Ques. Did God say when He created everything, that it was good, very good? Did He bless His creatures and man, then curse them, and make the ground bring forth thorns and thistles, and put away Adam forever, making him return to dust? P. G.
Ans. God did say that His creation was very good. (Gen. 1:3131And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31).) He blessed His creatures and mankind (Vs 22, 28), and so it remained till sin came in and blighted God's fair creation. But this was not allowed to defeat His purpose which concerned His Son. He devised means that His banished ones be not expelled from Him. He cursed the ground for man's sake. He did not curse man, but the serpent was cursed (Gen. 3:1414And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: (Genesis 3:14)), and God began to work out a new creation of which His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, was to be the Head. (Col. 1:1818And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18); Rev. 3:1414And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14).) There was nothing for the serpent but eternal judgment. (Matt. 25:4141Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41); Rev. 20:1010And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10).)
In announcing the judgment on the serpent through the seed of the woman Adam heard the gospel, and believing it, called his wife's name Eve. Then God clothed them with coats of skins, which typically speaks of God's righteousness, Christ put upon every believer. (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21).)
Abel believed the same gospel and approached God as a worshiper through the firstlings of his flock, with the fat thereof; whereas Cain would not submit himself to God's appeal, and was lost. He is a type of the Jew who murdered Christ, and deliberately refused God's offer of salvation, and also all men who walk in his ways.
Man's wickedness filled the earth with violence and corruption, till God repented that He had made man on the earth. (Gen. 6:77And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 6:7).) Then He sent the flood and swept them all away, but the house of faith. Man is a lost and ruined sinner, but there is salvation for men.
There are no promises to Adam, the head of a fallen race. The promises are to Christ, the Head of a redeemed race. But for this the Lord must die, and believers are saved through His death. Adam heard God speaking it to the serpent. A Savior was coming to destroy the works of the devil. Precious announcement of the Savior's death and suffering to annul Satan's power and to glorify God, so that God in righteousness can bless repentant sinners.
Adam's body was mortal and returned to dust, but God in grace could set aside this judgment, and take Enoch and Elijah up to heaven without dying, as he could save their souls also, because of what Christ was to do upon the cross. (Rom. 3:2525Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25))
The New Testament tells us that every man and woman will be raised from the dead. so that spirit, soul and body will be united again. The believers are to be with Christ in His eternal glory, and the unsaved to be in the lake of fire forever.
Adam was driven out of the garden, lest he should eat of the tree of life, and thus be perpetually in a ruined condition. The flaming sword and the Cherubim guard it, and keep man away till he believes on the Savior. By and by he will, when with Christ above eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Rev. 2:77He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7).) Paradise on this sin blighted earth is gone forever, but God will have a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. All believers will be there where sin can never come. (2 Peter 3:1313Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13); Rev. 21:11And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1).)
Ques. Is all the professing Church Laodicea now?
Rev. 3:1111Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:11) shows a remnant looking for the coming of the Lord, keeping His word, and not denying His name. Overcomers are there also.
The truth that there is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, continues till the Lord comes. Our responsibility and privilege is to walk worthy of that vocation with all lowliness and meekness, and the Lord's care of the Church, and provision for its needs, will not cease till the perfect Man is reached. (Eph. 4:4-164There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:4‑16).)
Ans. It is their character as strangers dwelling in tents that is the point, not that they were living together at the same time. Jacob built a house for himself at Succoth, that was failure; but in the New Testament, God speaks of the faith of the Old Testament saints, not of their failures.