A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns
A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns
Individuals normally fall into sin only after they become tolerant of questionable activities. This appears to have been the case with Adam. Some commentators argue his first sin was not eating the fruit but standing by silently while Eve talked with the serpent. Under the terms of the Edenic Covenant, Adam and Eve had dominion over “everything that creeps on the earth” (Gen. 1:28-30). Though it could be argued that one does not surrender control to talk with a subordinate, it is obvious in this conversation that the subordinate was controlling Eve. At best, Eve’s conversation with the serpent was questionable. Had the conversation not existed, the fruit may not have been picked ... nor eaten. The serpent was successful in tempting Eve to eat the fruit by appealing to three areas of temptation. She ate only when she “saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise” (3:6). When one compares Satan’s later temptation of Christ, it is noted that the Lord was also tempted in these three areas, but without sin. This was due to His fidelity to the Word of God. HOW SATAN TEMPTED Strategy Eve Christ (1 John 2:16) (Gen. 3:6) (Matt. 4:1-11) 1 Lust of flesh Good for food Stones for bread 2 Lust of eyes Pleasant to eyes Glory of kingdoms 3 Pride of life Desire to make Prove His deity one wise with a miracle When Adam and his wife ate that fruit, they immediately began losing everything of value in their lives. Their knowledge of evil immediately had a negative effect on the intimacy they had with each other (Gen. 3:7). When they heard the voice of the Lord, they were fearful of God rather than desiring to have fellowship with Him (v. 8). Because of their disobedience, God had to judge their sin. Because of the widespread involvement of various beings, many were immediately judged. These included the serpent, man, woman, and the earth itself. When Satan tempted Eve, he was embodied in a serpent. He did not form himself like a serpent, nor did he take on qualities of a serpent. Satan used a serpent as a vehicle for temptation. Satan used an actual serpent, so God cursed the serpent for his part in the temptation (allowing Satan to use him). “So the Lord God said to the serpent: `Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life’ “ (v. 14). The actual physical form of the serpent was changed as a consequence of the Fall. We cannot ignore the fact that most people have an unusual fear of snakes, even those that are nonpoisonous. Eve also was cursed for her part in the Fall. “Unto the woman He said: `I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you’ “ (v. 16). Eve, in particular, and women in general, live with two results of the Fall. First, they have a natural inclination to their husbands which would in some occasions lead to conception. And, secondly, they have increased pain in childbirth. God also judged Adam for his sin. God introduced a new emotion into his experience-sorrow (v. 17). He was to continue to have dominion over the ground, but now he would till a cursed ground. His labor would be multiplied and he would find himself working harder and producing less. Physical death was also introduced into the human experience. “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (v. 19). Apparently Adam also lost the complete dominion he earlier possessed over the animals. Man would still rule the beasts of the
earth, but with far more difficulty. Some animals would attack and kill man, other animals would resist him, and still other animals would be too dumb to heed man’s direction. THE DAYS OF ADAM (Gen. 3:20-24; 5:1-5) Everything was different for Adam after the Fall. His innocence was replaced with a conscience. His paradise became a burden. A distance came between him and God that had not formerly existed. No longer could he live under the ideal conditions of the Edenic Covenant. God made a new covenant with Adam known as the Adamic Covenant (Gen. 3:14-19). Though much of this covenant was negative, for Adam it offered hope and became the content of his faith in God. One of the first things Adam did under the terms of the Adamic Covenant was to rename his wife “Eve.” The significance of this act is recognized in understanding the meaning of the two names Adam gave his wife. The name “Woman” (Heb. ‘ishshah) conveys the idea of a close relationship with man (Heb. ‘ish-cf. Gen. 2:23). The name “Eve” literally means “lifegiver.” God had promised Eve sorrow in childbirth and Adam exercised his faith in the word of God by referring to his wife not as a woman or a wife, but rather the mother of their yet unborn children. After the first sin, God came walking in the Garden seeking fellowship with man. Since God knows all things, He knew man had sinned. After confronting our first parents with judgment for their sin, God continued seeking man. In response to the faith of Adam, God did what He always does when people come to Him by faith. He restored Adam to fellowship with Him (reconciliation). “Also for Adam and his wife, the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (3:21). Many commentators interpret those “tunics of skin” typically as “the garments of salvation” (Isa. 61:10). Since God would have had to kill an animal to provide the skins, it was probably here that God taught Adam of the need for a sacrifice for sin. Not only did God provide salvation for Adam and Eve, He made their new relationship with Him secure by expelling them from the Garden. There were two trees of significance in the Garden paradise. When Adam ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he plunged the whole human race into sin. Had he also eaten of the tree of life, he would have lived forever in that state. Understanding the eternal consequence of that act better than Adam could ever hope to, God “drove out the man” (Gen. 3:24). It probably seemed at the time to Adam a harsh act on the part of God, but in reality it was a further evidence of “the grace of God that brings salvation” (Titus 2:11). God forgave Adam for his sin as He forgives all who come to Him by faith, but Adam still had to struggle with the consequence of his sin for the rest of his life. His first son, Cain, followed his example in rebelling against the command of God and it resulted in the murder of the second son, Abel (Gen. 4:1-8). With the birth of his third son, Seth, Adam saw his family degenerate into the practice of calling things by the name of the Lord, probably the first reference to cursing and idol worship (v. 26). Finally, after over 900 years of life, Adam himself died physically as the ultimate result of his sin in the Garden (5:5). Though Adam had lost everything in his decision to violate the command of God, he did not abandon hope as so many today do when confronted with major setbacks or failures. He realized that even in the judgment of God there was grace. Adam was willing to rebuild his life by faith in God. No man has ever committed sin with such severe consequences as Adam, yet even for Adam there was grace. PERSPECTIVE: THE LAST ADAM (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:45-59) God promised Adam and Eve a coming Redeemer. If God had to condemn man because of Adam’s sin, He would also provide the means of redeeming mankind. The promise of the seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15 is called the “Proto-evangelium,” or first mention of the Gospel. Ultimately, there would appear in Adam’s race the promised Child who would bruise the head of the serpent and defeat the power of sin. That was the first of many Old Testament messianic prophecies which find their fulfillment in the person of Jesus
- Page 2 and 3: A Journey Through The Old Testament
- Page 4 and 5: 43. ELISHA: The Prophet of Twice th
- Page 6 and 7: matter of fact, nothing is eternal
- Page 8 and 9: Be like the Most High The title “
- Page 10 and 11: TWO ADAM: The Man Who Had Everythin
- Page 14 and 15: Christ whom Paul calls “the last
- Page 16 and 17: abandon Cain. Rather the Lord came
- Page 18 and 19: When Cain determined to abandon the
- Page 20 and 21: would be that son, Noah, who sailed
- Page 22 and 23: 8 The Flood which followed the ente
- Page 24 and 25: always leads to judgment. But Noah,
- Page 26 and 27: happened in the tent is not certain
- Page 28 and 29: at this time that the Americas and
- Page 30 and 31: Though the Scripture explains, “N
- Page 32 and 33: The first call of Abram involved th
- Page 34 and 35: Damascus (cf. 15:2-3). When Abram a
- Page 36 and 37: SEVEN ABRAHAM: Lapse of Faith: Reas
- Page 38 and 39: their root in this period when Abra
- Page 40 and 41: comes to God must believe that He i
- Page 42 and 43: (Gen. 13:8, literal translation). A
- Page 44 and 45: greater blessing. The man of faith
- Page 46 and 47: mothers, a practice which may have
- Page 48 and 49: Melchizedek is described as the pri
- Page 50 and 51: tion of righteousness. Also, the co
- Page 52 and 53: Israel, consistently tried to destr
- Page 54 and 55: HAGAR AND SARAI (Gen. 16:4-6) (2080
- Page 56 and 57: the natural carnal instincts of hum
- Page 58 and 59: eflects a change in Abram which end
- Page 60 and 61: appreciation. When God promised Abr
earth, but with far more difficulty. Some animals would attack and kill man, other animals would resist him,<br />
and still other animals would be too dumb to heed man’s direction.<br />
THE DAYS OF ADAM (Gen. 3:20-24; 5:1-5)<br />
Everything was different for Adam after the Fall. His innocence was replaced with a conscience. His<br />
paradise became a burden. A distance came between him and God that had not formerly existed. No longer<br />
could he live under the ideal conditions of the Edenic Covenant. God made a new covenant with Adam<br />
known as the Adamic Covenant (Gen. 3:14-19). Though much of this covenant was negative, for Adam it offered<br />
hope and became the content of his faith in God.<br />
One of the first things Adam did under the terms of the Adamic Covenant was to rename his wife<br />
“Eve.” <strong>The</strong> significance of this act is recognized in understanding the meaning of the two names Adam gave<br />
his wife. <strong>The</strong> name “Woman” (Heb. ‘ishshah) conveys the idea of a close relationship with man (Heb. ‘ish-cf.<br />
Gen. 2:23). <strong>The</strong> name “Eve” literally means “lifegiver.” God had promised Eve sorrow in childbirth and<br />
Adam exercised his faith in the word of God by referring to his wife not as a woman or a wife, but rather the<br />
mother of their yet unborn children.<br />
After the first sin, God came walking in the Garden seeking fellowship with man. Since God knows<br />
all things, He knew man had sinned. After confronting our first parents with judgment for their sin, God<br />
continued seeking man. In response to the faith of Adam, God did what He always does when people come to<br />
Him by faith. He restored Adam to fellowship with Him (reconciliation). “Also for Adam and his wife, the<br />
Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (3:21). Many commentators interpret those “tunics of skin”<br />
typically as “the garments of salvation” (Isa. 61:10). Since God would have had to kill an animal to provide the<br />
skins, it was probably here that God taught Adam of the need for a sacrifice for sin.<br />
Not only did God provide salvation for Adam and Eve, He made their new relationship with Him<br />
secure by expelling them from the Garden. <strong>The</strong>re were two trees of significance in the Garden paradise. When<br />
Adam ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he plunged the whole human race into sin. Had he also<br />
eaten of the tree of life, he would have lived forever in that state. Understanding the eternal consequence of that<br />
act better than Adam could ever hope to, God “drove out the man” (Gen. 3:24). It probably seemed at the time<br />
to Adam a harsh act on the part of God, but in reality it was a further evidence of “the grace of God that brings<br />
salvation” (Titus 2:11).<br />
God forgave Adam for his sin as He forgives all who come to Him by faith, but Adam still had to<br />
struggle with the consequence of his sin for the rest of his life. His first son, Cain, followed his example in<br />
rebelling against the command of God and it resulted in the murder of the second son, Abel (Gen. 4:1-8). With<br />
the birth of his third son, Seth, Adam saw his family degenerate into the practice of calling things by the name<br />
of the Lord, probably the first reference to cursing and idol worship (v. 26). Finally, after over 900 years of life,<br />
Adam himself died physically as the ultimate result of his sin in the Garden (5:5).<br />
Though Adam had lost everything in his decision to violate the command of God, he did not abandon<br />
hope as so many today do when confronted with major setbacks or failures. He realized that even in the<br />
judgment of God there was grace. Adam was willing to rebuild his life by faith in God. No man has ever<br />
committed sin with such severe consequences as Adam, yet even for Adam there was grace.<br />
PERSPECTIVE: THE LAST ADAM (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:45-59)<br />
God promised Adam and Eve a coming Redeemer. If God had to condemn man because of Adam’s<br />
sin, He would also provide the means of redeeming mankind. <strong>The</strong> promise of the seed of the woman in<br />
Genesis 3:15 is called the “Proto-evangelium,” or first mention of the Gospel. Ultimately, there would appear<br />
in Adam’s race the promised Child who would bruise the head of the serpent and defeat the power of sin. That<br />
was the first of many <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Testament</strong> messianic prophecies which find their fulfillment in the person of Jesus
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