Paradise Lost

Israel were a people who suffered from the loss of hope. Even after being redeemed from Egypt, they gave up hope of ever reaching the promised land; when they saw what awaited them in Canaan they faltered in hope and wished to return to Egypt; when God later drove them into exile, they had little hope of ever returning to the land.

Yet the things written in

This morning , I want us to concentrate on an important issue raised for us in this passage and that is the matter of the covenant of works. The original relationship between God and Adam prior to the fall in the garden of Eden. It was a special relationship or economy which God had established with Adam.

Tonight, just like last week, I want us to concentrate on just one issue raised for us in this passage and that is the matter of the covenant of works. The original relationship between God and Adam prior to the fall in the garden of Eden. This special relationship or economy which God had established with Adam. This passage begins with the announcement of a new section in the book of Genesis. is actually like a chapter heading and there are other chapter headings like it in other passages in the book of Genesis. Let me just give you a few examples. If you’d turn over, for instance, to you will see a chapter heading which is written in the same language of in . This is the book of the generations of Adam. And then again in , these are the records of the generation of Noah. And then again in , verse 1. Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah and sons were born to them after the flood. And then again in , verse 27. Now these are the records of the generations of Terah and so on. These are markings for new divisions in the book of Genesis given by Moses himself.

This passage begins with the announcement of a new section in the book of Genesis. is actually like a chapter heading and there are specifically 9 other places like it in other passages in the book of Genesis. Let me just give you a few examples. If you’d turn over, for instance, to you will see a chapter heading which is written in the same language of in . This is the book of the generations of Adam. And then again in , these are the records of the generation of Noah. And then again in , verse 1. Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah and sons were born to them after the flood. And then again in , verse 27. Now these are the records of the generations of Terah and so on.

These are called “toledoth”, markers which introduce us to a new section of the narrative where the subject matter is narrowed down with more specificity than what had preceded. It is a forward pointing unveiling of God’s plans in redemptive history. These had profound significance for ancient Israel. It is a like a formula to introduce us to the narrowed down subject of the history of humanity in the beginning.

is not a separate creation account, as has been suggested by some critic scholars and theologians. is the big picture of creation. focuses on man. culminates with man. He is the apex of the creation on the sixth day. focuses everything almost in a circle looking into the creation of man and coming out from the creation of man. So that the whole focus of is on the surroundings of man's original environment and God's special relationship with Adam. You know, the whole structure of points us to the idea that though we are small creatures in the vast cosmos. Yet in God's economy we are more important than even those huge terrestrial bodies which dwarf us out there. Well, simply reconfirms that truth and hones in on it in more specific form.

So let's look at it together.

is the big picture. focuses on man. culminates with man. He is the apex of the creation on the sixth day. focuses everything almost in a circle looking into the creation of man and coming out from the creation of man. So that the whole focus of is on the surroundings of man's original environment and God's special relationship with Adam. You know, we said that the whole structure of points us to the idea that though we are small creatures in the vast universe. Yet in God's economy we are more important than even those huge terrestrial bodies which dwarf us out there. Well, simply reconfirms that truth and homes in on it in more specific form. So let's look at it together.

Verse 5 is a continuation of describing the condition of the earth prior to the creation of man. There was already moisture in the form of a mist/spring that “watered the face of the ground”, to give favorable conditions conducive for the growth of vegetation, even without rain.

Verse 7 brings us to learn of the origin of man in his constitutional makeup; his physical body and his soul. Man was formed from the dust of the ground. Human beings are not gods, as some ancient and modern people believe themselves to be. The man, hāʾādām, is made from hāʾădāmâ (the ground/earth). Man is not descended from animals or the lower primates. Man is not developed by evolution from brute ancestry. Man is specially created by God from the dust of the ground. He is fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Although man’s physical makeup is similar to that of animals (dust), it says this

1 Corinthians 15:39 ESV

For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

Man and animals were made by the same God, intended to live in the same world. Man was made a civil being, with moral uprightness in his original condition. God Himself carefully, lovingly, shaped man into an elegant vessel. The Lord breathed life into the nostrils of man, that man would know the source of his breath and the lively animation of his entire being is God. It is God that gives us breath and life, and that keeps us breathing and living. The Bible portrays the first habitation of man not as a jungle but as a garden planted by God Himself in the eastern region of the earth. The name “Eden” means “pleasantness” or “delight”. Eden was not a small sparse plot of land, but the reference to the great rivers within its encompass tell us that it was a large tract of country.

hāʾādām

hāʾădāmâ

It was an ideal home prepared by God for our first parents. When we try to picture the garden, we should think of a lush, secure, garden. Elsewhere in the OT, the garden is referred to as the “garden of the Lord” ( and ). Just like the later tabernacle and temple, the garden is symbolic of the special place where God designed to dwell and commune with man.

But it is more than symbolic. In the Garden of Eden, besides the trees that were pleasant to the sight, and good for food, there are two special trees mentioned: the tree of life, which was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. What trees these were we do not know, nor is this important. What is important is the symbolic or sacramental meaning that was attached to these two trees. These two trees were symbols of two religious principles. The tree of life was a symbol of the principle of life. The tree of knowledge of good and evil was a symbol of probation. We see from , that before he sinned, man had not yet eaten the fruit of the tree of life. Although there is no record of any command not to eat of it, it seems clear that the right to do so had not yet been given to him.

One of those trees is a sacrament. The tree of life. In other words, it is a sign of a promise that God has implied. The other tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, is a test. It is a probation and the very mention of those two trees at this point in the story, of course brings us to mind the tragedy that is to come. But at this point, the tree of life is there to remind us of the blessing which is implied.

Vos, J.G. (2014-03-30). Genesis (Kindle Locations 897-901). Crown & Covenant Publications. Kindle Edition.

Vos, J.G. (2014-03-30). Genesis (Kindle Location 897). Crown & Covenant Publications. Kindle Edition.

Vos, J.G. (2014-03-30). Genesis (Kindle Locations 908-909). Crown & Covenant Publications. Kindle Edition.

The very perfection of the original environment in Eden reminded of the blessings which God had given Adam in the beginning. Choice dainties. Bountiful rivers. Plentiful precious stones (gold, bdellium, onyx).

Yet here is Israel, exiled in a wasteland. Grieved sore with suffering. If they would ever see the vast visible difference between the good of true prosperity and the sorrow of true poverty, they would see it in where they were in Adam and where they were at the time these truths of Genesis were made known to them. They were to see this so they would never forget the connection between sin and misery. You see, the difference for all men between then and now is the sin of Adam, and his losing the invitation of the blessing of God.

very perfection of the original environment reminds us of the blessings which God had given in that covenant of works.

Sin is ruinous. And sin ruined this once perfectly sweet Edenic serenity. But where sin once abounded, grace abounded much more through our Lord Jesus Christ. And He still invites guilty malefactors like you and I to believe on Him and to be with Him in the eternal Paradise that He has gained on behalf of the undeserving.

Amen.