Meditations on the Word: Genesis 3-5

From: The Christian Shepherd: 1999 By: Norman W. Berry

Genesis 3‑5 • 3 min. read • grade level: 7

One of the most solemn accounts in the Bible is that of the fall of man resulting in separation from holy God who created and loved him. But the wonderful announcement is that in the far-off future, God would graciously provide to meet the fallen sinner’s great, great need.

Verses 1-7. We meet the serpent for the first time. Eve failed in many ways: (1) She listened to the serpent, (2) she spoke to the serpent, (3) she reasoned about God’s command, and (4) she (and Adam too) disobeyed God’s command. Ever since, Satan has succeeded in substituting his lies for God’s truth. He has brought sin, misery and death. Yet people dare to blame God for the present condition of the world.

Verses 7-10. After they disobeyed God, Adam and Eve immediately received a bad conscience. They knew they were naked and they hid from God. A bad conscience always makes us afraid of God.

Verses 11-24. The results of one act of disobedience. Sin separates from God (Isa. 59:2²But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)).

Verse 15. This points directly to Christ on the cross, destroying Satan (Heb. 2:14¹⁴Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14)).

Verses 16-17. What a marvelous contrast to this sorrow is the joy and peace with God a believer has through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 15:13¹³Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:13)).

Verse 21. An animal had to die to provide the skins to cover Adam and Eve. This reminds us of Christ as the Lamb of God, who died to cleanse us from our sins and give us a perfect standing before God (Heb. 10:14¹⁴For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)).

Verse 22. The tree of life had a purpose to be fulfilled in the future. We believers are going to eat the fruit of that tree, for we shall live forever (Rev. 22:2²In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2))!

Verses 23-24. The sword of judgment kept them out of the garden, away from the tree of life. But the sword of judgment fell on the Lord Jesus (Zech. 13:7⁷Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (Zechariah 13:7)), and through the death of the good Shepherd (John 10:11¹¹I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)), the door into heaven, the paradise of God, is now open to all who believe.

Genesis 4

Sin, spreading throughout the family of Adam, has affected everyone born since (except the Lord Jesus). In Genesis 3 it was sin against God; here it is murder of another human being. There are many “firsts” in this chapter: (1) the first children, (2) the first offering, (3) the first murder, and (4) the first civilization.

Verses 1-17. Cain’s offering was fruit from the ground that God had cursed (Gen. 3:17¹⁷And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; (Genesis 3:17)). It was a bloodless offering. But Abel’s offering pleased God. It pictures Christ’s death for us on the cross (Heb. 11:4⁴By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)). Men still try as Cain did to be acceptable to God by their efforts and work. No unsaved person can worship God.

Genesis 5

Verse 1. Compare this verse with Matthew 1:1¹The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1). Genesis 5¹This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; (Genesis 5:1) is a record of the generations of the fallen descendants of Adam. Matthew gives the book of the generations of Jesus Christ. Adam (the first man) and Christ (the second Man the last Adam) are the heads of these two races.

We are born into the first, but we must be born again (John 3:7⁷Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)) into the second. Through Adam we all die, through Christ we are made alive (Rom. 5:21²¹That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21); 1 Cor. 15:22²²For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)). Which family are you in?

Very soon, the Lord Jesus is going to come in the air and call every believer (dead and living) out of this world. Enoch (vss. 21-24) is a picture of all those believers who will be living when the Lord catches them up in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-18¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑18)).

N. Berry

(to be continued)

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