satan s rebellion and His fall from heaven: And He said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven (Luke 10:18). The devil the great deceiver (John 8:44) Listen to what God thinks of Satan,... the devil... is a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and father of lies (John 8:44). We are going to find these words to be very accurate as we read the Bible. The word devil means deceiver. Satan is an angel from heaven who rebels against God. He tries to take God s place as King and is thrown out of heaven to the earth. He twists God s words and cannot be trusted. 40

30 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 5 From the outside (Genesis 3:1) In the beginning when God creates the world everything is good. There is no evil or death. Adam and his wife live in a loving relationship with God and with each other. It is a perfect world. But Satan, the fallen angel from heaven, enters the garden as a snake (3:1). It is an influence from the outside that makes the world go bad. Created to live under God s rule God created human beings to live under His rule. God alone is King and His words have authority. They are not to be questioned, but obeyed. We can see from creation that God is a loving King. Therefore His rules are good and are given for the benefit of human beings. Questioning God s authority The devil enters the garden as a serpent (snake) and his first words question God s authority: Did God really say?. The devil tries to persuade the woman that God s words can be questioned. Satan then twists God s words by misquoting them. Satan is a liar and a twister of God s words. SATAN Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden? (Genesis 3:1). GOD You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). Satan s success (Genesis 3:3) This first response to the devil should have been, Why are you questioning God s words? He s the King! But the woman allows God s words to be questioned and she even adds to His words. Let s compare God s words again with the woman s words. 41

31 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 6 WOMAN We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, You must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die (Genesis 3:3). GOD You are free to eat from any tree in the garden but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). Removing the threat of judgement (Genesis 3:4) The first time Satan spoke he twisted God s words slightly. This time he clearly contradicts God s words: You will not surely die. He is trying to remove the threat of God s judgement. Becoming like God (Genesis 3:5) Satan is saying that if she eats the fruit she will become her own god, deciding for herself what is right and wrong. This is why the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is not to be eaten from. To eat from it is to say that God is not God, and that they are now God. To eat from the tree is to play at being God, deciding for themselves what is right and wrong. So Satan is right. God knows that if Adam and his wife eat from the tree they will become like Him in this way. They will be taking the position of final authority in deciding what is right and wrong. But this position belongs only to God. It is the King who decides what is good and evil, right and wrong. This is the rule for living in His Kingdom. Sin To disobey God s rule and choose to decide for yourself what is right and wrong is sin. To sin is to say that you don t want God as the King of your life, but rather yourself. Sin is more than breaking God s rules. It also involves trying to become your own god. Sin is a revolution. 42

32 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 6 To eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is to become like God and decide for yourself what is good and evil, right and wrong. The fall of human beings (Genesis 3:6) The devil has told the woman that she can become her own god, deciding what is right and wrong. Without questioning any further, the woman takes some of the fruit and eats it. She also gives some of the fruit to her husband Adam and he eats it as well. The first human beings disobey God s rule. They behave as if they are God and decide that eating from the tree is not wrong. They do not believe that God s way of life is best and good. They choose their own way of life deciding to disobey instead of to obey. 43

33 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 6 Think it through & discuss 1. If God created a perfect world, how did it all go wrong? 2. When the man and woman ate from the forbidden tree, what were they saying to God? 3. What evidences are there in today s world that people want to live as rulers of their own lives? 4. What do you think the consequences will be for rebelling against the King? 44

34 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Genesis 3:7-24 The Story so Far Human beings were made to rule this world and be in relationship with God, and with each other. In the beginning God established a Kingdom - God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. However, through the influence of God s enemy (Satan) they disobeyed God. Satan caused human beings to act as rulers of their own lives; and so rebel against God, deciding for themselves what is right and wrong. The result was a broken relationship with God and the Kingdom was ruined. God judged human beings and threw them out of His place and did not let them go back in to the Garden of Eden. The punishment was a broken relationship with God and with each other. Objectives To understand the way in which relationship breakdown occurs in the garden To introduce death and God s promise of war against Satan Connections God s Kingdom before and after the rebellion Summary When Adam and his wife disobey God there is relationship breakdown and the Kingdom of God is ruined. 45

35 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 6 God s Kingdom is Ruined When Adam and Eve rebel against God there is relationship breakdown in Eden. Relationship breakdown with God (Genesis 3:7-11) The relationship that Adam and Eve have with God is clearly broken. Before they disobeyed God they were in a loving relationship with their Creator. Things are very different now. When the LORD God comes for a walk in the garden, they hear Him and hide among the trees in the garden. This is an important theme in the Bible. Human beings are rebels against God and hide from Him. This is true of all human beings from every culture throughout history. People do not search for God, they run from God. Read Romans 3: When Adam and his wife disobey God s rule the loving relationship with God is broken. Relationship breakdown with each other (Genesis 3:7-12) There are a number of ways in which Adam and his wife s relationship is broken: Naked (Genesis 3:7) o They both become ashamed of their nakedness. Before they disobeyed God, their nakedness was not a problem. They hid nothing from each other. It was an open, honest relationship. Now they cover up from each other, and life would become inward, and self-centred. Blame (Genesis 3:12) o When God asks Adam if he has eaten from the forbidden tree, Adam s first response is to blame his wife. This is very different to when Adam first met his wife; he spoke in romantic poetry to her then. Adam does not take responsibility for his own actions, but is blaming his wife. 46

36 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 6 When Adam and his wife disobey God s rule the loving relationship with each other is broken. Death Death enters the garden because the first human beings disobey God s rule. The relationship with God is broken and one day they will die physically. Because Adam and Eve want to be their own gods, everything is ruined. There is relationship breakdown with God and with each other. God is a good and perfect King and so He must punish human rebellion. The fall of humankind is so great that it affects us even today. Death comes to all of us, and in a sense is now our master. Judgement on the serpent (Genesis 3:14-15) God is going to make war between Satan and one of Eve s offspring (seed). In the end the seed of the woman will crush Satan, even although Satan will injure Him. This is what the phrase He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel means. God is going to defeat the devil by a human being who will come from Eve s family line. War is the judgement on the devil a war that he is going to lose. God s judgement on the devil is war a human being from the family line of Eve will defeat him. Banishment from the Garden (Genesis 3:21-24) God s final judgement on Adam and Eve is to put them out of the Garden of Eden. They do not deserve to live in God s presence. God also makes it impossible for Adam and Eve to return to the garden. The word cherubim is simply another word for angel. An angel guards the way back into God s place. 47

37 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 6 God s Kingdom is ruined God s Kingdom can be described as God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. But God s people have disobeyed God s words and so God throws them out of His place. The Kingdom of God is ruined. The rest of the Bible is about how God will restore His Kingdom through the promised Rescuer-Ruler from the family line of Eve. When Adam and his wife disobey God there is relationship breakdown and the Kingdom of God is ruined. 48

38 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 6 God s Kingdom Constitution: I will be their God, they will be my people God s promises Place People Rule & Blessing Creation Eden Adam & Eve God s word Adam God s Kingdom ruined King 49

39 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 6 Think it through & discuss 1. How do we know the relationship with God is broken? 2. How do we know there is a breakdown in the relationship between Adam and Eve? 3. What does God s judgement on the devil involve? 4. Explain the picture in chapter six. 50

40 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Genesis 3:7-24 The Story so Far In the beginning God established a Kingdom - God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. However, through the influence of God s enemy (Satan) they disobeyed God. The result was a broken relationship with God and the Kingdom was ruined. God judged human beings and threw them out of His place and did not let them go back in to the Garden of Eden. The punishment was a broken relationship with God and with each other. Objectives To understand God s grace and mercy To explain the promise of Genesis 3:15 To understand the concept of substitution Connections The parallel of grace and judgement God s desire to rebuild His Kingdom Summary Despite the rebellion of human beings, God acts in grace and mercy, promising to rebuild His Kingdom. 51

41 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 7 Grace Grace Grace is a beautiful word. Some Christians call their daughters by this name. Grace finds its origin and definition in God. If there were no God, there would be no grace. Grace is receiving a gift we do not deserve. In Genesis 3:7-24 God acts in grace in various ways. Grace is receiving a gift we do not deserve. God seeks after rebels (Genesis 3:8-11) When Adam and Eve rebel against God s rule they become ashamed (guilty) of their nakedness so they hide from God. God told them that the day they ate from the forbidden tree they would surely die. Adam and Eve are hiding in God s place because they know they deserve to die. The first act of grace is that God comes looking for them. God gives rebels an opportunity (Genesis 3:11) God gives Adam and Eve an opportunity to own up. He knows where they are, but He wants Adam and Eve to come out and talk. He gives them an opportunity to own up and take responsibility for their wrong actions. He wants them to admit they have rebelled against Him. The God of the Bible is a God of grace who seeks rebels and gives them the opportunity to own up. God s promise to rescue and rule (Genesis 3:15) The themes of judgement and grace run alongside each other in the Bible. God judges Satan and promises to make war with him, but at the same time God promises to rescue human beings. In the beginning Satan caused God s people to be banished from His place. If the promised person is going to defeat the devil then human beings can also be rescued. Therefore God s judgement on Satan is also an act of grace to human beings. God gives Adam and Eve the promise of a Rescuer-Ruler. Rebuilding God s Kingdom Genesis 3:15 acts as the starting point for God s plan to rebuild His Kingdom. Satan has destroyed God s Kingdom. But the promised 52

42 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 7 Rescuer-Ruler will come, defeat the devil and restore God s Kingdom. The rest of the Bible is about the promised Rescuer- Ruler who will restore God s Kingdom. God s long-term project is to have a Kingdom again where His people live in His place, under His rule and blessing. The story of the Bible is about the coming Rescuer-Ruler who will restore God s Kingdom. God is committed to His creation and His people (Genesis 3:20) God promised that if Adam and Eve disobeyed His rule then they would surely die spiritually and physically. We have seen how they died spiritually on that day. Their loving relationship with God was broken. But Adam and Eve did not die physically on that day. In fact, Eve will become the mother of all the living. God is allowing life on earth to continue. He has the right to destroy their lives. This shows God s commitment to His creation and His people. It also shows His commitment to bring the promised Rescuer-Ruler through Eve s offspring. This act of commitment by God is an act of grace. God gives Adam and Eve what they do not deserve. 53

43 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 7 A broken threat? But did God break His threat to bring death the day Adam and Eve sin? No, because we will see later that Adam and Eve both die (Genesis 5:5). Here we see God s mercy as He holds back His judgement on human beings. God is merciful to Adam and Eve, giving them an opportunity to admit their sin. Mercy is not receiving a punishment we deserve. God s mercy is not receiving a punishment we deserve. God covers the results of sin (Genesis 3:21) When Adam and Eve become ashamed of their nakedness they try to cover up with fig leaves. What a bad effort at making clothes! But then God clothes them with skin from an animal. Substitution God kills an animal and makes clothes from the skin for Adam and Eve. Substitution is another theme that runs through the Bible and will become clearer as we progress. It is where the innocent dies in place of the guilty. The animal is innocent; Adam and Eve are guilty. The animal dies in the place of Adam and Eve. Substitution in the Bible is where the innocent dies in the place of the guilty. This animal s death covers the result of sin (guilt of nakedness). God is just and sin must be punished. But here we see God s grace. The death God brings is not to Adam and Eve (who both deserve to die) but to an animal. Adam and Eve may be clothed (and their guilt covered) because an animal dies in their place. God wants to rescue rebels (Genesis 3:22-24) The final act of grace from God is when He puts Adam and Eve out of the garden. But is this not an act of judgement? Yes, but it is also an act of grace. The reason God throws Adam and Eve out of the garden is so that they cannot eat from the tree of life and live forever. 54

44 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 7 How is this an act of grace? Human beings have fallen from their position as rulers of God s earth. They now have a rebellious nature against God. If they eat from the tree of life they will live forever as rebels against God, with a disobedient nature. But if they go out of the garden and die, then they will not have to spend forever as rebels against God. In fact, if they put their trust in the promised Rescuer-Ruler then they can be rescued from God s judgement and have the relationship with God restored. Putting Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden is an act of grace He gives them what they do not deserve an opportunity to be rescued. Summary Despite the rebellion of human beings, God acts in grace and mercy, promising to rebuild His Kingdom. 55

45 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 7 Think it through & discuss 1. Explain the words grace and mercy in your own words. 2. What is the first death in the Bible, and how is this significant? 3. Explain the concept of substitution in the Bible. 4. Why is God s promise in Genesis 3:15 important to the story of the whole Bible? 56

46 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Genesis 4:1-12 The Story so Far In the beginning God established a Kingdom - God s people, living in God s place, under God s rule and blessing. However, through the influence of God s enemy (Satan) they disobeyed God. The result was a broken relationship with God and the Kingdom was ruined. God judged human beings and threw them out of His place and did not let them go back into the Garden of Eden. The punishment was a broken relationship with God and with each other. But God also acted in grace and promised a Rescuer-Ruler who would come and defeat Satan and rebuild God s Kingdom. The Rescuer-Ruler would come from the family line of Adam and Eve and rescue people back into the Kingdom of God. Objectives To show how sin was passed on in the human race To highlight the consequences of human rebellion against God To introduce the concept of election Connections Adam s rebellious nature is seen in Cain and Abel God remains gracious despite the progress of human rebellion Summary The sin of human rebellion has been passed on to the whole human race. 57

47 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 8 Human Rebellion and Death Advances Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-2) God in His grace allows Adam and Eve to live and have children. Eve s first two children are boys called Cain and Abel. Cain is the oldest and is a farmer he grows crops. Abel is a shepherd. God s choice (Genesis 4:3-5) After a period of time the two sons bring an offering to the Lord. Cain brings vegetables, but Abel brings the fat from some of the firstborn animals. God accepts Abel s sacrifice and not Cain s. From Genesis 3:21 we know that the right sacrifice to give would be an animal that is how God covered Adam and Eve s sin. At this stage in the Bible we are not told exactly why God chooses Abel s offering instead of Cain s. In one sense God simply acts in grace and chooses Abel instead of Cain, the younger instead of the older. But this will be a pattern that will continue through the whole Bible God choosing the younger instead of the older. God chooses Abel s sacrifice instead of Cain s. God chooses the younger instead of the older. Right and wrong sacrifices (Hebrews 11:4) However, later in the Bible we are told that Abel did offer a better sacrifice than Cain. There are three important things in this verse. First, Abel offers God the correct sacrifice an animal. Death is the punishment for disobeying God, and so this animal is like a substitute dying in Abel s place. This is a theme that will be developed as the Bible progresses - an innocent animal dying in the place of guilty people. For now, all we need to know is that this is God s way of offering forgiveness through the death of an animal. 58

48 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 8 Second, Abel offers his sacrifice in faith. He trusts that God will accept him because of the death of an animal. He believes God s way of forgiveness, just as God had shown to his parents Adam and Eve. Abel is declared righteous before God, which simply means that he is put right with God through this sacrifice. Thirdly, although Abel died long ago, the Bible still speaks to us through him. Abel s sacrifice is an example to us, to have trust in God s way of sacrifice. Cain is a bad example, for he did not trust in God s way of sacrifice, but in his own way vegetables. Abel still speaks to us today by his life example encouraging us to have faith in God s way of sacrifice. The progression of human rebellion (Genesis 4:1-5) When Adam and Eve rebel against God the devil is present. When Cain disobeys God the devil is not present. And yet Cain decides for himself which sacrifice is right and wrong. This teaches us that the sin of human rebellion has been passed on to the human race. This means that we have inherited that spirit of human rebellion against God, deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong. The progression of relationship breakdown (Genesis 4:8-12) We saw in the Garden of Eden that disobedience leads to relationship breakdown. The same pattern follows outside the garden, except things start to get worse. Murder and lying Cain murders his brother Abel. This is the first murder of a human being in the Bible. In the garden there is blame and shame in the marriage of Adam and Eve, now there is murder in the family. When God asks Cain where his brother is, he lies, saying, I don t know. Cain knows very well where Abel is, because he has killed him. We then see evidence of further social breakdown, Am I my brother s keeper?. What brother does not look out for his brother? The Adam family is falling apart. The pattern of disobedience leading to relationship breakdown is continuing in the Bible. 59

49 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 8 The God of grace again (Genesis 4:24-25) Whilst human beings are acting in rebellion against God He still shows grace. God in His grace gives Eve another son in the place of Abel. His name is Seth meaning Elect One. The chapter closes with some hope. The reign of death (Genesis 5) Genesis 5 highlights that God s punishment for rebellion is taking effect in the human race. Death is reigning. Later in the Bible we see that rebellion is not only connected to death, but is also inherent within all human beings. We all die because we have all sinned. We all want to be the rulers of our own lives. Like Cain, we don t even need the devil present to make us like this. We are born like this. The sin of human rebellion has been passed on to the whole human race. 60

50 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 8 Think it through & discuss 1. What does the story of Cain and Abel teach us about human rebellion? 2. How does this story of Cain and Abel relate to us? 3. What do you think God is saying to us in Genesis 5? 61

51 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 9 62

52 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Genesis 6-9 The Story so Far God judged human beings and threw them out of His place and did not let them go back into the Garden of Eden. The punishment was a broken relationship with God and with each other. But God also acted in grace and promised a Rescuer-Ruler who would come and defeat Satan and rebuild God s Kingdom. The Rescuer-Ruler would come from the family line of Adam and Eve and rescue people back into the Kingdom of God. In the story of Cain and Abel we saw that human rebellion had been passed on to the whole human race. We all die because we have all chosen to be the rulers of our own lives. Objectives To explain that God judges the world for it s evil heart To show how God judges and then re-creates the world by the flood To show how God s grace changes people s lives Connections Creation to judgement to new creation Grace and judgement continue to flow through the Bible story When God judges He also rescues Summary In the flood God re-creates the world. By saving Noah He is showing His commitment to restoring His Kingdom through the promised Rescuer-Ruler. 63

53 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 9 A New Creation God s decision to judge the world (Genesis 6:1-7) God is going to destroy life on earth because the spread of sin has become so great. Since God is holy and just, He must punish this rebellion. He therefore decides to destroy everything He has created by a flood. Grace finds Noah (Genesis 6:8-9) The same pattern of judgement and grace in the Garden of Eden is repeated again in Genesis chapter 6. God is going to destroy life on the earth but at the same time He also acts graciously to Noah. Noah does not find grace by trying to live a good life. Grace finds Noah while he is living a bad life. Noah is just like any other human being. Noah and his family deserve to die, but the LORD shows them His grace. Therefore verse 8 is best understood like this, But the LORD showed His grace to Noah. Grace changes lives (Genesis 6:8-9) When God shows His grace to Noah it changes his life. This is very different to what we read in Genesis 6:5. Let us compare these two verses: 1) Genesis 6:5 - every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. This is a general statement about every human being, including Noah and his family. 2) Genesis 6:9 - Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. The first verse shows us that every person, including Noah and his family, disobeys God. The second verse shows us that Noah obeys God. So how does the change come about? The answer is God s grace. It is God s grace that changes people s lives from being disobedient to being obedient. 64

54 The Story of a Kingdom Chapter 9 Noah s Ark (Genesis 6:11-22) God tells Noah to build a big ark (boat) because He is going to destroy the earth with a worldwide flood, but rescue Noah and his family (eight people). God s plan is also to rescue every kind of animal that He has created and put them on the ark as well. Because God s grace has changed Noah s life he obeys everything God asks him to do. The important lesson of the story of Noah The lesson that is developing is that God is a merciful God who remains committed to His creation and His people. Therefore, in the big picture we can see that God is still committed to rebuilding His Kingdom by sending the promised Rescuer-Ruler. If God does not save Noah and his family then the family line of Eve will be destroyed, and the promised Rescuer-Ruler can never come (Genesis 3:15). In the big picture God is still committed to restoring His Kingdom and sending the promised Rescuer-Ruler. How does Noah find all the animals? (Genesis 7:8) God brings all the animals to the ark for Noah. He is able to do this because He is their Creator. Where do the floodwaters come from? (Genesis 7:11) The floodwaters come up from inside the earth and most likely split the land. Water also comes from the skies. Remember on the second day of creation how God separated the waters and put the atmosphere between them? It is thought that these waters in the sky fall during the flood. Creation reversed (Genesis 7:17-24) On the first day of creation there is only water and darkness on the earth. The description of the flood is very similar. After the flood there is only water and darkness. The world of green vegetation, 65